𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

thirty seven.

─☼☼☼─

"You have one new message."

Message received today at 11:03am

I'm at your favourite spot, Lottie, and I can't help but think about how much fun we had here. It's not as beautiful without you here, but it's still something...I think we should move here. My dad, he just showed me something that I think will change our lives. You can drop out of school if you want, open that restaurant you've always dreamed of. We can buy a house here, get married. We can have it all. 

But we can't do that if you never talk to me again, so I don't know...call me or text me. Whatever you want. I'll be waiting for you. 

─☼☼☼─

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙈𝙀𝙎𝙎𝘼𝙂𝙀 𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙔𝙀𝘿 repeatedly as Charlotte opened her closet, riffling through it for a change of clothes. 

Rafe's voice filled her bedroom as she absentmindedly analyzed what he said in his latest voicemail. 

She knew where he was...and exactly what he was talking about. 

The gold was in the Bahamas. 

Hope had sparked back into Charlotte's defeated heart. John B and Sarah were there. If she could get a hold of them, maybe they could get the gold. Maybe all of this wasn't for nothing. 

But that currently fell number two on her list of priorities. 

Number one was a task that had just been relayed to her by Kiara. Apparently Pope had received a letter at school today from someone by the name of Limbrey. Whoever it was, their envelope seal was that of the wheat emblem present on the gold. 

Charlotte had yet to see the letter, but according to Kie's rushed babble over the phone ten minutes earlier, this Limbrey person had material evidence that could exonerate John B. 

There was no hesitation, they were going to Charleston. 

If they could clear John B's name, then Charlotte could tell him about the gold. He could take it back, and then he could come home. Or go wherever the hell he wanted. This was the break they had been needing. 

A small smile came to Charlotte's face as she pressed the number one on her phone, repeating Rafe's message for the tenth time. She needed to hear his voice. Because she feared that in a matter of days, the only way she would be able to speak to him was through prison glass. 

It was always evident to her that clearing John B meant put Rafe at the top of the suspect list. But perhaps it didn't have to be like that. Perhaps there was someone more likened for the crime, and perhaps Charlotte could lead the cops straight to him. 

Charlotte had just finished zipping up her backpack as he door flung open, Kiara standing there, out of breath with her own backpack flung over her shoulders. "You ready?"

Nodding, Charlotte picked up her phone, clicking out of Rafe's message finally. "Yeah. All good."

Kiara nodded toward Charlotte's phone. "Who was that?"