Scratchgravel Road (Josie Gray Mysteries #2)(42)

“Do all of you share the same job?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am. We’re ground crew. Our job is safe shutdown. Sometimes we all work together, sometimes we’re on our own or with a partner. Just depends.”

“What are you currently working on?”

“We’re taking apart a machine.” He narrowed his eyes, settling into his role. “It’s a complicated process. Not like you can take out a machine with a wrecking ball. Every piece is evaluated, monitored. There’s a written plan for everything in the plant. And the machine we’re working on is part of the respiration unit.”

Not wanting to get too much technical detail, she cut his explanation off. “Did you ever work as a partner with Juan?” she asked.

“Sure.”

“Did he ever talk about friends or family?”

“Just that he missed Mexico. I know he was lonely. I tried to get him to go out a few times, after work, but he never would. Always said he was saving money to go home.” The veins in the drill sergeant’s forehead throbbed. He looked across the table at Diego. “That’s why we didn’t think much when he didn’t show up for work. We figured he got enough money to move back home and left.”

“How often did he send money home to his family?” she asked.

“I think he went home each month to visit and deliver the cash.” Magnetty smirked. “He didn’t trust us. Americans, I mean.”

“What do you mean?”

“He didn’t have a bank account. No credit cards or anything. He was always thinking someone was going to kick him out of the country.”

“But he wasn’t here illegally?” Otto asked.

“No, he was just paranoid.”

“You don’t know of any friends he had outside of work? Not even one?” she asked.

He frowned. “No. I guess not.”

“Did you ever visit his apartment after work?”

“No.”

Josie dismissed Magnetty and then called over Jim Sanders, the tall young kid with acne. She asked him the same questions but he offered little. He blushed at each question and shrugged, basically repeating that he never talked with Santiago about anything.

Skip Bradford, the group’s immediate supervisor, entered the cafeteria and came over to the interview table. He apologized for taking so long, then listened closely as the mop-topped Bobby Cahill described Santiago as an old guy with no sense of humor.

“What do you mean by that?” Josie asked him.

He shrugged and ran a hand through his unruly hair. “I just never talked to him. He was too quiet. Brent talked to him more than anyone, but the guy never really smiled.”

“Was he unfriendly?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I guess. I just ignored him.”

Brent Thyme was the last person Josie interviewed. He had a short, slim build and a friendly demeanor.

“I always thought he looked kind of embarrassed to have a conversation with you. He was really shy, kind of backward with people.” He paused and thought for a moment. “But, at the same time, he was mentally tough.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“He went through a lot to get here. To get this job. He lived by himself. Focused all his energy on getting a better life for his family back home. I had a lot of respect for him.” Brent’s face burned red under the freckles at his comments. He seemed embarrassed to talk about Santiago’s personal matters.

“Was his quietness caused by a language barrier?” Otto asked.

“No, he spoke English fine. He was just quiet,” Brent said. “I drove him to work every day. He didn’t have a car. But he still didn’t talk. He’d sleep in the morning and look out the window at night. I finally gave up trying.”

Josie’s cell phone vibrated in her pocket and she opened it, saw it was from Marta, and allowed it to go to voice mail until she was finished with the interviews.

“Was he likeable? Did he have a good personality?” she asked.

Brent gave an apologetic smile. “I hate to repeat it, but he didn’t say enough to even let you know what his personality was.”

Josie asked Brent if he had ever had a conversation with him about his personal life.

“He missed his family. He was married and had kids, but they were older. He had a large family in Juarez, I think. Lots of extended family. He was homesick. Trying to scrape up enough to build a house back home.”

“Do you know the last time he visited?” Josie asked.

“No idea. I never met his family. I wouldn’t even know how to contact them to check.”

Josie’s cell phone buzzed again. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw the call was from Marta. She wouldn’t call twice unless there was an issue. Josie excused herself and Otto nodded, indicating he would take over the interview.

Josie answered as she walked across the cafeteria. “What’s up?”

“It’s Teresa. She’s gone.” Josie heard the anguish in Marta’s voice.

“From home?”

Marta took a long breath and exhaled, moaning in the background. “I worked third shift last night. About the time I got to bed this morning Lou called and asked me to run over to Santiago’s apartment. I got back home just now and looked into her room.” Her breathing hitched.