Discovery
.
After her sobs had subsded, Christen is broken from her reverie by Becky standing up from the sofa and padding over to the kitchen. She silently watches as the tall blond moves to open the cabinet holding the glasses and removes two. Christen looks towards to the balcony, seeing the darkness indicating how much time has passed.
“Here,” Becky offers her a glass of water as she sits down again, “are you sure I can’t call anyone for you?”
Christen robotically takes the glass and a long drink, “No,” she shakes her head, “I told Cindy and my Dad and sisters I would text them if there’s anymore news,” she says, her voice sounding strange to her. Strained, raw from crying and all of the tears she’s shed the past few hours. Her eyes water again as she thinks of the first indication of how her
entire life has changed just a few hours ago.
She remembers when she looked down at her ringing phone, tilting her head at the caller ID, her brows knit with confusion seeing who the caller was. That would be her first inkling something was wrong.
“Christen?” A strong female German voice asked, “It’s Nadine.”
“Hey, Nadine,” she replied, “what’s up?”
“Is Tobin there? We have a meeting…” her voice trailed off when she the sharp intake of breath from Christen.
“She should be there,” Christen had answered rapidly, a bolt of fear rushing through her, “She left like, twenty minutes ago. She’s not there?”
“No,” Nadine replied, “I tried to call and text, didn’t get a reply,” she explained, “maybe she got a flat tire,” she suggested.
Christen’s mind is whirring with possibilities, none of them good.
“I’ll check with security,” Nadine offered hurriedly, “see if they saw her come in the lot and let you know what they say.”
“Okay,” Christen had replied, her mind already running with disastrous scenarios of Tobin being in peril. As she had stared at her phone, she had chastised herself, telling herself to think positive. Tobin was changing a tire and wasn’t answering her phone. Tobin ran out of gas and her phone was dead. Tobin was at Providence Park and got stalled from entering the meeting.
It turned out that all of Christen’s sending positive scenarios out into the universe didn’t sway the next series of events into anything close to those simple ideas of where Tobin was and what she doing.
The phone call from the Thorns head of security who stated Tobin had been seen entering the parking lot and then exiting the same parking lot in her vehicle only a few minutes after.
Christen’s own unanswered phone calls and text messages sent to her fiancée.
Answering the questions from Tobin’s teammates who contacted her after the meeting was dismissed.
Meghan Klingenberg coming over immediately as did new Thorn Becky Sauerbrunn after Meghan had told her Tobin was missing.
She was grateful for them being there when two police officers arrived at the door, stating the worst possible news she could imagine.
“A vehicle registered to Tobin Heath was involved in an accident.” Christen felt her legs grow weak and Becky’s grip on her waist tighten.
“A body was recovered from the wreckage,” the female officer stated, looking absolutely wrecked as she relayed the information, “there was a fire. I’m terribly sorry to say, but identification needs to be through DNA or dental records.”
That’s when the dizziness took over and little black dots appeared before her eyes, swirling and swirling, faster and faster before blackness overtook her.
Christen had awoke on the couch, the officers were gone, making her think she had just drifted off and had a terrible dream. As soon as she saw Becky, her lip quivered as she realized what she thought was a nightmare was actually her reality.
Becky timidly informed her that she able to provide them with the name of Tobin’s dentist since they share the same doctor. Christen hasn’t ever remembered crying as much as she had, her crying far surpassed anything she had experienced, even her own Mother passing away.
She was sobbing and shaking, stuttering as she confessed to Becky how she and Tobin had a somewhat tense exchange before Tobin left the condo. Becky held her tightly as she sobbed, not speaking, because what could be said to comfort Christen in the moment.
Things moved quickly after that.
The dreaded phone call to Tobin’s Mom and Dad and the calls to her siblings.
Calling her Father and tearfully telling him the news. Calling her own sisters.
Kling had called Mark Parsons to share the awful news. The team had been notified and asked for prayers and media silence until a positive identification had been made.
Tobin’s teammates began arriving to Tobin’s condo, offering wild eyed condolences, Christen feeling she was a weeping widow even before being able to marry Tobin.
It was when the place was packed with grief filled soccer players when the call came.
The Thorns security team had only spoken with the parking lot attendant previously. John, the head of security, decided to check the cameras to see if there were any clues as to why Tobin would leave so hurriedly.
Turns out when they viewed the parking lot cameras, they had shown Tobin had exited her car and while walking across the lot, she had been approached by a female. The two returned to Tobin’s vehicle with Tobin, oddly enough, in the passenger seat. Then they left the property with the unknown female driving Tobin’s vehicle.
The police had been notified and were deployed to search the area of the crash for Tobin. Her wrecked vehicle would be searched again for clues.
The waiting was agonizing.
New scenarios had entered Christen’s mind.
Tobin lying in the woods injured and in pain after somehow being able to escape the crashed vehicle.
Tobin’s remains being found in the trunk of the Audi.
Tobin not being found.
Who was this woman who had intercepted Tobin and what occurred that compelled Tobin to leave with her? And let the woman drive her car?
Christen’s head was pounding, she felt physically ill.
A new report came from the Police and Christen’s mind was spinning in all directions.
Tobin’s wallet had been found in the melted center console.
A pistol had been found in the vehicle.
Did Tobin own a gun?
Tobin didn’t own a gun.
Did this mystery woman have the gun and force Tobin to leave with her?
Where was Tobin?
That is her only thought as she sits on the couch.
Where is Tobin?
XXXX