The Devil Child

Chapter Sixty-One

 "Kenzie, Minny, Tom, meet our lawyer. This is Mr. Lewis."

Polly's uncle sat in his desk chair, his lawyer beside him. It was late afternoon, and golden sunlight spilled through the blinds, casting a warm glow throughout the office, though Kenzie felt anything but warm. She felt chilled to the bone.

The beginning of November was upon them, and Polly was still trapped. Elections were about to happen in a few weeks, and Kenzie was growing more anxious as the days passed.

Kenzie reached her hand out to Mr. Lewis, her face straight and determined. "Mr. Lewis, I'm Kenzie." She wanted to add, Polly's girlfriend, but she bit her tongue before the words could slide out. She didn't know this man, or his intentions quite yet.

Minny pressed his hand into the lawyer's, giving it a firm shake. "I'm Benjamin." He was anxious as well, but he put trust in Polly's uncle, and so the lawyer didn't shake him, not yet. Polly was safe, still. Elections had yet to happen, and Tanner was clearly in the lead.

Tom followed suit, though out of the entire group, he felt the most uncomfortable. He didn't hold a stake in this issue, nor was he the best of friends with Polly. But, his alliance to Minny was what kept him there.

Kenzie was the first to speak. "So, where are we with this court hearing? I want to hear you tell me it's soon." She took a seat, smoothing her dress under her thighs as she leveled Mr. Lewis with a heated look. She wasn't one for pleasantries, and she wasn't one for idle chat.

Mr. Lewis reclined in the chair he sat in, hands clasped together. "Yes, a date has been set for the 5th of November. Is that soon enough for you?" It was a hint of humor, but Kenzie's face didn't crack in the slightest. She didn't even miss a beat as she sat with her back straight and her attention focused.

"No. Soon enough would be tomorrow, but it'll do. What should we do to prepare? Anything?"

She gestured to Minny and Tom, though she knew secretly it was her running this show. Without her, she doubted Tom and Minny would have a single thing done to save Polly, not that they didn't care. It was just that both boys seemed unorganized, and both lacked a sense of urgency.

Mr. Lewis chuckled at her impatience. "You three don't have to do a thing. Polly's uncle and I will take it from here."

"We want to be involved." Minny's firm voice left no room for discussion. "Polly means more to us than she does to you, Mr. Lewis, and we want to make sure all is going accordingly."

Mr. Lewis looked at his client with a hesitant smile. It wasn't that he wasn't alright with the help of three teenagers, but there was little the three of them could do from here on out. "I'm sure she does, but there's nothing you can do but support Polly."

Kenzie tilted her head up, regarding Mr. Lewis from under her lashes. He looked middle aged, with a stellar salary and a stable life at home. The ring on his finger told her he was married, perhaps with kids, and she immediately understood him. Everything for him was done; all set in stone. He had a happy, boring life that was cemented for him already. Stable marriage, happy family, wealthy income.

It could mean he was sloppy. Willing to take shortcuts they couldn't risk taking. His efforts would be helpful, but she wasn't willing to leave everything on his shoulders, especially when he didn't know Polly or anything about her.

She wished she could see behind his head and know whether or not he was voting for Tanner. That would give her the answers she needed on who he was as a person.

"With all due respect, Mr. Lewis, we want a hand in this. Quite frankly, I don't know you and I don't trust you. Polly means a lot to all of us, and I need to know she's being taken care of. This is not your run of the mill case, and there's more at stake than a child staying with her parents for a few months until she turns eighteen."