Sink or Swim || Outer Banks || JJ Maybank

Chapter 20

John B, the great mastermind that he thought he was, told the Pogues they were going out fishing that day when in reality he had some news to share and being on the HMS was the only way he knew he'd be able to get Madison to listen to him without her having the chance to walk away.

He had anchored the boat a few minutes ago and just sat behind the wheel watching his friends. Pope and JJ were up by the bow pushing each other's shoulders trying to get the other one to fall over first while the girls sat on the side of the boat deep in conversation. He wasn't sure what they were talking about but it had to be something Kiara was passionate about because her hands were flying around in front of her as she spoke.

"Hey, guys," John B got their attention and waited until he had five sets of eyes looking back at him. "Um, so, I have some new information about the gold." He watched as Madison shifted uncomfortably on her feet and prepared for the fight that was about to ensue but he only hoped that the other four would be behind him. "As it turns out it never went down with the Royal Merchant."

Madison let out an audible scoff as she tried, and failed, to contain the anger building up inside of her. "Here we go again."

"Wait, just hear him out," Sarah moved to stand next to John B only further adding fuel to the fire that was starting to burn from within Madison.

"It's been here the whole time. It's on the island," John B spoke to the group but mainly kept his eye on his sister waiting for the moment the volcano was going to erupt.

Pope cleared his throat, as he moved to sit on the edge of the boat next to Kiara. "I'd like to voice my skepticism."

"More than skepticism," Madison mumbled under her breath but her brother still heard her.

John B kept his cool as he answered his friend, ignoring his sister's comments. "I'm sure you would, Pope, but can I please present you with my evidence, sir?"

"Proceed," Pope nodded, sounding like he was the judge and John B was on trial.

"Alright. So, in my backpack," John B pulled out a folder that held a piece of paper and handed it to Sarah who passed it to Kiara. "I have a letter from Denmark Tanny."

Kiara gently took the paper from Sarah so as to not rip it. "Who the hell's that?"

"Denmark Tanny was a slave that survived the Royal Merchant wreck." John B replied as she passed the paper to Pope who was now reading it over. He didn't miss that Madison didn't even want to look at it or how she had migrated over to where JJ had sat on the bow and sat on his lap, his arms wrapping around her as she played with the rings on his fingers. "Okay, slaves weren't mentioned as crew members on the ship, but my dad, he found the complete manifest. That was his big discovery."

The group took in the information and at the mention of Big John they all turned to Madison who had been exceptionally quiet during the whole ordeal. She kept her face void of emotion, allowing JJ to keep her as calm as could be, but there was a storm brewing in her eyes.

"So," John B continued, surprised he hadn't gotten a reaction out of Madison at the mention of their father. "Tanny used the gold from the Merchant to buy his freedom. After that, he bought his farm. Drumroll, please, because that farm is..."

Sarah and Kiara patted their knees in excitement as Pope still held onto his doubts.

"Tannyhill Plantation." John B smiled, feeling very proud of himself that he had figured this all out on his own.

Kiara cocked her head to the side as if she hadn't heard him correctly. "Tannyhill?"

"Yeah," John B nodded as he sent Sarah a small smile as he fully enjoyed his discovery. "So, after that, he used his money to free even more slaves, and then he sold a shit-ton of rice, which pisses off all the white planters, and then they decide to lynch him. So on the day they were coming to get him, he writes a letter to his son as a farewell, and in the last line of that letter, he leaves a coded message about where to find the gold."