REJECTED SAVIOUR

FOUR

ON EARTH

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"I can never get you, can I?" She pouted as she sat beside the lady who was now laughing heartily. 

"You're hopeless." The redhead threw her arms over her shoulder, a big smirk on her face.

"I'm gonna get you one day, you'll see." She told the redhead, whilst waving at the remaining three that had small smiles plastered on their faces. However, while the remaining two acknowledged her greetings, old Mcdonald totally ignored her and Miranda stiffened a laugh, shaking her head at the all too childish behaviour of the old man, knowing fully well that his sulking was due to his jealousy that she had gone to Helena immediately she arrived and not him. The old man had always attributed the title of best friend to himself and she had always played along, enjoying fooling with him.

Turning her attention to Helena who was now blowing bubbles, she complimented, "You look so good."

With the black chiffon dress she had on and a pair of pretty stilettos to go with it, she looked nothing short of a model and Miranda felt like a pig beside her.

She watched as the redhead, just as she had suspected, tucked her hair behind her ears stylishly and dramatically, smirking proudly as she responded,

"I always do."

With an eye roll, Miranda moved to smack the proud lady by the arm but the redhead ducked and burst into laughter at the glare on her friend's face.

"You should have just gone into modelling. You have everything it takes." She grunted and the redhead laughed again.

"And you should get yourself a man and stop sulking." She fired and Miranda gasped, taken aback.

"I'm not sulking."

"Sure you aren't." Helena rolled her eyes. "Ever since that thing with Cole happened, you've been moving around like a f*****g starved ghost."

Miranda's mouth fell open in spite of herself and she turned to face the lady beside her right in the face.

"I'm not!" Her voice coming louder than she had intended and doing one thing she dreaded: bringing attention to them, by their colleagues.

"I really am not." She reiterated in a quiet but stern tone. "It's Cole that keeps stressing me the f**k out. He keeps calling despite all I told him."

Of all reactions, Miranda had not expected a crook smile to form by the side of Helena's lip and she was puzzled to see her friend smiling cheerily.

"What?" She barked.

"You said 'f**k'." The smile on Helena's face widened and Miranda groaned in frustration.

"You're insufferable." She shook her head and smiled triumphantly when Helena opened her mouth reply only to keep shut because the chief had now walked in, with two other detectives walking closely behind him.

Among them was Cole dressed in a perfectly ironed button-down shirt and a trainer to match. His black hair was neatly gelled to the side with his lips looking pinker and fuller than ever. Beside him was Angela who had her fingers wrapped on his arm as she held eye contact with Miranda who could not stop herself from staring. The petite lady tossed her a smirk before having her seat beside Cole at the opposite end of the large table.

Miranda sulked in a breath as she finally shifted her gaze to the chief who was now standing before them for the day's briefing.

His dark eyes roamed the faces of his detective but stopped at Miranda who quickly readjusted in her seat, swallowing deeply as she tried to hold his menacing gaze. He finally looked away and Helena tossed her a concerned look, big green eyes staring in worry at her.

She smiled reassuringly at her friend, before looking back at Lieutenant Derek who still had a deep frown marred on his face as he cleared his throat. Miranda knew another case had been reported - and it sure must not be nice.

Nevertheless, the chief always had a scowl on his face regardless of a case or not. It had not always been that way for he was once a friendly man with a generous smile, he willingly gave to anyone who came his way.

However, this changed when he was appointed the leader of the team, and his beautiful smile soon began to diminish until it was gone finally.

Miranda could not tell what the cause of that was, perhaps, having to deal with various sorts of gruesome murders had sapped out any ounce of joy in him.

One would wonder why she had chosen such a line of profession - a question she had no answer to. While growing up, her father had kept saying she was perceptive and very inquisitive and had often joked by calling her a detective, along with her mother. Too bad they had died before she could become one.

Lieutenant Derek's deep baritone brought her out of her reverie when he spoke and she sat up, bracing herself for whatever he had to say.

"Another case was reported." He began and she sighed. As expected. 

"A man was found dead in his restaurant. Mr Alberto. Rings any bell?" His dark brows arched as he looked at them.

"Don't tell me it's Mr Alberto of Alba's restaurant?" Detective Kaden asked and the chief nodded.

Miranda's eyes widened at that as she could still recall the last time she had been to his restaurant with Helena to have dinner. He was such a sweet old man. A pity he was gone.

"So Detective Miranda and Detective Cole, I'll need you both to go to the crime scene and search for any clue." Lt Derek ordered before dismissing the crew and walking out of the room, leaving no room for any objection.

Miranda sat stunned, with her jaw dropped as she watched the retreating figure of the chief. From the corner of her eyes, she e could see Helena's smirk and she sighed heavily, looking straight ahead to ignore her weird friend only to meet Cole's gaze. He had a big smile on his face and she cringed at the sight, wondering what on earth he found amusing.

"Fool," she cursed under her breath. Could the day get any worse?