Chapter 03
BAU Headquarters
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Quantico, BA
October 2011
Even with people missing the work never ended.
"I call your attention to Stave Island, part of the Thousand Island National Park in Quebec Canada." Garcia said, putting a map up on the board.
"Canada?" Emily asked.
Garcia nodded. "Yeah. Three bodies turned up there last week, Dwayne Johnson, Luis Alvarez and Jimmy Cox. All washed ashore with their hands tied behind their backs and their necks broken like they had been hung."
"Black, Hispanic and white?" JJ said. "Race isn't a commonality, but gender is."
"As is age, twenty-one, and hometown, New York City, and that they were all foster kids who disappeared out of the system between the ages of ten and twelve."
"And they haven't been seen since?" Rossi asked.
"Nope. And one other thing, they all had some kind of STD, Dwayne had Syphilis and Luis and Jimmy had Gonorrhea. All three were originally pulled into the system for sexual abuse, but they disappeared before symptoms would have had a chance to show up."
"Is there any reason why we're being called in except for citizenship?" Hotch asked.
"There is indeed. Someone in the RCMP tracked the currents from where they found the bodies back to Grindstone Island which may or may not be on the US side of the border, apparently there isn't an accurate survey on the books. Grindstone Island used to be a lovely place for summer vacations until it was bought by Jonathon Rocheson about thirty years ago. All twenty-one square miles are now privately owned."
"Of Rocheson Medical Equipment?" Rossi had been reading ahead in the file.
"The one and the same; according to Clayton PD, who have jurisdiction, Rocheson did a lot of building out there until about ten years ago, then the place just shut down. There's little if any traffic out there now, one dock that's locked off, and a security cordon all around the island."
"Oh, there is so much bad here."
"Clayton PD called in New York State Police who have drafted the help of the RCMP and they are collectively issuing a no-knock warrant on the place at dawn tomorrow. They want us on hand to advise and help out in case this turns into a hostage situation."
"Oh. Joy." Rossi said. They collectively chuckled, it was him and Hotch they wanted, everyone else on the team was along for the ride on this one.
"We're in no rush." Hotch said, "Wheels up in an hour."
"And remember to pack warm things." Rossi said, "Just in case."
Clayton Municipal Building
Clayton NY
It was a good thing the weather was holding.
There was a church next door to the police station. The two buildings shared a parking lot. To try to keep it somewhat quiet the local LEO's had taken over the church hall as a staging area, with tents outside in the parking lot to add more room. "Do not take this the wrong way." A man in what looked kind of like a SWAT uniform with a Canadian flag on his shoulder was saying as they walked up. "But I hope the border makes a bump right about there."
Introductions were made all around, RCMP, Locals, State Police, FBI and even the Army was up out of Ft. Drum to provide logistical support. "Can you tell us anything more about the island's owner?" The Agent-in-charge asked at last.
Morgan checked his tablet and read what Garcia had found. "Jonathon Rocheson, 66, owner and CEO of Rocheson Medical. He made his fortune founding his medical devices company which focuses on wound care, and made a name for the company selling specialized hospital beds. He started it in a one-bedroom apartment in 1976. In November 2010 a consortium of private equity firms led by Ajax Partners closed a $6.3 billion acquisition of the company. Rocheson was the largest individual shareholder and sold his stake when Ajax took it private. Since then he's mostly invested through his Medcare Investment Funds, which manages his $1 billion in assets." There were a few whistles at that one. "He spends his time supporting his church and donating to extreme right-wing political candidates."
"So, what, is this his summer home?" The NYSP guy asked.
"The island's been used for that traditionally." The Clayton chief said. "There are, or were, eight major estates out there, built by the old robber barons. There's also a dairy, a small village, and a mill. Most of it is historical farmland, or it was before this guy moved in."
"We would expect that he inhabits one of the estates, likely the largest, and he's using the rest of them as summer homes for his guests." Rossi said.
"Yeah, but that doesn't fit the traffic pattern." The Clayton Harbormaster had been brought in because they had to use boats for this. "You would expect regular traffic in the summer then, wouldn't you? All those fancy boats and yachts like the other islands. But the only thing I've seen going back and forth for the past ten years is the caretaker picking up mail and supplies."
"And that's not what aerial surveillance is telling us either." The RCMP rep stepped forward and shared the images they had. "We spotted activity all over the island, centered on those big estates. Looks like most of that farmland is in harvest too."
The BAU team looked at the images, mystified. They had profiled for someone too wealthy, too powerful, who thought he could buy any indulgence, and had. Only what he had bought was spoilt so he threw the men away like broken toys. But that profiled to one big house, an expensive, private place to play. Not what they were seeing here. "We were going to say find the house with the activity and start there." Rossi said. "But now..."
The Agent-in-charge nodded. "We're going to have to take the whole island."