𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒. ᵒᵘᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵃⁿᵏˢ ¹

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 39.

    There was a long pause.

I looked up to John B, gripping tighter around his forearm. "We found it." I said, with a lower volume, biting down onto my bottom lip.

"Wha—" Sarah cut herself off when her jaw fell open, "You found it? You seriously found it!"

"It's all at the Crain house," John B told with a careful volume.

"Oh my— oh my god!" Sarah exclaimed, and then stepped forward towards me and John B, "That's crazy, you guys did it!"

I laughed when she pulled both of us into a tight hug, filled with excitement. John B held the blow torch away from her. When we hugged, I got small flashbacks of our day at Chapel Hill.

"Thanks, Sarah," John B said with a serious tone when she pulled away, her hand covering over her mouth, "For getting us to Chapel Hill and for the plat map," he said. "And even though your dad fired me and I blamed it on you."

I nudged his arm with a laugh.

"Of course," she shrugged, laughing too, cutting me an enthusiastic glance.

"Dude, we really couldn't have done it without you," I smiled foolishly at her, laughing lightly at the cheesiness.

She jokingly flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I'm glad I could help. This is— like, totally insane."

"Right?" I chuckled, "You thought we were crazy—"

"Oh, hi guys," A familiar voice suddenly cut me off, coming from behind Sarah.

I looked over her shoulder to see Ward stepping out of the house, a smile on his face. Instantly, my body tensed when I remembered the last time I'd seen him, when he had walked out of the office after hearing my last name. I hadn't spoke or see him since then.

No one said anything as he slowly closed the door behind him, and began to approach us.

"Hey, Ward," I said, sort of uncomfortably, "You feeling okay, today?" I figured I needed to ask, since he didn't really say much since the last time I hung out with Sarah.

"Yeah, yeah," he waved a hand through the air and stopped beside his daughter, "I just forgot about something, had to go take care of it," he explained, sounding casual as he referred to last time, "Sorry for the sudden disappearance."

"It's okay," I smiled, but it was fake. Even though he didn't let it show, I could tell that there was something off about him again.

"Hey man, how you doing," Ward struck a hand out to John B.

He took it uncomfortably, "Good, Mr. C, you?" He said, and I knew by the tone of John B's voice, he didn't want to be having this conversation.

"Good, good," Ward smiled and placed both hands on his hips, glancing down at Sarah, "So what are you kids up to? When did the three of you become friends, huh?" He chuckled, in a casual way.

"Not long ago," Sarah answered calmly.

"You planning somethin'?" He grinned. "What you need that blow torch for?"

I looked down at my feet.

"Charlie's got some jewelry that she's—um," John B came up with a quick excuse, his arm nudging mine.

"That I'm melting," I continued, smiling firmly. "Gonna take it to the pawn shop, you know, to see if it's worth anything."

"Ah, I got it," Ward nodded with a smile. there was a long pause. "So I was thinking." He cleared his throat, and shifted his weight between both feet, "Maybe you'd like to come fishing with me, son," he looked to John B, "We'll go in a few days, first light."