Gold Digger// JJ Maybank- OBX

thirty eight

"Right now, there's a lot of conflicting information going on." Pope added. "Like, I'm trying to gather all the data and put it into a folder in my mind-"

"Folder?" John B questioned.

JJ shook his head, leaning his arms on his knees. "All right, man, look, women, all right, like, they're just not consistent." He said.

"All right, we're not gonna take female advice from JJ." John B shook his head.

JJ faked a hurt look, placing his hand over his chest. "Hey, who was the first one here to get a girlfriend? Huh? Oh, right. That would be me."

"And how long did it take you to get the balls to ask Lottie to go out with you?" John B teased. "Ten years, was it?" JJ didn't answer, turning to look down the dock as he waited for Scarlett to come back. "What's the deal with this Limbrey chick anyway?" John B asked, changing the subject. "You think she knew my pops? Or Lottie's mom?"

"I don't know." Pope answered honestly. "But I do think that she has the information that could exonerate you."

"That'd be ideal."

JJ tore his gaze away from the dock, turning back to his friends. "Not to throw a monkey wrench in the entire thing, but she did just try to kidnap you." He pointed out to Pope. "How many times do I gotta say this?"

"Here we go." John B sighed.

"Why are we going back? Why don't we go south?" JJ questioned. "Why don't we go to Yucatán? Coast of Broken Dreams, baby!"

John B leaned forward, shaking his head. "No, no, dude! I'm not running anymore. Look, OBX is my home. And besides, if I go back, I get another shot at Ward."

"Hi." Sarah greeted as the girls came to a stop at the end of the jetty. Each of them were carrying a watermelon.

"What you boys chatting about?" Scarlett smirked, knowing full well that they'd interrupted something.

"Uh... fishing." John B answered, sharing a look with the other two boys.

"Dropping lures." JJ added. "That's that, you know?"

"Mmm, okay." Scarlett hummed, stepping onto the boat. "I'll believe that, for now." JJ took the watermelon from her as he pulled her towards him. Scarlett hummed in content as she sat between his legs, leaning her back against his chest.

"What's that now?" Pope asked, referring to the food the girls had brought back with them.

"I got breakfast." Kiara grinned, stepping onto the boat, Sarah just behind her.

⭐⭐⭐

Once the boys had eaten, the Pogues set sail through the marsh again, not stopping till they reached the Château. John B pulled up at the dock, securing the boat to the jetty. "There she is." John B smiled at the sight of his house.

"Bet it is good to see her old bones." JJ commented, patting the boy's shoulder.

Scarlett hummed, her eyes glued to the slightly run-down building. "We kept it as you left it." She told him. "For the most part. JJ and I've crashed here most nights."

"Thought you moved in with your dad?" Pope mused.

Scarlett shrugged. "The house is too big. I don't like it, to be honest."

John B turned to her, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Your dad? I thought you were trying to move out of his house?"

"I found my birth father." Scarlett explained. "My step-dad got sent to prison so we're free of him for a while. I just don't like living on Kook Island. It's weird."