Storm Chaser // JJ Maybank

65

"JJ. I know you're in there!" Shoupe shouts.

"What do you wanna do?" JJ asks John B.

"Hide the body," John B tells us.

"Hide the body where?" Pope asks.

"Shut up. That's what we're doing, okay?" JJ tells him.

"Behind the couch," John B instructs. "Hey. Move the couch."

"Behind the couch?" Pope asks in disbelief.

"We're hiding the body..." Kie starts.

"Guys, keep it down," JJ tells us.

"Grab his legs," John B tells JJ.

"Maybe we should..." I start.

"Don't drag him," Kie warns.

"Pope, get your ass over here!" JJ tells him.

"It's Shoupe. Open up, dammit," Shoupe shouts.

Kie puts a skateboard down next to Terrance's body. "Put him on here, and then you roll him."

"She's right," John B agrees. "Here. One, two..."

Pope rushes back towards us. "You're putting him on a skateboard? Really?"

"Do you have a better idea?" I ask.

Kie ushers Cleo out of the room. "Cleo. Don't look, Cleo. Just go upstairs."

"JJ!" Shoupe keeps shouting.

I grab JJ's hand. "Come on." I drag him out the back door.

"Shoupe!" JJ shouts. "I'm over here."

"There he is," Shoupe says as he walks towards us. "I don't got time for your bullshit, JJ. Caught wind of some shenanigans."

JJ nods his head. "Mmm."

"Thought you, uh, might want to share your side of the story," Shoupe tells him.

"Oh. I don't know what you're talking about," JJ insists.

"No idea, huh?" Shoupe asks.

"No. No. No idea at all," JJ states.

"Can, uh, we go inside?" Shoupe asks. "I'm getting eaten up out here."

I nod my head. "Sure. You haven't seen the new edition."

"We should give you a quick tour, actually," JJ offers.

"I don't know what you're trying to do, but you need to stop playing around," Shoupe tells us. "Both of you. This is serious. We need to clear this shit up. Let's go inside."

"What? You got, like, a warrant or something?" JJ asks.

"No, and I don't want to have to get one," Shoupe tells him. "Trying to avoid that. Let's go in and talk."

"All right, then let's have it your way. Let's go on inside," JJ shouts.

I walk as slow as I can through the yard and up onto the porch.

JJ sops at the door. "Uh, you know, let's... This door is locked, so let's try the other one."

"Look, man, you're acting squirrely," Shoupe states.

I laugh. "Too much time in the sun today."

JJ leads Shoupe around to the front door. "Here's my humble abode. I didn't tidy up or anything for you."

"What's up, y'all?" I ask as I walk inside.

Sarah pretends to wake up from a nap on the couch. "Hi, Shoupe."