Cole led her outside to his car and then helped her in so he could take her to eat. He then drove for a few miles and pulled into the parking lot of a Chinese food restaurant.
"Hope you like Chinese."
"I do, it's one of my favorites," she admitted.
"Good," he smiled as he helped her from the car.
They headed inside and the hostess smiled at them. "Welcome. Detective, it is nice to see you brought a date today," she teased.
Cole chuckled. "Yes, it is."
She led the way to the back and set them at a private table.
She took their drink orders and then walked away.
Miranda looked around the room, taking in the décor.
"It's pretty in here," she said.
He nodded. "They have good food too."
"I take it you come here often?"
"I helped stop a robbery a couple of months ago, and they told me I could come back whenever I wanted for a free meal. I still insist on paying, but they give me a good discount."
"That's nice."
He nodded as the woman brought their drinks to them.
Miranda hadn't even looked at her menu yet. She opened it and ordered, then Cole ordered, as the woman headed away, Cole reached across the table and took Miranda's hand in his. "I have a question."
"Only one?" she teased.
"Okay, a few maybe. What made you decide to become a cop?"
"My parents. My dad was an MP."
"So he really was military."
She nodded.
"And you really know all those languages."
"I do."
"And you became a cop to follow in your dad's footsteps?"
"I did, but I wanted to be a detective."
"Why?"
"I like solving mysteries," she shrugged.
"May I ask why you don't talk about your parents?" he asked then.
She sighed. "My parents and I tolerate each other."
"Tolerate?"
"Yes. My father was very strict, as he was military. I think he wanted me to be a boy, so I grew up learning that it was not okay to cry, or to show weakness."
"Ouch."
"Yes, ouch, but when I moved out and on my own, I let go of all of that, and became the person I wanted to be."
"Where are your parents?"
"My father retired from the military a few years ago, and now they travel the world."
"I see. Do you keep in contact with them?"
"Not too often. They call to make sure I haven't died, that's about it."
Cole winced at her words. "Yikes."
"It doesn't bother me, well, not anymore."
"Glad I had a normal life. I don't envy you."
"Glad you don't," she replied.
"You are one amazing woman. I can see why your boss has you as a detective. Before you know it, you will be the police chief."
"No thanks."
"Really?"
"Really. I am not one to sit behind a desk all day. I will be a detective until I retire."
"Same here," he said.
A waitress came back then with their food and they began to eat.
"This is really good," Miranda admitted.
"It is," Cole agreed. He was over halfway through his plate when his phone rang.
"Yeah." He listened for a moment. "Okay, I'll be there in a few."
He hung up, frowning. "I'll have to cut our date short. Those guys that were brought in on the jewelry heist, they are dead."
"How?"
"Someone came to bail them out, but instead of bailing them out, he killed them."
"How?"
"That's what the chief is trying to figure out. So I need to get back and help."
"Okay."
He waved to the waitress and asked for a box. She hurried away and was back seconds later.
"Leaving so soon?" she flirted.
"Work," he replied.
"Of course. It's on the house detective."
"I can pay."
"No, you always insist, but we still owe you," she smiled and walked away.
"Okay then," Cole said, standing up. He put a tip on the table and pulled Miranda up.
"I'll drop you off at the hotel and then head back to work."
"Okay," she said.
"Can I call you tonight?"
"Of course."
He kissed her and then they headed to his car. Outside the hotel, he kissed her deeply again. "Be safe," he told her.
"You too," she said. He nodded, she closed the door and headed inside as he drove away.
She had just gotten inside and closed the door when a knock sounded on her door.
She wondered if Cole was back, but when she opened it, she frowned.
"Hey cousin," a black-haired and blue-eyed, handsome, tall, and muscular man said. He was standing next to another man.
"Um, hi?" she squeaked out.
The other man chuckled. He was blonde and blue-eyed.
"You must be Chad and Tyler?"
The men nodded. The blonde pointed at himself. "Chad."
"Tyler," said the black-haired man.
"Miranda," she replied, pointing to herself, making the men laugh, and then she stepped back to let them in. "I thought you weren't supposed to be here until tonight."
"Our flights came in early, we were in our room next door when we heard you come in."
"I see," she said, closing the door behind them.
"So, update us," Chad said.
"Hold on," Tyler said, and pulling out a little handheld wand, he swept the room for bugs.
"It's clean," he said.
"It had better be, I don't need the world knowing who I am," she said.
"I.D.'s?" she asked them then.
They nodded and pulled them out. She looked at them and handed them back, satisfied.
"You could have asked us for those at the door," Tyler chuckled.
"What, and have everyone wandering the hall wonder why there were agents here?"
"She has a point," Chad chuckled.
Tyler shrugged. "That's why she's the best."
"Thanks, guys."
"So, you were going to update us," Chad said, as they all sat down on the couch.
So, she did, and when she finished, Tyler whistled. "You are meeting with the drug lord already."
"I am."
"I am seriously impressed."
"So am I, but when I steal the mayor's car and his men's car all in one day," she shrugged.
The two men laughed.
"Plus he's paying me $50k a week to work for him."
Tyler's eyes widened. "That much?"
"Yep, he must like me, a lot, and we haven't even met yet. He offered me 20k a week but I told him it wasn't enough, so he upped the offer."
"Gutsy," Chad admitted.
"Yes, but I want him to know I am serious about this. We shall see if he likes me enough to help deliver his product."
"Just be careful," Tyler warned. "He is a dangerous man. He has killed several of his men when they cross him."
"I will try my best. So what are you guys going to do?"
"Stay in the background and protect you," Chad said.
"Protect me?"
"Yes, someone needs to," he chuckled.
"Or we can protect the bad guys from you," Tyler chuckled.
"I have never been protected in my life," Miranda said, ignoring what Tyler said.
"We know that detective, but that man is really dangerous," Chad told her.
"How are you going to protect me?"
"We'll have you wired."
"That's not smart."
Tyler chuckled. "Don't worry, he won't know."
"Where will you two be tonight then while I meet with Tyrone?"
"Following discreetly, in case you need us."
"I hope not. I don't want my cover blown the first night, then we will never be able to bring him down."
"Yes, true, but this man is extremely dangerous, Miranda."
"I am sure he is, and don't worry, I will try and be as safe as I can, and not tick the man off."
"We are going to give you earrings with bugs in them," Tyler then told her, "he will not be able to detect the frequency with his machine that detects bugs, and we should be able to hear you perfectly."
Tyler then opened the briefcase he had brought in with him and handed pearl earrings to her.
"Where are you meeting this guy?" Chad asked as she stuck the earrings in.
"I don't know where he lives, but they are picking me up at the antique shop down the street around 8:00 tonight."
"Okay, we will leave, and follow you later, okay? Do you know what vehicle you might be picked up in?"
"A limo."
"Okay, we'll meet back here at midnight to go over what you learned tonight," Tyler told her.
"Hopefully I will be back by then."
He nodded. "If not, we can discuss things in the morning."
The men stood then.
"Good luck," Tyler told her as she saw them out.
"Thanks, I'll need it, and it will be nice knowing you guys are there if I need you."
"It's our pleasure," Tyler assured her, then he opened the door to their room, winked at her, then walked inside, Chad on his heels.
"Now what to do for entertainment," Miranda muttered. She looked at her watch. It was almost 6:00. Maybe she would take a bath then get ready for her late date. She just hoped that Tyrone wouldn't see through her, or she would be dead.
She bathed, then dressed in a skirt and blouse, put on shoes, then pulled out the small laptop she had brought with her. She pulled up the criminal database after putting in her encryption code and found Tyrone. She frowned as she read his rap sheet. It was extremely long, and the only reason he wasn't in prison was because the witnesses all ended up dead. She did not want to be his next one. She should wear a vest, she had a thin one in her suitcase that wouldn't be detectable under clothes, but if she was frisked, it would be found.
She just hoped that she could put on the charm to make Tyrone like her enough not to kill her. She had already impressed him, now to just keep it up.