PARTNERS IN CRIME || JJ MAYBANK

4 - better out than inside

Samantha's head spinned towards her friends. They exchanged urgent and horrified looks.

• • •

If they had managed to remain calm on the way back to the chateau, now their nerves were on fire. "We didn't see anything, we don't know anything. We need to have total and complete amnesia" Pope listed frantically.

"Actually, Pope's right for once. Deny, deny, deny" JJ nodded, moving uncomfortably around the porch.

"We can't keep that money," Kiara stated.

"Not all of us can afford unlimited data plans, Kiara" JJ replied, but she didn't listen to him. "We have to pass that off to Lana Grubbs" she suggested, referring to Scooter's wife. "Otherwise, it's bad karma".

"And what would you tell her? 'Hey hi, we infiltrated your husband's motel room and found his money and, oh, a gun too?' " Samantha raised a brow.

"I agree with keeping this shit money. A few banknotes more or less, what harm can it do?" JJ shrugged.

"I don't agree" John B intervened, coldly.

"What? Why?".

Until that moment, he had remained silent, brooding over something that the others missed. "Just think about it. This is Scooter Grubbs we're talking about. One time I saw this dude begging for change in the Save-A-Lot parking lot because he needed gas. We're talking about a dirtbag marina rat who's never had more than 40 bucks in his pockets and all of sudden, he's got a Grady-White? Think about it. How does a marina rat get a Grady-White?".

"Prostitution" Pope answered.

John B shook his head. "Square groupers, bro. Flying under the radar, no aerial surveillance. They don't do that stuff during a hurricane. What does it mean?".

"Straight smugglin'" JJ answered.

"For the record, if that is a smuggling ship with illegal contraband on the inside of it..." Pope reasoned, "it probably belongs to someone else. They could come looking for it. Taking it would be' catastrophically stupid".

"Right. Well, stupid things have good outcomes all the time" JJ replied, picking up the banknotes. "All we need to do is figure out a way to get into the cargo hold of that wreck. Until then, we just lay low. Just act normal".

"Right. And how exactly do we do that? Pope sighed.

"Kegger?" Kiara smiled, shooting a gaze towards Samantha. Their favorite activity.

• • •

It didn't take long before pogues' friends, tourouns and kooks began to fill the Boneyard. Laughters and chatters rose from every point. Samantha couldn't resist her favorite drinking games, causing her head to spin before the sun could go down, while the less resilient could no longer stand up.

A little breeze moved the tips of her hair and stroked her cheeks, as the light of the sun became less intense. She filled another glass, ready to show to that touroun girl that she was able to accept any kind of challenge. But as soon as she brought the edge of the glass to her lips, it was taken from her.

"JJ!" Samantha squealed, too loud. At that moment, the vision of her friend seemed to her the most fun and hilarious thing, so she began to laugh uncontrollably. "Join us, please. It's so fun!". She tried to take her glass back, but JJ moved his arm away to avert her grip.

"Maybe another time, Sammy. I think that's enough for today". He put her glass away and took her away from the group, pulling her by the arm.

"Hey!" she couldn't keep up, so she risked stumbling a couple of times. "I was having fun" she spluttered the words.