Chapter 5
Veronica's POV
John B arrived at Tannyhill the next morning with Ward Cameron. Sarah was waiting at the door like a puppy for them. Once they walked in, she showed John B around. About an hour later he was leaving to go meet up with his friends. I walked out of the library and went outside to head to the dock when I saw Barry and Rafe talking. Barry went to hit him when I walked up.
"Let him go, Barry!" I snapped. He chuckled and turned around.
"Oh, man, country club! You done went and scored you a hot Pogue!" Barry whistled out. I stepped between him and Rafe and crossed my arms.
"What brings you by, Barry?" I asked sighing.
"Payment, sweetheart. You know country club? She and I can work off the payment you owe." He said licking his lips. I stopped Rafe from hitting him.
"How much does he owe?" I asked gripping Rafe's arm tightly. Barry scoffed.
"4 G's, plus interest." He said crossing his arms. I dug in my bag and brought out the Ziplock bag I kept for my tips.
"Here. Take this. There's 8 G's in there. That should settle his payment." I said tossing it to him. He laughed as he looked at the bag.
"Ohh, country club. Routledge girl, just saved your life. I see the look in your eyes, sweet pea. You're back on it. I'll see you soon." Barry said walking away. I sighed and looked at Rafe.
"You didn't have to do that." He told me.
"It's fine. Barry don't bother me." I said shrugging. I went to walk away when he grabbed my arm.
"What did he mean, back on it?" He asked stressing the word back. I crossed my arms and cleared my throat.
"I was a straight A student, working my ass off studying and working, I needed a little boost. Kacy gave me a line one night in the back of the Wreck and it felt great. I kept doing it until one of the guys almost OD and I was left with a body to run to the ER. I stopped the next night and I was clean up until I took that bump off of you." I told him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.
"Like I'm going to around telling everyone my secrets!" I scoffed. He groaned and rubbed his face. He looked at me and sighed.
"I'm going to go for a ride. I'll be back in a bit." He said. He kissed my head and got on his bike then left. I rolled my eyes and went inside. I was walking around looking at all the old pictures when I heard Topper and Sarah.
"You're a slut! You know that! A slut!" He snapped at her. I walked around the corner and crossed my arms at him. He looked at me worriedly.
"Ronnie, I." He started. I threw a punch at him and it landed right to his jaw. He grunted and staggered.
"That was for putting your hands on my brother! He's the only thing I have, idiot! She's not a slut, either! I trusted you, Topper!" I screamed at him. I grabbed the potted plant and threw it at him.
"Let me explain!" He said holding up his hands. I shoved him hard against the porch.
"Hey! Hey!" Ward yelled coming out. He pulled me away from Topper.
"Dad, she was just defending me and John B. Topper called me a slut and she was angry for what he had done." Sarah said grabbing my arm.
"Topper, go home now." He told him.
"But sir." He argued.
"Go. Now." Ward commanded. Topper left and he turned to us. He looked at me then at my hand. I looked down at the redness of it.
"Come on inside. Let me take a look at that hand." He said nodding to it. I nodded and followed him to the kitchen. He grabbed the first aid kit as I sat down.
"Nice hit. Your dad would've been proud." He said handing me an ice pack.
"Him and John B taught me how to defend myself when needed." I said nodding. I flexed out my fingers and hissed. He disinfected and wrapped them.
"There you go. I also talked with a few of your bosses, since you work so hard lately, they're willing to give you a few days off." He said cleaning up.
"Thank you, Mr. Cameron, but if I don't work, I'll go crazy sitting inside." I said chuckling.
"It's refreshing having a working body, besides myself, in the house. I wish my son would see that." He said sighing.
"Maybe he will, one day. Someone may come along and force him to see it." I said shrugging. He nodded.
"Maybe." He said.
"Thank you for the hand. And uh. Thank you for taking me and brother in. It's real thoughtful." I said biting my lip.
"John B is a great employee. More trustworthy than any other. You? I honestly don't think you need a guardian. You've taken care of you and him these last few months, food, water, lights, rent. Made sure he was taken care of before yourself. You stepped in when he should've." He said.
"How do you?" I started.
"Peterkin told me. I saw the files too. I called around to everywhere and they told me that Mrs. Routledge was taking care of everything. Even when she had a broken wrist and leg." He said nodding.
"I was fine. No bones sticking out." I argued.
"A broken wrist and a leg is not fine." He said.
"We made it though, that's all I care about. Umm is it cool if I head to the cut and grab a bag of clothes?" I said hopping off the stool.
"Oh yeah. Go ahead. Do you want to take my car?" He offered.
"No thanks. I'm fine with walking." I said nodding. He nodded and I left Tannyhill. Awhile later, I walked into my house and sighed at the mess around the place. I went to my room and packed up my clothes, some work clothes, and a different pair of shoes. I shut my door and put the chair against the knob. I lifted up the floor board where I always hid all my tips over the years. After dad stole the money from my bag, I started hiding my money. I grabbed them and hid them within my clothes in my case. I walked out of my room and froze as I heard talking. I sighed when I heard John B.
"John B? Is that you?" I called out. He walked in.
"Hey sis." He said smiling.
"Bro." I said smiling back.
"What brings you here?" He asked.
"To our house? Where I have clothes and other essentials? Oh I don't know." I said rolling my eyes. He rubbed his neck and leaned against the kitchen table.
"Right. Dumb question." He said. I looked at him.
"What's got you bothered, big brother? I can see it, what's up." I said sitting down my suitcase. He sighed and took his hat off.
"Something JJ mentioned and what I saw the other night." He said looking at me.
"And what's that?" I asked crossing my arms.
"You. With the Kooks. Topper and Rafe more specifically." He said biting his lip. I shook my head.
"Okay, and?" I asked.
"Why were you with them?" He asked.
"Why does it matter?" I asked. He shook his head and stood up.
"Seriously? A kook? You're dating a kook! A look for crying out loud!" He snapped at me.
"You have room to talk! Sarah Cameron? Really? The Kook princess! Kie's best friend in 9th grade, worst enemy in 10th! Or have you forgotten that!" I snapped back.
"It's totally different with me and her!" He yelled.
"How? How is it different?! The only difference is, I'm not dating them and you are!" I yelled back. This was the problem when John B and I argued. He and I matched energies. When he yelled, I yelled, when he threw something, I'd throw something, which then lead to us wrestling each other. He groaned and shoved the table.
"Then why are you with them? Why are you hanging around Kooks?" He asked sighing.
"They rescued me from being taken by DCS. They showed up when I ran and they picked me up. We went to the movies, then Midsummers and here we are." I told him.
"Do you know what they've done?" He asked.
"Everyone's provoking each other, throwing fists, and someone ending up on the injured side? You with the black guy, now broken hand, cause both sides of the egos are unmatched? Topper with a sunken boat? That why they attacked Pope and JJ the other night? I'm not dumb or blind JB." I scoffed.
"I never said you were." He argued.
"JB, Topper and Rafe kept me out of reach with DCS, we've become acquaintances. Now you and I are living with the Kooks as you call them. So, sides need to chill the hell out before someone gets seriously hurt." I told him. He sighed again.
"What happened to your hand?" He asked. I looked at it.
"I punched Topper in the face. He pushed you off the tower and hurt Sarah's feelings. But she's fine now." I said.
"I can fight my own battles." He said.
"Yeah, but you're my brother. The only family that I got left. So I felt like it was needed for my sanity." I said shrugging.
"There you go with the family crap, again." He said groaning. I felt a hit to my chest.
"Family crap, huh? Family crap? So, us being on our own, struggling to make ends met, keep a roof over our heads, keep us from going to under because dad, dad didn't leave us a single penny, John B! Fine. You want to be on your own and have no family, except your friends, at the end, then have at it. Cause I'm tired." I said shaking my head.
"Tired of what, exactly?" He asked crossing his arms.
"Family crap! I'm exhausted, JB! I worked my ass off to keep us from losing everything! If I hadn't, we'd be under everything! No home, no water, nothing!" I snapped.
"I didn't ask you too!" He yelled.
"But you didn't jump in to help, did you? NO! you went on a binge and started acting out! I kept us at bay! I kept us from being taken from our home until recently. Did you offer to help? No. you didn't." I said sniffling. The tears were falling now.
"I'm not listening to this." He said walking away.
"You wanted no family, John B! You got it!" I yelled after him. He slammed his way through the door and was gone. I sniffled and grabbed my suitcase and went to walking. Halfway back, someone pulled up beside me. It was Topper's Jeep. The passenger window rolled down.
"Ronnie?" He asked getting out. He came around.
"Hey. What's wrong?" He said touching my arms. I sniffled and looked down. A sob raked through me then he was hugging me tightly. He got me in the Jeep and my bags in the back.
"Tannyhill?" He asked. I nodded and he drove. I explained about the argument with John B and everything.
"Sounds like your brother doesn't care anymore." He said.
"He's not the only one. Not anymore. I'm done." I said sniffling. I looked down at my hand and took off the wrapping. I flexed my fingers and groaned.
"I'm sorry. For punching you." I told him.
"No need. I deserved it. If I had a brother, I would've done it too." He said pulling into Tannyhill. He helped me unload, hugged me and left. I went up to my room and unpacked my things. I laid in bed and fell asleep. I woke up the next morning. I got up, showered, and changed. Everyone wasn't up yet. I went to the kitchen and started cooking breakfast. Fresh made biscuits, homemade gravy, eggs, grits, fruit, bacon and sausage.
"What is that smell?" Ward asked walking in with everyone.
"Breakfast." I said handing out plates.
"Breakfast? Someone who knows how to cook besides the staff? Man, I think I scored with a new kid around here." He said chuckling. Sarah scoffed
"Thanks, dad. Morning." Rafe said kissing my cheek.
"Morning." I said handing him a plate. John B went to take one, but I sat his down on the counter and walked to the table.
"You still can't be pissed." He scoffed. I turned to him and held out my hand.
"I'm sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Veronica. It's just Veronica though, because I'm orphaned now. I had a brother, but he doesn't care about family anymore and my dad is dead at sea." I said.
"That's how it's going to play out now?" He asked.
"Play what? I'm just now meeting you." I said shrugging.
"No need to be a bitch." He said. Rafe stood up and went to step but I stopped him.
"Hey. Enough! Rafe sit down, John B, don't call your sister a bitch." Ward told them. I sat down beside Rafe and we all ate in silence.
"So are you and Veronica together?" Wheezie asked Rafe.
"Uhm, we're just hanging out for the moment." He told her. She nodded and continued eating. John B threw his napkin down and got up. Sarah followed after him.
"I'm sorry for this morning, Mr. Cameron." I told Ward.
"It's okay, Veronica and call me Ward. Oh, and if you two become something, remember the rules, no being in each others room." He said looking at Rafe and I. I saluted him and started cleaning up.
"You cooked, the least we can do is clean up." Ward told me.
"No, it's fine. I made the mess." I said shaking my head.
"Quite impressing our dad, he may want to adopt you if you keep on." Rafe chuckled.
"Not my fault I impress people everywhere I go." I said laughing. Ward helped clean up and we all went separate ways.
"Working today?" Rafe asked.
"Just got a few houses, a shift at Heywards, then I may head to my old house and grab a few extra things." I told him. He nodded and looked down.
"Do you need a ride?" He asked.
"Nah, I walk." I said shaking my head.
"Okay, I'm going to go hang with the guys for awhile. But I'll be back later." He said. I nodded and he kissed my head before he left. I went and did a few odd jobs around town. I went back to the chateau to grab some things. I was packing a bag when I heard the door slam open.
"Little miss country club! Come on out!" I heard Barry yell. I scoffed and walked to the living room.
"Why are you here, Barry?" I asked.
"You see. Your brother, his little Kook of a girlfriend, and his friends just robbed my place. 25K's worth." He said walking around.
"What does that have to do with me? He's not my brother anymore." I said shrugging. He knocked the pictures off the wall.
"I need to get a warning to him and your little boyfriend. if I don't get my money, people start getting hurt. Starting with you and if you don't work, then it's country clubs sister." He said coming towards me.
"Barry." I said carefully. I backed away and ran.
Rafe's POV
I was at the Dive hanging with Kelce and Topper. Veronica had to work some jobs so she wasn't with us. It felt odd not having her here.
"Yo bro you think they're scronking yet? You know." Kelce said making the slapping noise with his hands.
"Dude come on. You think we want to hear that?" Topper scoffed at him.
"Come on." I said disgusted.
"I'm trying to get my mind off of it. You think I want to hear this now, Rafe?" He said angrily.
"Calm down. He's just trying to make you feel better." I said chuckling.
"How is it funny?" He snapped.
"Hey. Jokes on her. Look who's she's with. Alright? A dirty Pogue." I told him. We heard tires squealing. We looked at the parking lot and I saw Barry's car. I groaned.
"Rafe Cameron!" Barry called out. He started harassing Cody the bell boy. We ran up to him and pulled him out of the gates.
"Hey? What're you doing here? You good?" I asked.
"No I ain't good man. Whys your family think I'm just a bitch they can shit on? Huh?" He asked pushing me off.
"You got your money, man. With interest if I remember." I told him.
"That ain't the point! I'm asking you, what am I? Am I just some little bitch? Is that what your family looks at me like? " He snapped.
"No. No." I said nervously.
"Then why is your little punk ass Pogue girlfriend brother and your sister and their little surfing rat friends running around stealing 25K out of my house? Can you tell me that?" He snapped. Topper stepped towards him when he talked about Veronica.
"What? My little sister robbed you?" I scoffed.
"Yeah. Sarah robbed me. That's why I'm here. Her and Veronica's big brother." He scoffed.
"Sarah won't even pick up a dollar off the street. What are you talking about?" I said.
"You think I don't understand what's going on here? Cause I'm telling you right now, you better sort this out with your sister and your girlfriend or else I am. Cause I want my money." He told me.
"Listen, I don't know what you're talking about." I told him.
"You don't know?" He asked.
"Enlighten me." I said.
"The Pogues are all around Outer Banks stealing shit out of everybody's houses, and you got no idea? Your sisters involved in it!" He snapped.
"Sarah Cameron? Home invader? You know how insane?" I said trying to talk to him. I place my hand on his shoulder and he tried to break my hand. Topper pulled him off.
"What's up country club? Huh? You got a problem?" Barry snapped at him.
"We're good. We're good." He said holding his hands up.
"Sort this out Cameron! Or I will! I'm gonna get my money!" Barry snapped as he walked to his car.
"Hey country club! If it's not from your or her! I know a way to get it! Remember that! I'll see you boys around!" He said. He got in his car and left.
"What're you gonna do man?" Topper asked me.
"Its not my problem man." I said rubbing my face.
"This is your sister, Veronica's brother too! What're you gonna do?" He asked me.
"Come on." I said heading to my bike. Topper and I had managed to track down Sarah and John B in his piece of shit truck. She and I argued about Barry and his thieving mind and how dangerous he was, while Topper and John B argued. I got back to Tannyhill and went inside. I looked for Veronica but couldn't find her. I walked into dads office.
"Hey dad. Have you seen Veronica?" I asked him.
"Not since breakfast. Why?" He said standing up.
"Figured she'd be back from her place, she went to get a few more things." I said shrugging. He looked at the time and sighed.
"Let's go get her. It'll be dark soon and she shouldn't be out at night alone." He said grabbing his keys. We took his Land Rover out to the cut. He pulled up to a house.
"Come on." He said getting out. We went inside and the place looked like a train wreck. I noticed something red on the counter and the wall as we walked through.
"Dad." I gasped out. Something fell in the back. We went to the back and saw a chair against a door. He moved the chair away and opened the door.
"NO! NO PLEASE!" Veronica screamed. Dad knelt down in front of her. She pushed herself back until she hit the wall behind her.
"Veronica? Hey, hey, it's Ward." He said reaching for her. He was able to grab her and lift her up.
"Get the car, Rafe. Go to St. Olive's." He said as we walked out.
"No, no. No hospital, please." She cried.
"No, you need a hospital." He told her. I drove us to the hospital, and they got her in quickly. Now we were told to wait. I called Topper and Kelce and told them about what happened.
"The sheriff has been contacted, she's going to go find John B." Dad said sitting down.
"She wouldn't want him here." I said bouncing my knee.
"No matter how many siblings fight, they're still family. He has a right to know." He said nodding. he clapped me on the shoulder and sighed.
John B's POV
We sat outside on the deck of the Chateau talking about the gold when a cop car rolled up. Pope started panicking and JJ was ready to run. Sheriff Peterkin and Shoup walked up to us.
"John B, a word in private please." Peterkin said calmly.
"We haven't done anything wrong today, officers. Just hanging around town and coming here to chill." I told her as I stood up. We walked off the porch.
"Have you been inside your house, recently?" She asked.
"Not yet. We just got here a few minutes ago. Why?" I said crossing my arms.
"Shoup, escort the kids off the porch." She told him. He nodded and walked to the porch. I watched as my friends came into the yard with us.
"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Kie asked.
"John B. Your house is now a crime scene. I will drive you." She started to tell me.
"A crime scene? What crime scene? Nothing's happened here!" I scoffed. She got that sad look on her face.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked.
"John B, it's Veronica. She was attacked inside the home earlier today and is now at St. Olive's with Mr. Cameron." She told me. I ran inside the house. I froze at the sight. Our pictures were broken to pieces, the table was turned over, and that's when I saw it. The blood on the wall leading to the back was the sickening part. I heard her screams again. My sister never screamed until that day. Well she did scream when she and I argued but I meant a hurt scream.
"John B. Come on, son." Shoup told me. I walked back out with him.
"I need to go." I said sniffling. Peterkin nodded and she drove me to the hospital. We ran through the emergency room door and saw Ward and Rafe. Kelce and Topper were there too. I noticed Wards shirt was covered in blood.
"Umm. Sir." I said trying to form words as I stared at his shirt.
"She's in the back now." He told me. I nodded. A doctor came out then.
"Routledge?" He asked. We all raised our hands.
"I'm her guardian and this is her brother." Ward said motioning to me.
"Veronica has sustained a few fractured ribs, a contusion to her forehead, bruising on the left side of her face, a broken leg again, sprained wrist, she's lost a few liters of blood due to the few deep wounds to the abdomen. If you hadn't found her when you did when probably wouldn't have made it. We've also had to restrain her, she awoke from the anesthesia and started fighting the nurses." He told us.
"Can we see her?" I asked.
"Not yet. She's an at risk until the anesthesia wears off. When she relaxes and can have visitors you can all see her." He told me.
"Doctor. I'm gonna need to see her. I need to scrape her nails and everything for evidence on who attacked her." Peterkin told him. He nodded and had her follow him to the back.
"Do you know who did this? Any idea?" Pope asked Ward.
"No. She just kept begging not to be brought here." He said.
"If there's no bone sticking out, she believes she's fine." I said crossing my arms. JJ slapped my shoulder and motioned us outside. He and I walked outside and he started pacing back and forth.
"It was Barry, man! He did this! He attacked her." He told me.
"We don't know that." I argued. He shoved me.
"Did you not hear him! He knew who we were! He knows where we live! He did this to your sister!" He snapped.
"Dude! Chill! We don't know if it was Barry or not!" I scolded.
"Who else would it be? Those guys are dead!" He snapped. I grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Chill, we will find out who did this and take care of them. Okay?" I told him. He nodded and we walked back in. Rafe was off to the side whispering to Topper and Kelce.
"John B." Kie said hugging me.
"I'm okay. My sister is tough. She doesn't back down." I told her. We all sat down and waited. About two hours later the doctor came out.
"Who's Rafe and Topper?" He asked. They stood up.
"We are." Rafe said.
"She's calmed down enough and asking for you two. Down the hall and on the right." He told them. They walked back there.
"Is there a John B?" He asked.
"That's me." I said standing.
"I'm sorry but she's asked for you not to be here. I'm sorry son." He told me. Then he walked off. I scoffed and shook my head.
"John B." Ward started.
"No. My sister is hurt and she doesn't want me here!" I snapped.
"Hey. Come on. She's just in a lot of pain right now." He tried. I shook my head and walked out of the hospital. I had messed up. I really had messed up this time.