by Josh Karnes
* * *
The press conference was scheduled for two o'clock, which didn't leave Ortiz enough time to report the status of the investigation to the Special Agent in Charge in San Juan, or so he told himself. It would be better to wait to talk to the SAC until after the presser was over.
At two minutes after two, Ray Ortiz straightened up his tie and went to the steps in front of the Vieques police department, flanked by Ramos, Morales, and the two detectives from Fajardo. A small contingent of reporters was waiting for him there.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming on short notice. I am Ray Ortiz, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in San Juan. On Monday evening my office was contacted by Lieutenant Ramos from the Vieques police department here to report a possible missing person, Joseph Grady of Houston, Texas.” Ortiz continued in his overview of the case for the benefit of the press without mentioning Isla Roca or Thermion. He concluded saying that the investigation was ongoing and he appreciates any information that anyone may have that would help them find Joseph. And then he opened the floor for questions, and most of the reporters' hands went up. Ortiz called on a compact woman in front.
“Do you believe Joseph Grady is a runaway?” she asked.
“We have not found him yet, and so we can't speculate as to his motivation for leaving, if in fact he has left of his own will,” Ortiz said briefly, and attempted to call the next reporter but the first interrupted with a follow-up question.
“Excuse me, sir,” she said, silencing the other reporters, “But if he is not a runaway, what is the motivation? Is this a kidnapping?” The buzz among the reporters erupted into a low roar. Ortiz sought to put a lid on it.
“We have no reason to believe this is a kidnapping at this time,” Ortiz said firmly. “Sir,” he said, calling on another reporter, before the first could begin talking again.
“Who are Joseph Grady's parents? Is his family wealthy or politically connected?” the reporter asked. Ortiz could see where this was going. Kidnapped VIP teen from Houston was a juicy story. Random kid who wandered off and would turn up any minute was not.
“We have no evidence that Mr. and Mrs. Grady are wealthy or have political connections. Now, if that is all, we must get back to the search for Joseph Grady. Thank you for your time,” Ortiz said and then immediately retreated back into the police station double-time, in defiance of the shouts of the reporters he left behind.
“Allison, are you sure you got everything on the kidnapping angle?” Ortiz asked.
“I told you everything I know about it earlier. If the Gradys are rich, they are hiding it from everyone including us. You said it yourself, doesn't sound like kidnapping,” she said.
“Well we had better be double sure. Those reporters are on the scent of a kidnapping story and we need to make sure they don't discover something we don't know. Maybe get Rivera and Torres to check into a possible drug motive.”
“But you said—” Allison began.
“Yeah, I know what I said. I still don't think it's a kidnapping, and I don't think it's drugs. But I think those reporters are going to ask about it and someone in the Fajardo police is in their pocket. So we need to know what they are going to tell the media, even if it is thin.”
“Okay. Want me to pull Rivera and Torres off of the ground search then?”
Ortiz sighed, “No. No. Not yet. Get them to run down the drug angle first thing in the morning. Rest of today, we need them turning over stones looking for Joseph Grady.”