JJ and a Routledge

Plans and Knots

We were now in History class, the one class I have with the Pogues. I was trying to get my test done when someone came to the door. Something about the Vanderhorst Fondation, and he needed Pope. Pope got up and went with the man, and the whole time he was gone all I could think about was what Pope was needed for. 

Pope storms back into the classroom, with something in hand. He sits by Kiara, so she was obviously asking questions. Unfortunately, Jay and I sat on the other side of the room. He holds up the envelope, facing it in JJ and I's direction. I squint my eyes to see it, but JJ figures it out before I do. "Is that the wheat symbol?" He was talking about the melted wax on the envelope.  When I look closer, I noticed it was in fact the wheat symbol. 

"Yeah," Pope confirms. JJ's face explodes. 

"What the f--" JJ says it loud enough for Mr. Sunn to hear him, he looks our way. "fu.. fu.. fudge." JJ stumbles over the word, making me laugh. "Shut it, you're gonna blow my cover." He whispers to me, smirking. 

"As if it wasn't obvious enough." I giggle again, making him chuckle. 

After we all completed our tests, with Pope and I's answers, we all went to the library, to talk this out. "Is this a game of tag?" JJ questions, as we walk into the room full of books. 

"I don't know." Kiara shakes her head as we head to one of the tables. 

"Am I going to have to beat you with your protractor? What's going on?" JJ says this a little too loud, making the librarian shush him. 

"Seriously, Pope, you are driving me insane," I whisper, eying the librarian. 

Once we all sit down, he finally continues, "Okay so that guy was from the scholarship committee. Take a look at this." He holds out the envelope and JJ snatches it from his hand, tearing it open. 

"Out loud," Kiara tells him, but he just stares. 

"You got it, bud?" I smirk, leaning over his shoulder. 

"I can't read cursive." He responds, and I hold in my laugh. I just take the paper from his hand, beginning to read it aloud to the group. 

"Dear Mr. Heyward, I am reaching out because I have material evidence that could exonerate John B. Routledge." The three of us look up at Pope who is now pacing back and forth. I then continue, "It is of vital importance that you come and meet me in person at my offices at 27 King Street, Charleston at 8:00 P.M. sharp tonight. Please come alone." I had a lot of questions but the main one was how the fudge we were supposed to get to Charleston, tonight. "Regards, C. Limbrey." I finish, slouching back in my chair. 

"Charleston?" JJ asks, in disbelief. 

Pope nods, his voice gaspy, "That's like an 8-hour drive plus the ferry. How will we get there tonight?" 

"We'd have to leave like right now," JJ responds. 

"I have a free period," Kiara tells them as if we could get this done in an hour. 

"Material evidence, what does material evidence even mean?" JJ asks the group. 

"It means he can clear John B." Kiara dumbs it down for JJ. 

"Or she. They could be a she." I shrug. 

"Oh shit, then we're going to Charleston," JJ responds to Kiara, pretty loudly, again. This makes the librarian give us a glare. 

Kiara sighs, "I gotta tell my mom. Look, if we get it this time, we are not giving it to Shoupe." 

"Yeah, no duh." I nod, Shoupe will just say he can't do anything and that John B's dead anyway. We would have to explain the whole thing to him. That's kind of risky because he'd probably tell Ward or Rafe. I then notice that Pope was on one of the computers, he does a huge sigh.