"𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴'𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙶𝙾𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙵𝚄𝙻𝙻 𝙺𝙾𝙾𝙺"
"Man, we really can't catch a break," JJ murmured, resting a hand on Tate's leg and blowing her smoke away from him.
Tate laughed softly. "Yeah, ever since I started hanging out with you guys."
"So t...
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"when life gives you a lemon, cut a whole in it, smoke some resin."
The next morning, the Pogues all crammed into John B's van to continue their investigations of the Limbrey situation by talking to Pope's great grandmother. Nobody said much. John B and Sarah were still fighting, and the tension filled every inch of free space in the van.
At last, Pope couldn't take it anymore. "Guys," he said, "The thing that Limbrey said, I don't think she meant to let it slip."
"I'm gonna need some context, Pope," said Tate, her sneakers resting on the window as she leaned back against the back of JJ's seat.
Pope turned the key over in his hands. "She said the key leads to the Cross of Santo Domingo."
"Wait, can I see that?" asked JJ, reaching back from the passenger seat for the key.
"Are we supposed to know what that is?" Sarah asked moodily.
Pope shook his head. "I'm guessing it's some sort of historical artifact of great importance."
"Well, according to the internet," said Kiara, already pulling out her phone, "It was a gift from New Spain to the Spanish king."
"New Spain?" said JJ. "Is there an Old Spain?"
Kiara ignored him. "Shit, talk about over-gifting. Look at that thing." She showed everyone the picture of the massive golden cross.
Sarah pointed at the image. "Looks like a person standing next to it."
"So, it's a giant ass cross," said JJ.
"It was widely considered at the time to be the most extravagant tribute ever from the provinces," Kiara read. "It was lost off the coast of Bermuda in 1829."
JJ twisted around in his seat. "Did you just say Bermuda?"
"Oh, no. Not the triangle," said John B.
"It always leads back to the triangle, dude," said JJ. "Like every single time something's weird, it's Bermuda."
"JJ..." said Tate.
"Okay," Kiara interrupted everyone, trying to keep them on track. "What does a key found above your mee-maw's pharmacy have to do with any of this? Where do we come in?"
Pope was silent for a second. "I don't know," he said at last. "That's a good question."
John B pulled the van up to the curb outside of Pope's great grandma's nursing home. JJ jumped out and slid the backseat door open for Tate and the others to climb through. Tate jumped to the pavement and steadied herself on JJ's arm.
Pope stepped out and stared up at the nursing home. "Actually, I- uh- I think I'm gonna do this one by myself."
