Chapter 176: Caught

Penny tiptoed toward the mezzanine. Reaching the railing, she lowered her head and checked over the stair railing. When she was certain no one was around and that only the dim lights were on, she quietly carried on while tiptoeing.

However, instead of using the main entrance, Penny used the backdoor.

The problem she had was not sneaking out undetected at that point, but the long walk she had to make to make it through the high fences around the mansion. Good thing she knew there was a secret route out of the mansion without going through the main gates.

That was the garden.

"I think it’s in here..." she muttered as she went on her knees, pushing the bushes out of her way. "It should be here."

Penny took off her bag and, in a matter of seconds, a flashlight was already in her hand. Lighting up the bush, she moved it away with the other. Her lips stretched as soon as she saw some broken metal bars of the fence behind the bushes.

The hole was small, but it could fit a child.

Penny wore her bag securely once more and was about to crawl her way inside, only to stop when a hand grabbed her bag. She froze instantly as her breathing hitched.

She was found.

"Penny, are you... sneaking out?"

Penny closed her eyes as her heart sank to the pits of her body. Of all the people she expected to find her out, the person to find out was no one but her father.

Slowly, Penny looked back and smiled awkwardly. "Papa?"

"Penny." Charles sighed faintly, cocking his head to the side. "Where do you think you’re going?"

"He he he."

Would it be too late for her to act like she was sleepwalking now?

"You’re worried about the girl and her mother from earlier today, are you?" Charles guessed, watching her pursed her lips. "It’s okay, Penny. I’m not angry."

If Penny was more agile a little bit more, she would’ve crawled as fast as she could to leave. Her father might get angry, but she also didn’t want to be stopped. Hence, she crawled her way back and stood in front of him, wearing her most adorable and pitiful expression.

"I’m sorry, Papa," she pitifully expressed while looking up at him.

Charles sighed once more. "I’m not angry," he repeated to reassure her. "Are you worried about the girl and her mother from earlier?"

She nodded.

"What were you planning on doing if you sneak out and get to them?"

Teach that garbage of a father a lesson and gather evidence to make a police report... was what she wanted to say.

Charles studied his daughter, who hung her head low as if she was being scolded. He hadn’t even scolded her yet, but with the sight of her, even if he had the intention, he would have second thoughts. Surely, his daughter knew his weakness.

"I already called a friend of mine to help," he said, watching her look up at him. "We are strangers and I know I shouldn’t meddle with other people’s family matters. I can’t even fix mine."

Bitterness flickered across his eyes, and he touched the top of her head. "That friend of mine has a position higher than the officer we met today. He reassured me that they’d look into the matter. They’re probably on high alert as we speak."

"Really?" Penny bit her inner bottom lip.

As a victim of reckless handling of justice, Penny wasn’t so trustful of the people in power’s words. It wasn’t like she was assuming Charles was lying, but what he said wasn’t enough to soothe her worry. She just couldn’t trust a person’s words, only to hear bad news later on.

"Yes, really." Charles nodded, watching her slide her eyes to the corner. "If you are still worried, should I accompany you?"

"Huh?"

A short smile turned up on his face. "I can’t just let you on your own, especially in the middle of the night. So, should I accompany you so we’re both reassured of our worries?"

Her big and round eyes blinked in surprise before life slowly shone in them. "Mhm!"

"Haha." Charles ruffled her hair mildly. "Then, let’s go."

Having said that, Penny followed her father to one of the mansion’s parking spaces.

*

*

*

On their way, Penny couldn’t help but glance at her father, who was behind the wheel. Her lips were drawn into a thin line, setting her eyes on the window.

Hours ago, she was certain she would sneak out on her own and commute to District 10. Who would have thought the ending would be different?

"Papa, why are you outside?" she blurted out curiously, looking back at her father.

Charles just smiled. "I was taking a walk."

"A night walk?"

"Mhm. I wanted to think about a lot of things," he summarized. "One of them is what your third brother told us."

"Oh."

"He said you knew about it and that’s the reason you told us that night you want to go to school."

Penny pressed her lips. "I’m sorry for not telling you, Papa."

"There’s nothing to be sorry for." He shook his head, sighing. "You just did what you think is right, and I’m ashamed that I knew nothing about it."

This time, Penny couldn’t say anything. It wasn’t like she knew what to tell him at this moment.

"Thank you, Penny," he expressed. "For looking after your big brothers and even your parents, and I’m sorry."

"Papa, you don’t have to..." she trailed off because Charles cast her a quick look before setting his attention back on the road. "You’re welcome."

Charles smiled. "We’re here," he announced, pulling over to the side of the uphill road. Since the path to Grace’s house was alley-like, the two of them got out of the car and walked toward the house.

Standing a few feet from it, the entire neighborhood was quiet.

"Is she inside?" wondered Penny, a bit disappointed she couldn’t go in and check to make sure.

"We can stay out here a bit more," Charles suggested, and she nodded with a smile.

With that, the father and daughter stayed outside the narrow street for over ten minutes. When they heard nothing and it was quiet, Charles gazed down at Penny.

"Should we go now?"

Penny kept her eyes on the house, telling herself if she came alone, she would’ve approached the house closer. Looking up at him, she pursed her lips as reluctance flickered across her eyes.

"Can we come closer?" she whispered.

Charles studied her face and sighed subtly, nodding. "Let’s be quiet."

Like special spies, the two of them approached the house quietly. Charles walked ahead of her while holding Penny’s hand, making sure she was alright. When they reached their target house, Charles touched the window and pushed it a bit just to check if it was open.

Surprisingly, the window was left unlocked.

Charles then unhesitatingly pushed the window carefully.

Watching this, Penny couldn’t help but furrow her brows. ’I didn’t know my father was this fearless. Does he have an experience such as this one?’

While Penny was distracted by her father’s fearlessness, Charles peeked through the small gap in the window. His pupils instantly dilated at the sight he caught inside.