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//chapter fifty-seven • always the bargaining chip
SPENCER COULDN'T BELIEVE they were really listening to her father and his batshit father-in-law. She stared at the old blue print of the ship that Pope had, her mind turning in hopes of finding a way out of this. If her father wanted something, it was probably only to fuel Wes' delusions, which to Spencer sounded hypocritical, but, not if her father had something to gain from Wes being a little cray-cray.
"Okay, so, looking at the schematics of the ship," Pope made a circle in sharpie. "It'll probably be best for you to enter in around here."
"Right." JJ mumbled. They were sitting in the back of the surf shop while Pope tried to logic their way to an answer.
"Genrette wasn't kidding about this stash." Pope informed. "Look. In the captain log, there's a secret compartment." He pointed at the illustration in the book. "Right here, in the headboard in the captain's quarters."
"Okay," John B sighed. "Are we really still talking about this?"
"Yep."
"This ship's been down there for three hundred years. It's been salvaged. Andrew said that."
"Come on," Cleo urged. "Not gonna hurt to check."
JJ snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Yeah. It feels right. And also, we know where it is. It's right in this area."
"Except we don't know exactly where it is." Andrew grumbled, and JJ turned a disappointed look on his very unenthusiastic boyfriend. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to encourage you to go down there. And I don't know why we're letting the dumbest of us dive." He motioned at JJ and looked around. "How can I be the only one unhappy?"
"I agree with Andrew." John B states, sitting back.
"Thank you."
JJ turned an annoyed look on his best friend. "Okay, JB, you literally stole scuba from the Druthers and went to look at Scooter's boat."
"That was your idea!"
Sarah sat up. "Mmm, yeah, JJ's not my first pick for a diver either."
Pope looked at Andrew, "Why don't you just go with him?"
"Umm, because my swimming ability is about half as strong as it used to be." The brunet motioned to his right leg.
"I already vetoed Andrew going down there." Sarah added, crossing her arms sternly.
"Guys. Come on-" JJ made another attempt to convince them but was unsuccessful, leading to Spencer cutting in above the yelling.
"I have an idea."
Everyone turned to stare at her and she shifted nervously. "We don't know where the hell the wreck is. But someone from Coast Guard might. My mom, Nora, used to be in the Coast Guard. She might- might know where it is." Her eyes flick to Andrew. "But she won't talk to me... or mom."
