Page 3 of Enter if you Dare: Part Three

“When?” I ask.

“Now would be good.”

She hangs up, and I look at the guys. “Nixie wants to see us. Now.”

I head into the bedroom and get changed along with Noa, while Cipher packs up what he’s working on. He has trust issues about leaving things out now that Noa is here a lot more. Noa likes to touch little shiny things, and Cipher has a lot of those everywhere.

We all pile into my car, wanting to get to Nixie as quickly as possible. Noa slides into the back, and Cipher gets into the passenger side. I take the road that cuts toward the main area, since it’s early and no guests will be here. We go past the cornfield—or what used to be the cornfield—and my heart sinks. I knew it was gone; I had seen it before, but it doesn’t make viewing it again any easier. It’s flat and scorched where the stalks used to be. We drive past it in silence; none of us have anything to say.

When we pull up, Noa leans over from the back seat and puts his hand on my shoulder to reassure me. I take a deep breath, then get out of the car. We walk toward the alleyway to see Nixie waiting for us outside the bar doors. She is dressed professionally today, which makes my gut clench.

“Inside.” She pushes through the doors ahead of us, and we all follow her in silence. The bar is empty besides a man around Nixie’s age, gray spreading through his dark hair, impeccably dressed in a suit that looks like it costs more than I make in a year.

He stands as we approach the booth in the corner.

“This is Vincent Devereaux,” Nixie says. “He’s the best lawyer I know.”

Vincent smiles. “The only lawyer she knows.”

Nixie scoffs, which only makes him smile more. “Sit down, all of you.”

Noa slides into the booth, and Cipher holds his hand out for me to move in next, then he settles beside me.

Vincent sits back down and glances across the table at us as Nixie perches beside him, leaving a large gap between them.

“Nixie has explained the situation, but I want you to hear it from me directly so there are no misunderstandings. The position you are in right now is not good, but it’s not hopeless. I need you to hold on to that.” When he looks at me, I don’t see sympathy, yet it’s like he understands how I feel. “When Cave was brought in, the admitting physician flagged his history, and his previous files were pulled. He was sent to the institution a few hours ago, the same one from when he was younger.”

My stomach drops. “Can they keep him, though? He’s now an adult.”

“They can hold him for an initial assessment period without a court order. After that, they’ll need to make a case, and that’s where I come in. I need you to understand that this assessment period is important and what happens during this time matters. How Cave presents himself, how he responds to staff, and whether there are any incidents.”

I imagine him locked in a room, without his cornfield, without us, and what I picture happening is not good.

“There will be incidents,” Cipher whispers beside me.

Vincent looks at him. “Yes, I expect there will be.”

“So what do we do?” Noa asks.

“I have already contacted the institution and filed the paperwork necessary to establish myself as his legal representative, which buys us some breathing room. The next step is to get eyes inside. Someone who can tell us what’s actually happening versus what’s being put in the reports.”

“That can be arranged,” Nixie says.

Vincent makes eye contact with her, then focuses back on us.

When I glance at him, Noa gives me a smile, and my pointed look means to leave it alone.

He leans into my side. “Did you see that?” he whispers.

“Noa,” I warn.

“I’m just saying there is some tension in this room that has nothing to do with Cave. I think we should⁠—”

“Drop it.”

Noa huffs and Cipher chuckles under his breath.

Nixie shoots a death glare at Noa. “Are you finished?”