Whoooooo! A collective cheer of shock, surprise, and ecstatic joy resounded throughout the bleak, storm-cloud gray halls of the Homicide branch of the Los Angeles Police Department. The source of the noise was from an overjoyed group of 9-1-1 operators, detectives, and other officers in the Homicide branch.
“I can’t believe he proposed,” said the incredulous operator Angela Beasley, which only brought another round of giggles and shrieks throughout the group.
“So… how’d he do it,” asked another anxious officer, a sentiment echoed by the rest of the officers. They all turned to stare at the newly engaged Detective Khanh Lacroix. Lacroix, pleasantly smiled with a look of knowing, as if she had been asked the question many times since the dramatic surprise proposal.
Detective Lacroix started to recount the tale of her proposal, enjoying the amount of attention she was receiving, “Elijah had been acting strangely recently; jumpy and paranoid. I had half a mind to think he was cheating on me,” Lacroix smirked when she said that considering how the night ended.
“He told me to meet him at the front of Echo Park and there he was on a beautiful white stallion. It reminded me of his family’s ranch horses out in New Orleans,” Lacroix said with hints of nostalgia and a smile.
“Then we went on a horse ride and stopped on the top of the hills. The view was beautiful, and he was so damn sweet. I told him he didn’t have to do all of this for a little date, but he was determined.
“He said it was the least he could do,” giggled Lacroix. “It was so cute and endearing.”
“When we dismounted, he gave me the whole speech, ‘I am a simple man from New Orleans, I rode horses, and I never lost my Creole drawl. But you have made me a man of culture and love. Hell, I have tried Vietnamese Bahn Mi and Ethiopian Injera all because of you. You have made me into the man I am today, and I want to make an honest woman out of ya. So would you please make me the happiest man this side of the Mississippi and marry me?’”
“Obviously, I embarrassed myself and squealed out of pure excitement. Without hesitation, I said yes and he spouted off his excitement in Creole.”
“‘Wi! Mwen renmen ou.’ That’s what he said. It means I love you in creole. By god, I love how that man switches to creole every time he gets excited,” Lacroix laughed to herself. Her smile stretched from ear to ear and it was clear that she was on cloud nine.
“Afterwards we took the horse to his restaurant, Bon Plat. It was so romantic. He had set up a candlelit dinner of traditional Kribich Nan Sos and Pikliz. The shrimp was mouth-watering and he was so cute about the whole dinner. Then we headed home. It was the best night ever.” As she recounted the story, she mimicked Elijah’s accent to a tee.
“He always has that nervous energy about him and his accent is so cute. He’s probably the only man who knows any Creole in LA. Also, you have to get me a reservation at his restaurant. I don’t know how I still haven’t been, ” responded the steely-eyed Detective Reyes. She was a wonderful detective but her emotions betrayed her face; Reyes just wanted to be her best friend’s maid of honor.
Unexpectedly, Detective Lacroix got down on one knee and turned to Reyes, “Would you please do me the honor of being my maid of honor?”
“Wi! Mwen renmen ou,” Reyes mimicked in a more than awful creole imitation.
“I am so glad that you finally asked. I have been dying since I saw the size of that ring,” smirked Reyes.
“I know. I just wanted to let you sweat a little bit,” Lacroix responded as she chuckled.
“Well, I love proposals as much as the next captain, but I believe that we should get back to work Detectives. But in honor of your news, I suggest we play some music for the precinct. No more than twenty minutes though, and I am turning it off the second we get a call,” Captain Daniels cut in with his strict but fair love.
“Thank you, Captain. I’m sorry we can get back to work,” Detective Lacroix responded with distinct respect. As all the officers headed back to their desks, precinct-wide music began to play. Both Reyes and Lacroix began to hum along to the Creedence Clearwater Revival. The deskmates turned to each other and sang the chorus in perfect harmony, “I see a bad moon arising… “
Suddenly, a call came in. The captain immediately cut the music and gave a glance towards the operator, expecting her to pick up the call. However, Angela was hesitant. She could feel that the call would bring nothing but trouble on its way. Nevertheless, she picked up the ringing phone if not to end its droning cry. Something about the call bothered Beasley, and she felt as though she shouldn’t be alone taking the call. Beasley gestured over to Detectives Lacroix and Reyes and put the call on speakerphone. The detectives looked at each other in confusion but still decided to walk over.
“Hello, is this the police?” came a quiet whimper whisper from the phone.
“Hello, this is the Los Angeles Police Department, can you please state the nature of you’re emergency,” replied operator Beasley with a steady voice, carefully alleviating the receiver’s tension all while reading off of the 9-1-1 operator script.
“Please, help me, I don’t know where I am— there is a man here. He drugged me and my friend’s drinks. I am scared and I don’t know what’s happening,” came the same whimpering whisper from the phone. The voice was both nervous and wary. As if she was dreading the chance of her captor arriving again.
“Look around is there anything that can help you identify where you are? We can trace the call and send officers over to your location immediately. Please stay on the line,” Beasley said in the same measured tone.
“I don’t see anything but there is something here. It feels wet and this whole place smells like seafood and pennies… oh my god that’s blood! Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Kira!” the woman’s voice was strengthened by her terror and her sadness. The phone call was finally traced but the location was vague, indicating it came from somewhere in downtown Los Angeles.
“Please stay on the line ma’am officers are being dispatched to your location presently. All officers please respond for a code 136 near downtown,” Beasley continued. Despite her request for them to stay, Detectives Ruiz and Lacroix immediately left the department in their squad car in order to get to the scene before the situation got any worse.
“Please, calm down ma’am, I have sent officers to your location. Can you tell me how you got there or any distinct features of who captured you,” asked operator Beasley. She was suddenly cut short by the loud slam of the door on the other side of the phone.
“He’s here — please — help me!” screamed the voice in utter desperation.
The voice went silent as the sound of clicking Southern bootheels became louder and closer to the phone.
A new voice sounded and it had a heavy, almost distracting Southern drawl, “I thought you were dead. I’m impressed but I’m glad. Mwen renmen — oh I’m sorry I’ll speak English. It’s the least I could do…”
