The Other Detective - Book 3 (Riverdale Season 3)

The Man in Black - Part 1

They got off the train, continuing to walk as they had been for days, stopping after a few miles at a phone booth for Jughead to try Betty. Archie and Aminity sat on the bench as they waited.

"Still no answer?" Archie asked as he came out.

"No," he sighed, picking up his stuff.

"Look, Jug, maybe you should go back. Aminity too. I'm fine. Really, dude, I'm going to be fine."

"Archie, no offense, but Betty took down a serial killer last year. You can't go for five minutes without being kidnapped or getting the crap kicked out of you."

"Or both."

"And that was before you were marked for death by Hiram Lodge," Jughead continued, starting to walk again.

"It would be nice to stop looking over my shoulder all the time. Just find somewhere to settle, you know?"

"We will," he assured him. "When we find the right place, we'll know. We're gonna feel it."

"Like that magical feeling in books and movies," Aminity teased.

"Or maybe we're already there," Archie hit Jughead's arm and stopped, looking at the farm off the side of the road.

He scoffed. "Nice try. Let's get a couple more miles in before nightfall."

"Come on, Jug. We gotta bunk somewhere." Jughead sighed before following Archie and Aminity, heading to the house before stopping as they heard a gun cock behind them.

"You're trespassing," came a girl's voice. "Now let's see you do a little turn, nice and slow." They put down their bags, holding their hands up and turning around to see a teen girl holding the gun, another slightly older one walking out of the barn behind her.

"Who are you?" the older girl asked.

"I'm Cal. This is Biff and Lorraine," Jughead lied smoothly. "From Centerville."

"I don't like liars," she walked forwards. "Shoot 'em, Gracie." The younger girl, Gracie, lifted the gun as Archie quickly held his hands up.

"Wait, wait! We got robbed on a train. They took all our money," he added to the lie. "We've been walking for days. Just... We're looking for some food and some water and we'll be on our way."

"Put the rifle down."

"I don't trust them."

"Do as I say," she told her sister and the gun was lowered. "I'm Laurie Lake. This is Gracie. You boys like stew?"

***

They sat outside in the dark, illuminated by some lanterns as they ate, stuffing their faces as politely as possible.

"So where's everyone else?" Archie finally spoke. They didn't say anything. "I only meant, a farm this size, I thought there would be more people working it."

"A lot of the men in town are at a job down the river. Our father and our brother went with them, but they come back every now and then," Laurie told them. "You guys have somewhere to stay for the night?"

"We're good."

"No," Archie answered at the same time as Jughead.

"We should be getting out of your hair," Jughead continued.

"You've already been so kind," Aminity added.

"Or you could stay the night if you don't mind sleeping in the barn."