Strawberry Sunscreen - JJ Maybank - Outer Banks

Chapter 32 - The Gold || Part 3

"So let's go," JJ stated, opening up the car door.

"Should we come, or?" Pope asked the two, who shared a glance.

Elizabeth shrugged, "The less people that go the better. I think Topper is home." Pope and Kiara nodded, presumably happy to have some time to themselves.

"Good luck," said Kiara as she sent a small smile their way.

"Thanks," JJ waved back, turning towards the Thornton residence. Elizabeth followed slowly behind, afraid to enter her old home. She reached into her pockets, grabbing her old keys.

"Can't we just go in through the window?" JJ asked.

"It's been weeks. Last time I tried it was locked," Elizabeth explained to him. "Not to mention you breaking the only branch that led close to my window." The girl looked through the windows before inserting her key into the lock and rotating it. The door unlocked and the pair walked into the entrance of the home quietly. "My dad's old study is near my old room on the second floor, but Topper's room is a few doors down. We have to be really quiet." JJ nodded. The girl led him upstairs, the two tiptoeing as the floor creaked below them. Luckily for them, Topper's door had been shut.

JJ walked over to the door next to Elizabeth's room and tried to open it. "It's locked," he whispered to her. Elizabeth stared at the lock, which had numbers on it. The two tried a few different combinations- 1234 being the first one. But the door wouldn't budge.

Each time they pressed a number, it made a small beeping sound. While the noise was small enough, it was audible for someone nearby-- someone that they definitely didn't want to run into. JJ heard footsteps coming nearby. The boy grabbed the girl by the waist and pulled her backwards into her room. JJ peered over her shoulder and out into the hallway as Topper appeared, swinging his door open and looking straight out into the hall. When he saw nobody there, the boy shook his head and shut his door once again.

"That was too close," JJ stated. "Have you tried everything?"

Elizabeth shrugged, "I feel like I've tried everything. His birthday, her birthday, his lucky numbers. Hell, I even tried my birthday."

"What about Topper's?" JJ asked. "Did you try his?"

"I was going to until someone took me away," Elizabeth gave him a look.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Next time I'll leave you to talk to your brother," JJ returned the look, causing Elizabeth to laugh quietly.

"I mean it's only Topper. What is he going to do about it? Tattle on me to my mom?" Elizabeth asked.

"Probably," JJ stated. "That or he tattles to Rafe and we have a murderer after us."

"We already have a murderer after us," Elizabeth pointed out. JJ nodded in agreement. "Coast is clear, let's try this." Elizabeth carefully stepped towards the door, quickly typing in the numbers of her brother's birthday, 1021. A loud noise startled the pair as they heard the door unlock. Before they had the chance to be caught, Elizabeth opened the door and rushed in, JJ following closely behind her. "Of course my dad would use Topper's birthday and not mine. I mean, Topper's birthday is even the wifi password."

JJ chuckled, "Looks like your dad hasn't been in here for a while."

Elizabeth nodded, stepping towards the desk. "He hasn't been in the house for months. My mom wouldn't let him in the house to get the rest of his stuff."

"Right," said JJ, who had forgotten the Thornton cheating scandal. "So what am I looking for?"

Elizabeth opened a drawer, "An address book. My dad was always scared of losing his information online, so he kept contact books for everyone as a backup."