Romiette and Julio

by Sharon M. Draper

“You are sure of that now?” asked Cornell.

  “Yes, we have viewed the tape several times.” The captain spoke carefully. He didn’t want to upset these parents even more. “It seems that the gang members threatened and intimidated your children, then forcibly placed them in their car and took them to what we assume is London Woods Lake. The video portion is fuzzy and dark, but we have very good audio. We have clear identification of each of the Devildogs involved. We can hear sounds of water and the voices of the gang members as they take Julio out of the trunk. There is no more after that,” he said quietly.

  “The trunk?” Maria gasped. “My Julio was in the trunk? Is he … is he alive?” she cried.

  “We think he was when they took him out, ma’am. And we have no reason to believe that he isn’t still,” the captain reassured her. She collapsed in tears.

  “And Romi?” her mother asked quietly. “Anything of her?”

  “Only at the beginning of the tape, Mrs. Cappelle. We hear her screaming and struggling, and we think she was put in the backseat. That’s all the tape tells us.”

  Lady Cappelle joined Maria on the bench. They shared tissues and hugs.

  The captain took a deep breath and continued. “Now that the weather has cleared, and we have daylight, we have two options.”

  “What’s that?” asked Cornell.

  “Get volunteers to comb those woods, and to drag the lake.”

  “Drag the lake?” exclaimed Romi’s mother. “Oh, no! That means you think they’re dead!”

  “No, not at all, Mrs. Cappelle, but it is one way of eliminating that possibility.”

  “¡Oh, mi Julio! ¡Oh, mi hijo! ¡No. No. No!”

  “Maria, it will be all right,” her husband soothed her. “We’ll find them. At least now we have something to do besides wait.”

  Cornell was ready for action. “Luis, we’ve got our equipment ready. Let’s head for the lake now. I’ve got to get out there and find our children.”

  “Sí, Cornell. We’ve got blankets, rope, flashlights, a map of the woods. What happened to those pictures of the kids, Maria?”

  His wife took the pictures from her pocket. “This is such a wonderful photo of Julio in his band uniform back home.” She sighed. “And Romi is such a lovely young woman.” She began to weep softly.

  “Don’t cry, Maria. We are going to find them,” Luis reassured her. Luis took the pictures and placed them inside his jacket.

  Mrs. Cappelle reminded the men, “I’m going to call the station and make sure the reports go out with every station break, and make sure the news crews are on their way. You two got your cell phone to keep in touch with us?”

  “Yes,” Cornell replied. “We’re out of here. See you up there, Lady B. Our prayers will be answered soon. You’ll see.”

  She wiped her eyes and kissed him quickly. She knew she had to get to work or she’d dissolve in tears. “Maria and I will be out there shortly. We’ll be organizing the volunteers from the boathouse. If you find anything at all, buzz my pager.”

  56.

  Morning News Flash—7 A.M.

  Special Bulletin

  —Mystery continues to surround the unexplained disappearance of Romiette Cappelle, daughter of TV news anchor Cornell Cappelle, and Julio Montague, transfer student from Corpus Christi, Texas. Are Romiette and Julio lovers like the famous couple of old? Have they run away together? Were they desperate enough to consider suicide, as Shakespeare’s characters did? Or are their lives in danger as they hide from the threat of gang violence? Details in a moment.

  —The daughter of TV Six newscaster Cornell Cappelle, Romiette Cappelle, age sixteen, and her friend from school Julio Montague, also sixteen, are still missing. They are believed to be lost, perhaps injured, in London Woods Forest. Searches by park police and city police, which were hampered by last night’s stormy weather, have been unsuccessful. The two young people were last seen yesterday at dusk, walking near London Woods.

  —Five teenagers, all reportedly members of a local gang known sometimes as the Devildogs and sometimes simply as The Family, have been arrested, charged with possession of firearms, and are being questioned in the disappearance of the teens.

  —Anyone who has seen Romiette and Julio, or knows anything about their whereabouts, is asked to contact News Six or the district police department. Police are asking for volunteers to help in a detailed, systematic search of the woods. If you are available and would like to help, please call the station at 555–3458, or call the park police at 555-9898. Volunteers should report to the boathouse for maps and instructions. We thank you for your help. Stay tuned to News Six for further details.

  57.

  Television Interviews

  “This is Nannette Norris reporting live from London Woods, on the case of the two missing children. We’re going to ask some of the people out here in the field exactly what is going on in the search efforts.” Nannette, wearing a pink designer suit and matching shoes, tiptoed daintily in the muddy grass. She carried her portable microphone, and motioned to Lawrence, the cameraman behind her, to hurry. He sighed, shifted the weight of the camera on his shoulder, and followed her to another volunteer.

  “Excuse me, sir, this is Nannette Norris, and you’re live on TV News Six. How long have you been out here, sir?” She held the mike very close to his mouth. When his voice boomed out, Lawrence had to adjust the sound level.

  “I been here since they called for help ’bout two hours ago. Ain’t no sign of dem kids—they just gone!”

  “Any indication of foul play?” Nannette asked as she switched the mike back to herself quickly.

  The volunteer looked at her, squinted his eyes, and responded, “This ain’t no baseball game, lady! This here is life and death! Quit asking stupid, useless questions and help us look. You gettin’ in my way!” Nannette signaled to Lawrence with a roll of her eyes that this interview was concluded. Lawrence grinned at the volunteer and gave him a thumbs-up. Nannette moved to her next attempt—a woman, busy answering one of the phones that had been hastily installed that morning by phone company volunteers.

  “Excuse me, ma’am, this is Nannette Norris, and you’re live on TV News Six. Tell me, ma’am, what’s the latest in the search efforts?”

  With a phone on one ear, the woman responded, “Well, they’re dragging the lake. It’s really hard on the parents. They’re out there looking with us. The two fathers, Mr. Cappelle and Mr. Montague, are working side by side, checking every tree and every bush to find their kids. I understand there was quite a bit of friction between the two at first.”

  Nannette’s eyes brightened. “Friction? What kind of friction?” She was hoping for a news scoop, an angle that no one else had covered yet.

  The woman shrugged. “You know—each one accusing the other of being responsible for this situation. But that’s behind them now.”

  Nannette looked disappointed. “And the mothers of the two young people? How are they taking this?”

  The woman was getting annoyed. “They’re doing what any mothers would do. They’re searching with the rest of us, and praying, and believing—believing that their kids will be returned safely—but the longer we look, the scarier it gets.”

  “Have you noticed any arguments between the mothers? Any racial insults or name-calling?” Nannette was insistent.

  “Are you nuts? What kind of question is that?”

  “I just wanted to generate some interest in our viewing public,” replied Nannette with insulted pride.

  “There’s plenty of interest already. People from all races and neighborhoods are working together to find these kids. Why don’t you talk about that? Hey, the phones are ringing. I got work to do here.”

  Nannette smirked as she returned to the microphone. “Well, I can see you’re busy. I’ll let you get back to your work.” The woman ignored her. Lawrence grinned again.

  Nannette walked down to the edge of the lake, making sure she stayed on the cemented walkway, not the muddy ed
ges where most of the people worked. She approached a man carrying a plastic garbage bag full of twigs and branches. “Excuse me, sir, this is Nannette Norris, and you’re live on TV News Six. Can you tell us how the lake-dragging efforts are going?”

  “It’s a slow process,” he answered. “We’ve found lots of unbelievable trash, but fortunately, no bodies. But it’s a big lake. This will take all day.”

  “What if you don’t find anything?” Nannette insisted.

  “Well, that’s good, and bad.”

  “How so?”

  “It’s good, because we can be fairly sure they didn’t drown. But it’s bad, because we are running out of other options.”

  “Are you sure they’re here?”

  “All indications are that they were here as late as last night before the storm. That’s all we know.” The man, tired of her insistent questions, tried to walk away.

  She continued, “If you find them dead, it’ll be pretty gruesome, right?”

  He looked as if he wanted to yell at her, but he remembered the camera and simply said, “Excuse me, I’ve got to get back to work.” He marched up to the boathouse for more garbage bags. Nannette followed him. The room was full of bustle and action. Phones rang, people checked maps, and new volunteers arrived every few minutes, asking for assignments and leaving to search a new area. Nannette approached the table where a woman was setting out doughnuts that had been donated by a bakery.

  “Excuse me, ma’am, this is Nannette Norris, and you’re live on TV News Six. May I ask you a few questions?”

  “Sure, if you don’t get in my way. I’ve gotta make some more coffee here for the volunteers.”

  “Goody. Make mine with two creams and two sugars.”

  “Aren’t you on the air?” the woman asked wryly. Lawrence rolled his eyes.

  “Oh, right,” Nannette reminded herself. “Tell me, what do you think about the names of the two missing kids? Is the closeness of their names to Romeo and Juliet, and this recent disappearance, just a little similar to the old Shakespearean story?”

  “Yeah, it’s ironic, but that don’t mean nothing.” The woman poured the ground coffee into the machine and added fresh water.

  “Do you think that Romiette and Julio tried to commit suicide like the lovers in the tale?”

  “Why should they do that?” the volunteer asked in surprise. “From what we can tell, they were in love with each other! We’re way past the days of arranged marriages, sister. They’re in trouble, they need our help, and if you would get out of the way, we might be able to do that.” Nannette hurried away as she saw some policemen enter the room. The woman gave Lawrence three doughnuts in a small plastic bag. “Combat pay,” she whispered to him, pointing to Nannette. He laughed, thanked her, and agreed with her completely. Nannette motioned to Lawrence to hurry as she spoke to the police officers.

  “Excuse me, sir, this is Nannette Norris, and you’re live on TV News Six. Officer, can you tell us anything about the reported gang connection to this case?”

  “I can’t say much. What we know is that there had been some trouble at school between Romiette and Julio and some other students who had been identified as having ties with a local gang. Nothing has been verified, however, and anything else would only be speculation.”

  “Do you think the lives of Romiette and Julio were threatened or in danger? Some people say they were both involved in gangs.” Nannette motioned for Lawrence to do a close-up on her face.

  “Aren’t reporters supposed to go on more than ‘some people say’? As I said, ma’am, anything else would be speculation. Excuse me.” The officer walked away. Nannette told Lawrence to cut the close-up, cut the shot completely. Lawrence the Silent smiled once more.

  A flurry of activity erupted when Ben and Destiny showed up. Nannette rushed over to the crowd and pushed her way through. “It’s Romiette and Julio!” she screamed into the camera. “They’ve been found!”

  Lawrence turned off the camera and said, “Nannette, they’ve been showing pictures of those kids all day. That’s not them!”

  “Oh,” she said, sniffing. “I knew that. Let’s go interview them anyway. I’m sure they know something.” She squeezed through the crowd and spoke to Destiny first. “What is your relationship with the two missing teenagers, dear?”

  Destiny replied, “I’m Romi’s best friend, and please don’t call me ‘dear.’”

  Nannette rolled her eyes and asked, “Are you here to join the search?”

  “No, me and Ben have been searching all night. We found Romi’s shoe!”

  “How do you know it’s her shoe? It’s pretty muddy,” Nannette said doubtfully.

  “‘Cause it’s my shoe—I loaned it to her last week,” Destiny told her impatiently.

  “And you, son, what’s your name and what do you think of this tragedy?”

  “My name is Ben, and right now it’s not a tragedy.” Ben turned away from the camera.

  “Did you ever read Romeo and Juliet at school?” insisted Nannette.

  “Yes, I have,” Ben replied, smiling innocently. “Several times. Have you?”

  Nannette looked for others to interview, but everyone seemed to be busy working to find Romi and Julio. Nannette then tried to get interviews with Romi’s and Julio’s parents, but all of them refused. Tired, and angry at the mud on her pink designer shoes, Nannette decided she had had enough for now.

  “This is Nannette Norris, reporting live for News Six from London Woods, where the search continues for Romiette Cappelle and Julio Montague. Live updates as the news unfolds.”

  58.

  The Fathers—Noon

  Luis and Cornell trudged slowly through the thick weeds and underbrush near the water’s edge. They knew that if their children had been in that lake and had somehow been able to get out, they would be somewhere on that muddy shore. The day was bright and cool, but the sun warmed them, and they had removed their jackets. They worked slowly, methodically, checking every rock and tree, grimly determined to find their children.

  “Luis, you OK?” Cornell asked as Luis wiped his brow. “Hand me the flashlight. We haven’t checked this area.”

  “Sí, Cornell. I’m fine. My lungs are strong, but my heart is becoming heavy. It’s almost noon. We should have found them by now.”

  “Where are Maria and Lady?” Cornell asked, although he knew the answer as well as Luis did. Even idle conversation made thoughts of what they might find more bearable.

  “They were searching on the other side of the lake. Together. Just as we are,” Luis responded.

  “You’re right.” Cornell hesitated. “Luis, I … uh … I’m sorry about accusing Julio of whatever it was I said. I wasn’t thinking straight. I just am so afraid. I’ve never been this helpless, and without hope.”

  “There is always hope, Cornell. The children will be found—alive and well. That is my hope. And my prayer.”

  “You’re very wise, Luis. Let’s sit here on this log a minute. You got any more of that water?”

  “Sí, help yourself. So, what is it like to work with a woman such as Miss Norris? When I went back to the central volunteer area, I heard her asking the most outrageous questions of the volunteers. How is she allowed to get away with such?”

  “She is the niece of the executive producer of the show, and even he is running short of patience with her. She’s really hard to work with and she just doesn’t think before she speaks—and in a reporter, that’s a dangerous quality. So it’s rough sometimes, really rough. One day we were out together doing a story and she walked up to the mother of a murdered child and asked her where she’d bought her dress! The woman was ready to strangle her.”

  Luis chuckled. “I think I might have helped her to do it.”

  “So, do you like Ohio?” Cornell asked him. “Have you made friends?”

  “It has been difficult. I have my job, and I have acquaintances, but no real friends. I really miss Texas.”

  Cornell offered his hand
to Luis. Both hands were covered with mud and dirt from their long morning search. Cornell said clearly, “I would be proud if you’d consider me your friend, Luis.”

  “Thank you, Cornell. That means so much to me. I hope that our children will also continue to be friends … unless—”

  “I can’t bear to think of anything else,” Cornell interrupted. “I’ll never give up hope, but it doesn’t look good. Two young people reaching out to each other against all odds, against pressure from their peers,” he added sadly. “Luis, did you oppose Julio seeing Romiette?”

  “At first, I didn’t think it was a good idea. It is always easier to stay with what is safe and known.”

  “I know. I also felt threatened by your son and my daughter. When we first found out about all this last night, my assumption was that he was some kind of Internet freak who preyed on defenseless girls.”

  Luis chuckled. “Ah, no, my Julio has never preyed on anyone. He just likes computers and, apparently, your daughter as well.”

  They sat down together on a large log. The lake, glistening against the clear sky, showed no sign of the storm of the night before. Each father was lost in his own thoughts about his child. Luis remembered Julio as a ten-year-old, steering his uncle’s sailboat, wearing an old sailor’s cap, and grinning into the sunlight as he pretended the boat was his own. He remembered the swim meets and the band concerts, and the proud glint in his son’s eye as he mastered new skills. To end all that pride and potential in a place so far from the home he loved … Guilt and anguish made Luis sigh and bury his head in his hands.

  Cornell remembered Romi’s fifth birthday, when she rode her new bike proudly with no training wheels. He smiled, remembering the look of victory on her face that day. He thought of her part in the school play when she was nine, of her face as she sang in the choir at church, of how she would look next year when she graduated from high school. He stopped himself then, afraid to think of the future. He glanced around the woods. Somewhere in this soft green space, or that dark blue space in the distance, his daughter waited for her dad to find her. He pulled a branch from the log they were sitting on and broke it in frustration. He reached down to snap another branch when a speck of blue caught the corner of his eye.