UNTOLD | JJ Maybank

Chapter 4

While Kiara and Pope had left to figure out a plan of how to get the gold, JJ and Malou had stayed back at the Château. Malou still felt unsettled and she slowly began to feel, like she was losing her mind. JJ had fallen asleep in the living room, while Malou strolled through the house nervously. She felt anxious and she thought, that as long as the pogues wouldn't stop looking for the gold, everything would just get worse. Suddenly, an idea crossed her mind. An idea, that would hinder the pogues from getting closer to the gold and that would save everyone from going down. Sneaking into her room, Malou quickly put on some sneakers and took the bag of money from her desk. Swinging it over her shoulder, she tiptoed back to the living room and stopped in front of JJ.

"I'm sorry, but your promise isn't enough.", Malou whispered and leant down to him. Very carefully, she put her hand into the pocket of his shorts and slowly pulled out the key to his dirt bike. Malou knew, that the pogues would hate her for that she was about to do, but she would rather be hated, than live in a world without her friends. Sneaking out of the house, Malou got onto the bike and took in a deep breath, before she started it and drove off.

She drove the cut further down, until she reached the creepy house she had visited just a few hours ago. Getting off the bike, she already saw Barry come out of his house. Malou heard him laugh and she decided to stay close to the bike instead of walking up to him.

"Now, what do we have here?", Barry chuckled and stopped a few feet in front of her. Malou pulled the bag off her shoulder and opened it to show him, that the money was still there.

"It's all there. If I give it back to you, you'll leave me and my friends alone.", Malou said and tried to sound as tough as she could. Barry chuckled again and Malou stayed unimpressed.

"You kids stole from me."

"And I'm here to give it back. We're done here now, or else I'll give the cops a hint of where to find their stolen car. I'm wondering what other dirty secrets they would find at the pawnshop.", Malou responded and Barry licked his lips as he nodded his head.

"You're a tough girl, I like you. Showing up here alone, with my money and threatening me. Maybe not the smartest, but very tough and brave. I'm impressed.", he said and stepped closer to her.

"Are we on the same page here now, or not?", Malou asked, coldly and Barry nodded his head with a dirty smile.

"Fine, princess. You and your friends are off my radar. But you better hope, that this bag is worth 25k, because I will get back to you, if there's missing even one dollar.", Barry agreed and Malou nodded, before she threw the bag in front of his feet. He chuckled his dirty chuckle again and Malou rolled her eyes, before she started the bike and drove off again. One problem solved, she thought to herself and went on to solve the rest of their problems. Driving back up to the north, Malou noticed how the sun began to set, when she passed the bridge that led her to figure eight. Just when the sun was about to set behind the ocean, she reached her last destination. Malou walked up the pavement to the big house and took a deep breath, before she rang the doorbell.

"Mary-Louise.", Rose greeted her with a confused expression, after she had opened the big door.

"Hi, I uhm... wanted to see Mr. Cameron.", Malou explained and Rose nodded, before she stepped back to let the young girl inside. Malou stepped into the house and nervously looked around. Rose called for her husband, who showed up in the big hallway just a few seconds later.

"Someone's here to see you.", Rose explained and looked back and forth between the girl and her husband.

"Mary-Louise. How can I help you?", he asked kindly and Malou glanced at the blonde woman next to her, before she looked back at him.

"I'd like to talk to you about something. In private.", she said and watched how Ward and Rose exchanged a look.

"Yeah, sure. Why don't we go to my office?", he offered and Malou nodded, before she followed him upstairs. Malou could feel Roses gaze on her as she walked up the big stairs, but tried to ignore it. Malou couldn't lie, this big house made her nervous. What she planned to do, made her nervous. Once they entered the office, Malous gaze instantly fell onto the big painting of Denmark Tanny. It reminded her of everything her brother and father had found out, of everything they had worked for and she immediately felt a wave of regret wash over her body.

"Are you kids alright? Did something happen to Sarah?", Ward pulled her out of her thoughts and Malou turned her head to look at him.

"No, Sarah is fine. But we are in trouble and I was wondering, if you could help us.", Malou said quickly, before her guilty conscience would stop her from fullending the plan.

"How can I help you?", Ward asked and leant against his desk as he crossed his arms over his chest. Ok, it's now or never, Malou thought and took a deep breath again.

"I know, that my father tried to find the Royal Merchant and that you worked with him.", Malou stated and watched Wards reaction closely. He straightened his back a little and for a second, his expression looked surprised. Before he could ask anything, Malou went on.

"We found my dads compass and John B made it his purpose to end our fathers work. We found the Royal Merchant, Mr. Cameron. And we found the gold. But we got ourselves into a lot of trouble for that." Suddenly, Ward Cameron seemed very interested in what Malou told him.

"I know, that my dad worked with you, so he must have trusted you. I want you to get that gold, to take care of all the problems that come along with it. Paper work and authorities and you probably have the equipment to get the gold. But you have to promise, that my brother and our friends will get their part of the profit.", Malou explained and Ward nodded in understanding.

"I'm going to be honest, I'm very surprised. But I'm wondering, why you are standing here in front of me? What do your friends think of this?", he asked and Malou avoided his gaze for a second.

"They don't know I'm here. They are losing their minds, they think they can fix everything, but we're close to hit rock bottom. I already lost my father to this obsession, I'm not going to lose anyone else."

"Alright, I see. So, what exactly do you want me to do now?", Ward asked and Malou took a moment to think about it.

"Tell my brother about you and our father. Get his trust and convince him to work with you. Tell him, that you know about the gold. He won't like it, but he'd rather work with you than lose it. And I want you to tell Sheriff Peterkin to leave us alone, to make sure, that the DCS leaves us alone. I know the Sheriff probably owes you something. Oh and – I need a check of 30.000 dollar, so I can go to the cops and pay off JJs restitution. In the return for that, I will tell you where the gold is." Ward crossed his arms over his chest as he smiled.

"You came prepared.", he remarked and Malou stayed silent as she stared at him.

"I just want to save my friends from losing the very few things they have."

"You know, your father would be very proud of you and your brother. Of John B for finding what he's been looking for for 20 years and of you, for standing up in front of me for your friends and bargaining a deal.", Ward said impressed and let his arms fall to his sides again, to push himself off the desk.

"I hope so. So, do we have a deal?", Malou asked and Ward chuckled.

"We have a deal. Let me give you the check.", he answered and went behind his desk to open a drawer. Malou watched how he filled out the check and signed it, before he put his pen down and closed the drawer again. Walking up to her, Ward handed her the check. Malou took it and stared down on it for a while, before she looked back up at him.

"The gold is in the Crain house's basement.", Malou then said and wasn't quite sure, if she felt regret or pure relief fill her body. Maybe, both. She knew, that the pogues wouldn't like it, but it was finally over. Suddenly, Malou felt a hand on her shoulder and looked back up at Ward.

"You did the right thing. I'm taking your brother fishing in the morning, I will talk to him then.", he said and Malou nodded.

"Thank you, Mr. Cameron.", Malou said quietly and Ward smiled at her kindly. Malou said goodbye to Ward and left the house to solve the last problem. Getting on the bike, Malou stared at the check in her hands again. Sighing, she stuffed it into her bra, so she wouldn't lose it on the way to the sheriff department. Only one last mission, she thought and drove off.