The Pogue Life || JJ Maybank

JJ mediates

"John B pulling a Houdini," JJ comments from his perch on an old log, where he is watching Pope, Kiara and I set up for our excavation of gold later on today.

John B has been nowhere to be found all day. He was supposed to go fishing with Ward this morning, but we had all assumed he'd be back by midday, which he isn't. He had better hope that this whole bonding with his father-in-law thing is worth it because we might kill him for making us do this on our own. And Sarah too, if I'm honest. She didn't go fishing so there's not really any reason for her not to be here helping.

"Yeah, where is he?" Pope asks as he lowers Kie, in the bucket back down to the ground, "I got my scholarship interview in the morning. We gotta get this done!"

As if on cue, John B comes walking around the corner, emerging from behind a tree. As always, his shirt is askew and his hair is a mess.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," I say.

"Hey!" JJ says, spotting him, "dude, I set up the entire winch to pull up the gold and everything."

"No he did not, I did that," Pope defends, earning his a smack on the arm from me, "ow! We did that."

John B doesn't answer any of us, instead immediately making his way inside the chateau. We all follow him inside, asking each other what the hell is going in, despite the fact that we all know exactly the same amount of information. Inside, we find John B searching through all of his stuff. Again, he stays silent when we all ask him what he's doing and what he's looking for. He starts in the cabinets, and then checks the couch. He pulls JJ's gun out from under one of the cushions, and stops to look at it while we all immediately go in defense mode, questioning him and telling him to calm down.

JJ approaches him, trying to get him to tell him why he wants the gun. He tries to grab John B, and instead ends up getting thrown onto the couch beside him. I've never seen John B in such a state. Even when JJ was all riled up yesterday, John B kept his cool and didn't lay a hand on JJ. Part of me wonders if that's what this is about.

John B starts storming back toward the door, and when Pope gets in his way, he also gets thrown to the side. He lands against one of the cabinets, the things inside smashing at the impact. While the two boys get themselves back together, Kie and I run outside after John B. The boys follow shortly after.

Outside, we find John B already on JJ's bike, and starting it up. The engine revvs loudly, and I can't help but think it sounds angry. Or maybe it's just John B's face. Finally, after all our questions John B gives us an answer, yelling over the bike.

"Ward knows about the gold! He killed my dad."

The revelation is enough to stop every one of us in our tracks, unsure what to say or do. It doesn't matter anyway, because about two seconds after saying that, John B tears off at full speed on the bike, leaving us here absolutely helpless on foot. Despite knowing it's futile, we run after him down the driveway, but he's long gone already.

"What do we do?" I ask.

"I- I don't know," Pope admits.

"Get in the Jeep," I say, "we gotta go after him."

"And then what?" JJ asks, "we just go up to the door and ask 'hey have you seen John B?'"

"He lives at Tannyhill now," Kie says, "it's plausible. We can play dumb."

"Play dumb?" JJ asks, making his way over to my car and getting in the passenger seat while I get in the driver seat.

We argue the entire car ride about what to do, but ultimately we end up at Tanyhill. I pull up across the road, turning the car off just in case anyone looks out the window and notices a car idling here.