On Top//Topper Thornton

twenty seven

We drive through Charleston looking for the address in the letter.

"They're a bunch of fancy people. They've had three governors in the family. They've run Charleston for, like, 300 years," Kie tells us.

"These Kooks make our Kooks look like Pogues," I state.

We stop in front of a huge three floor house.

"You sure this is the place, Pope?" JJ asks.

"Pretty sure," Pops tells us.

"All right." JJ jumps out of the truck. "Fat City, for sure."

Pope holds up the letter in front of the house. "Twenty-seven King Street."

I gesture to the tall rawd iron fence around the property. "Talk about home security."

"Are those spikes to keep people out?" JJ asks.

Kie shakes her head slightly. "No."

"The slave quarters are over there." Pope sighs. "These spikes were to keep people in."

We walk up to the front door of the house. Pope is the one to knock on the door.

"You think that was too much?" Pope asks.

"It echoed the entire house. That's for sure. So they definitely heard it," JJ insists.

"Maybe nobody's home," Kie offers.

As Pope goes to knock on the door again it opens. A guy probably around thirty is standing there. He points at Pope.

"You must be Pope."

"Um... Are you Mr. Limbrey?" Pope asks.

"Ms. Limbrey was expecting you yesterday," the guy says.

"Oh. I'm... I'm sorry. My car broke down on the way up here," Pope tells him.

"Carburetor blew up in the middle of Nowheresville. Sorry about that," JJ tells the guy.

"Yeah, she was, uh, real upset when you didn't show up," the guy says.

"We tried to call, but there's no number on the invitation," I tell him.

"We got here as fast as we could," Kie assures.

"She also expected you to come alone," the guy says.

"I mean, these are my friends. They helped find the Royal Merchant too. I..." Pope starts.

The guy cuts him off, "The instructions were explicit. Your friends can stay outside."

"We're kind of a package deal, man," JJ tells him.

"JJ. It's okay. I got this," JJ assures. "I'll be good."

"Yeah. We'll be right here," Kie tells him.

"Keep the car running," Pope tells her.

Kie, JJ, and I are sitting in the truck. Who knows how long Pope is going to be in there for?

"Look, if Limbrey is legit, then Ward gets arrested, and maybe Sarah gets the gold," Kie offers.

Pope and the guy walk out of the house following after a woman walking with crutches. Pope looks back at us and I can tell he needs help.

"Does that look voluntary?" I ask.

"Keep walking." The guy shoves Pope.

"That would be a negative," JJ tells me.

"Come on," Kie says as she moves to get out of the truck.

I stop her. "Wait, hold on, hold on."