XX

I spun the vehicle around through the hospital car-park in a swirl of engine exhaust and in a flurry of squealing tires.

"Whoa!" Jelly let out a startled yelp as she gripped the edge of her seat. "Slow down, would ya?"

"No time," I cut her off as I yanked up the handbrake and switched off the ignition.

As I hopped out of the old, battered vehicle, I was suddenly arrested by the nearing sound of a rumbling motorcycle engine.

My eyes widened in surprise as I whipped my head again and gazed intently at the iron-ringed gates leading into the parking lot. He didn't! Sweet Pea didn't follow me. He wouldn't do that ... would he?

Before I had time to contemplate any further, the sleek frame of a motorbike pulled up through the gates. Two figures, clad with leather jackets and rounded, black helmets, were seated atop of the bike's padded seat.

I glared at the motorbike as it swung sideways and came to a shuddering halt right beside Jelly and I.

"Hey, trouble," the lilting laughter of Toni Topaz floated through the air.

My shoulders sagged in relief as I stepped forward and helped her off the bike. "Geez. I was a little worried there for a sec, I thought you were - er ...."

Lifting the helmet off her head and shaking back her dyed curls, she raised her eyebrows questioningly as she glanced at me. "Sweet Pea?"

I froze. "Uh ... w-what? How did you...?"

"Sweets and I have been friendly since we were tots, gal. He tells me everything, just relax," Toni sighed as she chucked her helmet at her companion. "Here Fangs, take care o' this."

As Jelly started walking towards the hospital doors, Toni and I fell into step behind her.

"Look, I know you're stressed out and everything but Sweets was only trying to be helpful," Toni pointed out. "If you wanna make friends around the Southside, the best thing you can do is to at least treat em with respect and that includes Sweet Pea."

I let out a deep, pent-up breath. "I - I didn't mean to snap at him like that. It's just - uh - been so overwhelming, you know? Finding out that Jughead hates me, Dad's an alcoholic and they live in a bloody trailer ... It's a lot to take in. I've only been here a couple of days."

Toni placed a comforting arm around my waist as she replied, "I gotcha, Kenz, I really do. Just try to be nice to Sweets, for my sake, please? I don't like to see him get hurt and I could tell that he was upset by the way he was acting."

I gulped. Somehow, upon hearing about this first-hand from Toni, it seemed a harder pill to swallow. "I - I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Don't tell me that, tell Sweet Pea," Toni jibed.

I bit my lower lip and nodded hesitantly. I supposed it was the least I could do. "O-okay."

As Toni, Jelly and I entered the building and began making our way through the maze of white-washed hospital halls, we were suddenly stopped by a doctor.

"You came in yesterday, didn't you? You're FP Jones' daughter?" she queried pleasantly as she clicked a pen between her fingers.

"Um, yes, yes I am," I returned. "Is - is he going to be okay?"

"Yes, I think so. But I think I ought to tell you that he's been moved to the ward on the upper level across the building," she explained. "He's in room 203."

"Oh, why did they do that?" Toni asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Apparently he's being discharged today," the doctor replied with a slight smile. "Just make sure that you keep on top of his food intake and metabolism, that's all. I won't burden you with it all at once, though. There's another doctor assigned to his room. He will fill you in on further details when you get there."

"Wait!" I cried out as she turned away. "W-was there a boy with him? Dark hair, grey beanie, oversized flannel shirt?"

The doctor pursed her lips in thought. "Um ... yes, I believe so."

I nodded at her. "Thank you." Seizing Toni's hand in my own, I hissed, "C'mon. Let's go."

We circled around the perimeter a few times before we eventually found the room that Dad was staying in.

I pushed open the door and trundled eagerly inside, Toni and Jelly right behind me. My eyes scanned the area until they fell upon my father's prone figure, tucked in a bed between a pair of starched sheets. "Dad!" I exclaimed happily as I lurched forward. "You're okay! You're okay!" As I reached him, I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder. "Oh thank god."

Dad let out a low chuckle as he awkwardly patted my back. "Yes, Kenzie, I'm fine."

As I straightened up, I locked eyes with Jughead, who was slouched lazily beside the bed in a cushioned wheelie chair.

"Hey," I ventured.

"Hey," Jughead answered shortly as he quickly averted his gaze.

Right then, Jelly brushed past me to embrace Dad. As the two exchanged words, Toni, looking between Jughead and I, attempted to clear up the reigning tension by cracking a cheesy joke.

RRAAPP. RRAAPP.

An elderly man, a stethoscope draped around his neck and a clipboard in his hands, knocked at the door as he opened it. "You ready to head home, Mr Jones?" he queried kindly as he entered the room.

"Of course I am!" Dad let out a forced laugh. "Get me the hell outta this place."

Not willing to take any risks when it came down to Dad's health, the doctor insisted that he take a wheelchair to the car and rest in bed for the remainder of the week.

Jughead was wheeling Dad out into the car-park and the doctor was giving me a few parting words when the wail of a siren pierced the air.

Surprised, we all turned around to see a police car enter the parking lot and pull up outside of the doors. A man, who was dressed in a collared shirt with a tag reading SHERIFF right under the front pocket, stepped out of the side door.

"Sheriff Keller!" Dad greeted as the man in question started to walk towards us. "How's it going?"

Sheriff Keller paused right in front of us before removing his leather-bound hat. His next words rocked me to the core, "I'm making the rounds. I thought I ought to let everybody know; Jason Blossom is dead."

"Jason Blossom? Dead? What the hell?" Veronica dropped her spoon onto her plate with a clatter. "Are you sure that's what the sheriff said, Kenz?"

I rolled my eyes as I leaned forward to take a sip of my strawberry milkshake. "Yes, V, I'm sure."

After hearing the dreadful news from the sheriff and not knowing what else to do, I had rang up Veronica and Betty and asked that they meet me at Pops. We were sitting in an isolated booth by the corner, heatedly discussing the turn of events.

"Apparently, the sheriff said they found his body in Sweet Water River," I said. "Someone shot him in the head and dumped him in there to rot."

"That's terrible!" Betty breathed, her eyes widening in horror.

"So this was a murder then?" Veronica queried hesitantly.

I nodded. "Yup. Seems so."

"Who would have anything against Jason?" Betty demanded as she flailed her arms around. "He was the son of the most prestigious and wealthy family in these parts. He was the darling of Riverdale. He was the golden boy of our school!"

"Geez, Betty, you're riled up," Veronica raised her eyebrow at her friend before pointing out, "The Blossoms did have a lot of enemies, you know." Turning to me, she continued, "They have a maple syrup business along with a number of smaller establishments in other counties which also means they have a lot of competition. They're not exactly the most - er - modest of people either."

"Ohhh," I dragged out the word for emphasis as I finished the last of my drink and sat back in my chair. "I guess that makes sense."

"But how?" Betty persisted. "How does that make sense? If you were - let's say - a competing partner in the maple syrup business, why on earth would you kill your competitor's son? How does that profit you in any way?"

I frowned at her. "Betty ... why are you so upset? Were you guys close or ..."

"No! No, no, not anything like that," Betty quickly voiced before mumbling, "He - he dated my sister, okay?"

"Polly?" Veronica nearly spat out her drink. "Jason dated Polly?"

"It - it was a long time ago," Betty sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not supposed to talk about it ... Especially not around Cheryl."

"No, it's fine," I hurriedly moved my hand across the table so it was brushing against hers. "You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want too but we'll be here for you in case you do."

Tears started to gather in Betty's eyes as she nodded her blonde head. "T-thank you. Thank you."

I gave her a quick smile before glancing at Veronica. "Cheryl?"

"She's Jason's twin sister," Veronica replied dryly. "She's the captain of the cheerleading squad and frankly enough, she thinks she deserves the planet. I can't stand her. She's such a bitch."

"Well that's one way to put it," Betty groaned as she buried her face in her hands.

"C'mon guys, she's just lost her brother," I prodded gently. "Maybe you should give her a break?"

"Like that will change anything," Veronica scoffed.

Betty slapped her palms down on the table-top as she spoke up, "I still can't wrap my head around it: Jason Blossom is dead. Murdered in cold blood. You know, nothing this bad was ever supposed to happen here."

Veronica let out a lengthy sigh as she stirred a spoon through her milkshake. "I suppose the real question is: who wanted him dead and why?"

As I glanced between the two of them, I couldn't help but wonder ...

Who did kill Jason Blossom?

Gif: Mackenzie as she talks things through with Veronica and Betty.

*PLEASE REMEMBER to give this chapter a vote if you enjoyed and I'd love to hear any feedback from my readers; so pepper me with questions. If you're confused, I'll try and clarify it for you. If you want more information on a certain point, I'll do my best not to give you spoilers. If you just wanna chat 'bout random stuff, then I'm in *

Q: How would you have reacted to the news of Jason's death?