"Guys this is from Denmark's diary, 'August 15th, set sail from Port-au-Prince on calm seas. Came upon the Spanish ship San Jose on fire. The entire deck was aflame. And we could hear the screams of men trapped below," he read, "The Spanish captain only cared about one thing, his valuable cargo, the Cross of Santo Domingo and countless bars of gold. Once the cargo was onboard, we went to help the crew, but Captain Limbrey ordered us to pull bayonets and not to let any of the Spanish crew on board. He robbed them and left them to die."
"That's some fucked up shit," Coral muttered from where she lay on the Chateau's outside sofa with JJ.
"So it didn't go down off Bermuda."
"And it was a Limbrey stealing shit, again," Kie remarked.
"This diary proves that both the gold and the cross were on the Royal Merchant."
"Why didn't we find it in the well then?" JJ questioned as he absently ran his fingers through Coral's hair, "I mean, if Denmark was able to get this, like, bedazzled cross off of the Merchant to shore, why didn't he just hide it with the gold?"
"Because it was to big," Coral answered, sitting up.
"You're right," Pope agreed, "He had to hide it somewhere else," he realized.
"Where?"
"Right before he was hung Denmark said he'd buried the treasure at the foot of the angel," Pope remembered.
"Wait, I thought this was about the key?"
"Right, so what's the connection?" John B questioned.
"The path to the tomb begins in the island room," Pope repeated looking at his ancestor's key.
"But what is the island room?" Coral asked exasperated, "This is giving me a headache."
"You know what helps me figure shit out? Smoking beers and drinking weed," JJ declared as both Kie and Coral gave him a confused look.
"The ideas just pour out of me," he continued, "If we just sit here and try and figure this out we're gonna get nowhere. I propose that we get creative and go to the bonfire tonight. Maybe then we'll get somewhere."
"I thought we were already going," Coral remarked.
"Well, my parents just disowned me, so I'm now an official member of the I have nothing to lose club, so I'm in," Kie said.
"Pope?"
"We're so close."
"Look, think about how much you could think if you just gave your brain a rest," JJ told him as the others looked at Pope expectantly.
Groaning Pope sighed, "Okay fine."
"Yes!" Coral and Kie jumped up, "We have to go get changed," Coral declared as she and Kie ran into the house.
"I'm gonna shotgun a beer," JJ decided.
"I'm with you," John B said, following after JJ.
Once the girls were ready and JJ and John B had split a six pack between them Pope drove them out to the annual bonfire. Jumping out of the van Coral took JJ's hand, "We'll catch you guys later," she told the others pulling JJ into the crowd.
"Indecent exposure is a crime and probably won't help our plea for emancipation," John B yelled after the couple as JJ flipped him off.
"What do you want to do first?" JJ asked as they stopped next to a bunch of coolers and kegs.
"Keg," Coral decided taking a red solo cup and filling it to the brim. Once JJ had his filled they moved off into the crowd saying hello to people from school along the way.
After making the rounds through the party they returned to the keg for a refill before heading out towards the crowd dancing around the bonfire. Wrapping one arm around JJ's neck she pressed her body against his, "How long before we celebrate our one year?" she whispered into his ear.
Humming he pulled her closer as he bit at her neck, "I mean the Twinkie is just sitting there empty," he muttered as she giggled.
Turning her head to give him better access she sucked in a breath, "Oh, that's not gonna end well."
"What do you mean? Anything that ends with you moaning above or below me usually ends well," he said, pulling back to look at her confused.
Laughing she shook her head, "Not that. That," she replied tilting her head towards where John B was dancing with Yvonne.
"Oh, Sarah Cameron incoming," JJ whispered against her cheek as they watched the blonde approach the dancing pair.
"I feel like we should probably get ready to intervene," she commented as now Topper joined the group by placing his arm around Sarah.
"Here's the thing, Baby Girl, I'm not really in the mood to get a black eye because of your brother's love life."
Despite what JJ said as soon as the four began arguing loud enough that their voices carried across the party they started making their way through the crowd, "Excuse me," she said, pushing her way through.
Swearing when John B ended up punching Kelce Coral started shoving people, "Move!" she cried as she could see Kie and Pope coming from the other side.
Everyone was shoving at each other with a few other people physically fighting. Finally making it through the crowd she yelled at Topper, "Get off of him!" she cried going to shove the Kook off her brother as JJ grabbed her.
"I'll get him," he told her as he and Pope threw themselves into the fight with Topper and Kelce.
Grabbing a hold of Kie as the crowd jostled them she saw Yvonne push Sarah off the cement platform causing her to fall on her back on the cement below.
"Are you fucking serious?" she yelled, letting go of Kie and going after Yvonne, "Don't fucking touch her!" she yelled shoving Yvonne.
"Are you serious right now, Coral? Helping a Kook," Yvonne sneered, "You're both traitors," she hissed as Kie helped Sarah up.
"She's my friend!" Kie yelled.
"It's called loyalty, Bitch, not being a traitor," Coral replied with an eye roll.
"Friend?" Yvonne scoffed, "You're friends with the daughter of the man who killed your dad. What kind of loyalty does that show to him?"
Sucking in a breath Coral didn't even think before launching herself at the girl. Making a fist she swung and connected with her face causing her to fall. Jumping on top of her she kept swinging until someone lifted her off, "She's down, Baby Girl! She's done!" JJ yelled as he hauled her up.
Looking down at the crying bleeding girl Coral leaned down, "Don't ever talk about my father like you know a single fucking thing about him," she warned.
"Coral, we gotta go!"
Glancing one last time at Yvonne Coral turned and ran to catch up with the others. Jumping into the back of the Twinkie she flexed her hand as Kie drove them away.
"Dude, you fucked her up," JJ laughed, taking her hand and using his bandanna to wipe her knuckles clean.
"What the hell was that Coral? We expect that shit from John B and JJ, but not you."
"Hey!" JJ and John B cried together.
"She said something about my dad," Coral answered Pope without looking at him.
"Well in that case then I hope you hurt her," Pope responded, giving her a small smile when she looked up at him.
"It's like everything that happened to us didn't matter."
"It mattered, JB. She's just dealing with what happened. She'll come around," Coral told him quietly.
Sighing John B nodded, "Yeah, I mean grief makes you do crazy shit, right? I mean it made you sleep with JJ."
"Shut up!" "Dude!" "Gross!" "Ewww!" came four separate voices before they dissolved into laughter.
Carrying marshmallows out to the firepit Coral sat next to JJ, "We should've just stayed here and done this from the beginning," she said taking the offered joint from him as she handed him a marshmallow.
Taking a hit she handed the joint back to JJ before tossing marshmallows to the others.
"Thanks for sticking up for Sarah," John B commented as he stuck a marshmallow onto the end of the stick he held before putting it over the firepit.
"It's what we do," Coral responded with a shrug.
"Yeah, she's not a real Kook," Kie added.
"Well someone should tell Topper that," Pope muttered.
Sighing John B nodded before leaning over and grabbing Kie's marshmallow off her stick, "Hot potato, hot potato!" he cried juggling the hot marshmallow between his hands.
"Hey!" she cried as she tried snatching it back causing it to fly out of John B's hands and onto the ground, "Oh come on," she whined.
"I just wanted a bite," he laughed getting up to go pick up the marshmallow.
"Stay away from ours," JJ laughed. "I'm taking yours now," Kie told John B picking up his stick that had his cooling marshmallow on the end.
"Hey, hey, shush," John B whispered as he stared out towards the chicken coop, "Someone's here again."
"You don't think that Topper would come?" Kie questioned as they all stood up.
"I wouldn't put it past him," JJ answered.
"Do you have your gun?" Kie asked looking at JJ
"Oh, now she wants the gun!"
"Oh, now you don't have the gun?"
"No! Coral's always yelling at me about it."
"Don't blame me for you not having the gun!"
"Hey, shut up," John B hissed as they moved around the firepit and walked slowly towards the chicken coop, "Hey, who's out there?" John B called.
"You Kooks better not try anything," Coral called.
"How ya'll doing?"
"It's this piece of shit," Pope muttered as the man working with Carla Limbrey came walking into the yard.
"You gotta be kidding me."
"Lovely evening we're having," the man said smiling as he walked towards them with his hands up, "Look, I, uh...I don't hold a grudge with any of ya'll, all right? But this can go hard, or this can go easy," he told them, "You know what I'm here for. Let me give you a little demonstration. You see that swing there?" he asked pointing to the swing next to Coral.
"I got the best bow hunters in the Army rangers with me. Hidden," he continued before whistling.
Jumping when an arrow flew past the swing and landed in the tree, Coral choked down a scream as JJ took her hand and moved in front of her.
"They'll stick you just as soon as I say so," he told them before whistling again. This time the arrow landed less than a foot from JJ's own foot.
"Now I'm not gonna give you a countdown or any bullshit like that. I'm just gonna whistle," he said stopping in front of Pope.
Staring at the man Pope took a deep breath before reaching in his pocket and pulling out his family's key, "This key belongs to my family."
Sighing the man shook his head as he scoffed, "I am losing my patience with you, Pope," he said as he made to whistle again pausing when Pope held the key out to him, "You did the right thing, kid," he said taking the key.
"Knowing when you don't have a choice is an underappreciated talent. You be safe," he told them before turning and walking back towards the front of the house, "Ya'll have a good night," he called over his shoulder.
Letting out a stuttering breath Coral sagged against JJ once the man had disappeared into the dark.
"I am so sick of this shit," Pope muttered angrily before turning and stomping off towards the dock with Kie following behind him.
"We should get inside," Coral whispered.
"They got what they want. They ain't coming back," John B snapped before following after Pope and Kie.
"Come on Baby Girl," JJ said, taking her hand, "We'll go inside and wait for them to calm down," he told her leading her into the house.