Paranoia // Third Book To The Lucky Series

Chapter 1

"Archie Andrews, you're under arrest for the murder of Shadow Lake resident, Cassidy Bullick," Minetta says.

"What?" Archie asks, "- I didn't kill him."

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney-" Minetta says as they lead Archie out the doors. I look across my friends all in confusion.

******

The summer before junior year was a mess. For me it was spent either at Pops working, at the courthouse for Archie's trial, or with the serpents trying to build back up the empire we once had. It was the most stressed I've been in a while. Yet the only thing keeping me together was Jughead. Him and I together helped power through the hardships of this summer. The Serpent King and Queen together fighting against a false murder accusation and an organization trying to send them to an early grave.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, the evidence and testimony that was presented in this court tell a dark story," The opposing attorney says as she walks the room, "that Archie Andrew has a history of violent behavior. That he started not one but two masked vigilante groups. That he assaulted an innocent boy who was helpless with two broke legs."

"Innocent my ass," I hiss under my breath as Jug pulls my hand into his. "Nick St Clair is about as innocent as Hiram Lodge is."

"That he went on a 'wilding' in the Southside of town and threatened to shoot a young man in the face," She says referring to threatening Sweet Pea. The urge to blurt out my comments bubbling inside, causing a ridiculous amount of restraint. "That while partying with his friends in the town of shadow lake Mr. Andrews ran into the woods and shot the victim, Cassidy Bullock point blank in the head... Now Mr. Andrews claims that it was his girlfriends fathers doorman who shot Mr. Bullock. A shot Mr. Andrew seems to have heard, but not seen. Who knows the truth of what happened that terrible night in the woods near shadow lake? I'll tell you who." She turns and points to Archie as Jughead and I fan ourselves faster. "That man knows. Archie Andrews may be a varsity athlete and he may be a sensitive musician. But he is also... a cold blooded killer." As she returns to his seat I scoff loudly. Causing glares to poor into me. I was one of the few people who not only testified on behalf of his character and what I remember from that night. But my testimony of what happened was wiped from the board on behalf of me drinking that night.

Molly gets up from the seat beside Archie. She and Sierra Mccoy were representing Archie in the trial. Which meant she was living with Fred, Archie, and I.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she says now facing the jury, "we know, for a fact, that Archie Andrews constantly puts the needs of others ahead of his own. We know he helped to solve the murder of Jason Blossom. We know that he offered both friends and enemies shelter when they had nowhere else to stay. We know that he punched through a river of ice to save the life of his classmate Cheryl Blossom." She looks around and sighs. "Let me remind you that there were no witnesses to the actual killing.
There was no murder weapon. There was no motive. At the end of the day, all the prosecution has is cloudy testimony from unreliable people. Now, it is my solemn duty as a mother to protect my son. But as an attorney, it's my duty to adhere to the facts, to the evidence. There is nothing here that proves that Archie Andrews is anything less than an innocent boy. Thank you." As she moves to sit down beside her son she shoots me a glare. After everything she still hated me. She started to soften up on me when I agreed to testify for Archie. But the moment I was discredited she went for my head.