RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

SIXTY NINE

BRIBERY

JJ placed the gun down in front of Shoupe and stepped back, wrapping his arm around River's waist. He had decided that he didn't want to let her out of his sight after he almost lost her.

"So, y'all are telling me that this is the fire arm that Rafe Cameron killed Peterkin with?" Shoupe questioned as he looked up to the four.

"That's exactly what we're telling you, Shoupe." JJ nodded, he knew it sounded stupid that they had gone into the sewers and managed to find the gun, but Shoupe needed to believe them.

"And the exact same fire arm that Ward just used to kill Gavin." Pope added on.

"And where's that corpse again?" Shoupe questioned, his eyes landing on River and grimacing at the fact that she was filthy.

"Didn't you look?" Kie snapped.

River let out a huff, she knew that he wouldn't believe them, which only angered her. To everyone in the OBX they just looked like a couple of kids desperate to get their 'dead' friend off the hook for a murder.

"I checked the hospital. I went by his house. He was out." Shoupe responded calmly.

"You know, for a cop you're pretty dumb. He's dead Shoupe, of course he's not gonna be home." River snapped, growing more and more frustrated with the situation they were in.

"Just because he's not in his damn home does not mean he was a victim or a homicide." Shoupe knew best to remain calm.

The group in front of him were all upset about the loss of their friend and rightly so. They'd all known each other for years, they were as close as a family. He couldn't imagine that they would just move on from something like this.

"You gotta be kidding." JJ pulled himself away from River, he was so angry and he didn't want her to see him like that.

River looked towards JJ and linked their hands together. Both of them were upset, she didn't want him to pull away for having emotions.

"Are you at least gonna send it in for ballistics and shit, or are you just gonna sit on your ass?" Kie snapped.

"He'll sit there and wax that moustache." JJ paused. "Is that even real?"

River couldn't help herself, she just burst out laughing. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth and muffle the sounds of her laughter. JJ cupped the back of the girls head and pulled her into his chest, letting go of a small chuckle himself once he saw Shoupe's reaction.

"Shut up, JJ." Pope placing his hand on JJ's shoulder to calm him down.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I hurt his feelings?" JJ fake pouted as River pulled away from him and looked towards Shoupe, who was heading to the door of his office, probably to kick them all out.

"Shut up!" Pope shouted again, making River let go of a giggle.

"Pope I don't think I've ever seen you so angry." River mumbled as she wrapped her hand around JJ's bicep.

She couldn't help but smile, the dynamic of the group was what she was used to before, when John B was still here and everything was okay.

Pope would get frustrated at JJ for saying something stupid, River would be laughing, either with JJ or sat by John B and laughing at JJ and Pope. Kie would normally be off trying to save some sort of animal.

In a strange way, the situation brought her comfort.

"Get out." Shoupe pointed for them all to leave.

"You son of a bitch." JJ groaned. "You serious?"

"I got work to do and y'all are smelling up my office." Shoupe continued, River rolled her eyes at the man. For the sheriff he wasn't exactly doing a good job.

"Did Ward bribe you? This doesn't make any sense." Kie questioned as she stood up to leave.

"Actually it would make sense." River chuckled, walking over to Shoupe, remembering what he said when he was searching the motel when the pogues were searching for the gold. "After all, everybody's got to dip the beak."

Shoupe seemed alarmed by what the girl said, but he didn't say anything. Instead he put it down to coincidence as to what she said.

River waved bye to Shoupe, making him clench his jaw in response. She waited for JJ, who quickly came rushing after the girl once she had walked out. Not wanting to be too far away from her.

"I can't believe you just said that." JJ chuckled, knowing exactly where she got it from.

"Someone's got to let him know that we know he's a dirty cop for stealing money. Not like he can do anything about it without confessing." River looked up at the boy through her lashes, knowing it was a weakness of his.

JJ ran his tongue over his bottom lip, desperately wanting to take the girl and smash their lips together. He leant down and brushed their noses together, whispering,

"Let me come home with you tonight."

River knew it would be a bad idea, and all of her wanted to say yes. She wanted him to come back to hers and hold her whilst she slept, because truthfully she had missed that more than anything.

She missed the way that he kissed her temple when he thought she was asleep or the way that he talked to her about his day as she drifted to sleep.

But she knew she couldn't say yes just yet. She still needed to forgive him for what he did.

"You've still got some work to do yet, before you can come home with me, baby." She whispered, pressing her lips against his cheek, dangerously close to his lips.

JJ let go of a small groan, desperately just wanting to pin her against a wall and fuck her. But he understood that it was too soon for her.

"Don't worry, angel, I'm not done yet."