THE VISIT to the hospital was hell, and Scarlett had to use her dad's money to pay for the stitches she received. She hated every moment of it, but she was glad she was no longer bleeding. And she was glad that JJ stayed by her side. When they made it back to the Château, John B and Sarah were still awake. The boys sat on the porch, keeping watch while the girls stayed inside. After changing into a fresh shirt, Scarlett joined Sarah on the pull-out couch. The two girls laid next to each other, though neither could sleep. Despite the painkillers the hospital had given her, Scarlett still had a lot of pain in her arm. And both girls were still too scared of Rafe turning up again to actually sleep.
After a few hours, dawn eventually came and the Pogues grabbed some of their things before running down to the dock. "Finally. Hey!" JJ yelled out as Kiara and Pope pulled up. Kiara climbed out of the boat, readying herself to tying it to the jetty. "Guys, don't tie up. Stop it!"
"What?" Kiara asked, pausing her movements as the others ran to the boat.
"We're dipping." JJ said simply, hoisting his backpack onto his shoulder and grabbing Scarlett's hand.
"Why does Lottie have a bandage on her arm?" Pope asked. "What did you do now?"
Scarlett shook her head. "Not us."
"What happened last night?" John B asked, helping Sarah down the jetty. "Where'd you two go?"
"We slept on the break. What's up?" Pope answered, looking concerned.
"Slept, right. Yeah." JJ muttered, slapping Pope on the shoulder as he passed the boy. The blonde climbed into the HMS, before helping Scarlett. "We were up all night."
"Didn't sleep, at all." Scarlett mumbled, holding back a yawn.
"We gotta get the hell out of here." John B stressed, helping Sarah into the boat before climbing in himself.
"Rafe knows we're here, so we have to leave, like, now." Sarah explained.
Kiara's eyes widened in shock. She spun around to face Scarlett. "Is that why you're hurt?"
Scarlett nodded. "Rafe had a gun and was shooting randomly had one of the bullets kinda hit my arm. So JJ and I stole my step-dad's car to go to the hospital."
"Damn." Pope whispered, beginning to untie the boat. "You got shot, again?"
Scarlett shrugged. "Yeah."
"You stole your dad's car?" Kiara exclaimed. "He'll kill you if he finds out."
"He won't." Scarlett told her confidently. "He won't."
⭐⭐⭐
The Pogues sailed to a hidden corner of Kildare Island. They sat in a circle on a few logs under a tree, discussing what to do. "Look, if Rafe and Barry know, it's only a matter of time." Kiara spoke, voicing everyone's thoughts.
"Before everyone knows." Pope added. Scarlett shook her head in disbelief. Everything was going right for them, she should've known it wasn't going to last. It never did.
JJ scoffed, pacing around the outside of their make-shift circle. "I told you. We should've gone south, man." Scarlett looked to her right, seeing Sarah with her gaze fixed on the floor as she pushed back tears. Scarlett scooted closer to her, wrapping her non-injured arm around her friend's shoulder and pulling her into a hug.
"Just stop it." John B shook his head, walking over to the boy.
"Why does no one ever listen?" JJ yelled. He was frustrated. Had they left the island the first chance they got, they wouldn't be in this situation and his girlfriend wouldn't have gotten shot, again. He couldn't help but blame himself for her injury. He hadn't been able to protect her. Not the evening before and not the day on the tarmac.
"I get it. I get it. I understand." John B told him as JJ walked away.
Sarah looked up at them, leaning into Scarlett's side-hug. "I have an idea." She announced. "With me back, my dad's going to have to choose between me and Rafe."
"Sarah, Sarah-" John B started, walking towards her.
"He's gonna choose me." Sarah told them.
Scarlett frowned, unsure how to tell the girl that it probably wasn't going to work out that way. Ward was an asshole, and Scarlett knew that while he probably treated Sarah like she was his favourite, he'd probably end up choosing Rafe over her.
"Just listen." John B tried, standing in front of her and kneeling down slightly. "Ward keeps lying to you, Sarah."
Scarlett nodded. "I know he's your father, but he's not a good man. This won't end the way you want it to."
Across from them, Kiara agreed. "Look, Sarah, he won't agree after everything that's happened."
Sarah shook her head slightly. "No. I... I know it sounds crazy."
"Yeah, it does." Kiara agreed again.
"I know!" Sarah cried. "But he's my dad. And I know him, and I know he loves me." She looked around at each of her friends. "I'm just asking for two hours." She pleaded.
Scarlett shrugged. "It's the only plan we've got right now." She pointed out as Sarah stood up and began walking down the grass to the boat. "What else are we meant to do?" John B nodded, beginning to follow after his girlfriend. The two talked for a few minutes before Sarah left in the HMS. Scarlett could only hope that against all their odds Sarah would be right and her plan would work. She didn't know what they'd do if it didn't.
⭐⭐⭐
Scarlett sat next to John B and Pope in the grass by the water's edge. Pope had told them in a bit more detail of his interaction with Limbrey. Scarlett had yet to speak to the woman, but she already despised her. Why would a woman as rich as her need to find the gold. What use would she have for 400 million? It made no sense. "The tape, you heard it?" John B asked.
"Just a few seconds. But it's definitely Gavin." Pope answered. "I think Ward might have betrayed Limbrey like he did your parents."
Scarlett looked over to him, her eyebrows furrowing. "He's such a douchebag." She mumbled. "I wish he would be the one who gets shot for once, instead of us."
John B nodded, glancing at her before looking back at Pope. "Do you think Limbrey and your parents might have been working together?" Pope asked.
Scarlett shrugged. "Mom never mentioned anyone by that name." She fiddled with her mother's old rings that were still on her fingers.
John B just shook his head, looking out across the water. Scarlett followed his gaze to see Sarah on the HMS, sailing closer to the group. "Hey, there she is." JJ and Kiara ran over, dropping the various pieces of firewood they had found.
"Sarah!" Kiara called, waving her arms.
Scarlett shot the girl a small smile. She could already tell from the way the girl looked that it didn't go down well. Sarah looked so sad, though she was trying to keep it together for the sake of her friends.
"You made it." Pope cried as they rushed down to help Sarah secure the boat.
"So, how'd it go?" John B asked her, as they walked through the water to the shore.
Sarah sniffed, shaking her head. "You guys were right. It didn't work." Scarlett pulled the girl into a brief hug. "Sorry."
"Welp, then that settles it, guys." JJ spoke, finishing tying the boat up and walking over to them. He slung his arm over Scarlett's shoulder as she pulled out of her hug with Sarah. "Now, y'all need to load up in the paddy wagon and get the heck out of Dodge right now." He gestured over his shoulder to the HMS.
Pope nodded, resting his hands on his hips. "Right, you'll need supplies, and you'll have to split as soon as possible."
"Guys, I think it's too late." Kiara spoke, staring out at the water. They all turned their gaze as sirens began wailing and police boats appeared in the distance. They were speeding towards them.
"Shit." Scarlett hissed.
"They followed you here?" John B asked Sarah. "Must've been your father."
Scarlett stared questioningly at JJ as the boy took his bag off his shoulder. He knelt on the ground, going through it. "We have to find another way out of here." Pope stressed.
There was more wailing sounds as a member of the SBI spoke to them through a megaphone. "Stay on the beach with your hands in the air!" He instructed. Scarlett rolled her eyes. There was no way these officers believed that the teens would listen to them.
"Go now!" Pope cried. "Go!"
JJ took something out of his backpack, putting it in the back pocket of his shorts. He left the bag on the ground, grabbing Scarlett's hand as they began running alongside the group. The Pogues raced across the sand, cutting through the water before running across the sand and into the trees. "Go! Go!" John B yelled, one arm around Sarah as they ran.
"Why are we always being chased?" Scarlett cried, her grip slipping from JJ's hand. Though, she still managed to keep up with his pace. "Why are we always fucking running?" She dodged tree branches, her legs scraping against various thorns poking out of all the bushes she ran past.
"Sarah, you good?" Kiara called over her shoulder.
"Yeah." Sarah breathed out.
JJ looked over his shoulder as he led the group through the tall grass. He reached his hand out to Scarlett and she didn't hesitate to grab it. "You alright?" He asked her. Scarlett nodded, feeling like she had no more energy to speak. JJ led them to a lake, helping each of the Pogues into the water before going in himself. He made sure to keep Scarlett ahead of him so he could keep an eye on her. Scarlett grimaced as she swam through the water, desperately trying to keep her fresh stitches from getting wet.
Glancing over her shoulder as JJ helped her out of the water, she saw the police and the SBI at the other side of the lake. The Pogues ignored the yells for them to freeze, rushing onto the land. Kiara led them behind the first tree they saw, which was big enough for all of them to hide behind. JJ pulled Scarlett close to him, making sure she was okay. "We're trapped." JJ told them as the SBI waded through the water towards them and police sirens wailed. The cops were driving towards them from the other side. "They surrounded us."
"What do we do?" Scarlett asked, eyebrows furrowing in worry.
"There's no getting out of it. We gotta make a stand." He let go of Scarlett for a moment and wrung the water out of his bandanna. Scarlett watched in horror as he pulled the gun from his back pocket, wiping it down with the bandanna.
Scarlett shook her head softly. "No. No. JJ-" She could barely bring herself to form a sentence.
"Don't move!" One of the officers yelled.
Scarlett peered around the side of the tree, gasping when she saw the officers pointing their guns at them. John B grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her back behind the tree. She then watched as John B stepped in front of JJ, placing his hand on the blonde boy's wrist. Reluctantly, JJ let John B take the gun from his hands, the latter letting it clatter to the ground. It was then Scarlett realised what her best friend was doing. He was turning himself in.
"No." Scarlett cried, tears welling up in her eyes. "John B. No." She began to shake slightly. She couldn't lose her best friend all over again. "You can't-"
John B looked between her and JJ, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's gonna be all right." He whispered as police vans pulled up on the dirt path in front of them. John B set his gaze on Scarlett. "I promise you, it's gonna be fine." Scarlett shook her head, reaching out for his hand as he stepped away. "Here we go." The boy whispered, turning to face the officers. Scarlett made to move forward, wanting to go after her best friend. But JJ stopped her. He knew it would cause more problems if she did. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her towards him. With his feet, he kicked dirt over the gun, hiding it from the view of the police.
"John B!" Shoupe yelled, stepping out the car. He stayed behind the open door, his gun pointing towards the boy. "Step out into the clearing!" John B did as instructed, stepping away from his friends with his hands raised above his head. Scarlett watched on in horror, her body going limp in JJ's hold. She didn't want to watch her best friend get taken away from her again. "Get down. Do not move!" Shoupe yelled again.
"I'm surrendering!" John B called to the Sheriff.
"Don't move!" One of the female officers yelled out. She had her gun held out in front of her as she walked around the car.
"Stay right where you are." Shoupe said to him. "Keep your hands where we can see them."
"Hey, listen, Shoupe, I wanna testify." John B called out.
Shoupe was walking towards him, gun in hand, with two other officers behind him. As Scarlett looked around, she was sure she could make out the whole of Kildare's police department. "It's about time. Get down. Do not move a muscle. Everybody else, don't move." Shoupe instructed. JJ knew Scarlett wasn't going to do anything rash. But he kept his arms around her waist just in case. Sometimes Scarlett could be unpredictable.
John B knelt on his knees, keeping his hands by his head. One of the male officers- Officer Thomas- walked over to the boy. He grabbed John B's arms, pining them by his sides as he threw John B into the ground. The Pogues all let out yells of protest, scared their friend would end up seriously injured. The officer began to kick John B in the side, over and over again.
"Sheriff, what is that?" JJ yelled. "You're gonna let that happen?"
Scarlett scowled, her body filling up with anger. "Shoupe, do something!" She screamed, trying to remove herself from JJ's grip. The blonde tightened his arms around her, knowing that if he didn't she too would end up behind bars. He couldn't lose two people today.
Thomas pulled John B off the ground, pushing Shoupe away from him. "This is for Peterkin." He spoke. Scarlett let out a scream as she watched the man punch John B in the face, sending the boy to the floor. Tears began to stream down her face when John B didn't move. He'd been knocked unconscious.
⭐⭐⭐
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A/N:
I have 2 prewritten chapters left, and after that updates are going to be very slow. I've got a lot of family stuff going on so I don't have much of a chance to write, nor the motivation to do so.
That being said, I do hope you readers are enjoying this book. Even if you don't comment or vote much (which I would really appreciate if you did).
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Edited: 13/09/2021