MARLBORO NIGHTS [JJ MAYBANK]

trouble finds us

"IS HE GOING TO KILL HIM?" Karolina asked, looking at JJ with wide-eyes. "He's going to kill him, isn't he?"

The wind blew strands of her hair from her face. None of them had a car, and John B had taken JJ's bike, so the only way they could get to the Cameron's house was by boat. The night air was cool and clear, but Karoline's mind was far from it. Ward Cameron killed JB's dad. And had let John B believe he could still be out there for months.

"I kind of want to let him," muttered JJ, and Karolina sent him a look. They stood on the bow, watching the waves as they zipped by. Pope and Kiara were by the wheel.

Karoline sighed. "Finding this gold, its not really turning out the way we thought it would. I feel like we would have avoided a lot of trouble if the gold never existed."

He glanced her way, admiring the honey golden strands of hair that waved over her shoulder with the breeze. Her cheeks were rosy from the wind, and her eyes glittered in the moonlight. "You know that's a lie. We always find trouble."

Laughing slightly, Karolina looked at him now. "Trouble finds us." She took half a step closer, wishing he'd put his arm around her.

But when she looked towards the bank, the lights of the Cameron's house approached. Karolina and JJ turned, and the later said, "What now? We just go up to the front door and ask, 'Hey, have you seen John B?'"

Kie's head wiped around. "Look he lives at Tannyhill now. It's... plausible. We can play dumb."

"Play dumb?"

Pope sighed. "It's pretty late..."

Karolina bit the inside of her cheek. "I've never seen John B like that. He'd never hurt one of us, but the look in his eyes..." She shook her head, meeting Kiara's gaze. The curly haired girl nodded in agreement. "We should be going to the cops before he does something he'll regret."

"And say what, Kie? We're worried about our friend because he's on a rampage 'cause Ward Cameron killed Big John?" asked JJ, "Like, they're not gonna believe us!"

"Hey, I see Ward," Pope said suddenly, pointing to the binoculars around his neck. Kiara stuck out a hand. "Let me see."

Karolina squinted, as if that would help her see better, while Pope said, "Doesn't look dead to me. Let's go home."

"What?" asked Kie suddenly. Pope shook his head, with a slight eye roll. "Obviously, Mr. Cameron is fine, and even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay?"

JJ rolled his eyes, moving towards the bow again, and Karolina stared after him, while Pope explained it all to Kiara's face. "Plus, I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours."

"You'll be just as smart with five hours of sleep as you would be with six," Karolina replied. "Are we just supposed to let John B do something he's going to seriously regret? We're gonna let him kill someone?"

Pope didn't answer, and Kie said, "Our friend is in trouble."

"I'm in trouble!" Pope cried. He shook his head, talking to them all now. "Guys, I haven't been home in three days- my dad's probably put all my stuff on the street by now!" He looked at his feet. Karolina hadn't even realized it's been three days since Midsummers, when Pope last saw his dad. She'd seen Amy, what- two days ago? Her phone had been dead for the past twenty four hours. Amy was probably worried sick, so she couldn't imagine how scared Pope's parents must have been.

Kiara was fuming, Karolina knew. She gritted her teeth. "Okay, so that's it? In a time of need you're just gonna bail? You're just gonna walk away?"

JJ put his arms on his head, walking away. "Okay, guys, can we not do this right now?" Kiara gaped at him, like he'd just condemned them all.