P4L | Outer Banks | JJ Maybank

Reunion

"They've run Charleston for like 300 years," Kie explained as the group of Pogues craned their necks to look over at the building.

"These Kooks make our Kooks look like Pogues," JJ said from the back of the truck.

Cory looked over, her brows furrowing.

"Three balconies?" she groaned, sitting back next to JJ. "Who needs all of that?"

Pope pulled the truck to a stop.

"You sure this is the place, Pope?" JJ asked.

"Pretty sure," Pope nodded.

"Alright," JJ said, hopping over the side of the truck.

The doors opened and Kie and Pope climbed out of the truck.

Cory grunted, scooching herself to the edge.

"You stay here," JJ said.

"Nope," Cory snapped, launching herself over the side and barely landing on her good foot. She smiled up at him. "Do not sideline me."

As JJ and Cory had a glare-off, Pope pulled the letter out of his pocket.

"Twenty-seven King Street," he read off.

"Talk about home security," JJ said once he had given up fighting with Cory.

She glanced up at the fence, which had spikes atop it, similar to barbed wire that was around prisons.

"Those spikes to keep people out?" Cory asked.

"No," Kie dismissed.

"The slave quarters are over there," Pope said, gesturing at the building. "These spikes were to keep people in."

Cory started forward, pushing the gate open. The others followed closely behind her as she led them up to the front door.

She moved to the side, allowing the actual invited guest, Pope, to step up to the door.

He sighed, reaching for the knocker. He lifted it and knocked three times.

"Think that was too much?" he asked, moving back to be in line with the others.

"It echoed the entire house," JJ said. "That's for sure. So they definitely heard it."

"Maybe nobody's home?" Kie offered.

Pope reached forward to knock again, and on the third knock, the door swung open.

Before them was a man, middle-aged and white, who would normally scare the crap out of Cory with that glare on his face. But then he narrowed in on Pope, and a grin overtook him.

"You must be Pope," he said.

"Um," Pope mumbled. "Are you Mr. Limbrey?"

"Ms. Limbrey was expecting you yesterday," the man snapped.

"Oh, I'm... I'm sorry," Pope apologized. "My car broke down on the way up here."

"Carburetor blew up in the middle of Nowheresville," JJ added. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Yeah, she was, uh, real upset you didn't show," the man said, looking less impressed with JJ than with Pope.

"We tried to call but there's no number on the invitation," Kie said. "We got here as fast as we could."

"She also expected you to come alone," the man said.

"I mean, these are my friends. They helped find the Royal Merchant too, I–" Pope argued.