𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ Maybank

Chapter 101: Rallying

"It's a catacomb! It's got a bunch of skulls around it!" Pope exclaimed.

They had all reconvened in their usual hangout spot on the upper floor of the shop.

To JJ's relief, the group was too caught up in the eccentric details of Pope's story to wonder about his sudden departure.

"And the weirdest part is there were other people there looking for the same thing we were looking for!" Pope gestured between himself, Sarah, and Kie, hands flying as he got worked up.

"It wasn't other people! It was the man who killed Terrance," chimed in Cleo, seemingly having regained the spark that was stolen after Terrance's passing.

"Oh yeah, and there were rats. Like, so many rats," continued Pope, needing to spew all of the info he could as quickly as possible.

Grace sidestepped away from her sister subtly, receiving a glare from the girl. She shrugged. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not getting rabies."

Suddenly, since Pope's ranting was completed, the attention shifted to JJ, who was staring out over the marsh, only nodding to show that he was listening, not providing his usual commentary.

"Where did you ghost off to, big guy?" asked John B.

He didn't answer for a beat, fingers busily twiddling with the loose thread on his cap. After processing that the question was directed towards him, he finally snapped back into reality. "Oh, I was, uh... just trying to help out the team. Quick cash grab. But the plan fell through, 'cause it was Barracuda Mike."

John B didn't notice the blonde's shifting glances towards his wife or his anxious tugging at the thread. "Yeah, Barracuda Mike. I'm not surprised that didn't work out."

Grace risked a glance over at JJ. She had wanted to stick by his side the entire time but figured it was better not to draw any more suspicion to his previous whereabouts. His ring-clad fingers were practically shredding the hem of his cap. Spending so much time around Grace had gotten him to adopt some of her mannerisms, her nervous fiddling being one of them.

"Listen, I'm, uh, super sorry about the rat stuff and everything, but we have that bullshit zoning hearing coming up tonight, and we don't have any money for a lawyer." John B gave them a harsh reality check.

"Obviously," deadpanned Kiara.

"Any ideas are welcome." John B opened the floor as if he were putting on a seminar.

"Oh, yeah, let me just study up on real estate law in one day." Sarcasm was thick in Pope's voice.

"That sounds like a lot of sarcasm we don't really need right now, okay?" John B cut him off quickly.

"Sorry, I was just rat swarmed, so," mumbled Pope.

Grace reached out to comfort him but pulled back, scrunching her nose.

Pope rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue at her and received a quiet laugh from the girl.

"How about we call people? The whole island is pissed about what they've been doing. We get everybody over there, pack the house, rally the troops. Maybe we actually have a shot at winning this."

JJ nodded along as John B spoke. "More the merrier. I could get the surf squad out there. From the beach."

"Yeah, just make sure you make it back," joked John B.

"Rick will definitely show up, and I can ask him to bring his friends from the docks," added Grace quickly, not wanting anymore teasing directed at JJ about his absence the previous night.