𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.

─☼☼☼─

𝙎𝙐𝙉𝙇𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙇𝙀𝘼𝙆𝙀𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃 the windows of the Twinkie, causing Charlotte to squint in discomfort.  

She hadn't had a wink of sleep, absolutely none. 

Because Rafe didn't get out of the Outer Banks, not even close. 

She had received a call from Kildare County Detention Center not long after she had left Barry's trailer...Rafe had been arrested and he had stupidly wasted his one call on her. 

Charlotte wasn't sure whether she should be relieved or terrified that he hadn't left. This would be the wake up call he needed...but she didn't think he could survive in prison. He talked way too much, and without his father to back him up, he was a lone wolf all out in the open. 

But maybe Ward would end up there too, then all would be right in the world. 

Maybe this was Charlotte's sign to move on. 

With Rafe and Ward in prison, she could move on, maybe go back to college, hook up with some guy in a bar and pretend this summer never happened...maybe. 

But even with justice sorting itself out, their fight was far from over, because not long after receiving the call from Rafe, she had received a call from her sister, letting her know that Heyward had been jumped by that goony of Limbrey's, looking for the key that Pope just so happened to have. 

Obviously, they were inept to just letting sleeping dogs lie, so their mission of the day was to go and talk to Pope's great-grandmother to see if she knew anything about this family heirloom that came in the shape of a little key. 

Honestly, part of Charlotte was kind of excited. She loved the tracking down of historical clues. She wasn't a huge fan of their family members getting jumped and a bunch of weirdos coming after them, but beggars can't be choosers, right?

"Guys, the thing that Limbrey said yesterday, I don't think she meant to let it slip." Pope announced, twirling the key around in his hand. 

A yawn escaped Charlotte's lips as she quickly tried to muffle it. "What'd she say?"

He looked over at her, holding up the key. "She said that the key leads to the Cross of Santo Domingo."

JJ turned around from the front seat, sticking his hand out. "Wait, can I see that?"

Pope handed it over as Sarah spoke. "Are we supposed to know what that is?"

"I'm guessing it's some sort important historical artifact."

Considering Charlotte was a chronic Googler, she already had a link to a website pulled up with all the answers they needed. "According to the wonderful world of the internet, it was a gift from New Spain to the Spanish king."

"New Spain?" JJ echoed, looking over at John B, "Is there an Old Spain?"

Kiara leaned over, looking at her sister's phone screen, "Shit," she muttered, grabbing the phone and turning it toward the others, "Talk about over-gifting. Look at that thing."

Sarah squinted at the picture. "Looks like there's a person standing next to it."

"So it's a giant-ass cross?" JJ deduced.