by Josh Karnes
Chapter 15
Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico
Melissa initially rejected James’s effort to control the plan to find Joey, and she was appalled at his apparent lack of emotion. This was his youngest son, after all. How was it that he was not beside himself, driven to run into the streets and turn over every rock, invade every bar and alleyway, take ahold of those tour guides that lost him by the throat and demand that they produce Joey? But then she gradually realized that James’s calm and steady hand was exactly what this needed. His methodical setting of priorities and dividing up the tasks helped focus their attention on what they could do and what they should be doing.
Melissa was becoming an emotional wreck. Maybe James was right about this plan. This island. This vacation. She had spent the past two years hardening herself against James, slowly becoming distant and allowing herself to see him as someone other than the man she loved. But in just the past twenty-four hours, she had begun to recognize that she was being unreasonable. She hadn't ever given James any space or chance to do right. And really, what had he done that was so wrong? Now that they were searching for Joseph, she was at the edge of losing it, and just like the ‘old’ James, she had to admit, her husband was helping her keep it together.
Still, she truly thought that James was wasting his time looking again at the marina, where they had already been. She was certain that something terrible had happened to Joseph, and the police would be invaluable to help her find him if he had become mixed up with criminals. Even though she appreciated James’s calming personality, she was afraid he might talk the police out of taking Joey’s disappearance seriously.
The police department in Isabel Segunda was adjacent to City Hall in an aging yellow and white building with three flags flying from the rail of a second floor balcony, just a short taxi ride from the Ensenada del Mar. To Melissa, the appearance of the place made it feel like she was in a third-world country rather than a territory of the United States of America. The pair walked in shortly before seven thirty to find the waiting area populated with a small crowd of various tourists. Melissa had the sense that most of them were there to report minor property crimes. Cameras stolen, pickpockets, assault in the form of bar fights. Nothing important.
“Buenas noches, señora, ¿En qué le puedo ayudar?” the desk officer asked as Melissa approached the desk with Eli following. The officer’s uniform had a military-like appearance that added to Melissa’s sense of being in a third-world country. She shook off the feeling. This was America, she was certain.
“Hello, officer. Do you speak English?”
“I get someone. Momento,” he said and left the desk. A minute later an older man arrived at the desk, wearing a short-sleeved button-down shirt, slacks and a tie along with a nametag that said ‘Ramos’.
“Yes ma’am. I am Lieutenant Ramos. What may I help you with this evening?”
“Lieutenant. My son is missing.”
“Missing? Are you certain?” Lieutenant Ramos asked, briefly glancing at Eli.
“Yes,” Melissa said. “Positive. He went with his brothers on a diving trip near Culebra and did not get off of the boat when they returned.”
“I see,” Ramos glanced at Eli again, “and your companion?”
Melissa replied with a mix of urgency and annoyance, “This is my other son, Eli. He was with his brother on the diving trip. Lieutenant, my son has been missing since this afternoon. We need to be looking for him now.”
“Yes, of course. I understand. Will you please follow me? We can speak in my office.” Lieutenant Ramos gestured towards a hallway beside the counter and then followed Melissa and Eli, directing them to his office. He closed the door as Eli and Melissa took the two chairs in front of the grubby chrome and faux wood desk. Ramos sat in a threadbare upholstered chair behind the desk. “Please, ma’am. May I ask your name?”
“I am Melissa Grady, and this is my son Eli.” Ramos began writing in a large bound notepad after settling his reading glasses near the end of his nose.
“And your son, the one who is missing?”
“His name is Joseph. Joseph Grady.”
“And what is his age?”
“Seventeen,” Melissa replied.
Ramos continued taking notes and looked up. “Yes. Joseph Grady, Seventeen. Now please tell me what happened, from the beginning.”
“My husband and I, and my three sons, arrived here yesterday for vacation. The boys went this morning on a diving trip to a place called…”
Eli spoke, “El Pliegue.”
“Yes, El Pliegue,” Ramos repeated, making eye contact with Eli over his glasses. “Past Culebra.”
“That’s right,” Eli confirmed, leaning forward and resting his forearms on Ramos’ desk.
“So you went on a diving trip, yes?” Ramos addressed to Eli.
“Yeah. Mark, that’s our other brother, found out about it on the internet.”
“I see. And what is Mark’s age?”
“Mark is nineteen,” Melissa replied.
“Do you have a picture? Also, if you have his passport or any identification, that would help.” Melissa produced Joseph’s passport, and found some pictures on her phone. “Can you email those pictures to this address please?” Ramos suggested as he handed her a business card with an email address on it.
“Yes, I will.”
“Thank you. Please continue,” Ramos prompted.
Melissa picked up the narrative, “Eli, Mark and our son Joseph went on a diving tour to this ‘crease’ that left this morning from the marina on two different boats. They did the diving and then when the time was up, they all returned to the boats. Mark and Eli were on one boat and Joseph was on the other.”
“Excuse me, ma’am,” Ramos interrupted, and then spoke to Eli, “Señor, did you see your brother Joseph get on the other boat?”
“No. He was with us when we were swimming back towards the boats to board, and then once Mark and I boarded, we noticed Joseph wasn’t with us. We assumed he got on the other boat.”
Ramos made more notes, and then said, “So, it is possible that Joseph did not get on either of the boats, then. Is that right?”
“We didn’t leave him there! He must have gotten on the other boat. The only thing I can think is that he thought we were on the other boat. We just got separated, that’s all,” Eli replied defensively.
“Of course, señor. I am only asking if it is possible that he did not get on the other boat. I understand it may not be true.”
“Well, then, anything is possible. I guess that’s possible.”
“Yes. Thank you. Ma’am, your husband. What is his name?”
Melissa shifted in her chair impatiently. “James. James Grady.”
“And where is Mister Grady and your other son… Mark?”
“They are at the Marina double-checking to be sure Joseph is not there, but we already looked.”
“Good. Mrs. Grady, please tell me, what is your husband’s position? At work?”
“He is an engineer. He works for a computer company in Houston. What does that have to do with—”
Ramos interrupted, “You arrived yesterday. Did you come on the ferry from Fajardo?”
“No. We came on a little plane. I’m sorry, but how does—” Melissa protested.
“It is nothing,” Ramos said as he continued his extensive note taking. “Ma’am, I have to tell you this. It is most likely that your son Joseph has taken up with a chica. A young lady. Or perhaps he has found his way into one of the bars or restaurants near the marina. It is very common for Norte Americano boys to become attracted to our bars and our young women, and to take the chance to get away from the eyes of their parents. But no matter. Just as your husband and your other son, we will begin our search in the bars and restaurants near the marina. This is probably where he will be found.”
Melissa couldn’t believe it. She could feel her anger rising up. Fortunately Eli stepped in and offered some diplomacy. “That’s n
ot Joseph. He has never done anything like that. He’s a good kid, never gets into trouble. He’s lost somewhere, but he hasn’t left on purpose.”
“Yes, my friend, I hear this many times. But it is always the same. Your brother should be found by our officers near the marina. We will send officers to search for him there tonight. It will be better if we can return him home before it gets too late,” Ramos said with an air of resignation, as if this was routine good news tainted by the revelation that this mother’s son was not as squeaky clean as she believed. “Ma’am, may I ask where you are staying? So we can contact you when we find your son?”
“No, I am going with you!” Melissa insisted.
“No, ma’am, I am afraid that is not possible. Our officers are professionals and they know where to look. And they will be permitted into places that you cannot go. We will find your son and bring him back to you at your hotel.”
Melissa didn’t like it, but it made sense. She felt impotent. She had always protected her children, above all things, and she was repulsed by her own inadequacy to protect Joseph now.
“I understand,” Melissa said. “We are staying at the Ensenada del Mar, rooms 203 and 204”
Ramos raised an eyebrow and looked up from his notes. “The Ensenada del Mar? That is quite a nice hotel. Is it not very expensive?”
“I don’t know. James booked it,” Melissa said truthfully.
“I see,” Ramos replied suspiciously. “You arrived by airplane yesterday to go to the Ensenada del Mar, correct? Are you sure your husband is merely an engineer?”
“Of course I’m sure,” Melissa said, somewhat offended. “What are you suggesting?”
“Is there something else you should tell me? Is your husband, what is the word? A ‘very important person’? Or are you? Ma’am, are you especially wealthy?”
Melissa began to be offended. “Lieutenant Ramos, I am not sure I understand what you are implying.”
“It is nothing. I will also call the FBI office in San Juan. They assist with missing persons investigations in Puerto Rico.”
Melissa was confused and didn’t understand what Ramos was getting at. Was he trying to extort her? Was he going to work harder to find Joseph if he thought they were VIPs?
“Lieutenant, I will do whatever it takes to find Joseph. You understand? Whatever it takes.” Melissa hoped this got the message across. There had to be some benefit to James’s money. If it would help find Joseph, she’d spend every penny.
“I understand, of course, ma’am. I hope you do not have the wrong idea. We will do everything possible to find your son. I am confident we can return him to you this evening. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to speak with the other officers so they can begin searching the marina. Please write down your phone numbers here and we will contact you as soon as we know more.” Ramos handed Melissa a clipboard with a paper on it for her contact information.
“Now, please excuse me,” Ramos said as he got up from his desk and left the office to summon additional officers to perform the search. Melissa filled out the form with their phone numbers and she and Eli got up to leave themselves, resigned to return to the hotel. As she was leaving she dialed James’s number on her cell phone. She overheard Ramos talking in Spanish to two other officers.
“James, the police are sending officers to do a more thorough search of the marina. You can come back to the hotel. Oh, and they are calling the FBI.”
“The FBI? Why?”
“I don’t know for sure. The officer, Lieutenant Ramos, was acting kind of funny, asking lots of questions whether we might be VIPs.”
“What did you tell him?”
“That we’re not. But I’m not sure he believed me. Anyway, they are calling the FBI from San Juan. I don’t think there’s anything else we can do tonight. The police will continue searching bars and some other places near the marina. They refused to let me go with them.”
“Well, Mark and I are not finding anything here. We just don’t know where all to look. I bet the police will.”
“I think so too. So what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to come back to the hotel. The police are doing all they can, right?”
“They say they are. I think they really want to find Joey, avoid a publicity problem. So I think they are on it.”
“Well then they will do better than me. I’m coming on back.”
“OK, I’ll see you back here,” she said.
“Alright. I love you,” James added.
Melissa hung up.
