_
when Belle had calmed down after seeing her mother she walked into the château to meet up with Pope and Kiara who were sitting on the couch, she shut the front door climbing behind them on the couch resting her chin on Kie's shoulder letting out a sigh.
"you okay?" Kie asked her friend.
"yeah, don't worry about me. how'd it go with your parents?" Belle gave Kiara a small smile.
"well, i got booted so i figured i'd crash here for a few days." Kie informed the girl who was shocked.
"shit. i'm sorry, Kie, you know my house is always open. plus you can get a break from the boys." Belle teased knowing Pope was right next to them.
"one of the boys is right here and the other one is your boyfriend who by the way has a drawer for himself." Pope nudged Belle making her laugh.
"you gave JJ a drawer? that's so cute!" Kie laughed.
"okay i'm going back home." Belle stood up but Kiara pulled her back down hugging her tightly.
"how did things go with you?" Kiara asked Pope.
"well.. Pops was upset." Pope says facing the girls.
"upset? after you left his truck in Charleston? what for?" Kiara sarcastically asked making Belle chuckle.
"uh, you know, i'm actually trying to figure that out myself. i can't really see any reason.. that would make him upset." Pope said making the two girls chuckle, "but, um, i did ask him about the key, and he said that his grandmother had something like that. so, Belle and i went over to great-grandma's place, and, uh.. we found.. this." Pope stood up grabbing the small box from his pocket sitting next to the girls holding out the key.
"oh my God." Kie grabbed the key looking at it in shock.
"yeah."
"holy shit, Pope!" Kiara exclaimed making Belle smile and sit up.
"i know, i know, right? i know."
"this is exactly what we need to get the evidence!'
"i.. i.. i.. was right i'm the room, and it.. it came out of the ceiling!" Pope explained to Kiara excitedly.
"actually you started pulling the ceiling and then fell but yes." Belle added making Kiara look at her confused and nodded.
"oh my God."
"look at it." Pope showed the keys closer to the girls noticing something.
Kiara furrowed her brows looking at the key, "is that writing? what is that?"
"turn the lights off." Pope says making Belle sit up.
"why?" Belle asked.
"just do it. trust me." Pope grinned as the two girls just started at each other confused.
"okay." Belle shrugged throwing herself back shutting off the lights and laid on her stomach while Pope reached out for a pillow placing it on his lap.
"i don't see anything." Kiara looked at the key as Pope placed the key in a certain angle, "right there. don't move it." Pope said.
"okay."
Belle sat up watching Pope turn on the flashlight and smack the pillow watching the dust fly.
"John B really needs to wash his pillows." Belle mumbled as her eyes widened seeing something was written on the key, "holy shit."
"holy shit!" Kiara gasped in shock.
"i know, right?" Pope excitedly told the girls.
"holy shit!" Kiara and Belle said at the same time.
"how did you even figure that out?" Belle jumped up looking at the key.
"it's so freaking cool!" Pope cheered.
"wait, do it again. do it again." Kie says as Pope slammed his hand on the pillow again revealing the words.
"path to the tomb begins in the island room. path to the tome begins in the island room. what does that mean?" she repeated turning to Pope.
"so, i'm.. i'm pretty sure that it has something to do with Denmark Tanny and an angel. 'cause i.. i remember Lim.. Limbrey saying something about an angel and how the key led to the cross." Pope started explaining to Kiara.
"Pope, this is insane. you're a freaking genius."
Pope smiled, "thank you."
"kind of makes you wonder what the island room is." Belle wondered trying to figure out what the riddle meant.
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Belle stood in the bathroom pulling her hair up into a ponytail to wash her face when her phone lit up seeing multiple texts from JJ, immediately grabbing her phone seeing a bunch of texts from him.
"shit. guys!," Belle ran out of the bathroom to Pope and Kiara who were still on the couch, "JJ texted SOS, we gotta go now! he sent me the street he's on."
"let's go." Kiara stood up grabbing her keys as the three ran out of the château towards Kiara's car where she drove as fast as she could.
Belle texted him back letting him know they were driving as fast as they could to get to him waiting on a response from him.
"Kie, how far are we?" Belle asked throwing her phone down to the seat.
"just one more minute-" with that Kie slammed her breaks rolling down her window sending fake apologies to the ambulance.
Belle turned around seeing JJ running into the field as Kiara drove towards the other side, Belle immediately spotted JJ running opening the door as he ran in throwing himself on top of Belle. her arms immediately wrapped around him while JJ caught his breath wrapping his arms around her waist as Pope shut the door and Kiara sped away driving back to the château. JJ panted looking at Belle who's eyes was filled with worry, he placed his hand on her cheek and leaned back starting to calm down.
"i'm seriously not even gonna ask." Kiara said to JJ.
"look, i busted the wrong guy out of jail. sue me." JJ told his friends.
"what?"
"at least i was trying." JJ admitted.
"why are you always doing such stupid shit?" Kiara scolded him.
"well, i'm gonna end up in jail anyway, so.. so why does it matter?" JJ says keeping his eyes on the floor as silence filled the car.
"you okay, man?" Pope asked.
"yeah. just a doozy of a day." JJ sighed pulling Belle into him shoving his face into her neck.
Belle wrapped her arms around his shoulders whispering things into his ear reminding him that everything will be okay and he won't end up anywhere as his grip tightened around her waist not wanting to let her go at all.
"i got you." Belle whispered in his ear planting a kiss onto the top of his head, "always." she whispered.