The Other Detective - Book 3 (Riverdale Season 3)

Manhunt - Part 1

"Betty," Jughead said as they rushed back into the bunker. "I saw him. The Gargoyle King."

"Jug, what the hell? Just now?"

"As we were walking home. We followed him into a clearing. Betty, there were others. There's, like, ten of them. They look like his disciples, like they were worshiping the king."

"It was like a cult or a gang and they were just standing around a fire with gargoyle masks on."

"A gang of gargoyles."

"Well let's go after them."

"No. We shouldn't push our luck. Not until we know more."

"We don't know if they have weapons, how fanatical they are, or what they'll do to us if they saw us," Aminity added.

"Well, who could they be?"

"Joaquin," Archie said from the bed and they walked over to him. "Joaquin told Kevin about a new gang and then Joaquin ran into the woods."

"We know Warden Norton is playing G&G and Joaquin was doing his dirty work," Betty said.

"It's just another piece of damning evidence that Warden Norton could be out Gargoyle King."

"It's possible," Aminity said as Betty sighed.

***

"Archie is a murder and we know he didn't escpae alone. He had help," Minetta said as he stood in front of the class. "Hiding a convict or withholding information from the law is a felony offense, so whoever has aided and abetted Archie Andrews is just as much of a criminal as he is," he went through the speech he had told the other classes. His eyes landed on Aminity. "Where were you, Miss. Jones, during the time of the breakout?"

"I was doing homework at home."

"Alone?"

"No. I was with Sweet Pea. We were studying together."

"Hmm." He walked away from her. "I will be looking to all of your alibis and if I find out later that someone in her was involved, you can say goodbye to this school, your hopes, your dreams, and your entire future. All of it goes away just like that. So, to be clear, if you know anything, I suggest you speak now." He looked at her again, but she kept a calm face, focusing on her breathing instead of him.

***

"Another seizure?" Jughead asked as they sat on the Blue and Gold's floor, looking through old yearbooks, as Betty told the Jones' about Jozie's seizure during Minetta's speech in her class. "As if things weren't crazy enough."

"I know. First me, then Ethel, then Joise? What's the connection there?"

"Speaking of connections, with Warden Norton dead, there goes our theory of him as the Gargoyle King."

"Maybe not," Betty said after a second. "Look," she passed them the book. "There's the connection between our parents and Warden Norton right there."

"Warden Norton was the RROTC instructor of Riverdale High?"

"Yeah. The same year our parents started the Midnight Club."

"There's no way that can be a coincidence," Aminity spoke up.

"What this proves once more is that our parents continue to hide things from us and it started with the Midnight Club. Featherhead was the first blue lipped death on record. Somehow I need to get our parents to start talking to us, force them into telling us the truth, even if that means backing them into a corner."