RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

SEVENTY THREE

MECHANIC

"Guys I've read this thing like a thousand times. It makes no sense." Kie spoke loudly so that Silas and River could hear from the back.

JJ had offered to sit in the back with the girl, but Silas jumped in before he even got the chance, which made JJ feel kind of suspicious of the boy, especially since they seemed so close.

"I mean, the Limbrey's own like, half of Charleston. What do the Kook kings of Charleston know about a murder in Kildare Island?" Kie continued.

"Why you specifically? That's the other creepy thing." JJ mumbled, glancing towards JJ before looking back at Silas and River. "You know?"

Silas held River in his arms tightly and his head rested upon hers. She seemed to be smiling, which made JJ clench his jaw in anger, wishing that instead she was smiling in his arms.

"'Please come alone.' That's hella sus." Kie glanced back at Silas, wondering what JJ seemed so angered by.

"I was thinking the same thing. I think it's because-" Pope was cut off by the front of the car beginning to smoke.

Silas couldn't help but let go of a small laugh, knowing that the boy probably tampered with something in the engine that he shouldn't have.

"Pope, I got sensitive lungs man!" Shouted JJ as he rolled up the windows.

River buried her head in Silas' chest, his hand cupping the back of her head and pulling her closer to him as if the smoke would kill them and he could some how protect her.

The girl got thrown forward slightly with the force that Pope pulled over. She groaned as she slammed back into Silas, tapping his shoulder as a thank you for cushioning her fall.

She climbed out of the back along with Silas, both of them heading to the front of the car to see where the smoke was coming from. Although, neither of them were experts on cars.

"It's gonna blow up." Kie panicked, making River roll her eyes at how dramatic she was.

"No, it's not gonna blow up." River stared blankly, allowing Silas to wrap his arms around her shoulders as they watched JJ pop the hood.

"You probably unhooked the radiator, Pope. I haven't seen this before. You knocked the entire hubcap off." JJ laughed teasingly. "You might wanna reschedule your meeting tonight, Pope."

"Plan B? We could umm-public transportation?" Kie began to offer suggestions.

Silas raised his hand and cleared his throat, a playful smile forming on his face as he announced,

"I don't do public transportation."

River giggled at the boy, knowing that he was only joking, but the look on Kie's face didn't seem impressed. Silas had to bite back a laugh as he pulled River away from the group and with him.

"Seriously, Angelica, these guys are a tough crowd, why are we here again?" Silas questioned as they walked away.

"For Pope." River took a quick glance back towards the trio, JJ was watching her and Silas carefully, his eyes not leaving her even when she turned to face him.

"Ahh yes, hot Heyward as I like to call him." Silas laughed. "And JJ, right? I mean, you must still love him if you're not attracted to this." He motioned to himself, making River laugh some more.

The blonde shook her head, sure Silas was an attractive guy, but he wasn't exactly her type. She jumped once an arm wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

"Jealousy's not a good look on you, Maybank." Teased Silas as he stepped away from the girl.

"Do me a favour, Riggs?" JJ raised his brows questionably. "Your brothers a mechanic right?"

Silas hummed in response, he dug his hands into his pockets and wondered what JJ was gonna get on at.

"Call him and see if he can talk you through fixing Heyward's truck." JJ suggested, Silas nodded in agreement before pulling out his phone and calling his brother.

River turned and faced JJ, wondering if that was the reason that he came over or if he truly was jealous and just wanted to get the girl alone. Not that she minded, she liked knowing that he still wanted her.

"We're so sharing a bed if we're stuck in Charleston." JJ smirked, his fingers trailing down the girls bicep.

"What makes you think we can afford that?" River raised her brows, making JJ scratch the back of his neck, trying to come up with a solution as to how they'd find money to pay for a room.

"Okay, point taken." He nodded, concluding that they'd probably be sleeping in the back of the truck.

River glanced towards Silas, who somehow had gotten covered in grease in the mere seconds that he hand left. He ran his hand through his hair and then grimaced as the oils he had just put in it.

"I GIVE UP!" Silas shouted, slamming down the car bonnet. "I'm calling a real mechanic. You, brother, are useless." He then ended the call on his older brother.

Silas loved all of his siblings, but he must admit, his brother is a bit of a pirate, he always did a half assed job so that they'd have to come back and he could take more money.

"I'm calling a mechanic." He repeated but more calmly as he turned and faced the group with a toothy grin.