Dennis' confident demeanor faltered the moment his gaze landed on the teddy bear in my hands. His lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out for a moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was rushed and uneven, like a man caught off guard.
"Big sis, uh, that sandwich was probably not enough, right? How about I take you out for a nice meal? The boys are all waiting to see you."
I slowly set the bear back on the bed, my fingers brushing over its soft fur. The weight in Dennis' tone didn't match his words and it made my chest tighten with unease.
"Dennis," I said, turning to face him, "I want to see Mr. Cooper first. Is he at the office?"
Dennis hesitated. "He is, but..."
"But what?" I couldn't understand why Dennis kept trying to stop me from meeting Cayden. His unusual behavior made me inexplicably uneasy.
"Did something happen to him?"
"Nah, not at all!" Dennis waved his hands as if to physically push away the suggestion. "The books are clean. The streets are behind us. Me and the boys are playing a different game now."
I frowned, unsatisfied with his answer. "Then why won't you let me see him?"