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Chapter Twenty Two ✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯
Reburying Denmark's wife was surreal. Avery had been hit with a sudden realisation that the people in all the stories were real, once upon a time.
"I- I just don't get it. I mean, you guys saw the map. He hides his gold so no one finds it for one hundred and seventy years. And then he sends a message to his son Robert, to come to here to his mother's grave, but the message never got to him. And Denmark wanted him to the cross. I know we're in the right spot" Pope spluttered, pacing as he tried to make sense of it. There was no way they had missed something, it all lead to the Angel Oak, it had to.
Half listening to him, Avery leaned against the Twinkie and rolled her head back against the cool surface. As her eyes drifted upwards, she noticed a small detail in the bark. It was something that could be easily missed in the portrayals of the Oak, almost seen as insignificant. Yet, both paintings they had of the destination clearly cooperated it, like it wasn't as insignificant as you would suspect. It was a long shot but something about it felt right.
"It just feels like-" Pope began, waving his hand around. Avery nudged JJ and gestured up to the nook in the tree, his eyes widening a little, thinking the same thing she was.
"Like we missed something?" JJ blurted out, finishing Pope's sentence. He immediately fell silent, staring hopelessly at the blond. It also caught everyone else's attention.
JJ was quick to climb up the vehicle to reach the nook. Avery stumbled back and looked up at him, hardly hesitating to follow. She pulled herself up, "okay then"
"That looks like-" The blond started, pointing at the hole inside that trunk.
"Th painting in the island room" Avery breathed out.
"And your mom's painting," JJ added. His ex girlfriend avoided his gaze, peering down at their friends. He spoke up, "worth a shot, right?"
After a moment of bickering, encouraging JJ to admit he was afraid to put his hand into an unknown hole. It took him a while to build up the courage to. He fumbled a little, hesitating, before slowly sliding his hand into the nook. Avery eagerly peered over his shoulder and cursed at the moment of anticipation as he felt around the hole. She was dying to know if this would be another lead, a clue, anything they could use to continue the hunt.
"There's something in here," JJ announced, rummaging. He suddenly let out a scream, causing Avery to scream back at him. The group instantly rushed closer, banging and bumping into each other as they quickly started to climb the camper van to help. He burst out laughing, "Oh, man! I got all of you"
"You asshole" Pope glared up at his friend.
"That was not funny" Avery hissed, landing a weak punch on his shoulder.
