An Unexpected Request

Chapter 37

The woman's bleary eyes stared at the ceiling, struggling to stay open. Miranda Priestly was terribly tired. However, as tempting as the soft mattress and her partner's body next to her were, there were still steps to be taken.

Miranda sighed in resignation, gathering her strength.

She sniffed Andrea's silky hair and placed a soft kiss on it. Then, with practiced care, she moved the young woman's arm from around her waist, and slid her body out of bed. Andrea needed to sleep properly. Miranda knew that her young partner was still shaken, and that worried her greatly.

The editor stretched the sore muscles in her back and neck, and walked with painstakingly silent steps to the bathroom. At the end of her morning routine, she headed for the kitchen. The house was silent. Normal, for six-twenty on a Sunday morning.

Miranda gave a long yawn.

Before she took action, though, she needed to stay wide awake. In the kitchen, the editor did something she had rarely done in a while: She made her own coffee.

When she did not have Carena's services, it was usually Andrea who took care of the fragrant dark drink, and the result was always commendable. One thing was to bring coffee according to her requirements, another thing, was to make it. Andrea was an expert at both.

The thought drew a mocking smile from Miranda.

A while later, the coffee pot did its thing and the woman picked up the cup and raised it to her lips. Strong, plain and scalding hot coffee. Everything Miranda needed on a day like that. She gave an appreciative sigh, before taking another long drink.

Once the editor had emptied the cup, she repeated the brewing process. Finished, Miranda picked up her new cup of coffee and sat on one of the stools, at the kitchen counter. She took a more moderate sip, and took her cell phone out of her bathrobe pocket.

Miranda pressed the device's memory and smirked, hearing the surly voice coming from the other end.

"Detective, we need to talk."

As much as the man wanted to curse her for interrupting his sleep, he readily agreed. Miranda Priestly might be a bitch, but she paid incredibly well.

The editor was objective and reported the news about Lillian. As soon as Sophie left her friend's apartment, she called Miranda and told her what had happened. Yet, the older woman still had her reservations.

"Good to know. But I was going to tell you to discard the girl. I got some interesting information last night. I was waiting for a viable time to call you," the man's voice was more awake.

Miranda listened to him intently. In the end, unfortunately, she found herself surprised, and in a negative way.

"We are talking about a person very close to us, Detective...I want you to investigate this thoroughly, so that injustices do not occur..." Her tone was firm. "I want your report as soon as possible. That's all," she hung up.

After a heavy sigh, Miranda ran a hand over her face in a desolate gesture. Although she expected the worst in people, such a revelation actually left her bewildered. For now, she would not tell anyone, including Andrea. She would not hurt her family over something still under investigation.

Miranda gave a new sigh and squared her shoulders. She picked up her cell phone again, and after the device's memory called for the number, she was answered by Leslie Walton, her PR.

Despite being also woken up by Miranda, unlike the detective, Leslie answered her cordially and alertly. After all, for the most part, her job was to deal with problems, and they could happen at any time, and always with little time for mediation.