The Deceptive Detective

Chapter 4

Miles away, Miranda was humming to herself as she drove in the car, happy to be away from the media, and anyone else that might question her. She knew though that when she reached San Francisco she would have to check in with her boss. Hopefully, he wouldn't figure out that she was involved in rescuing the plane. She also hoped that the passengers would not remember her face, but who was she kidding? She just hoped that Cole would cover for her and that he would forgive her for running. She wondered if she would ever see him again. He was such a nice-looking man, but she was better off keeping her distance so that he didn't know who she really was.

Cole and the other officer headed to the gate where the passengers were just loading. All of them looked spooked, and Cole didn't blame them. They were probably all wondering if they were going to go through the same thing they just had.

The woman at the gate was assuring all of them. "It is okay, you are all safe now, we made sure of it."

Cole approached the woman and pulled out his badge. "I need to find a woman, we think she got on board. She's petite with brown hair and green eyes."

The woman shook her head. "I am sorry, officer, but I see so many people, I wouldn't know if she made it on board. You can go and see if you would like."

He nodded.

"I will stay here in case she shows up out here," the other officer said.

Cole nodded and headed down the jetway after the passengers. He stepped on board and the passengers upon seeing him, began to clap and cheer. He smiled at them. "Thank you."

"Where is your girlfriend?" one of the men asked. "The one who took all those dudes down?"

Cole frowned. "I was kind of hoping she had made it on board already."

The man shook his head. "I haven't seen her."

The others shook their heads also. They hadn't seen her.

"Dammit," Cole cursed and turned around to get back off the plane.

"You aren't staying?" the woman who had caused the trouble, in the beginning, asked him. She was now flirting with him of all things.

"No, I need to find my girlfriend," he said and hurried off the plane, leaving her disappointed. She should have let him sit by her, he was super hot, and now she was kicking herself because apparently, he had hooked up with the other woman, the one who had saved them all.

Cole got off the plane and saw the lead officer. "I take it you didn't find her," he said to Cole.

"No, I didn't and no one else has either."

"Come on, we had better go check all the security tapes to see where she went."

Cole nodded and followed him to the security office. The man knocked and a woman in a TSA outfit answered. He held up his badge. "Chief Kimball Sullivan. I need to see your security tapes from the last hour for the whole airport. We need to find a woman, an important witness."

The woman nodded and let them into the office. She then pulled up all the videos from the last hour.

"You watch those screens, I will watch these," Cole said to Kimball.

"She's petite with brown hair and green eyes, wearing a light-colored blouse and jeans," Cole told the other two. They nodded and got to work watching the videos.

A few minutes later Cole shouted in triumph. "Found her! Although she is in a different shirt, but I am positive that is her. She went to the car rental place."

"Let's see where she is headed," Kimball said, as the two walked out the door after thanking the woman.

The woman was fanning herself after the men left. She had never seen such sexiness all in one room. She was having hot flashes.

The two men hurried to the car rental agency, and Cole flashed his badge. "We are looking for a woman who just rented a car. She was petite with brown hair and green eyes."

The man nodded. "Yeah, she just rented a BMW convertible about 20 minutes or so ago."

"Where is she headed?" Cole asked.

The man shrugged. "Not sure actually, let me look at her paperwork." He pulled it out and Cole grabbed it. He frowned. "Wait, this name says Wendy Ashton. I know she said her name was Mandy."

The guy shrugged. "She gave me legit I.D., I swear she did."

"She pay with cash?"

"Nope, a credit card."

He showed the men the receipt.

Cole looked at Kimball. "She did say she was hiding from an ex, so I wonder if she is using aliases so he can't find her."

Kimball nodded. "I guess that could be why."

"The paramedic did see a nasty scar on her, she claimed to be from the ex," Cole added.

Kimball nodded again. "Okay, so now what?"

Cole looked at the sheet of paper again.

"She wrote she is headed to San Fran, that is where I am going, that is where I live and work."

Kimball nodded. "Good, then you can track her down if you can."

"I will," Cole promised. He shook Kimball's hand. "I had better get going if I want to catch up with her."

"Good luck," Kimball chuckled as Cole walked away. Kimball watched as the detective hurried down the hall. It seemed like he had more interest in her than just as a witness, interesting.

Cole hurried back to the plane, just as they were getting ready to close the door. The woman smiled at him. "You just made it."

"Thanks," he breathed and hurried down the jetway. The passengers clapped once again when he got on board. He took a seat next to the military guy, Jett.

"Find her?" he asked Cole.

"No, but I think I know where she is headed."

"She was hurt, think she will be okay?"

"I hope so," Cole said, "I really hope so."