Tidal Waves

Fifteen

There was a knocking. A rough and loud sound that wouldn't go away. It continued as morning approached and the sky turned blue. A pounding on a wooden surface that wouldn't escape. It seemed to only get louder and louder by the minute. The rustling on the wooden porch continued throughout, wrapping around the house's deck, as if boots were skimming the area. Shadows lurked inside, though no one was awake to notice the difference in lighting shades. 

Lou groaned, turning over on the soft surface as her lower body was covered by a wool blanket. She wasn't cold and nor was she hot, the feeling was relaxing and allowed her the much needed rest she deserved. A pounding headache the night before mixed with a quick heart beat and chills didn't come in an accepting way. Though, she felt just fine now as she slept peacefully.

As the house grew silent, Lou lied comfortably on her stomach in a sweet silence as a cool breeze blew through the house. Windows were open and the front door had been open, remaining unlocked. The Chateau was rather a friendly place to be, it's why the doors were unlocked, as per normal.

The sound of the floorboards creaking grew excessive once the noise came to be noticeable and Tallulah propped her eyes open in a hurry, but they slowly closed, blinking here and there as she adjusted to the light. As it blinded her badly, she turned and looked the other way, using her arms to lift herself up. Stretching in the midst, she gasped suddenly when someone came into view.

Crawling back on the pull out couch in fright, a mess of blankets it was, she lifted a hand to her mouth and sat back. Looking around, there was no one else but her and the woman standing before her in a brown uniform, black boots and a specialty tool belt. Lou didn't know what to think about the woman standing in front of her, she was fully dressed in her day to day attire that it questioned her.

The woman had placed a hand to her hip, eyeing Tallulah. "I don't suppose you know where John B is, do you?" She asked.

She took a breath and nodded slowly, pulling the blanket over herself when she realized she was in a pair of board shorts and bikini top. "Down the hall." She replied.

The Sheriff had looked Tallulah in the eye. "Hmm." She nods, before pointing down the hall towards John B's room and Lou nodded.

She watched the Sheriff turn and walk down the small hallway of four doors. With a low sigh if relief, she threw herself down onto the rollaway bed like a starfish. Arms and legs sprawled out, she gazed at the wooden ceiling before hearing some low chatter. Tallulah thought, pondering why she was wearing a pair of JB's board shorts and where her shorts were and why she wasn't at home, or where her other three friends were. A part of her knew why, but she couldn't seem to remember.

Lou hadn't moved when Sheriff Peterkin had entered the living area where beer bottle and empty coke glasses were sprawled across the small circular table, and the floor was mostly cleared off and the couch was pulled out into a bed. She had leaned against the wall in thought as JB dressed himself and exited his room.

"Sorry to break in like this, but DCS called. They wanted me to check on you. See how you're doin'. So how are you, besides the--" She'd cut herself short when John had appeared and glanced over to her, and she pointed to her own eye, observing him.

His left eye was swollen and bruised in colors of purple and blue, a but of green too, and sported board shorts, his casual bandana loosely left around his neck with an orange Hawaiian shirt left wide open, his chest bare as were his feet. John B had looked around briefly to see the Sheriff, then noticed Lou on the couch.

"Oh, no. I'm-I'm great. Yeah, fantastic. Uh..." He looked at her. "Thanks for coming by." He nods

He turned around, picking up some bottles and headed into the kitchen. "I'm so glad to hear you say that John B, but I heard a few things that worried me." She continued.

John B had spun around to glance at her, catching Lou's stare when she herself had sat up in curiosity. He grew curious at her attire before shaking his head lightly and looking back to the officer.

"Let me see if I can remember. Oh yeah, one of the things I heard was that your Uncle Teddy, your guardian, hasn't been in state for three months."

He'd put the bottles away in a bucket below the sink. "Yeah, that's false." He walked out from the kitchen area.

"You don't have to say anything. I know it's true. I called the school." JB had casually brought an arm up to the door frame, the one splitting the living area from the kitchen, and pursed his lips. "They said you used to be a good student, but now you're failin' all your classes." She'd picked up a cigarette from the table.

"No." JB began and Lou shook her head, slowly getting off the couch before she escaped through the front door, having gone outside. "No, I'm only failing one, and it's history. He's a dick. He's out for me-"

She'd cut him off. "I heard there was a fight on the beach yesterday, and a gun was involved." She walked away from the table, approaching John B. 

"Okay. Gun?" He narrowed a brow, questioning her as if he didn't know what she was speaking of. "No." He shook his head, patting her shoulder as he walked by. "Did I get in a dust up? Yes, but was there a gun?" He scoffs. "No. No way." He began collecting more bottles throughout the living room to clean up.

"That's okay. I know who it was. I'll get to him." She spoke. "All I'm worried about right now is makin' sure you're in a safe home."

He lightly scoffed again, this time more of a sarcastic chuckle. "Yeah, super safe." He motions to his Chateau. "Super sound, sturdy. You know what I mean?" He tapped a table. "Uncle T's coming back, so..."

"Is that what he told you."

"Yeah."

"Well, if he is coming, I think you should be allowed to stay."

"Thank you." He finally agreed with her.

"But if I stick my neck out for you, you have to help me." She said and he turned, facing her and stopped everything he was doing, unclear of where this was going. "Tit for tat."

"What-what does that mean?" He stuttered, confused.

"Let me see, how can you help me?" She questioned, serious about the topic and walked down the slim pathway toward him. "Oh, I know. So, a body was found in the marsh yesterday." She stopped in front of him. Were you in the marsh yesterday?

"Yeah, we were fishin' for some drum." He answered.

"You catch anything?"

"Nah, we were skunked."

"Strange. Fishing's usually goof after a storm. All sorts of things get stirred up. You come across a wreck yesterday?" She asked, wanting some sort of answer as she looked him in the eye.

He glanced away briefly before looking back. "No."

She sighed. "You skimmin' just above the surface, John B." She lifted a finger, twirling it around between them as his arms were crossed. "Now, down here is foster care, juvie. Pretty big drop for a smart kid like you." She moved her hand up to head level. "Up here is you and your little friends doing whatever you want. Outer Banks or foster care on the mainland." He sat down on the rollaway bed. "You one inch above the surface, John B. If I was you, I'd start flappin' my wings...Now, you sure you didn't come across a wreck yesterday?"

"Yeah." He nods. "Yeah, I'm sure." He finished.

"It's better if you didn't, you understand?" She lowered, placing a hand to his shoulder as she ensured he was listening carefully. "I'm gonna look the other way, as long as you stay out the marsh." She said and exited toward the door. "I got dogs livin' better than this, John B." 

She left.