Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Chapter Ten ✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯
Carla Limbrey didn't match the picture Avery had created in her mind, nor was she familiar to her like she thought.
Although, apparently that wasn't the case for Carla. As soon as the teen stepped into the house, the woman's eyes gleamed. Avery clenched her jaw, watching Carla wobble over to her. It made her extremely uncomfortable at the fact that she had such a beaming reaction upon seeing her. It was also noticed by Pope. He only mentioned her name and that sparked Carla immediately, asking for her without a second thought.
"My, oh my," Carla breathlessly smiled. Her blue eyes wondered over her features, "you look so much like your mother"
"My- my mother?" Avery's hard expression melted at the mention of her mom. She felt the warmth leave her cheeks and her stomach turned, a nauseous feeling washed over her. "You knew her?"
Carla titled her head, studying Avery's expression and analysing her words. Unfortunately, the teen's mind was too foggy to notice the look flash behind Carla's eyes before she spoke. "Well, yes. She was one of the only people that never double crossed me. I also know what you and your friends have done, what you want from me. I know a lot of things actually. Come with me. I'd like to show you both something. I think- I think you'll find it interesting"
Following the two out of the house, Avery and Pope shared a look. Renfield shoved the boy along, receiving a glare from the Avery. Neither of the Pogue's knew what to expect. This new mention of a key, something Carla assumed they had, and her mother was making her head hurt. Pope secretly gestured to Kie and JJ, who carefully watched them from a distance, to circle round with them in case anything happened.
"All of this, all the way down to the Ashley River, was owned by my family. The Limbrey's have lived in the house since it was built two hundred and eighty years ago. That's where the slaves were kept. Thank goodness we've made progress since then"
The comment made Avery frown. Pope luckily spoke up before she did, "yeah, thank goodness"
"Hear lies Denmark Tanny," Carla read, stopping in front of the grave. "The famous ex-slave. You know the story"
"Do we?" Avery asked, genuinely curious.
"What- what story?" Pope rephrased her.
"Denmark Tanny was a freedman, a wealthy planter. He was able to buy the freedom of his three sons, but when he tried to buy his wife and daughter's freedom, my paternal ancestors refused. When his wife, Cecilia tried to run with the baby, they set the hounds on her. Cecilia drowned trying to escape, the baby survived, and Denmark was hung– allegedly for abetting a slave revolt but really for gathering the remains of his wife. Never heard this story?"
"It's not the kind of history on the teaching agenda" Avery muttered, shocked by the ugly truth of the history that was left behind.
"No," Pope swallowed the lump in his throat. "And I think once is enough"
"Hey," Carla quickly said, noticing how Pope grabbed Avery's hand and stumbled away from her. "You think that I'm stupid?"
"No. No, no, I don't" Pope stumbled. His grip tightened on Avery's hand and she suddenly was overly aware of his warm palm pressed against hers. It made her hold her breath.
"Why else would the Routledge boy involve you? Your family has the key" Limbrey inched closer to Pope.
"The key? I don't know what you're talking about" He spoke fast, feeling threatened by the woman.
"Hey. Did Ward get to you?" Carla asked. It sounded like the most ridiculous question but she sounded serious.
"Ward Cameron? You are crazy. No, he didn't" Avery spoke up, frantically shaking her head as she stood closely behind Pope.
"The key leads to the cross, the Cross of Santo Domingo. The real treasure lies at the foot of the angel. Those were Denmark's last words. Does that ring any bells?" She pushed.
"No, it doesn't. It doesn't ring any bells and, um– uh, thank you, but we- we are gonna go back to the twenty first century now" Pope quickly said before tugging on Avery.
The last thing they wanted was to come face to face with a locked gate. Retracing their steps back, Renfield appeared. Dumbly, Pope ignited a fight. He almost backed down when the man pulled out a taser. While Pope took a chance, knocking the weapon from his hands, Avery noticed a wall, one that was lower enough for them to climb and escape.
"Pope!" She called, already reaching up and gripping the bricks. Avery flicked her hair over her shoulder and stopped in her movements as soon as she heard Pope grunting in pain. "Hey! Hey, get off of him!"
As Renfield took in the glory of beating Pope down, pointing the taser at him, Avery charged up behind him and managed to boot her foot up between his legs. The man crumbled to the floor and the weapon fell from his hand again. Avery foolishly turned her back, rushing to help Pope up to his feet when Renfield took the opportunity to knock her down.
"Don't touch her!" JJ's voice screamed as Avery yelled in pain. A stinging ache shot through her shoulder. She squinted, looking up to see JJ and Kie with them, her ex boyfriend landing a punch on the man as Pope held him down.
"Come on!" Kie encouraged them.
•✿•✿•✿•✿• Author's note! I've loved creating Avery's storyline and testing out of the possibilities. Also, we love protective JJ... I couldn't not!
