They’re cutting her off.
Penelope's voice from last night slams through me:No one can know what Minxy saw the night with Todd. Todd will lead to Dominic, and that cannot happen.
My throat closes. I open the group chat.
Gideon: Check in when you get there.
Penelope: Text me or I’m showing up, Talon. Don’t be stupid.
My fingers shake.
Me: Just got a call from St. Helen’s. They’re cutting off all family contact. No calls. No emails. “For the foreseeable future.” I recorded the call.
The three dots appear instantly.
Gideon: Save the call. Don’t delete anything.
Silas: You answered live?
Me: Yeah.
Penelope: Is she okay? Did they say anything else?
My chest aches.
Me: “Her care team has decided limiting external contact is in her best therapeutic interest.” No time frame. No details.
More dots with a long pause.
Gideon: This confirms what we suspected. They’re tightening everything before the evaluation.
Silas: Do NOT call back. Don’t panic. Don’t act weird.
Penelope: Talon… are you alone?
I look around my shitty dorm room.
Me: Yeah.
Penelope: Breathe for me. Four in, six out.
I do what she says. It doesn’t stop the shaking, but it keeps me upright.
Gideon: Forward everything. Then act normal. Abi cannot get a whiff of this.
Silas: They’re scared. Or they know something’s coming. Either way—we stick to the plan.
I forward it all and place the phone face down on my bed because if I look at it again, I’ll throw it out the damn window.
Then—
A knock.
My whole body jerks. My pulse explodes.Abi?
Did she call the school? Did she?—
But then?—
