Joana was reported missing in less than 5 hours after she set off to the shops
It was a special festival that day. I think Anne told us about it. No doubt her mother would think that she had joined in the festivities, or was visiting a friend, or relative.
Finally when she got really anxious she would have to visit all the places Joana might be. It was fiesta so it is quite possible that Leonor with kiddies, or Leandro, did not return home until quite late themselves. Men like to drink at festivals.
Once home and the little ones were in bed, can you tell me how a woman with several kiddies can leave them to go searching?
There could be all sorts of reasons why she was later than most of us would be in reporting the loss of her daughter. Joanas grandma was in the next village IIRC. She could have been there ... or dozens of other places, especially with fiesta.
All as I suspect you must know.
This is how I am thinking Sadie. From the bits I have read so far Joana went out at around 8.00pm. The round trip to the shop was 840 metres, which is quite a long way, and taking into account that she spent time in the shop it could have been around 9.00 before her mother became anxious. As you say there are various possible reasons as to why she hadn't returned and there came a point where her brother, husband and his friend were out searching. She would wait to see whether they found her before contacting the police.
The call was made to the GNR at 0.45a.m, but in the meantime Leonor met up and spoke with GNR officers. I could be completely wrong of course, but reading between the lines I would say that they told her to go home and come to the police station the next morning if Joana had not turned up, which apparently is what Leonor did.