The House Up on Grimm

Chapter 18

The next day, Ken knocked on Jades door at six in the morning with Rick. Jade got dressed and put on her make-up. She grabbed her belongings and opened the door. She unlocked her phone and called Mara Lee.
"Hello?" Mara answered sleepily.

"Mara we're on our way to pick you up." Jade replied.

"Huh? Oh... I'll be ready in a second..." Mara yawned.

"Okay. I'm leaving my hotel. Is Annie there still?" Jade asked.

"Of course not. She's in a hotel. Her number is 333-555-8080." Mara told her.

Jade hung up and quickly dialed Annie's number. It rang and rang.
"Hello?" A tired sounding woman answered.

"Annie? It's Jade. We need to know where you are so we can pick you up." Jade said.

"I'm on at the Hampton Inn... Room 320... I'll be ready in twenty minutes." Annie hung up.

Jade went out to a cab. It was a woman driving it this time. Jade told her to stay there while she gets a few things. The cabbie cursed at her.
"Look, I need twenty minutes! That's all! How much will you need if I take twenty minutes?" Jade snapped.

"One-Hundred." The woman hissed.

"Like I have that in my pocket! I have a fifty?! Can you take that?!" Jade yelled.

"Sure..." The cabbie yawned.

Jade threw her luggage into the back seat and ran back into the hotel. She told Ken to put his luggage into the cab as well. Rick was on the phone when Jade went back in. Jade went into the elevator and went to the third floor to pick up Annie. She raced to room 320. Jade knocked on her door.
"Jade?" Annie asked.

"Yes. Are you ready?" Jade replied.

"Yes ma'am." Annie opened the door and stepped out with luggage in her hand.

"Do you want to sit up front?" Jade sighed.

"Sure. What kind of car do you drive?" Annie smiled.

"Oh! Haha! I'm not driving any car! Haha... Were using a cab. And I drive a police car and a Mustang. But those cars are back in California." Jade chuckled.

"Eww?? A cab? As in the car that sick people spread their grubby germs in?" Annie whined.

"I guess so." Jade shrugged her shoulders.

The four got into the cab. Annie sat up front with the cab driver, Ken sat in the middle of the back seat with Rick and Jade on either sides of him. Jade told the driver where to go: Mara's place. Jade unlocked her iPhone and checked the news in California. Nothing on the Barters. She called Bill. No answer. She sighed and hit redial. It went straight to voice mail. She put her phone back into her pocket. Ken texted Jade.
Ken: How did Rick and you meet?

Jade: When I was 16 I worked as a waitress, right? Well he was eating a burger and some guy walked up to me and knocked me over. Rick was already a police officer. He ran up to the guy and yelled "Watch where your going punk!" And the guy turned to him with a gun. Rick knocked the gun out of the mans hand and arrested him. He helped me up and said"You alright sweet-heart?" I nodded and thanked him. He laughed and said"No problem. If you ever need help give me a call." Then he walked away. So a few weeks later my mother and father got into a fight and brought me into it. They abused me so I called Rick. He arrested them and sent me to a foster home. He checked up on me every Saturday and Wednesday. Ever since we've been best-buddies. He's kind of like the brother that I never had.

Ken:.... Whoa. I remember when you went to the foster home by my house. I never knew why though. Sorry...

Jade: It's okay. I loved the kids there so... Yep.