Strawberry Sunscreen - JJ Maybank - Outer Banks

Chapter 24 - Dead Calm || Part 1

"He said it looked something like this," Kiara couldn't hold back her laughter as she looked over the plans created by the boys for getting the rest of the gold out of the well. "That's 50 feet down, and they're using 100-feet rope. So I guess this little wagon will go," Kiara dragged her finger down the paper, laughing once again. "Straight to the gold room."

"Who drew this?" Sarah asked, Elizabeth laughing along with her.

"Who do you think?" Kiara asked, the girls erupting in laughter as they looked over to John B and Pope.

"Kie! This better work," stated JJ, walking over to the van where the three girls sat. JJ threw down the gold bars in front of her. "We can't pawn this if there's a giant wheat symbol on it."

"It's gonna work," stated Kiara.

"Why don't we just burn down the wheat symbol?" Elizabeth asked the group. "Y'know, smooth it out? Gold bars aren't that crazy to come by at a pawn shop."

"That's not a bad idea," mentioned JJ.

"It's gotta be melted 100%, we can't risk anyone tracing it back to the Royal Merchant," Kiara stated, Elizabeth nodding along. Elizabeth watched as Kiara melted down the gold into a large clump.

"Hell of a job melting it down, Dr. Frankenstein," JJ stated as the group got out of the van and headed towards the pawn shop in the cut.

"Like you could've done better," Kie argued.

"I could have. I took a welding class," JJ began. John B walked in between them, breaking up their argument.

"Chill out, okay?" John B requested.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one that has to pawn this piece of shit off," JJ began. "How did I get this job anyway?"

"'Cause you're the best liar," Pope said.

"Y'know, I take offense to that," Elizabeth stated. "Are you sure we should all go into the pawn shop? Isn't that suspicious?"

"Don't stress, Thornton. I got this," JJ stated, not calming Elizabeth's nerves at all.

"Afternoon, ma'am. I see you buy gold," JJ began, walking towards the shop attendant. The pogues all scattered around, looking at the various pawn items.

"That's what the sign say, don't it?" The lady deadpanned.

"Well, I sure hope you buy a lot of it, because I'm about to blow your mind," JJ began. Elizabeth cringed, feeling as if the conversation was already sounding suspicious.

"I ain't got much mind left to blow, so have at it," said the lady.

"How about them gold apples?" JJ dropped the gold on the table in front of her. The lady began to laugh, saying how it wasn't real. "That ain't real? Feel how heavy it is." The lady attempted to lift it, struggling a bit.

"Spray-painted tungsten." The pawnbroker responded.

"Spray-painted tungsten? Really? Okay. Why don't you see how, uh, soft it is?" JJ continued. Elizabeth watched through a store rack as JJ attempted to work his magic on this woman. The lady checked the softness, the material not budging.

"Wow. Would you look at that?" JJ stated, pushing his luck.

"Hold your horses," stated the pawnbroker. "We ain't got to the acid test yet." The lady tested it with acid, finding that it passed. "Well, it ain't plated, and it ain't painted."

"Ma'am, I'm telling ya, this is as real as the day is long," JJ continued. JJ continued to explain why the gold was melted due to his mother consolidating earrings as a factor of her Alzheimers. The lady took a minute before walking into the back room, returning a few minutes later.