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JOHN B'S WORDS WENT RIGHT OVER CASSIDY'S head as she focused on the bruises that littered JJ's skin. Instinctually, she brought her hand forward and ran her thumb along his busted lip with a small frown.
She had been so focused on defending him during the party that she had failed to see how beaten he was. There was a sinking suspicion that the creator of mayhem was Luke Maybank and when JJ flinched slightly away from her touch, the suspicion only became a reality.
"JJ—"
The blonde boy shook his head without meeting her eyes and leaned down to press his lips to skin just below her ear. "Later," he whispered, his attention back on John B and Cassidy had no choice but to follow his lead.
"So, the gold never went down with the Royal Merchant."
"Oh my God. Here we go again with this," Pope scoffed, tossing a twig into the fire as Cassidy nodded in agreement, "John B, isn't it time to stop with all this?"
She wanted to believe that there was a chance they would find the gold but hope was growing slimmer and slimmer each day.
JJ grabbed her hand and squeezed shaking his head at her words with a small frown. "No. All right, wait. Hear him out, all right?" He begged them all, the look of doubt on everyone's face made him anxious. He wanted them to believe John B.
"It's been here the whole time. It's on the island."
John B turned to meet everyone's eyes with a small smile, one that barely broke the surface of the pain that he almost always displayed on his face. There was no doubt that he had lived a life that nobody would willingly choose to live.
"Are you serious?"
The question came from Kiara and Cassidy's mouth in unison and the two shared a look of shock. "I'd like to voice my skepticism," Pope interjected again but John B stood with a grunt and took a stance infront of them all. "I'm sure you would, Pope, but can I please present you with my evidence sir?"
"Proceed," Pope nodded, his hand swatting through the air to urge John B to continue. The boy did exactly that, rummaging through his bag before he pulled out a letter from, who he claimed, Denmark Tanny.
"Who?"
John B rounded on Cassidy as she spoke, her confusion mimicked by JJ who cocked his head to the side. He had never been one to pay attention in class but he was positive that he had never heard that name a day in his life.
"Denmark Tanny was a slave that survived the Royal Merchant wreck. Check this out," the letter was delicately placed in Kiara's hands and she began to look over the paper as he continued on his tangent. "Slaves weren't mentioned as crew members on the ship but my dad and Renee, they found a complete manifest. That was their big discovery."
