CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
GODSPEED
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Nicotine smoke fluttered inside the small interrogation room. Piercing anyone's nose outside the room by the amount of smoke in the air. Chris was on his third cigarette since he was placed inside the room and it wasn't going to be his last.

Held in holding for a whole day and no visitors allowed. So, Chris sat inside a cell patiently and thinking over everything. Wondering how he would explain any of this to Veronica, Betty, and to everyone who asked what happened. This was going to divide him from his friends, and he knew it. There was no way he was going to get out of this unscathed. So, he wondered who would be the person to stab him in the heart.

They all saw it, and that was the worse part in his opinion. And the fact that he didn't know what was going on outside while he was gone. The only person he'd been able to talk to was a drunk dude by the name of Billy who was spitting nonsense. His words coming out slurred and incoherent to any normal English which left Chris wanting to hit the guy in the head.

So, to say Chris was wanting to speak to someone normal was an understatement. And thankfully his prayers were answered when the click of the interrogation room door could be heard. Sheriff Keller stepping inside the smoke-filled room that was cold and silent as the night.

The soft click of the door filled the air before Sheriff walked around the table and pulled a chair out from across Chris. Taking a seat and clasping his hands together and resting them on the top table. Staring at the boy intently as he watched Chris take a puff of his cigarette.

Exhaling it to the side to at least show some respect to the Sheriff. The smoke floating in the air and rising before vanishing. "What'd you do with the body?" The man asked and Chris adjusted his wrist. Feeling the constant burning of the cuffs around his wrists that were attached to the centre of the table.

Licking his lips, Chris exhaled through his nose as he straightened his position in the metal chair. Inhaling deeply as he slowly pressed the cigarette to the ashtray. Smudging the cancer stick with the bright burning embers being crushed amongst the ash. Exhaling before he tilted his head slightly to the right. "Have another one you can give me?" He asked with a husky voice.

Sheriff Keller huffed as he placed the file onto the table and reached into his pocket. Pulling out Chris's pack of cigarettes and fished one out of the tiny box. Holding it out for the boy who took it and waited for the lighter. Once he had both, he placed it between his lips and lit the stick. Inhaling deeply before tossing the lighter onto the table dismissively. Exhaling a cloud of smoke in the Sheriff's direction. Unbothered by the fact that this man could have him sent to a juvenile detention centre.

"What body?" Chris inquired the Sheriff who clenched his jaw. "You better stop lying, CJ. Better to come clean and possibly get a reduced sentence." Sheriff Keller told the boy who chuckled coldly as he shook his head. Not believing a word of the older man's words despite their relationship.

Shaking his head as he placed the cigarette between his lips. Leaning back into the metal chair that had been causing him problems for his back for the past few hours. "Mr. Keller. I didn't kill or touch a body. If I did I wouldn't be in town. I would've been long gone." Chris explained to the man who tilted his head. "But something's keeping you here." The Sheriff stated which had Chris freeze in his spot.

The man wasn't wrong and was had hit the nail on the head. If Chris had killed Tommy, he would've been in Greendale working at a store or even working with the Ghoulies. Except, Veronica Lodge was keeping him here and preventing him from leaving. That girl had him wrapped around his finger and now being in this situation, he hated it.

So, instead of avoiding the statement, Chris acknowledged it and nodded stiffly. "You would be correct, Mr. Keller. There is something keeping me here. Family." He admitted, holding his arms out in surrender. "Why don't I believe that?" The Sheriff asked as Chris brought the cigarette to his lips. "Why don't you?" He reiterated, redirecting the question back to the man.

Sheriff Keller stared at the boy's every movement. Trying to find anything that could tell him the boy was lying. Just something so he didn't have to lock the Jones up. Except, he found nothing. Nothing to maybe defend the boy, or anything to get the boy off the hook.

"We found your fingerprints on the body." The Sheriff began as Chris listened with closed eyes. "Found the body in the same spot Jason Blossom's body was found." That information made Chris's eyes slowly open with a fire ablaze within them.

Leave it to Malachi to pin him to the whole thing when they had a deal. In a distant universe, Chris would've maybe been hurt, but he wasn't. He had expected this to come back to him someway and bite him in the ass.

Unlike Malachi, Chris wasn't the type to kiss and tell. He wasn't going to tell Sheriff Keller about the drugs he transported for Malachi since he had some respect. Even if Malachi fucked him over, Chris wasn't going to fold and anyone near him knew that.

"How about you turn off that recorder and I'll tell you." Chris hissed, nodding to the recorder in Sheriff Keller's pocket. Chris wasn't dumb and knew the man would most likely bring something like that inside. And his suspicions were correct when the cop pulled the recorder out and shut it off. A heavy exhale passing through his nose as he motioned to the boy and said, "Speak."

Chris sighed as he smudged the cigarette out on the table as he glanced up at the man across from him. "I had good reasoning to do it." Chris began, not able to continue as Sheriff Keller frowned. "And why is that?" The man hissed and Chris leaned back in his seat.

His teeth catching the inside of his cheek as he chewed. "Because he raped your daughter, Sheriff," Chris confessed as he glanced up at the Sheriff. Finding the shocked and angered look in his eyes. "When he first came to town he didn't get too far since I found him and beat him to a pulp. Warned him about coming back here would be a mistake." Chris explained with a shrug. "Came back the same night of the dance and I was told by someone he raped Kaitlyn. Kidnapped the fucker and made sure he regretted ever coming back."

As Chris's voice trailed off, his tongue pushed on the inside of his cheek. His leg bouncing as his head nodded slightly. "I fuckin' killed him." He muttered as he looked down. "I gave what that kid deserved and made him feel the pain he caused on your daughter." Chris hissed, his finger tapping on the table. "I also did what you couldn't. If I wasn't here, then that kid could still be doing shit to your daughter."

Sheriff Keller's head was lowered. His hands clasped together as his left index finger scratched at the skin of his right middle finger. Finding his eyes shut as he felt like he was left out of so much of Kaitlyn's life. He didn't even know anything was happening and he felt horrible about not protecting her.

In a way, he was thankful for what Chris had done. If it wasn't for Chris, who would've known what more could've happened. No one could have done something to stop it. But Chris had done what no one would've thought of. Keller wouldn't say it upfront, but he believed the boy did a service to the town. It was littered with people that were all messed up in some way, but he dealt with the worse of it.

"Does anyone else know about this?" Sheriff Keller questioned lowly and Chris stared at the man. "Riley Mantle had told me what happened to your daughter when the shithead first came to town. No one else is included in this incident besides me." Chris lied and the man ran a hand through his grey. "Jesus Christ." He muttered and Chris nodded slightly with pursed lips. "You need to know I did it for, Kaitlyn. She's been there for me since we were kids and I wasn't going to let her go through that pain again." Chris told the man who held his head in his hands.

Lifting his head, Sheriff Keller made eye contact with the Jones' boy. His eyes squinted before nodding and fishing into his pockets. The jingling of keys being heard as Sheriff Keller unlocked Chris's cuffs. Freeing him from the metal restraints as he rubbed his wrist. Neither sharing a word as they both stood up and exited the room. Chris being escorted to the front of the building where Keller got his belongings and gave them to the boy.

Pursing his lip as he gave the boy a nod of thanks. "I'll see what I can do to get rid of this. Just keep your head low and don't do anything stupid." Keller told the boy who nodded in understanding. It was one that thanked Keller profusely since he hadn't expected to be set free, or even has this evidence wiped clean. So, without sparing another word to the man, Chris turned and made his exit out of the police station.

The night sky slightly surprised Chris since he had lost track of day and night being in that building. Well, he wasn't exactly complaining since he could just go straight to sleep when he got home, but one thing was on his mind that he needed to do.

So, getting in his car, Chris pulled out of the front of the police station and drove to the one place clouding his mind at the moment.

Knocking on the door, Chris waited patiently until hearing the sound of clicking high heels. The door opening and Hermione standing with a surprised look. "Chris. I didn't think I would ever see you come here. Veronica is always at your place anyways." Hermione said with a slight chuckle.

Chris gave a tight lip smile as he nodded. "Hey, Mrs. Lodge. I'm sorry for showing up so randomly, but is Ronnie here by any chance?" He asked and the woman sighed as she shook her head. "No. She went out with some friends. Reggie, Kevin, and Josie." She stated and Chris frowned at the information.

"Reggie Mantle?" He asked and the woman nodded. This weird feeling of betrayal washed through Chris's body as he nodded. "Can I just come inside and wait? If that's fine with you?" Chris asked and the woman gave him a warming smile and nodded. Opening the door wider and allowing him to step inside. Telling him he could go waiting in Veronica's room until she got back and he did. Shrugging his jacket off and sliding onto her bed. Playing games on his phone to pass the time.

It felt like hours when Veronica finally showed up and entered her room. A surprised look on her face as she shut the door behind her and looked back at Chris. The look of surprise washing away with one of betrayal and anger. "What the hell are you doing here?" She asked with her arms crossed and Chris looked up from his phone and turned it off. "I came to come to talk to you." He stated and the girl laughed coldly. "Yeah, now you do." She scoffed.

Chris's eyes furrowed slightly at his girlfriend's tone. Washing the expression away, Chris let out a breath before speaking, "Listen, V. You need to understand that I didn't kill Tommy." He began as he tried taking a step forward closer to her. That resulted in Veronica taking a step back, out of fear and wanting to be away from the boy. "Ronnie, you have to listen to me. I didn't kill him."

"Then who did, Chris?!" She yelled, not caring that her mother was still awake and could probably hear everything. "Not me," Chris replied calmly, using all his strength to not yell. "If I tell you then it's going to cause problems for you and your mom. I can't have you two in harm's way if anything happens to me." He told her and Veronica shook her head.

Putting her back to him as she bit her bottom lip. Turning back to him with an angered look on her face. "You lied to me." She barked. "You want me to allow you to keep secrets when a relationship is based on being truthful to each other. We're supposed to trust each other, and how can I even do that after this?" She exclaimed and Chris stared at her.

Lowering his head as he nodded as he bit the inside of his cheek. "I'm sorry, Chris, but I'm not just going to act like I didn't hear what I heard when you killed someone- or helped killing someone! I can't be with a monster!" She spat and Chris felt his eyes shut as he caught his bottom lip between his teeth.

Just the name she called him shattered his healing heart. Utter coldness and venom in her tone as she stared at the boy who stared back at her. Heartbroken is what he was feeling and it was already hurting way before that. Everyone had seen and heard what he did, even if it all wasn't true and he didn't know how to proceed with his life. Chirs tried to speak, but nothing came out. It was as if his lung couldn't take in any oxygen to give him the ability to speak. His heart was pulsating in pain as he stared at the girl he loved dearly. The girl he trusted with his heart and wished upon the stars that she would break it.

There was simmering anger that was beginning to bubble over as he stared at the girl. From her words, she acted like everything he told her about his past was forgotten. It was a secret most people didn't know about, and now she was acting as if he never told her. Like he had cheated on her with someone else and she was now finding out.

"I told you everything, Veronica!" He growled, his fists clenched by his sides. "I fucking told you, EVERYTHING!" His voice boomed from inside the room and made Veronica flinch at his loud tone. "You knew the night after we fucked that I was unfixable. I'm broken and you knew what you were stepping into." He yelled, bottom lip wobbling as tears threatened to escape.

Throwing his hands up in exasperation, Chris laughed. "I fucking love you, Ronnie." He confessed as the girl gasped. Her eyes glued to his that was full of tears. He'd never told a girl he loved them, besides Veronica and it hurt him that he was telling her now in the situation they were in. The cat was out of the bag and he didn't care anymore. If this was the end for them, then he needed to at least tell her that. "I love you and that won't change and I hate it."

Veronica tried taking a step forward, but now things were different as Chris took a step back. It was the fact that if Veronica just touched him the slightest, he wouldn't want to be away from her. Chris felt more himself when he could feel Veronica's touch and that only made it harder to let her go. "I..." Chris choked on his own words as he swallowed the lump in his throat. A bitter feeling in his heart as he licked his lips. Doing his best to accept the inevitable pain developing in his chest.

"I love you." He whispered to her before grabbing his jacket and shrugging it on. "Wait, Chris." Veronica protested, trying to grab his hand. It was shrugged off as he exited the bedroom and began walking to the door. "Chris, for fuck sakes, wait!" She yelled but he still didn't listen as he left the apartment and slammed the door shut behind him.

Rushing down the stairs with tears clouding his eyes and not looking back. Knowing if he did and saw Veronica, he'd hesitate on leaving. He needed to leave. He needed to be far from her. Just to down a bunch of beers and do what he was good at. Drink and smoke the pain away until he felt numb.