Right in Front of Me

I ran out of the house and headed for my car. As I was pulling out of the driveway, I started dialing the home number of my best friend. “Pick up! Pick up CeCe!” No answer so I hung up and dialed her cell phone number. No answer. Where was she at this time of the night? CeCe gets out of work around five o’clock. I tried again and still no answer. I decided to drive over to her house.

I made a right out of my street and started down South Main Street then made a left onto Everglades Street. As I rounded the corner, I saw that CeCe was indeed home. Her brand-new silver Lincoln was parked on the left side of the shaded driveway, under a Princess Palm tree. Why would CeCe park in the driveway instead of the garage?

I felt a wave of apprehension as I slowly drove towards the house. CeCe cared more about that car than anything or anyone in the world, sad to say since I was her friend. I dialed the number again and to no surprise, no answer. Why isn’t her voice mail on? CeCe always had that phone on her; it is literately attached to her ear.

I turned into the driveway and pulled in next to her Lincoln MKX. I gasped at the side of the front end. The front right fender was smashed in and the front bumper looked to be hanging on only in the corner where the tabs were holding it to the fender. The headlamp was broken and clear and yellow glass was scattered in the driveway. “Oh, my goodness” I said realizing that I was screaming it out loud. I grabbed my cell phone as I jumped out of my car, jamming the gearstick into the park position. I started to dial 9-1-1.

“Emergency Operator #1076, what’s your emergency?” the female dispatcher asked.

“I think something is wrong with my friend. Hurry up and send a patrol car over here.”

“Ma’am, where are you?” she asked.

“101 Everglades Street.” I snapped. “Don’t you have caller ID, GPS, or something?”

“Ma’am, you are calling from a cell phone so we can’t read an exact address, just the general area.” The dispatcher replied.

“Hurry up! I am afraid that something happened to my friend.”

“Ma’am, I have dispatched the police already. In the meantime, stay on the line with me. I need to know the name of your friend.”

“CeCe Moldman” I answered quickly. “CeCe has red hair, green eyes, weighs about 110 pounds, and likes to drink margaritas. What else do you need to know?”

“Ma’am. I understand you are under stress, but I am trying to help you.’ The dispatcher said calmly. Even though she was probably fighting back more colorful words. I must admit, I was being a little hostile towards her. She is just doing her job.

“I am sorry. My name is Stephanie Simmons.” I responded while taking a deep breath. “CeCe is my best friend and I am scared for her right now.” I realized that I began to feel tears running down my cheeks.

“Ma’am. Stephanie, you should be hearing the patrol car any minute now. It is around the corner. Ma’am! Stephanie! Are you still there?”

I threw the phone and ran to the end of the driveway to flag down the approaching patrol car. I was jumping up and down, flailing my arms like I was doing jumping jacks.

“Here! Right here!” I began screaming at the cars to slow down.

The cop opened his door and stepped out. He gently closed the door and started to walk over to me. As he walked toward me, his badge was glistening in the weakened sunlight and I had to squint a little from the reflections that were blinding me. I continued to look over towards the cop and realized he was getting taller as he approached me. Once we were a few feet apart, I was just eye level to the shiny silver badge and the nameplate that was pinned to his uniform shirt that just barely buttoned over his broad chest. I had to arch my head back to look up at him. His thin mustache and short dark hair had a touch of grey and I guessed he was in his late forties. I stepped back a few feet so I can see his face.

“Good evening, ma’am. I am Officer Taz. Are you the one who called in the emergency?” he said in a very calm voice. He said it in such a pre-recorded manner indicating that he must use the same opening line with every person he contacted.

“My name is Stephanie Simmons and this is my friend CeCe’s house. I have been trying to reach her and she wouldn’t answer the phone.” I managed to say through my tears. I wiped my cheeks with the corner of my shirt cuff.

The cop reached into his breast pocket and took out a small memo pad and pen. “Are you sure she is home, Mrs. Simmons?”

“This is her car. The looks to have been in an accident,” I point to the car. “I spoke with her last night and don’t recall her mentioning anything about having a fender bender. This damage must be recent.”

“What time did you speak with her last night?” The officer asked, his eyes not moving from his notepad. He was writing away.

“About eight o’clock. I…I can’t get her on the phone. I need to talk to her. Where is she?” and I continued to mumble on and on.

“Ma’am. Mrs. Simmons, hold up a minute.”

“Miss Simmons” I corrected him.

“Okay. Miss Simmons. When did you discover the car?” he asked.

I wiped my eyes again and sniffled a little. “I just arrived less than ten minutes ago. I pulled into the driveway, saw the damaged car and called 9-1-1.”

“Why were you coming to her house?” He continued with the questions.

“What does that have to do with anything?” I replied extremely annoyed at his interrogation on me.

“I need to determine all events leading up to the discovery of the vehicle, the call to 9-1-1, and my arrival. Please excuse me if you think I am being intrusive, but this is our normal procedure when a report is being filed.” Officer Taz said as he finally looked up from the notepad towards me. Although he had a stern expression, I could see his gentle blue eyes looking into mine and I quickly looked away.

“Sorry about being disrespectful, sir, but you can understand my state, can’t you?”

He did not respond to my rhetorical question.

“What was the reason for your visit?” Gosh! He was relentless.

“I came to talk to CeCe because she wasn’t answering the phone. She is my best friend and I have a personal situation to discuss with her. Girl talk, you know.”

Officer Taz jotted something down on his notepad and slid in back into his breast pocket. He started to walk towards the front door. As he was walking, I heard him talking into his radio clipped to his shoulder strap. He was asking for backup.

“Officer Taz, sir!” I started to call out while trying to catch up to him.

“Ma’am, stay back by your vehicle.” He ordered and investigated the direction of my car and pointed his left pointer finger. I am not a child. I do not need to be dismissed with a finger point.

“I am going to do a quick search of the property and for your safety, you will need to stay back by your vehicle.” He continued with his finger still pointing in the direction of my car.

I went back to my car to wait, impatiently. What was I going to do? I reached into my open window and grabbed my cigarettes. I lit one up and inhaled deeply.

After about five or ten minutes, another patrol car pulled up. This car didn’t use lights or sirens to make its presence known. This time two officers exited the car and headed toward the front door where Officer Taz was standing. I watched as the men walked around the front stoop and investigated the windows with their hands cupped beside their eyes to deflect the outside light. The third officer walked around the front lawn. I didn’t know what they were looking for outside. CeCe was obviously not on the lawn. I rolled my eyes and lit another cigarette so I would keep my mouth shut.

“Sir. I have a tire tread mark on the lawn. Looks to be a compact or mid-size vehicle based on the width.” He continued. “The palm tree, second from the right from the victims’ car has severe damage to the trunk. It looks to be the same height as the vehicle in the driveway.”

Officer Taz carefully walked over to the third officer with the second one right behind him. He bent down to see the damage on the tree trunk. He reached for his black leather gloves from his back pocket and his flashlight hanging from his utility belt.

“Hey, sir!” The second officer called out from the front west corner of the property. “You better call the M.E. and the Detectives. We have more than a missing-persons case here. Tell them to hurry up.”

That is when I fainted.