Chapter Text
Hunting Jack
If only Jughead Jones had just said no on that fateful night when two gentlemen dressed to the socks in fine cotton and tweed had visited his shop. Perhaps, if he had said no, he might not be in this position now. Standing over a freshly deceased corpse, his fiance clinging to his arm in horror, the murderer the whole city had been hunting for almost a year only a mere 5 feet away from him.
“Give it up... Jack. ” Jughead called out as the rain began to moisten the city streets, washing it of its sins “We’ve caught you.”
~~~
6 Months Earlier
~~~
The bell on the shop door rang, causing Jughead Jones to be disrupted from his book, he was sure he had locked the door, but clearly not.
“We are closed. Come back tomorrow.” He called out, burying his nose back into the novel that had encaptured his attention.
“Jughead Jones. We need to speak with you.”
“Sounds… ominous.” He sighed, shoving his bookmark between the pages and standing to face the shop front. The two men stood, finely dressed and sporting the latest fashioned beard. They stepped forward, each taking their hats off as if in sync.
“Mr Jones, we need your help.” One of the gentlemen spoke up.
“Well, I have plenty of different paper types, though I doubt paper is what you are looking for.” He said, leaning forward over the counter.
“No. Although you have a fine establishment here, it is not your paper skills we need. I am sure you are aware of the recent killings happening in Whitechapel?”
“Ah yes, the infamous Ripper.”
“That is the name he has given himself.” The second gentlemen scowled “We are aware of the ventures yourself and your Fiance Miss Cooper undertake in the dead of the night.”
“You mean the sleuthing? Solving the cases Scotland Yard gives up on?”
After a moment of dismay, the man spoke again “You’re a private investigator and I’m afraid we need you, Mr Jones.”
Jughead nodded, “Uh-huh, and what is in it for me?”
“The chance to put the most ruthless killer behind bars?”
Jughead frowned “Come now, gentleman, you are going to have to do better than that.”
~~~
“They just put this on the counter and left?” Betty asked, flicking through the papers Jughead had brought over. The fire flickered and cracked as she lounged on the sofa chair, her long blonde locks flowing loosely around her face. She was dressed in a nightgown secured with a robe tied under her bust.
Jughead couldn't help but smile at her slight frown, a crease forming between her brows as she read the information. “This is a threat, Jug.” she sighed, looking up at him, her blue eyes illuminating in the light of the fire.
He nodded “Yes, I believe so. I have to accept the offer, otherwise, they will release this information. My whole business will be ruined.”
Betty sighed and placed the file on the coffee table, folding her arms over her chest.
Jughead moved from beside the mantle to the sofa, sitting on the arm in thought “I suppose it is not the worse task, and we are the best.” He smirked.
“We are incredibly humble too.” Betty teased, nudging him with her foot “Well, you won’t be doing it by yourself. You know I can’t resist a good mystery.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He grinned, moving to gently kiss her cheek “I should go home, it is getting late.”
“I’ll meet you at the paper store in the morning, my love.” Betty nodded, a soft smile tracing her lips as she watched him leave.
Jughead inhaled the crisp winter air as he walked through the streets of London towards his home. A humble abode above his paper shop where he lived with his father and younger sister. Caring for them as they recovered from the scandal his mother had caused their family the year before.
His younger sister Forsythia - whom often preferred to be called Jellybean due to the nature of her birth - worked with him on occasion, to the dismay of most society women who insisted she learn the way to maintain a household. He chuckled to himself as he shoved his hands in his pocket.
Yes, his family was hardly normal, not the standards of the city and time he lived in. He often wondered though, what it would be like to leave, to explore another country the way explorers did, but that would mean leaving Betty behind. With whom her father would not allow her to marry until she turned 19 years old. A year away.
Until then, he would wait. The day they had met, he knew he would marry her. The feisty young girl from a good middle-class family refusing to conform to the roles assigned to her.
Archibald had introduced them; being her neighbour for most of his life and meeting Jughead at school. He would forever be grateful to his good friend Archie.
Betty had made friends with Veronica, Archie’s new bride shortly after, even being the maid of honour at their wedding. A privilege Betty could help but boast about.
He passed a tavern, sighing as he noticed to prostitutes lurking by the doorway, hoping to snag a drunken man to offer their services to. One caught his eye, sauntering over to him.
“Hello, love.” She smiled, her rotting teeth making his stomach lurch. “Fancy some fun?”
He stepped away from her “No thank you, ma’am.” He nodded curtly at her “But please be careful, you know there is a mad man on the loose.”
“I ain’t afraid of no Ripper.” she sniggered, stumbling back to her spot against the wall.
Jughead sighed, hoping that no harm would come to them before he continued walking, closing in on his shop. He peered up to the side of the building, noticing the lamp on in the window and waving to Jellybean. The young girl waved back, her face hidden in the shadows.
“What are you doing awake, young miss?” Jughead asked, ruffling his sister’s hair. She shrugged him away with a soft giggle.
“Father was snoring. How am I meant to sleep with that noise?” She groaned, flopping down onto her bed.
Jughead snorted in response, sitting on the foot of her bed and pulling the covers back for her. She slid into the sheets with a roll of her eyes. “You still need to try.” He teasingly scolded.
Once she was tucked in and her lamp was put out, he entered his own room, peeling off his rugged knit cap and tossed it onto his dresser before pulling his tie off and stripping down to his undergarments. He sighed as he crawled into his bed, thinking of what the next day might bring.