RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

FIFTY EIGHT

TRUTH

River sat with Silas and Pope in her bedroom, the three were trying to find out as much as they could about her dad. She wanted to track him down and ask him why he didn't stick around.

Pope made his way over to the girl, he had noticed the way she was looking at Silas, almost as if she desperately wanted to tell him about John B and Sarah being okay. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip and placed his hand on her shoulder saying,

"You can tell him, I know you want too." He trusted Silas, and he trusted River, he didn't think that she would do anything to put John B or Sarah in danger. Plus, Silas believed her about Rafe killing Peterkin, so he would more than likely believe her on this too.

The blonde nodded, watching as Silas' fingers brushed against the different books in her grandpa's library. He grabbed a poetry book and began to flick through the pages. He was a huge secret nerd, he loved reading and poetry, but he would deny it to anyone who asked.

"Hey, Riggs?" River spoke up, making Silas turn and face the girl. His mouth was parted slightly, his eyes looked innocent and River couldn't help but smile at him.

"Hey, Angelica." Silas clamped the book closed to give the girl his full attention. He sat down on a chair, his arms resting against the back casually.

"I have something to tell you." The girl sat down opposite the boy, she motioned for Pope to take a seat too, which he happily did.

Pope looked between the pair nervously, he wondered how River was going to tell Silas that John B and Sarah were even alive. It wasn't like it was a normal conversation. It made him wonder how she felt about the fact that they were alive, her best friend and her cousin were alive.

"Ooh, Angelica are you going to confess your undying love for me?" Silas' brows raised as a cocky smile formed on his face. He leant closed to the girl, his fingers tracing patterns on her hands.

River laughed at the boy, hitting away his hand, causing Silas to laugh too. Pope just watched the interaction confused. Since River hadn't been hanging around with him and the others, she had changed drastically.

She didn't seem like the same anxious over thinker anymore. She didn't look like she needed their protection anymore. He wondered if the pogues sheltered her too much and tried to protect her from herself. Silas brought out the opposite side of her, he brought out the more confident and cocky side of her.

"John B and Sarah are alive." River spoke slowly and confidently.

"They're what?" Reginald questioned after over heading the girl.

Everyone froze once they realised that the man heard. He was Ward's father, and although their relationship was estranged, he still cared for him.

River turned and looked between Pope and Silas, wondering how she could possibly get them out of this one. She knew that JJ and Kie would be pissed off with her if they knew that Reginald had over heard.

"River Angelica Cross, I will not ask again." Reginald spoke with sternness in his voice, it was something that intimated everyone on the island. They all knew how powerful he was, one click of his fingers and he'd have everyone running circles around him.

"John B and Sarah Cameron are alive, sir." Pope spoke up, he placed his hand on River's shoulder comfortingly.

He liked Reginald, he had offered to pay his way through college for helping River through her hard time with the loss of John B and Sarah. Pope of course turned him down, he didn't want River to find out and think that he was only staying her friend for money. He would much rather work multiple jobs to go to college than have Reginald pay for it and River question their friendship.

"How do you know?" Reginald placed his hands behind his back as he walked towards the trio, who were sat down.

"He sent us a text, a photo of them both." River answered, she felt guilty about her grandpa finding out, it just gave JJ even more reason to be angry with her. "We're going to try and clear his name."

"John B killed Peterkin, yes or no?" Reginald questioned strongly.

"No." River spoke up again, there wasn't any hesitation or shakiness in her voice.

Reginald nodded, he ran his hand over his stubble and looked down at his granddaughter. He could tell that she genuinely believed that they we're still alive and that John B wasn't guilty. And he trusted her, he wanted to help clear John B's name and bring Sarah home, after all she was his family too.

"You know who did it?" He asked curiously.

"We do, Reggie." Silas nodded, standing up to be face to face with Reginald. "And we're going to take him down and bring John B and Sarah home."

"Good lad." Reginald smiled, placing his hand on Silas' shoulder. He liked the boy, he had known him and his family since he was a baby, including all of his seven siblings. "You'll come to me if you need help?"

"Of course, grandpa." River nodded with a warm smile, thankful that Reginald wasn't more questioning on who they thought did it. She wouldn't exactly be sure how to tell him that Rafe killed Peterkin.

"Shall we go find JJ and Kie?" Pope questioned softly, his eyes flickering up to Reginald, a warm smile forming on his face.

River nodded in agreement, her arm linking with both the boys as she pulled them away from her grandpa, offering him a toothy grin as she left the house. She was going to get John B and Sarah back. Her family was going to be reunited.