When she arrived back to the precinct, she took her medal of valor, walked inside, and opening the glass case that held officers' badges that had fallen in the line of duty; she reverently placed the medal beside them. The other officers watched her, and they clapped after she closed the case. She smiled at them and then after seeing that Joe had followed her in, the two of them headed back out to the crime scene.
Miranda stayed busy for the rest of the day, and after she went home, she cooked her dinner, then called Cole.
"Hey love," he said. "It was nice seeing you today."
"I am happy I got to see you also," she replied.
"So, I was thinking," he said.
"And?"
"Well, I know that you are due a vacation after all of that, and I was hoping that maybe you and I could go somewhere."
She smiled. "I would like that very much."
"Good. I want it to be a surprise though. When do you think you can take time off?"
"I'll talk to my boss tomorrow, and we can go from there, okay?"
"Okay. I am sure Stratton will let me take some time off also. Call me tomorrow and let me know, okay?"
"I will," she promised.
"I love you," he said.
"Love you. Sleep well."
"Same to you love," he said, then hung up.
Miranda went to bed with a huge grin on her face. She would love to spend a few weeks with Cole, it would be really nice.
She walked into the office that next morning, a grin on her face, wanting to talk to her chief about her plans, but then she saw him headed her way. He was frowning.
"Captain, I need to speak with you immediately," he told her and headed back to his office.
Wondering what was going on, she followed him.
"Close the door," he told her, "and sit down."
"Yes sir," she said, worried about the serious tone of his voice.
After she sat down he looked across at her.
"Miranda, the trial for Tyrone was going to be this weekend."
"It was?"
"Yes, it was. I was informed last night, but it has been canceled."
"Why?"
"Tyrone escaped prison a few hours ago."
"What?" she yelled, "Chief, what happened?"
"He paid off a guard to sneak out in the laundry truck. He told the guard that he would live if he let him escape."
"Great, now what? You know he is headed this way," she said.
"I don't know. He doesn't know where you live."
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Not positive, that is why I am sending you back to California."
"Wait, you have me confused. You just said I wasn't going."
"Not to testify. You are going to go there so if he comes here, you will be safe."
"You talked to the other chief about this?"
"I did."
"So, I go there and then what?"
"You will be under protection by the FBI and the cops there."
So much for her plans with Cole. She would get to see him, but not for a vacation.
"Am I going alone?"
"No, I need to talk Joe into going," he told her.
"I'll go get him," she said and standing she headed out the door.
She yelled, "Joe, Chief wants to see you!"
"Be right there," he hollered back.
In moments he was before her. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Come in, we'll tell you," she said. She closed the door behind him and the Chief let him know what was going on.
"Crap, that is serious. Of course, I will go. When do we leave?"
"Now. Go home and pack, and be back here within the hour. This is serious Miranda, I will have officers meet you at the airport, and make sure you wear your gun at all times," he told her.
"Yes sir, I will."
"Good, because if you are hurt, even a little, someone is going to pay," he frowned.
"Thanks for the concern Chief."
"You are the best Miranda, I don't want you shipped home in a body bag."
"Alive I shall be," she promised.
"I plan on it, Chief Stratton will be there to meet you also," he told her then handed her two airplane tickets.
"Your flight leaves at three, so be back here in an hour, I will debrief you, then you will head there, and leave your car here Miranda, it will be safer."
"Yes sir," she said.
"I will follow you home," Joe told her.
"No Joe, you need to go pack I will be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"I am positive, so go pack, I'll meet you back here."
He nodded and they parted ways.
When she pulled into her garage, she sighed, what would she do when she got to California? She hoped they wouldn't put her in protective custody, that would drive her nuts.
She went to unlock her garage door, but it was already unlocked. "Strange, I thought I locked that this morning," she mused, but that hadn't been the first time she had left it unlocked. She pulled out her gun and cautiously opened the door. She walked into her place then, flicking on a light in the living room. Her living room was a mess. Someone had been in there. She cautiously walked through, shaking her head at the mess. She pulled out her phone to call Joe.
"Joe someone's been in my apartment," but she never got to finish her sentence, because a sharp pain went through her head, and all went black.