Suspect | Jughead Jones.

01

Our story is about a town, a small town, and the people who live in the town. From a distance, it presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world Safe. Decent. Innocent. Get closer, though, and you start seeing the shadows underneath.

The name of our town is Riverdale. And our story begins, I guess, with what the Blossom twins did this summer. On the Fourth of July, just after dawn, Jason and Cheryl Blossom drove out to Sweetwater River for an early morning boat ride.

The next thing we know happened for sure is that Dilton Doiley, who was leading Riverdale's Boy Scout Troop on a bird watching expedition, came upon Cheryl by the river's edge.

Riverdale Police dragged Sweetwater River for Jason's body, but never found it. So a week later, the Blossom family buried an empty casket and Jason's death was ruled an accident, as the story that Cheryl told made the rounds. That Cheryl dropped a glove in the water, and Jason reached down to get it, and accidentally tipped the boat, and panicked, and drowned.

As for us, we were still talking about the "July Fourth tragedy" on the last day of summer vacation, when a new mystery rolled into town.

Natasha Lodge stepped out of the town car after her sister Veronica with her mother Hermione in tow. With a sigh, Tash examined the building she was to live in as her mother and Veronica moved forward to the entrance of the building. Begrudgingly, Tash followed the two women inside and up the elevator to the eleventh floor.

"Now brace yourself," Hermione warned as she unlocked and opened the door, "The apartment's small, a pied-a-terre, - but "quality, always. " -

"Quality, always," the girls chorused.

"Plus, it's the only piece of property in my name and not your father's," she explained just as a man followed the three women inside.

"Ms. Hermione! - Welcome home!" The man- Smithers greeted.

"Smithers!" Hermione gasped as Tash picked at her unmanicured nails, "Oh you are a sight for sore eyes."
"How was the ride?" He asked.

"No traffic, thank God. Smithers, I'd like to introduce you to my daughters, Veronica and Natasha," Hermione gestured to the two girls.

"It's a pleasure, miss'," Smithers greeted and Tash gave a slight smile while Veronica gave a quiet "Hi."
"I'll get the bags," he told Hermione.

Hermione gasped thankfully, "Would you?"

The man made a move to leave the room before he remembered something and turned around "Oh, and would you like some menus, ma'am, so you can order in?"

Hermione was quick to decline, "Oh, no. I have been craving one of Pop Tate's cheeseburgers since noon. Is his Chock'lit Shoppe still open?"

Veronica made a face, "What is a Chock'lit Shoppe and why does it sell burgers?"

Natasha snorted, "It's obviously a diner Ronnie. With the size of this town it's probably the hang out. Gross."

"Natasha," Hermione sighed, "Please. You promised me you would try," Hermione pleaded and Tash huffed, before bidding her head stubbornly, "Now, I'm going to call an order into Pop's, then I'll take you to pick it up."

•••

Archie Andrews sat across the booth from his best friend Betty Cooper, each nursing a milkshake.

"Also I've been thinking about us, Archie, and our friendship, and how it's time we..." Betty tried with Archie, who was distracted with the enterance of the Lodge sisters.