PARADISE ON EARTH | jj maybank (DISCONTINUED)

1.15

"GOD, I'D MUCH RATHER be surfing right now." Laura laughed to herself, her elbows resting on her knees as she leaned forward in the chair. She was staring down at her dirty shoes, her mind racing.

The door burst open, and there stood Sheriff Peterkin. "You're like a little rock in my shoe. I shake my foot, I think I've gotten it out, then dang, there it is again."

"Maybe watch where you're steppin'." JJ said. Laura sighed out and leaned back in the chair, bouncing her leg.

"That little rock on the back of my heel makes me want to crush it." Peterkin started, sitting down in her chair. "Unlawful discharge of a firearm. Trespass on protected habitat. Felony destruction of property. All in the last two weeks. You're on a roll, chief."

"If you think I'm gonna rat anybody out, you've got the wrong idea." JJ said, looking at Laura, then back to Peterkin.

"I know your little teen brain doesn't like to think ahead, but I want you to come with me to uncharted territory. The future. How you gonna feel six months from now, sittin' in juvenile prison in Wadesboro?"

Laura began picking at her nails once more while Peterkin grabbed two pieces of paper and set them in front of the two. "You know these two?"

"My question was, do you know these two?" Peterkin asked once again after not getting a response, standing up and walking around to stand next to the brunette girl and point at the photos.

"They... they broke into my house, and..." Laura couldn't finish.

"They also chased us through the marsh. Other than that, no idea." JJ finished for her.

"Here's a more recent photo." Peterkin changed the papers, and Laura felt disgusted, having to look away. "Somebody gaffed them, then used them for chum."

"Clearly." Laura said, immediately regretting it from the look she was given.

"Watcha think, bull shark? Here's the bad news, chief." She sat on the desk. "Whoever killed these two men is still out there, and I got a reason to believe their next target is a friend of yours... John B."

Laura sighed out, looking down, running her hands through her hair nervously.

"You kids don't think you're the only ones after the Royal Merchant now, do you? And, yeah. I know about that, too."

"Okay, Sheriff Peterkin, I can promise you he's not on that anymore." JJ said, immediately getting cut off.

"So you say. I'm just tryin' to keep him safe. I want you to tell your friend, John B, to come in and talk to me, and let's see we can keep you out of Wadesboro." She changed her gaze to the brunette girl. "And keep you from running away."

Then, she left and slammed the door behind herself. Laura groaned, leaning forward and putting her forehead on the desk.

"They're after me. Putting us in the foster system." Laura said, still looking down.

"Dammit. Stay at my house for all I care." JJ replied.

"I can't. Unless your dad made himself my legal guardian."

"You his guardian?" The officer asked JJ's dad as the two walked over towards him.

"Sorry to say, I'm his father. Hell, might as well be her guardian, too." The two teenagers shared a look at what Luke had said.

"Well, the hearing will be in two weeks. If you fail to show up, you will forfeit your bail. The restitution will be based on the average of three outside estimates of the cost of the damaged article." The officer said.