“Sit down. Pete, Will, let your mother have some room. Sit down here, Carolee, let me take a look at you.”
When she had, he took her hands, pressed them to his lips. “Everything’s okay now. It’s okay now.”
But it wasn’t, Eve thought, not for everyone.
Someone was dead. Someone had caused that death.
They were both missing.
Three
“Inspector, I need you to locate the source of those explosives, then I want that area secured. I want a complete list of DOT and ferry employees, including any independent contractors, aboard at this time. I want those security discs. When NYPSD officers arrive, they will support those assignments. Peabody, make that happen. Now.”
She glanced toward the Grogan family. She could give their reunion one more minute. “There are lifeboats, emergency evacuation devices on this boat?”
“Sure.”
“They need to be checked, and they need to be guarded. If any have been used, I need to know. Immediately. I want to talk to the guard Mrs. Grogan talked to when she . . . came back. For now, get his statement.”
“No problem. Lieutenant, we’re going to have to deal with getting these people, at least some of these people, off.”
“I’m working on it. Explosives, employees, discs, emergency evac, secured areas. Let’s get on it.”
She turned away, moved to where Carolee still sat surrounded by her family.
“Mrs. Grogan, I need to speak with you.”
“I’d like to treat her head wound.” Steve kept his arm protectively around his wife. “And check her out more thoroughly. If there’s a medical kit, I could use it.”
“I’ll find one,” Peabody told him, then glanced at Eve. “Our guys will be on board in a couple of minutes.”
“Okay. Find the kit. Organize the team. I want another search, every square inch of this ferry. I want the sweepers in that bathroom. I want it scoured. See if you can find out if anyone else has been reported missing.”
“Yes, sir.”
As Peabody left, Carolee shook her head. “I’m sorry, I’m a little confused. Who are you again?”
“Lieutenant Dallas, NYPSD.”
“The police,” Carolee said slowly. “You need to talk to me? I know I got a little upset with the security man, but I was worried about Pete. I couldn’t find my boy.”
“Understood. Mrs.—”
“If you’re police, do you have a zapper?” Obviously content now that his mother was where she belonged, Pete gave Eve a curious squint.
“Don’t interrupt,” Carolee admonished.
“Mrs. Grogan,” Eve began again, but lifted her jacket aside to reveal her sidearm—and the boy flashed her a grin. “Can you tell me what happened, after you and your son went to use the restrooms?”
“Actually, we were going to get drinks, then Pete needed to go, so we swung over that way. I told him to wait, to stay right there if he got out before I did.”
“But, Mom—”
“We’ll talk about that later,” she said in a tone that warned of lecture, and the kid slumped down in his seat.
“And then,” Eve prompted.
“Then, I waited a minute, watched Pete go in, and I . . .” Her face went blank for a moment. “That’s funny.” She offered a puzzled smile. “I’m not quite sure. I must’ve hit my head. Maybe I slipped?”