𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ Maybank

Chapter 112: Bone-Deep

"We'll take the pontoon. It's ready to go," John B instructed quietly as he led the Pogues through the water and under the dock.

The moment they were all on the police boat, John B slammed down on the throttle.

"Hey!"

"Hey, stop!"

The cops came racing down the dock towards them, but they were already out of reach.

"Stop! John B, turn it around!"

Their shouting voices quickly faded into the background as they left the cops in their wake, stranded.

"So, I guess I'm the new murderer in town, then. Check that off the bucket list." JJ laughed humourlessly.

"Yeah, it doesn't help that they have you on video saying, 'I will kill them all,'" chimed in Pope.

"Okay, no one asked, Pope. Okay?"

Pope, who was only just catching his breath, nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone rang in his pocket. He tugged it out, wind whipping against his face. 

"Dude, it's my mom," Pope said, relaying the information to JJ.

JJ leaned over and swiftly pressed the decline button.

Just as Pope was putting it back into his pocket, the phone rang again.

"Don't pick up," JJ was quick to tell him. Getting parents involved had historically only made the hunt more difficult. 

Pope nodded, silencing his phone and tucking it away once and for all.

"We gotta get off this island," Cleo said, getting back on topic.

Pope nodded while patting at the phone in his pocket for emphasis. "I can't go back. I mean, might as well go after that scroll, right?"

"Not without Gracie," JJ was quick to protest. "Like, dude, last we heard, she got mauled by Groff. We can't just abandon her here."

"Yeah, there's no way we're leaving Rae here." Sarah nodded along. She'd already decided she couldn't do this without her sister. Going on the hunt again was one thing, but doing it again while pregnant and without Grace was another. It would simply be too much without her. Plus, JJ was right; they had no idea what condition Grace was in. For all they knew, she was in a hospital bed.

John B's phone was the next to ring out, cutting off their conversation. His brows furrowed when he looked down at it. "Dude, it's your mom again," he told Pope.

Pope sighed heavily before nabbing John B's phone and pressing answer, preparing himself to face a storm.

The voice on the other end wasn't his angry mother; it was the last person he expected.

"Jeez, none of you ever pick up," Grace complained.

"Grace?" Pope asked into the phone, in slight disbelief. 

JJ's head snapped up at the name. He jumped to his feet and snatched the phone before anyone else could even process what Pope had just said.

"Gracie?"

On the other end, Grace couldn't stop a relieved smile from growing on her face at the voice. She had no idea where he had been and was worried that the next time she'd see him would be through prison bars or in a hospital room. "Hey, J. Are you okay?"

JJ felt his tense muscles relax and his blood pressure calm. "Oh, thank god. I'm alright. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, just a little battered." She was glad she'd headed outside to take the call. She'd told Mrs. Heyward she was just phoning her stepdad, and if she had overheard, it would be immediately clear that she was lying.