Like it was meant to be |Completed|

Chapter 40

It took a while to calm Ms Lodge, to get the details out of her.

Jughead figured that the only Person who could know where Hiram would have gotten his people to kidnap Veronica was Hermione.

"Mrs.lodge i need you to calm yourself. We need to save Veronica. Please."

Hermione nodded and wiped her tears.

Jughead asked her " mrs. Lodge would you know any place where Hiram could have hidden Veronica?"

She shook her head " i was his partner yes, but there were things he didn't tell me." She said sadly

Jughead was frustrated. " Do you know of all empty properties, shacks owned by Hiram?"

Hermione thought about it but shook her head "I don't know. But there's a folder where he writes about all his earnings and places he owns in a list. If we could find the list, we would know"

Jughead nodded. "Where could it be?"

"In his study"

"But wasn't his study cleared out by the feds?"

"He has a hidden safe, that only he and i know of" she said as she turned to go to the study with jughead following her.

Hermione found the safe, but when she typed in the password, it didn't open. "He must have changed it"

"Can i try?"

He typed in Veronica's birthday and to his surprise it opened. He looked at Hermione "it was her birthday"

Hermione smiled sadly, "i thought he changed it. But guess he couldn't change it, she is his daughter after all, he loves her"

Jughead scoffed "if he loved her, he would have left her alone. Im sure there must be a selfish reason behind this"

Hermione was quiet. She couldn't help but agree that he's right. She crept down and went through the safe until she found a document.

She read it over, and stated "this is it"

He read over the list, noting down the names where the buildings were isolated. Because thats where she would be. It would be hard to hide her if there are people around.

He looked down at small slip he made in which there were location of 3 places written down.

"I'll search these areas and will inform you the progress Mrs lodge. But please, do not inform anyone else about this. Let this remain in between us."

She nodded "please take care of my daughter. Bring her back safe. Please"

"I will not let a single scratch come to her Mrs lodge. She will not get hurt again. I will make sure of that" jughead said with conviction in his voice.

She gave a small smile "I am glad my daughter found you. I can see that you really love her"

He stopped in his tracks when he heard that. Did he really love her?  Yeah, he did. He finally realised. He loves her. He didn't know when and how it happened, but he fell in love with Veronica. This realisation hit him hard. The person he loves is in danger. He doesn't know how she is. Is she in pain?  Clearing his head, he just let 1 thought in his mind. I need to save her he thought

He looked back at Mrs. Lodge " i am glad that she came into my life Mrs lodge. Without her, i would have lost my mind. She's my sanity. That's why. That's why its important to me that she comes back to me. Because I'll go crazy if she isn't around."

She smiled. She believed every word he said. She remembered when Veronica told her that he still loves betty. So forsake of her daughter's happiness she needed to ask him this " what about betty?"

And for the first time he didn't care what happened with betty. She could be with archie or anyone for all he cares. "She is just an ex who betrayed us. She's no one to me"

Hermione smiled relieved. "Bring her back jughead. I know only you can save her"

He nodded. He drove to school to talk to Cheryl, toni and Kevin. He decided to involve all those people who cared about her in saving her. He needs all the help he can get. If needed he will involve the serpents as well.

He quickly reached the school and ran inside. He rushed to the lounge, where he thought they all would be and to his luck he found them there along with betty and archie. But he had no time to separate them. So he decided to talk to them then and there.

"Guys its an urgency" he said as he panted looking at Cheryl, Toni and Kevin.

Cheryl who looked at his worried face, automatically got on alert "what happened?"

"Its Veronica. She's missing"

Kevin, toni and Cheryl at once got on their feet along with archie and betty.

"What?" They all shouted

Betty quickly asked " are you sure?"

"Yes. Im sure. She didn't come home last night, and she wasn't at pops yesterday either. She's not picking up her calls either" he said

Betty's face paled. Cheryl who was seeing this asked her " why do you care?"

Betty looked at her and said "i did a bad thing. Yes. I wasn't a good friend to her. But she's still the bestest friend i ever had"

"It doesn't matter right now!" Jughead said

"He's right. Right now finding Veronica, is the main objective. Do you know where she could be?" Toni asked

"No. But I'm afraid she's been kidnapped." He said

"You just said she was missing!" Archie said

"Look I'm not sure what happened, but i have a gut feeling that she's been kidnapped. Just 2 days ago hiram  lodge threatened to being there consequences of her betrayal" jughead explained

"What? Hiram lodge threatened her? But how he's in jail!" Kevin said

"He has connections. Im feeling so useless! All this while whenever she came back home, i knew she was acting weird. How could i have been so dense and not question her?" Jughead said frustrated at himself

"Wait. How do you know she was acting weird when she went home?" Archie asked

Jughead sighed. Veronica did a good job of not telling anyone. She left this all on him.

"She's been living with me for the past 1 and half months" he said

"What?" Everyone shouted again.

"Why?" Archie asked. Jughead looked at him irritated. Why does he suddenly care??

"She didn't tell anyone about this. She moved out of the pembrooke the day the speakeasy was functional. I just found out 1 and half month before" he said

"She wasn't living at home, but at pops?" Betty questioned

Jughead just nodded.

"This is so like her, not telling anyone her feelings and hiding herself" betty mumbled.

"Guys, i have the location of 3 places where Hiram could have his goons hide Veronica. We need to first scout which location is she at. Will you help me please? I need to find her?" He said.

"Yes of course" they all replied.

He looked at Archie and betty "you will help too?"

Betty looked at jughead bewildered " of course! I don't want her hurt!"

He nodded.

Betty and archie had noticed the care he felt for Veronica when he spoke, but didn't question it, although they were curious to what was happening between them.

"Okay so, archie and betty you will go location no. 1. Cheryl and toni you will go to location no. 2 and Kevin and I will go to location no. 3. Got it?"

They all nodded.

"Remember, this is just a scouting mission. No one will take any action. Understood? And any news should be reported to me"

"Understood"
"Got it"
"Okay"
"Lets do this"
"Yes"

They all replied at once.