Josephine Routledge is the twin sister to John B Routledge. Their dad goes missing during the search for the famous shipwreck, the Royal Merchant. The twins and their friends, JJ, Pope, and Kiara, come across the sunken boat that holds a clue to the...
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I was out of breath by the time I got to JJ's house. Not seeing his dad's truck in the yard, I assumed that he wasn't there. I smiled at the sight of JJ's bike.
I walked up the few stairs to the front porch and pulled open the screen door before knocking on the main door.
I waited, still trying to catch my breath, and turned toward the main road, looking for any cop cars but turned back when I heard the door open.
"Jo?"
I smiled at the sight of JJ halfway behind the door.
"Uh, hey."
"What are you doing here?"
His voice held concern. JJ usually avoided having us at his house, and I understood why.
"Oh, you know, running from the police and DCS."
His eyes widened, and he opened the door the rest of the way.
"What?"
I explained how they showed up to take us but John B and I escaped. He laughed as I told him about the picture.
"Then, John B told me to come here and that he'd meet me at the Chateau tomorrow night."
JJ nodded, looking out behind me before gesturing inside.
"Get in here."
I laughed and followed him into his house.
We ended up in his room, which I could count on one hand the amount of times I've actually been inside of. We ended up just chilling on his bed for a while. I took out the book from my backpack and started reading, and JJ just laid down next to me.
He began distracting me as he started playing with my hair. He was on his side and started off just twirling it around his fingers, then he started braiding it, and then he pushed some off of my forehead, brushing his thumb over the bruise there.
I bit the inside of my lip and pretended to read while I could feel his eyes staring holes into my forehead.
"Let me teach you to shoot."
I coughed as I choked on my spit, sitting up and closing my book.
"What?"
"Let me teach you to shoot."
I shook my head.
"No, I heard you. I guess I should ask why?"
He tapped my forehead, right below my bruise, and used his other hand to gently grab my wrist.
"That's why."
He shook my wrist for emphasis, and I glared at him as my hand flopped back and forth.
"JJ, I'm not gonna shoot a gun."
JJ looked at me.
"No!" I held up a finger, trying to look away from the puppy eyes he was giving me.
