Carefree || JJ Maybank

Chapter Seventeen

Everleigh and JJ were told they were headed into a deeper interrogation, this time with the Sherriff.

Everleigh and JJ were seated across from the Sherriff's desk, awaiting her arrival. They were holding each other's hands, Everleigh was playing with JJ's rings.

Suddenly the door clicks, and Sherriff Peterkin walks in with a file in her hands. "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." She says, placing the file on her desk.

"Maybe watch where you're steppin'." JJ suggests, shrugging his shoulders. Making Everleigh bite her lip in attempt to control her laughter.

"That little rock on the back of my heel makes me want to crush it." She says, with an angry look on her face.

"Okay." Everleigh mumbles.

"Unlawful discharge of a firearm. Trespass on protected habitat. Felony destruction of property. All in the last two weeks. You two on a roll." She says, reading from one of the papers.

"If you think we're gonna rat anybody out, you got the wrong idea." Everleigh says, tracing JJ's hand.

"I know your little teen brains don't like to think ahead, but I want you to come with me to uncharted territory." She says, staring both teens in the eye, "The future. How you gonna feel six months from now, sittin' in juvenile prison in Wadesboro?"

Neither of them answer, sending each other a glance.

"You know these two?" She asks, standing next to JJ. She places a picture down of two men on the table.

Everleigh and JJ freeze at the sight of the men.

"My question was, do you know these two?"

"They..." JJ hesitates, trying to hide as many secrets as possible. "they broke into John B's house, and... then chased us through the marsh. Other than that, I have no idea."

"What about you Everleigh?" She says, turning her head.

Everleigh shakes her head no, staring at the men that had nearly killed the Pogues.

"Here's a more recent photo." She places a graphic photo of the men on the desk. "Somebody gaffed them, then used them for chum. Whatcha think, bull shark?"

JJ gulps, the pictures were bothering him. Everleigh squeezes his hand, knowing he was uncomfortable. The pictures made her stomach tie in a knot.

"Here's the bad news, kids, Whoever killed these two men is still out there, and I got reason to believe their next target is a friend of yours, maybe even a twin brother." She says with wide eyes. "John B."

Everleigh chews the inside of her cheek, she hadn't seen her brother in a day or two now, and had no idea where he's been.

"You kids don't think you're the only ones after the Royal Merchant now, do you? And, yeah. I know about that, too." She says, making JJ and Everleigh look up at her in confusion.

"Okay, Sheriff Peterkin, I can promise you he's not on it anymore." Everleigh says, she scoffs pretending they hadn't found the ship.

"So you say. I'm just tryin' to keep him safe. I want you to tell your brother John B to come in and talk to me, and let's see if we can keep you out of Wadesboro." She says, standing up and exiting her office.

JJ and Everleigh look at each other, JJ chews at the inside of his cheek, and he rests his head on her shoulder. Everleigh runs her hands through his messy blonde hair, hoping to try and calm him.

When JJ's dad shows up to pick up JJ, Everleigh notices the anger in his voice, and his jaws clenched.

"You his guardian?" Everleigh hears the officer ask.

"Sorry to say, I'm his father." He seethes, looking down at JJ.

"Well, 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." She sighs, writing on a piece of paper.

"Restitution?" Luke asks.

"Pay for what he broke. It's part of the plea. Yeah, and... sign right here, please." She points to the paper.

Luke signs before turning to JJ, "Let's go. Go now!" And that was it, they had left the building.

She noticed Kiara's dad had walked in after they had left, apparently he had bailed her out. He took a lot less time to sign off on the papers, he too pulled her out of the station.

Mr. C walked quickly, wanting to get Everleigh to his home to prevent anymore trouble.

"I wonder what restitution's gonna be on a 2019 Malibu." Everleigh hears Luke complain.

"I'll pay it off. All of it. I swear, Dad." JJ almost begs.

"Shit. 30K? When you gonna clear that, big guy, when all you do is smoke weed and hang out on the south side? Huh?" She turned around to see Luke walking just by JJ's side. "Get in the car. Let's go."

Both car doors shut, Everleigh turns around one more time to see the silhouette of JJ's dad hitting JJ. The entire car was shaking.

Everleigh turned around to run to the car, but Mr. C grabs her, preventing her from helping. "Mr. C, I appreciate you bailing me out and all that, but he's hurting him!" She yells.

"You don't need to help, JJ is tough, he can get through it. He deserves it anyways." Mr. C fires back.

"How dare you." She says, still trying to help JJ.

Mr. C grunts, and pulls Everleigh into his car and drives to his house. The ride home was silent.

Sorry this is a short chapter, but I want all of the midsummers party to be together.