Something flashed on the TV, instantly distracting Penny. "Ah, no, I'm good. You want me to go with you?"
Harley shook her head, even knowing that Penny's attention wasn't on her. "I'll be quick." And out the door she went.
She waited three seconds, pressing her ear on the door to listen for movements. Harley heard nothing but the sound of the television. She zipped up her sweater, checked her pockets, and ran for the elevator.
Once she reached the lobby, Harley pulled out her cell phone and dialled a number. A high-pitched voice answered on the other line. "Ya got Niki."
"Are you there? Did you get it?" Harley asked, waving a taxi and ignoring the curious glances of the bellhops around her.
"Well, hi to you too, missy."
"Niki, I don't have time for your games. Tell me," Harley ordered. She and Niki were only nine years apart but Harley considered her too immature for her age, which, at times like this, was helpful for Harley.
"Yeah, I got 'em."
Harley hopped into a taxi and gave the driver an address. He didn't move, but turned to look over his shoulder. "Where are your parents?" he asked with a slight accent.
"Mom, hold on … " Harley said into her cell phone. "Look buddy, my mom is waiting for me at the airport." She pulled out a printout from her sweater pocket and unfolded it for effect. "She needs this, see?"
Before the driver could scrutinize it, Harley folded it again and stuffed it back into her pocket, then returned to her conversation. "I'll be there soon if this guy decides to get a move on." To add to the dramatics, Harley rolled her eyes, knowing the driver was still watching her.
He cursed under his breath, calling his passenger a brat, before advancing.
"I'll see you at the gate. Bye, Mom," Harley said.
"Whatever," replied Niki.
Harley sat back after telling the driver she would give him an extra twenty if he drove fast. The guy grunted, but clearly he wanted that extra cash.
Taking money from her father and Tina had made Harley nervous and guilty. Only it was the least trouble she was getting into compared to what she'd planned. It had taken her a night to decide her course of action.
During the years she had lived with Fiona, she had been expected to pull her own weight. Not with chores or anything simple. Harley had acted as Fiona's personal assistant, booking flights, arranging accommodations, making dinner reservations, and whatever else Fiona wanted. Practice makes perfect, and with the one credit card she'd kept from Fiona, she'd managed to arrange her itinerary, travelling from LA to New Jersey.
She had overheard a conversation between Penny and Zee the other day. It was easy for her to stay hidden when they weren't expecting her to listen. From what she'd heard, Cade had returned to her grandmother's house in New Jersey. Harley felt that from all the chats she'd had with Cade, she wouldn't have a hard time finding the house. A Google search didn't offer any address for one Cadence Williams. Try as she might, Harley couldn't recall Cade's grandmother's name. But she knew where to start, and it was all that mattered.
The next difficulty would be travelling on her own as an unaccompanied minor. She was too little in stature, and no one would believe that her parents would have let her go on her own. So, Niki came into the picture.
Niki was once her babysitter, but her interests had been more towards Fiona's jewellery stash and liquor collection. Harley had caught her a few times and instead of threatening her jail time or whatever delinquents were given these days, she had asked Niki for a few favours. At first Niki had been hesitant, but Harley was smart. She had evidence in the form of a video taken with a nanny cam. This was the biggest favour yet, and Harley had told Niki that it would be the last, provided she saw it through.
What Harley didn't count on was the churning in her gut. Guilt was eating her up, but there was no turning back now. All she had to do was find Cade, and ask-no, beg-her to return. Harley was positive she would say yes.
The taxi stopped outside of LAX, Harley paid the driver, and jumped out before she could change her mind.
***
Cade drew in a breath to clear the webs tangled in her mind. After a long distance run, she was too exhausted to think about her conversation with Irene at the diner. She had hoped for clearer answers, but all she received were more speculations.
But she was glad to have the moment with Irene. Other than her grandmother, there wasn't anyone else she could turn to when it came to the dilemma with her father, or rather, the question of her biological father's identity. Would she be happy if Irene said Mac was it? And after finding out, what then? The man disliked her, much like the father she had grown up with had.