the next morning, ivy woke up sprawled out on her bed. she stood up and cracked her back, groaning in pain. as she went to walk out the door, she stopped and looked in the mirror, seeing the dark purple bruise that had already formed across her cheek. she rolled her eyes and let out a sigh, then began to walk into the kitchen, but stopped when she heard talking.
'thanks for comin by.' john b said.
'i'm so glad to hear you say that, john b, but i heard a few things that worried me. let me see if i can remember. oh yea, one of the things i heard was that your uncle teddy, your guardian, hasn't been in the state for three months.' ivy walked out to see a familiar woman in an uniform, facing john b.
'that's false.' john b lied.
'you don't have to say anything. i know it's true, i called the school.' the woman turned around to see ivy, and she smiled at her, ivy smiling back once she realized it was peterkin. 'they said you used to be good students, but now you're failing all your classes.'
'no, no, i'm on failing one. and it's history, the dudes a dick. hes out for me.' john b said.
'im only failing one either, it's just because i didn't do one fucking assignment.' ivy groaned.
'and i heard there was a fight on the beach yesterday. and a gun was involved.' peterkin then started walking closer to john b.
'ok, gun? no.' john b parted the woman's shoulder, 'did we get in a dustup, yes, but was there a gun, no. no way.' he scoffed.
'that's ok, i know who it was. i'll get to him. all i'm worried about right now is making sure that you're both in a safe home.' she said.
'yea, super safe.' ivy smiled.
'super sound, sturdy, you know?' john b added, tapping his knuckles on the table. 'and uncle t's comin back.'
'if that what he told you?' peterkin asked.
'yea.' john b nodded.
'well if he really is coming home, i think you should be allowed to stay.' she said.
'thank you.' john b and ivy said.
'but if i stick my neck out for the two of you, you have to help me. tit for tat.' she said.
'what- what does tat mean?' john b asked.
'let me see, how can you help me? oh i know. so, a body was found in the marsh yesterday. were either of you in the marsh yesterday?' she asked.
'yea, we were fishin for some drum.' john b said.
'you catch anything?' she asked.
'nah, we were skunked' john b sighed.
'strange. fishing's usually good after a storm. all sorts of things get stirred up.' the sheriff stepped closer to john b and ivy. 'you come across a wreck yesterday?'
'no.' john b lied.
'what happened?' ivy asked.
the sheriff let out a sigh, 'you two are skimming just above the surface. now down here is foster care, juvie. pretty big drop for smart kids like you. up here is you and your little friends doing whatever you want. outer banks... or foster care on the mainland.'
john b sat down next to ivy in the pullout couch and glanced over at her.
'if i was you, i'd start flappin my wings. now you sure you didn't come across a wreck yesterday?' she asked.
'yea, yea i'm sure.' john b said.
'positive.' ivy mumbled.
the sheriff bent down and looked at ivy and john b, 'it's better if you didn't, you understand? i'm gonna look the other way, as long as you both stay out of the marsh.' the sherif began walking out the door, then looked back at them. 'i got dogs livin better than this. might wanna think about cleaning it up.'
