Jamaica Dreaming (Caribbean Heat) (13 page)

“You did?”

“I can’t imagine how horrendous this must be for them.” Julissa looked out the window, hearing again the quaver in Mrs. Parchment’s voice whenever she said Joyce’s name. “I just want to give them what support I can.”

“I saw you on tv,” Sean said, from the back.

“Did you? One of the hotel receptionists said she saw the clip, too, but, I haven’t.”

“You were good.”

Julissa turned to smile at him. “Thank you. They haven’t had any good leads from it, though.”

“You don’t know that, yet. It’s too early to tell.” Sebastian patted her thigh sending a jolt of electricity through her. Underneath the purple fabric of her loose capris, ugly evidence of The Event traced angry rivulets of flesh over her skin. She hoped he would never see them. She didn’t think she’d be able to bear the shock and pity of his expression. Sebastian removed his hand but she still felt the heat of it, branding her skin.

“Maybe the girl ran away and doesn’t
want
to be found,” Tracy suggested from the back seat.

“That’s possible but they’ve got to do everything they can to make sure something bad hasn’t happened to her,” Julissa replied. “She might need our help, but can’t ask for it for whatever reason so we’ve got to keep looking.”

“What do you mean ‘can’t ask for it’?” Sean asked.

“Well, if something bad was happening to her at home and she didn’t know who to turn to, that’s one reason she might have run away, but it could also be that someone took her and they’re keeping her somewhere. Maybe she can watch tv or listen to the news. When she hears about what’s being done to find her she won’t feel alone. She’ll know we haven’t forgotten.”

“Some kids are never found, though,” Tracy pointed out. “And, some are raped and killed.”

“We’re all hoping that hasn’t happened to Joyce,” Sebastian said, frowning at his daughter in the rear–view mirror.

“Me, too, Daddy. I’m just saying.”

“I know, but let’s think positive and not send bad thoughts into the air.”

His daughter sighed heavily. “Alriiight, Daddy.”

They arrived in Liguanea and Sebastian turned off the main road and pulled into the parking lot of a shopping complex.

Sebastian held the glass door to The Roti House open and they trooped in to be instantly assailed by the smell of curry and other spices. Most of the tables were empty but a small knot of people had gathered at the counter on the far side under the big sign that read Take–Away.

Everybody ordered rotis and they made small talk until the food came. The conch Julissa had ordered was delicious and she was glad she’d taken Sebastian up on his invitation. Tracy chatted easily with her father, but Sean was more reticent, usually only speaking when spoken to. Both of them were attractive children but Tracy had a liveliness Sean didn’t possess. At his age and with his looks, he should have the world at his feet, but he looked like the kind of boy who preferred not to draw attention to himself. Julissa remembered what his father had said about Sean spending so much time alone in his room. She tried to draw him out during the meal but, while he always answered her politely, he didn’t volunteer much information, either.

From the restaurant to the racetrack was a short drive but it took them a while to find parking because of the traffic congestion caused by the races. Julissa wasn’t sure exactly what she’d expected Caymanas to be like but she wasn’t prepared for the carnival–like atmosphere. Reggae boomed from tall speakers and food counters selling jerk chicken and pork or hotdogs and hamburgers filled the air with the smell of food. Sebastian led them through the mass of people to a three–story building. Tracy bounded up the steps ahead of them. They followed her into a wide, air–conditioned room with a bank of windows overlooking the racecourse. People turned to look at them as Sebastian led the way to a small table with a reserved sign. He greeted several people as he passed, either fist–bumping the men or bending to kiss a woman’s proffered cheek. Julissa didn’t miss the fact that everyone gave her a once–over.

She smiled blandly, noting that at least her high–necked turquoise silk Miguelina top and her strappy Banana Republic sandals didn’t make her look out of place.

“Look, Daddy,” Tracy called, pointing to a blue–silk clad jockey on a high–stepping horse, the color of midnight, passing below them. “It’s Dane on Blue Agent.”

“Dane’s one of the island’s top jockeys,” Sebastian explained to Julissa as he pulled out a seat for her and then took the adjoining chair. Sean dropped down on her other side, pulled an iPhone out of his pocket and was soon lost in a game, his thumb flying over the keys. Julissa could see that Sebastian wanted to say something about it but he restrained himself.

“And Marciana!” Tracy exclaimed. “I thought she was going to be on Rolling Thunder for this race, but she’s on Whodunit.”

“A female jockey?” Julissa tried to make out which one she was, but the jockeys were making their way to the starting gate for the first race of the day.

“She’s the one in yellow and green,” Sebastian said. “Our only female jockey at the moment, still an apprentice but with quite a few wins to her name.” He explained that Jamaica had two female jockeys before, Azriel Crowe back in the 70s and Georgina Sergeon who had carved out a magnificent career for herself until a bad spill severely injured her back. While Georgina was walking again, it would be a long time before she returned to the track, if she ever did. Julissa felt an instant sympathy for the jockey. The Event had changed Julissa’s life, too. She could still sing but she was no longer sure that was what she wanted to do. Singing was wonderful, nothing else made her feel so alive like it, not even sex, but she was beginning to realize that, at the end of her life, she wanted to say she’d been more than a songbird.

“Hey, where’ve you gone?” Sebastian asked, nudging her elbow. “You look a thousand miles away.”

“I’m sorry. I’m right here.” She felt an unaccountable happiness. Desire, she reminded herself. That was all this was, this crazy, giddy, slightly dopey feeling.

“Would you like something to drink?”

She shook her head.

“Sean? Tracy?”

They didn’t want anything, either.

“Tracy, which do you think will win?” Julissa asked.

“War of Roses looks really good to me but Whodunit might beat him if he can pull away early enough.”

“Can we bet?” Julissa turned to Sebastian.

“Sure. There’s a betting stand downstairs. I’ll go place your bet for you.”

“In that case,” Tracy said. “War of Roses to win, Whodunit to place. With Dane on Blue Agent, though, hmm, you never know.”

Sean looked up from his game. “Don’t bet,” he advised Julissa. “She lost me fifty dollars last month.”

“That was because I told you African Mask to place and you bet on him to win. That wasn’t my fault.”

“I’m warning you.” Sean waggled a finger at Julissa.

Julissa laughed. “This is my first horserace. I don’t know a thing about horses.”

“Trust me,” Tracy urged. “War of Roses to win, Whodunit to place, or Blue Agent if you like but I think he’ll come third.”

“See,” Sean scoffed. “She’s not even sure.”

“You’ve got to make up your mind quick. The race will soon start.”

“What she said.” Julissa grinned at Tracy and handed Sebastian two twenties.

Sebastian returned ten minutes later just as the race was about to begin. Most of the people in the room had moved out to the terrace to watch, including Tracy who was one of the first out. Julissa and Sean had waited for Sebastian. Outside, they found Tracy at the front, near the rail.

The horses were at the starting gate. Julissa didn’t see exactly when they came out of their posts but, in seconds, they were flying down the track urged on by the shouts and yells of thousands of people. At first, the group was in a tight pack but, as they rounded the bend and headed up the far stretch, two horses pulled into the lead.

Tracy jumped up and down, urging on War who was in third place as the horses whipped past the Club stand. As they went down the final stretch, War of Roses took a commanding lead, followed in a tight knot by Whodunit, Blue Agent and Starboy. Julissa shouted with the rest, encouraging War on faster. War won, with Whodunit second, and Starboy third. Blue Agent came in fourth. Tracy looked shamefaced but Julissa was impressed and told her so.

Julissa put her money where her mouth was, placing bets on the other races according to Tracy’s recommendations. When the races were over, she collected the tidy sum of US$500. She offered Tracy a share but the girl shook her head, smiling.

“It was your money,” the teenager said as they walked back to the car.

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t have won anything if it wasn’t for you.” Julissa offered it again but Tracy declined.

“I’m just glad I didn’t let you down,” the girl said, beaming.

“I think this will be my own little donation to Ananda Alert, then.”

“You don’t need to do that,” Sebastian said.

“I know. I want to.”

That night, Julissa fell asleep quickly, worn out by the heat and the excitement of the races.

When Sebastian came to pick her up after breakfast the next day, Julissa asked him if they could go visit the Parchments first. She wanted to check in with the family and see how they were doing. Sebastian didn’t know where they lived but a quick call to Winston Joseph solved that. The Parchments lived in a small house near the sea in an area called Bournemouth Gardens and they greeted Julissa and Sebastian with pleased surprise.

“Would you like a cup of tea?” Mrs. Parchment asked Julissa as she guided her to a living room that had clearly become the nerve center for the search for Joyce. Stacks of posters and flyers were piled on every available surface and a big eight–by–ten photo of the smiling girl had pride of place on a table near the phone.

When Julissa and Sebastian refused the tea, she offered them cold drinks, instead. Julissa accepted a tall glass of a sweet, reddish drink called sorrel, while Sebastian chose a Red Stripe.

“No word yet?”

“No. None, but we’re not giving up,” Mrs. Parchment said, her eyes bright.

“We’ll never give up.” Her husband’s hand found hers and clasped it tight.

Two small boys crept into the room, their huge eyes moving between the two visitors, their faces tight with shy curiosity.

“John and Simon,” Mr. Parchment said, rising to pull them forward.

Julissa shook hands with them. “How are you?” she asked. They dropped their eyes bashfully and chorused “fine.”

“Well, fine, except Joycie’s not here,” John whispered. He was the taller of the two, probably around nine, while Winston didn’t look as if he could be older than six.

“If she were here, what would you be doing with her, right now?” Julissa asked, curious.

John exchanged a glance with his brother. “If we’d finished our homework she might have gone with us to the beach.”

“No,” his brother objected. “She wouldn’t. She would have been in her room on Facebook. Joycie hardly ever took us to the beach, anymore. She said she didn’t like the sun burning her skin black.”

“Did the police check her Facebook and any other accounts for clues?” Sebastian asked.

“They took her laptop the same day we went to them,” Mr. Parchment answered. “It’s been four days and they haven’t brought it back. I asked them if they found anything on it but they didn’t really answer.”

Sebastian didn’t reply but his mouth tightened.

“Why don’t you show me your bikes?” Julissa suggested. She knew she wasn’t some kind of private detective, but she’d made Sebastian promise to keep the parents occupied while she spoke to the boys. If there was anything funny going on in the family or with Joyce, chances are the boys would know. Maybe since she wasn’t a professional she might inadvertently ask them something important the cops had overlooked.

“Can we, Puppa?” Simon’s face lit up. “And, can we take her down to the beach?”

“We wouldn’t stay,” John assured his parents.

“It’s a long walk,” their father said, smiling apologetically at Julissa. “You don’t have to go, if you don’t want to.”

“I’d love to,” Julissa assured him. “I hardly get to any of the beaches at home so the more I can see while I’m here, the better.”

Mr. Parchment glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was ten thirty.

“All right, but don’t let them carry you too far. I want you boys back in an hour’s time. No ifs, ands or buts. You’ve got your watches.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Come on, Miss.”

For a minute, Julissa felt guilty about her subterfuge but it wasn’t like she was telling any great lies. The two boys were sweet and she truly wanted to see the beach. Before The Event, she’d made it a point to drive to the lakefront at least twice during Chicago’s short summers but she doubted she’d ever do that again. The drive itself would be bad enough but she’d be too embarrassed to go into the water, anyway. No one had batted an eyelash when she’d gone into the sea at Hellshire in her pants but, in Chicago, everyone’s summer goal was to show as much skin as possible. She would stand out too much if she tried the same thing there.