Opia || Rafe Cameron

Chapter 30

I meet the Pogues at the pawnshop. I park my car behind John B's van.

"Hey, guys!" I call out walking over to them.

"We got the goods!" John B cheers.

"I know! I'm so excited for you." I hug John B excitedly. "I do have to ask. Why did you guys ask me to come here?"

"Hey, you're part of the team. Pogues for lyfe." JJ speaks up.

"Thanks, JJ." I say with a small smile.

"Alright, let's hit it." John B says. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and follows everyone into the store.

We pretend to look around the store while JJ bargains with the pawn broker. I let out a giggle as the blonde makes up a fake story about his mother with Alzheimer's. The story was so beyond fake.

JJ argues with the woman for several moments before she disappears into a back room, claiming she needed to speak to her boss. I look up at John B, he gives me a quizzical look.

"Do you think it's working?" I ask.

"I think so." He shrugs.

"Good, good."

"Where's your boyfriend, huh?"

"I'm not sure. He's been at my place the last couple nights. I don't know what he's up to today."

The conversation is cut off when the woman comes back out, speaking to JJ once again.

"So, I, uh..  I talked to my boss."

"And?" JJ urges, impatiently.

"And, uh, this is what I can do." I hear a piece of paper hit the counter.

"Fifty thousand?" JJ asks incredulously. "You think I walked in here not knowin' the spot price? Ma'am, I know for a fact this is worth 140, at least."

"Well, sweetie, you in a pawn shop. This ain't Zurich. Do I look Swiss to you?"

"Ninety. Or I walk." JJ argues.

"Seventy, half price, and um, I don't ask questions about where you got this."

JJ turns to look at where John B and I were standing, pretending to look at decks of cards. John B gives the blonde a thumbs up.

"I'm gonna need that in large denominations, please." JJ says to the woman.

"Well, here's the snag. I don't have that much denominated, not here anyway. I can write you a cashier's check."

"Cash.. No, ma'am. I want the cold hard. That's what the sign says." JJ points at the sign on the wall. "Cash for gold. And that's what I expect. I'm gonna get it in the cold hard."

"Well, I have to send you to the warehouse. I have money there. Is that all right?"

"Where's this warehouse?" JJ asks.

The woman pulls out a piece of paper. She scrawls something across it before handing it back to JJ. He grabs the gold off the counter and motions for us to follow him back outside. We do.

"Mi, you wanna ride with us?" John B asks me. "We'll come back and get your car after."

"Sure."

I climb into the back of the van with the rest of the Pogues. John B starts the car and heads toward this warehouse.

"So, they keep money out here?" I ask skeptically, looking at all the trees and shrubs. We were definitely getting further into the Pogue side of the island.