The Other Detective - Book 3 (Riverdale Season 3)

Jawbreaker - Part 2

"You locked your mom in Dilton's bunker?" Jughead asked with one hand on her shoulder and one of her hands.

"Yeah, it's the only place where she'll be safe from the Farm, Jug," she said as they all sat in the lounge looking at her. "And I've already made some headway with the deprogramming. Next, I'm gonna listen to her testimony tapes and see if there's anything I can use to help me get my mom back." They all stopped when they heard a loud bang in the hallway.

"What is that?" Archie asked, standing as the sound came again. Everyone else stood and they rushed into the hallway, finding one of the cheerleaders repeatedly banging her head into one of the lockers, a blood stain being formed. Some of her friends came and tried to pull her back, but she only pushed them away.

"What the hell is going on?" Jughead asked as two of her friends were finally able to pull her away. "Hey," he called to them, "did she take something?"

"Yeah, she took some G," one of them said as the girl looked at them, her mouth foaming.

"Get her to the infirmary!" he yelled and they ran down the hallway dragging her with them. "Hey, Dad," Jughead answered the phone.

"Is your sister with you?"

"Yeah, she's right here," he said, glancing at Aminity who walked closer so she could hear.

"I need your brains, kids. I got another guy here on a nasty trip. Can you meet me at the station?"

Jughead leant down and picked up the empty Fizzle Rocks packet on the floor. "Yeah, we'll be right there."

"Okay."

***

"It's gotta be a bad batch," Jughead said as they watched the two prisoners in the cells. "One that causes Fizzle Rocks psychosis."

"Or the Fizzle Rocks are being cut with something. Bath salts, maybe. We need to catch whoever's dealing this garbage before someone ends up dead."

"Looks like our John is almost ready to talk," Jughead said as they looked over at the first man they had encountered who was mostly still in the cell while the other was still thrashing.

***

"What does it mean?" Jughead asked as he passed the Fizzle Rocks packet across the table, a large 'G' written in black on one side.

"The G's for Gargoyle, I think."

"Any specific Gargoyle?" Aminity asked.

"This time it was a guy named Kurtz." The Jones' glanced at each other.

"Do you have any idea where Kurtz is now?"

"How should I know?" he asked Jughead.

"Kurtz is the cook and he's selling too," FP leant over and whispered to them. "But we need the kingpin. I'm gonna pay Hiram Lodge a visit. Tell your mom I'll be home late."

***

"He's the guy I collared as Pop's," FP told them as they walked into the interrogation room the next night. "Finally woke up, that's when I called you. Hey," he got the man's attention. "Could've really hurt someone, pal."

"Where'd you get the G? From a guy named Kurtz?"

"Yeah," he answered Jughead. "He wasn't my usual dealer. He was real aggressive, trying to get me to buy more than my usual."

"He's still in Riverdale," Jughead whispered to their father. "He's getting desperate, it sounds like."

"It's Laura," FP said as he looked at his phone. "Our lady friend from the Maple Club. Hello?"

***

"What happened?" FP asked as they sat down in the Maple Club. "Another crazy John?"

"You told me to call in case anything came up. Well, some preppy rich kids were here. Rowdy and stirring up trouble."

"Were they on the same Rocks that drove the other customer feral?"

"No," she told Jughead, "but they were here killing time before meeting a dealer in the lobby, but I guess the guy never showed."

"Then why'd they leave?" Aminity asked.

"One of the ruffians got a call," Penelope spoke up. "Sounded like a supplier looking to reschedule."

"He said something about a fight. Left this in the trash," she held up the poster.

"That's Archie's gym," Jughead said as FP took the poster.

"One last chance to bust Kurtz."

***

"Look, you guys do the whole stakeout thing," Aminity said as they leant against FP's sheriff car, "but I told Archie I would be at the fight. I'll keep my phone on me and text if I see anything inside. I'll be fine."

"Okay," FP sighed. "Stay in touch."

"I will. Let me know if you see anything." Jughead and FP nodded and she went inside, joining the growing crowd in the gym. She took her seat next to Fred, getting a text a few minutes later.

Jughead - Just saw Kurtz. Moving to engage.

"Everything okay?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, fine," she said, not looking up from her phone. Archie came out and the crowd cheered, Fred and Aminity standing and clapping before sitting back down.

Jughead - Got him. Have fun at the fight. Let me know how it goes. Dad and I got Kurtz.

"You sure?" Fred asked as she looked at her phone again and she smiled at him with relief.

"Yeah. Everything's good." They watched the fight, both seeming to have an even advantage until Ronson cornered Archie, punching repeatedly even after the bell rang and the referee had to pull him off. The next round started after some discussion between Keller, Elio, and Archie. They continued the fight, Archie getting cornered again before getting out of it and delivering a punch to Ronosn's face, sending him to the ground. The crowd started cheering as the referee counted and Ronson didn't move. The match ended, Archie winning. After a second, Archie walked over to Ronson's unmoving body.

"We need a doctor! Somebody call a doctor!"

***

"You hurt a lot of people Kurtz," FP said as they stood in the interrogation room. "What were you thinking? Sell the bad batch, get out of town, dodge a murder charge." He didn't say anything.

"Why Baby Teeth?" Jughead asked. "Did the Gargoyle King demand a sacrifice?"

"Baby Teeth." He chuckled. "He was only the warm up."

"To what?" Jughead stepped forwards.

"To the ultimate quest. One final game for you and your family," he pointed at them with a smile, "Hellcaster. It was demanded by the king. Save the little princess."

He paused as he thought before his face paled. "Aminity?"

"What did you do?" FP shouted as he leant across the table and grabbed Kurtz. "What did you do?

"She's been summoned by the King," he smiled before starting to laugh maniacally.

Jughead pulled out his phone and called her, but it just rang. "She's not picking up. Dad, she's not picking up!"

***

Aminity's head lolled as she was dragged into the forest, her body bruised and lip bloody.

"Look up, little princess."

"Don't call me that," she managed to get out in pants.

"I said, look up," Ricky demanded as two others held her, forcing her head up. She let out a breath as she saw the Gargoyle King in front of her, his head cocking slightly to the side, making his lips turn into a sinister smile.