Light In The Dark - Riverdale AU

Chapter 15; For Old Times Sake.

Jughead.

It's been a few weeks since the return of Riverdale's finest. Though, this wasn't a happy arrival, after the supposed late death of their classmate Kevin Keller. Among other casualties, Betty Cooper and Archie Andrews were currently on the hunt to unlock more of Riverdale's dark truth, but for what they knew was just another mystery, but one driven by vengeance.

Friday, 11:23 AM, Riverdale Marina.

Archie and Betty approached a tainted, old-looking, boat docking area on the east side of Riverdale. Around them, merged a jumbled row of boats. Some, slowly seeping into the lake, covered with rust and binded with seaweed and oyster clams. The smell lingered the area, as if some boats had departed the marina. 

Archie turns to Betty as they come to a stop. "So, who are we supposed to talk to?" Archie wondered, moving his head left from right.

"I think that there should be an office, but this place doesn't seem so busy, so, I wonder if there's anyone here we can talk to..." Betty responded as her gaze caught onto to something.

In  the distance, they both spotted a cleaner, mopping down the jetty. In front of him lied the crime scene where the blood splatters were found. Betty's pace begins to pick up, as she marches her way over to the cleaner. 

"Do you know where we can find the office?" Betty provoked, leaving her politeness behind and folding her arms.

"I don't work here, but there's a small building a little further down from here that I think is the office." The cleaner replied.

"Ok, thank you!" Betty exclaimed quietly as Archie and her wandered off. 

Once the pair came close to the office Archie turned his head. He spotted a plaque, briefly, he read over it. "Malloy?- Wait, Betty! I think I know these people, we shouldn't be here!" Archie said, pulling Betty away.

"What? Why? Archie we're so close with this lead-" 

"These people are dangerous Betty- thugs. Veronica told me about them and their involvement with her father. I think they're the ones that make the Maple Moonshine." Archie continued.

"A reason why we should go talk to them! You of all people Archie don't back down from a fight, despite how long it's been. I thought you wanted vengeance for Kevin? Justice?" Betty almost yelled hotly. 

Archie placed his hands on her shoulders.

"For years I learned the hard way of vengeance Betty, you don't know what that's like! What we'd be walking into now won't do anyone good, even Kevin. We'll get the sheriff or Charles to come here instead, I'm not risking either one of us." Archie responded in the same voice, hoping that he'd convinced her. 

Betty pulled his hands off her shoulders.

"I'm not a kid anymore Archie, I'm soon going to work for people like Charles. I think I can handle myself."  Betty said as her eyes filled up with tears, thinking about how many times people pushed her out of the spotlight for wanting to do things on her own, but assuming that she couldn't handle it. 

The smell of fuel and the sound of a truck jumped passed them. The truck pulled up near there car, and vividly from a distance Betty could spot the logo on the truck and how it matched the Blossom Maple logo. 

Friday, 12:04 PM, 5 Seasons.

Veronica quietly opens her hotel room door. Her eyes quickly narrow at the sight of a group of bunched up suitcases at the end of the room. Shutting the door behind her, she hears footsteps collecting the amplified sounds that was the traffic around her. 

"You're finally back, I was hoping that we could get back to New York soon." Chad exclaimed as he stopped walking.

Veronica set her handbag down. "Chad, Kevin hasn't even had a funeral yet. We're not Eudoria Holmes, and I'm not quite ready yet to just leave without saying hello to a few old friends first." Veronica retorted in a grating tone.

"Yeah. Well, I have business to attend to back in New York that can't be done from here. We need to leave by at least Sunday so I can be back for work." Chad said as he started to raise his voice. 

"Fine. Sunday then." Veronica stormed off, pulling her phone out.

Saturday, 7:12 AM, Archie's House.

Archie gently places two coffees on the table. 

"So, how long were you thinking of staying in Riverdale for Eric?" Archie asked.

Eric takes a sip from his coffee.

"I don't exactly have any family to quickly get back to, so I was hoping I could find a job in the next few weeks after I get my prosthetics from Seaside." Eric Jackson responded shooting a smile his Sarge's way.

"Right. Well, I'm starting a new job with the fire department next week. I won't be here as much, but you can stay here if you want and work out at El Royale. I'm sure my mom won't mind, she's not going to be in town for a few more weeks at least anyway." Archie replied with a weak smile.

"Ok, sounds good Archie." Eric replied with the same face.

The phone starts to ring in the distance.

Archie races up to grab the phone and that it's Betty who's calling.

"Betty, is everything okay?" He instantly said, as he answered.

"No, Arch. I found a new tape, I think from the Auteur. It was sitting on my window sill. How the hell does the auteur know that we're back if they're somehow not connected to this Terry, Maple Moonshine mystery? Can you come over to help me with this? For old times sake?" Betty asked.

"Ok, I'll be right over and we'll figure this out." Archie replied, as he hung up the phone.

Archie turns his attention back to Eric, sitting back down to finish his coffee.

"Betty?" The name that didn't require a lot of thinking to recognise. "Isn't she the girl that you spoke about a lot of the time when we were in the military?" Eric asked, bringing some light to his face, just as he leaned back in his chair.

"Maybe... but we're just friends. I haven't really seen or spoken to her in over seven years, except from the past few weeks. Anything we even had, I ruined." Archie replied dreadly.

"I think you just need to make it up her man. I'm sure it will go a long way." Eric said, placing a comforting hand on Archie's shoulder.

"Yeah, I know. I just don't think I have time at the moment to make this a priority. I need to find the person responsible who tried to kill her and get some justice for Kevin.