The Deceptive Detective

Chapter 41

The next morning Tyrone walked into Miranda's room to awaken her when his cell phone rang. It awoke her, but she held still. "Yeah," he answered. "What, no that's not good. I said today. Weather huh? What an excuse. Let's make it for next week then. Next Saturday night."

He hung up, frowning, oh well, it was only a little kink in his plans. What was one more week to wait to be a billionaire? Then he would marry Miranda unless she refused, then he would just kill her. He was happy that she had no memory, it made his plans for her so perfect. He just hoped she wouldn't ever get her memory back.

He leaned down and kissed her awake. "Miranda, honey."

She turned to him and smiled a sleepy smile.

"Hi," she said.

"Good morning sweetheart. I just came to tell you that I have a few meetings today so I won't see you much. You have free rein of the house, do whatever you would like."

"May I go shopping?" she asked, "I need some clothes."

"Not today honey, it is supposed to rain all day, and you aren't feeling well, so I would rather have you stay inside, and don't worry about clothes. I had your closet filled this morning."

"Thank you," she told him.

"You are welcome sweetheart," he told her, then he kissed her again. "I will see you tonight sometime. My guards will be here to protect you while I am gone."

"Okay," she told him.

He then left the room, his guards outside the door. She heard him. "I want you to watch her. I don't know if she is faking her amnesia or not. The phones are bugged in case she tries to call out, and don't let her leave the house if she tries to, bring her back, and if she fights you injure her but do not kill her."

She then heard him leave. She sighed in frustration, how would she get out? Would her friends give up looking for her? She hoped not.

A few more days passed, and she spent her days wandering the yard and swimming, watching the guards, watching when they switched shifts, and where they were at, at all times. She was just thinking she would never get out when Thursday approached, and Tyrone gave her something she almost cried over.

After their dinner, he helped her up, then presented her with a box. She opened them and gasped. It was her earrings, she was elated.

"You like them?" he asked seeing her face.

"Tyrone they are the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life," she told him.

"I am so glad," he grinned at her. She kissed him happily.

He laughed. "I love you too," he told her.

She put them on. "Do they look okay?"

He kissed her ear. "Beautiful," he assured her.

"I shall wear them always," she told him.

"I am glad," he told her. "I will excuse myself now my dear, I have more meetings tomorrow, and I have some paperwork to do."

"Okay, goodnight Tyrone."

"Goodnight Miranda," he told her, kissed her then left the room.

Miranda was smiling all the way to her room. She was a very happy woman. She just hoped that Tyler hadn't given up on her.

When she headed into her room, she closed the door and sat at the vanity. She began to talk softly.

"Tyler, I do hope you can hear me, I pray that you can. Tyrone has me hostage at Tomori's house, he thinks I have amnesia. I don't know how long I can convince him, but I have a feeling time is running short. Please find me, please. Tell Cole I miss him, and I hope to see you guys soon."

She then took off the earrings and put them in the jewelry box. She would put them on again first thing in the morning. She just hoped that someone had heard her.

In California, Tyler had had a frustrating night. They kept coming up with dead ends. No one had seen Miranda; it was as if she had disappeared off the earth. He stood up from his desk, stretching. He might as well go out to the van and rewind the day's tapes, he was sure it would be all static, but he would listen anyway. He sent a prayer heavenward that something would happen.

He wearily climbed into the van, listening for anything. He rewound the tape. Nothing. He hit his hand on the recorder, frustrated. The player fast-forwarded and stopped. "finds out I'm not faking amnesia and kills me, please find me," he heard.

He jumped up and rewound the tape. He listened again, and shouted out "Yes! Thank you, Tyrone!"

He jumped out of his van and ran into the precinct. He picked up his desk phone and dialed the Chief. He didn't care what time it was.

He answered sleepily. "What is it Tyler?"

"I hope you weren't sleeping."

"Actually, I was trying too, what's up?"

"You've got to get down here immediately, you aren't going to believe it."

"Miranda?"

"Yes, Tyrone gave her back the earrings. Call Cole get him over here, I'll call Chad."

"I'm on my way."

The Chief called Cole. He was trying to sleep, but he was tossing and turning, Miranda's face burned into his mind. He jumped when his phone rang.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"Cole, get down to the station, we have news," the Chief said and hung up.

Cole jumped out of bed and put his shoes on. He had his clothes on still, lately, he hadn't bothered changing for bed, or shaving, or eating. The only thing he had done was shower so he wouldn't stink.

He ran out to his car taking deep breaths, hoping it was good news.

By the time the three men got to the station, Tyler was very anxious. He made them walk out to the van, then sitting down he played back the tape.

"She's alive!" Cole shouted enthusiastically. "When did this come in?"

"Just a few hours ago," Tyler informed him. "But she doesn't know how long Tyrone will keep her alive. We have got to find her."

"At least she's alive," Cole sighed.

Tyler nodded and reached over to turn down the static that filled the room when Miranda's voice filled the van.

"Tyler, I don't know if you can hear me, but Tyrone is selling his chip on Saturday if Tyrone keeps me alive that long then you can track him to wherever I am, I hope. Man, I miss you guys, this place sucks."

The four men chuckled. That was their Miranda. "I can't escape. Tyrone has his goons surrounding this place, and the phones are bugged, so I am hoping you are getting this. I just hope I get to see all of you again. If not, I care about all of you, and Cole, I love you," then there was static again.

Cole turned away, not wanting the others to see his tears. He was so angry with himself. Miranda would probably die, and he would never be able to ask for her hand in marriage.

Tyler patted him on the back. "We will find her," he promised.

"I think we had better call Chief Johnson," Stratton said.

"I think you're right, he will want to know," Tyler agreed. The four men all got out of the van and walked inside. The Chief walked to Tyler's desk and picking up the phone he dialed Chief Johnson.

"She's alive?" he shouted, "you have no idea what good news this is."

"Yeah, that is great news," Joe said, joining in on the conversation.

"I don't think she is here in San Francisco, Chief," Tyler told Johnson, "otherwise the reception would be clearer, but I do think she is still in California somewhere, or we would have lost transmission totally."

"Keep us up to date if you hear anything else," he told the men. "If she is there in California, let us know, we will all head there."

"We will," Tyler promised him.