Detective Inspector Amber Rames investigates a series of murder cases in 2185 with the help of her new sergeant. Her attraction to him is hard to ignore, but having a relationship with a subordinate is illegal.
...
A rainy day was a terrible day for a wedding, but a rainy day was what they had.
Jade Beaumont shook her folding umbrella for the second time as she stepped out of the lift, trying to get rid of the remaining droplets. It had the effect of a wet dog shaking its fur -- most of the water seemed to land on her.
She did it for a third time anyway as she stopped by the bride's front door. Her gaze remained fixed on the umbrella as her fingers found the bell, watching raindrops fasten onto her tights. She thought that if her umbrella didn't appear to be wet, her friend wouldn't feel so upset that the best day of her life didn't have the best weather.
A round camera appeared in the mirrored glass of the door.
"May I come in?"
"Let me ask Iberia," the doorbell said.
Jade checked her make-up in the mirror while she waited. Thankfully, the work she'd done this morning hadn't been damaged by the rain. But her long, golden hair was already starting to frizz. Damn. She wanted to look perfect when she saw him in church...
She sighed and straightened up. It was only now she'd finished preening that she realised Iberia hadn't answered the doorbell's request.
She rang it again. "May I come in?"
"Let me ask Iberia," the doorbell repeated.
A minute ticked past. It didn't open.
She frowned. Iberia had to be inside, otherwise the doorbell would have said that she was out. And if she hadn't wanted Jade to come in, the doorbell would have told her to leave.
She got her tabphone out. Perhaps the bride was still asleep. She always kept her tabphone on her bedside table -- the sound of that ringing would surely wake her up.
Iberia didn't answer her call.
Jade pressed the doorbell again. Was Iberia ignoring her because she had cold feet?
No. If she had doubts about marrying Ethan, she'd be letting Jade in so that she had someone to rant at. A notorious queen bitch at school, Iberia tackled every problem with voice and venom.
Shaking her umbrella for the fourth time -- it seemed to have become a habit for the morning -- Jade stepped back and glared at the door. "May I come in, Iberia?"
"Iberia is unresponsive," the doorbell finally admitted.
"Is she asleep?"
The doorbell said nothing.
She called the bride again, staring apprehensively at the tabphone screen.
When it rang out, she dialled 999.
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