Where is she?

Janice pulled up outside Aliss's home and noticed both that the dog was walking around the front lawn with his leash still attached and also that the front door was open.

Mac exited the vehicle and ran up to the dog.

"Hey Goldie what are you doing out here?" Was the concerned boy's question. He picked up the errant leash and headed towards the house with his now excited puppy.

Janice was already inside the front hallway when Mac and Goldie walked in behind her.

"Aliss! Hey! Your puppy got out the front door! Aliss!" Janice assumed Aliss was just distracted and left the door open.

There was no answer to any of her calls. Mac also tried calling and he ran upstairs looking for his mother.

"Aliss! Where are you!" yelled a now slightly more anxious Janice.

Mac came crashing down the stairs and headed to the basement, all the while calling for his mother.

After a thorough look through the house and a quick look in the backyard, there was no sign of her. In the kitchen Janice noticed Aliss's purse was still there, her keys on the counter beside it.

Now there was something to be concerned about. Janice grabbed her phone out of her purse and dialed.

"Cindra Conners" was the answer to the ringing.

"Hello Cindra, its Janice. Something weird has happened. I had plans with Aliss today, and I picked up Mac on the way here. When we got here the dog was in the front yard and the door was wide open. Aliss isn't here."

"Have you checked the entire house including the basement?" Cindra sat up straight, full attention.

"Yes, and her purse, cell phone and keys are here. Nothing looks out of place its like she just vanished." Janice responded with genuine concern. Aliss was her best friend.

"Have you called Mark?" Cindra responded, in practiced control.

"No, not yet" Janice said while she started pacing.

"Have you called the police? Janice, the first call should have been to Mark and then the police." Cindra was now losing patience.

"I called you first." Janice realized her mistake and knew she disappointed Cindra, again.

"Hang up and call the police. I will call Mark. Keep Mac there with you, I'll come pick him up shortly." Cindra was all business. She couldn't allow any emotions to affect her now. Direction and purpose were foremost on her mind.

-----

"Mother, what do you want?" Mark asked somewhat irritated.

"Have you heard from Aliss today?" Cindra asked her son.

"No not yet, why what has happened." He recognized the hint of concern in his mother's voice. It was faint but it was there.

"Apparently, Janice and Aliss had plans today. Janice picked up Mac from school and when she got to your house the front door was open and the dog was on the front lawn. Your wife's purse, cell and keys were still there but Aliss was not."

"Has anyone contacted the police?" Mark said as his concern rose steadily.

"Janice is on the phone with them now. I am headed to your house to be with Mac. I'll send the jet to pick you up. You need to get to the airport" Cindra instructed.

"I'll get my things and get there immediately. Call me if she shows up." Mark got off the phone and headed straight to his hotel. A couple of hours later he was on the jet headed back to his home.

-----

"911 what is your emergency?" was the perfunctory answer to the ring.

"Hello, yes, I am at my friend's house and I think she is missing. Can you send the police here?" She said and then followed with the address.

"Ma'am when did you last talk to her?" The operator asked.

"About 2 hours ago, we had plans and I came to her place to meet up with her." Janice couldn't hold her worry from her voice.

"Do you know where she could have gone?" The operator responded.

"I am not sure. Her front door was open and her dog was in the yard. I found her purse, cell and car keys here inside the house. She just isn't here." Janice was getting more and more worked up as the clock ticked away.

"What is her name?" asked the operator.

"Aliss Conners." She replied

"Have you contacted her family to see if she is with them and just left her things at home?" Operator asked.

"Listen lady. I know her. She wouldn't let that puppy out of her sight. I picked up her son from school. She was expecting me. She is missing. Now please! Send someone down here to check this out!" Janice started yelling into the phone. How many damn questions was she going to answer before they sent an officer to the house?

"Ma'am I have already dispatched an officer. I just have a few more questions while he is en route. What is your name so I don't have to call you Ma'am anymore?" Turns out the operator was pretty good at her job. Keep them on the phone until the officer arrives. That's her mandate whenever an officer is dispatched.

"Janice. I'm sorry I'm just worried about Aliss" Janice offered. Just then three vehicles pulled up. A marked police car, Cindra and an unknown plain black sedan, where a tall middle-aged man in a suit exited the car.

"Oh, the cops are here!" Janice said as she hung up the phone.

The officer took her statement while Cindra and her accompanying gentleman stood back listening. The officer asked everyone to leave the house while he took a look around. Within a few more minutes 2 more police cars pulled in. Cindra put Mac inside her car with a woman that Janice assumed was some staff member of Cindra's.

"Janice, come over here. I wish to speak to you." Cindra said to the now panicking Janice.

"This is my associate, Gary Noble. He is a private investigator. Tell him everything you know, don't leave out any details." Cindra instructed.

Janice regaled him with every minute detail she could recall. He took intense notes and asked simple but precise questions. She told him about their plans and exactly where they were going for the day.

It was then that Cindra and Gary Noble left. Janice was approached by another officer who repeated the same questions that Janice had already answered. She was getting irritated at answering them yet again.

Soon after, she was asked to follow them down to the precinct for more questioning. She wasn't happy about it, but followed them anyway.

On the drive she tried calling both Mark and her husband Manuel, neither were answering their phones.

When she walked in the front doors of the police station she was immediately ushered into a larger room with a table and 3 chairs. Shortly thereafter, a petite female detective came in followed by a larger man.

"Good afternoon, I am Sargent Hayes and this is Detective Smythe. We just have a few questions for you." Hayes said as they both entered the room.