Inspector Rames

Epilogue

25 November 2186

"Have you seen our shoes, have you seen our shoes?" Nina skipped into my bedroom, holding up her white high heels. Bridesmaid was printed on each sole.

I turned my head towards her and almost burned my face on the hair curlers. "Yes. Gem couldn't resist showing them to me while you were in the bathroom."

"Gem!"

Gem laughed behind me, and the mattress dipped as the hair curlers moved from my line of sight.

Cassia entered behind Nina, her hair still tied back and a glass of water in her hand. "Have you seen your shoes, Ambie?"

"Well...yes. I bought them."

She and Nina exchanged a look of conspiracy, and Nina went to my wardrobe. "I nicked them when you weren't looking on Saturday to make some alterations."

"Oh, God."

"No, don't say that!" Nina pulled the heels out with a flourish. "Ta-da!"

They also had writing on the soles, scribbled in marker pen. I couldn't make out what any of it said because there was so much.

Nina laid them down on in front of me. "We've all signed them: us three, Erin, Sebastian, Dixon, your parents, your in-laws..." She tapped one of the messages. "And Alex!"

I picked the shoe up. My sergeant hadn't been given much room to write, but he'd still managed to squeeze in the three little words.

I love you. A xxx

My heart skittered, and a shiver fluttered down my spine. I was getting married to him -- today.

I scanned the other messages wishing me well, and tears sprung to my eyes. Gem leaned over my shoulder with a cheeky smile, her new blonde curls brushing my face. "You can't cry. It took me ages to do your make-up."

I cleared my throat and tried to force the tears back. "Thank you so much for this. I can't believe it."

Nina grinned. "You're welcome, but I'm not finished yet. We need to go through the wedding rhyme."

I looked at her blankly.

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue!" She picked up her handbag. "The wedding dress is something new, obviously. For something blue, I bought you a blue garter." She threw it at me. "And we can do old and borrowed in one because I brought one of my old bracelets. It should be in here somewhere..."

"Whose wedding even is this?"

"She hasn't thought of everything," Cassia said. "You need a silver sixpence in your shoe."

Nina stilled. "Shit. I forgot that part existed."

"I didn't." My sister pulled a sixpence out of her jeans pocket as if by magic.

"No fucking way am I putting that lump in my shoe," I said.

"I'll put it there, then. You won't feel it."

"I will."

"You won't! And you're going to wear it."

"Never mind that." Gem climbed off the bed with the hair curlers. "When are you going to tell her about the cake?"

"Oh, fuck!" Panic crashed over me. "The cake -- I never sorted the cake!"

Cassia smiled. "We know. So we baked one."

"Well," Nina said, "Cassia cracked the whip, and Gem and I scurried around the kitchen like good assistants."

"You baked me a cake?" I stared at Cassia.