*Treasure and Secrets* Outer Banks Book 2

Homecoming

The friends make it to Charleston by mid-morning.

"Okay so I was doing some research, they're super fancy people. They've had three governors in the family. They've run Charleston for like 300 years. I'm kinda mad that I didn't know about them before this." Jo says as she looks up from her phone.

"These kooks make our kooks look like pogues. You wouldn't have liked those people anyway."

JJ comments as Pope pulls the car up to a large Victorian building that had a large iron gate wrapped around the property.

"Maybe so, but it's still good to learn about family." Jo says as they all glance at the house.

"Is this the right place?" Kie asks.

"Yea I think so." Pope replies.

"Well alright let's go."

They get out of the truck and walk up to the gate.

"Holy shit. Even the kookiest house in OBX is this fancy." Jo comments.

"Why are there so many spikes? Is it to keep people out?" Kie asks.

"No it's to keep people in." JJ answers.

"Well, it's now or never guys. We came all this way. We can't back out now."

Jo opens the gate and Pope follows behind her.

Kie and JJ share a look before they follow behind.

Pope uses the ancient door knocker to knock on the door.

"Well, that was intense." Jo states.

"Yea that definitely echoed the entire house." JJ jokes.

"Was it too much?" Pope asks.

"Try it again." Kie says.

Just as Pope is about to knock again, the door opens to reveal a man that appears to be in his late twenties or early thirties.

He looks at the friends with a scoff.

"Let me guess, you must be Pope."

He then points to Jo.

"You must be Joanna." he guesses.

"And you are?" Jo questions.

"Ms. Limbrey was expecting you yesterday. " the man rudely speaks.

"The letter only gave us eight hours. It's not like we could just jump on a plane or boat and get here within a few hours." Jo smartly retorts back.

"Sorry about that. My truck broke down in the middle of nowhere." Pope starts.

"The carburetor blew up man." JJ speaks as he inches closer to Jo and places a hand on her waist.

"Yeah, she was really upset when you didn't show up." The man scoffs.

"We tried to call, but there was no number on the invitation." Kie buts in.

"She also expected you two to come alone." The man glares.

"These are our friends. They helped find the Royal Merchant too." Pope argues.

"Yea plus I don't go anywhere without my boyfriend. He wouldn't even let me if I tried."

Jo shrugs her shoulders indifferently.

"The instructions for explicit. Your friends and your boyfriend can wait outside." The man states.

"We're kinda a package deal man." JJ argues.

"It's okay babe. We'll be fine." Jo tells JJ as she grabs his hand lightly.