MERCEDES, jj maybank

17.

THE SUNKEN MALIBU

The next day John B was still nowhere to be found so Pope, Kie and JJ all headed to Heywards Seafood to help out. Pope was still dishearted about last nights events.

"Don't let it get in your head, bro, there's three of them and two of us. That's some typical Kook shit right there," JJ says after noticing that Pope was sulking around. 

"Hell, yeah." Kie agrees.

"What was your thought process, using your head?"

Pope looks over his shoulder at JJ, "I don't know, man. I just kind of acted off instinct. I was a cornered animal," 

Trinity lets out a loud chuckle and walks around to the other corner of the store, she gestures for JJ to follow and he does.

"Rafe wasn't happy when he saw this," JJ points to his necklace. 

Trinity just shrugs, Rafe thought Trinity cheated on him with JJ but Trinity knew she didn't, "I don't care if he's happy about it or not."

JJ laughs, knowing that she wasn't telling the truth but at least she was trying. "You're so cute."

"Shut up, JJ" She walks around to the aisle, JJ follows and puts his arm around her,

"You wanna make out?"

"Yeah," Trinity turns fully to face him but he is too surprised by her answer to do anything, "Yeah I thought not," She laughs going back to fix the items on the shelves.

And then Heyward steps in, "Hey, Pope, someone here to see you."

The lot of them turn to the door to see who steps in and they are all just as confused as each other when they see Shoupe followed by a few more cops.

"Evening, officer," Pope says sheepishly.

"I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property." Shoup reaches for his handcuffs.

"What?" Heyward stares at Pope, shocked.

"Keep your hands on the counter where I can see them."

One of the deputies pull Kiara to the side away and Heyward starts interfering with JJ. "Shoupe, what did he do?"

"Look at the warrant."

"You're actually arresting him?"

"You're just gonna arrest my boy?"

"What's the proof?"

"Be careful!"

"Shoupe, are you even listening?"

"He didn't do shit!"

Shoupe just goes along with his job and puts the handcuffs on Pope, "Anything you say can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney."

"How much did they pay you, man?"

Everyone follows the cops outside to the cop cars still shouting for them to let Pope go, JJ turns to Trinity, "We need to do something!" She says.

JJ agrees, and just as Pope is about to be pushed into the car JJ shouts, "It wasn't him!" Everyone turns to look at him, "It was me. He tried to talk me out of it but I was mad because he'd just been beaten up. I was so sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit. I can't let Pope take the blame for something I did, you got too much to lose."

"JJ what are you doing?" 

"I'm telling the truth! For once in my goddamn life, I'm gonna tell the truth...I took his old man's boat too."