PLANTATION, Fla. -- Plantation police are searching for a civil attorney who was reported missing after she failed to show up for work Thursday.

At about 12:30 p.m., police responded to the home of Melissa Britt Lewis, located at 7420 Plantation Rd., after co-workers said she didn't show up at the firm where she works in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

When police arrived, Lewis and her 2007 black Cadillac SRX were missing, but Plantation police Detective Phil Toman said there were "definite signs of some type of foul play" in her garage.

About three hours later, Lewis' vehicle was located in a parking lot at a medical center at 7500 NW Fifth St., but Lewis, 39, was nowhere to be found.

"Melissa was not there," Toman said. "There was no reason for the vehicle to be there."

Lewis' best friend, Debra Villegas, said she works with Lewis and talks to her "every single day, all day." She said Lewis, who lives alone, "doesn't have any adversity with anybody."

"Obviously, we're very concerned and we want her to come home," Villegas said.

Lewis was last seen Wednesday night at a Publix located at 6921 W. Broward Blvd. She was wearing a brown pantsuit with a burgundy pinstripe, a burgundy and tan knit shirt, and brown pumps.

"We are handling this as a missing person, but there are circumstances that are obviously raising some suspicion," Toman said.

Lewis' mother and sister live in West Palm Beach.

Anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.