How long ago?”
“A few minutes ago. Four or five. He was in a changeroom off the lower deck.”
Before Dan could say more, Sebastiano came through the door like a spirited horse approaching the pack.
“Thank god!” Thom exclaimed. His voice held an edge of panic. “Someone said you fell over the railing into the water.”
“No.” Sebastiano shook his head, bewildered. “I am here.”
“They said you fell over,” Thom insisted, his face set with concern. “They said your jacket was on the railing.”
Behind them the band went through a change of pitch, moving southerly again, notching the rhythm up to a jerky reggae beat. Outside the windows, the darkness suddenly seemed immense.
“My jacket? My jacket is on the chair — over there.” Sebastiano pointed to where he’d been sitting half an hour earlier. His unclaimed jacket sat waiting. Confusion passed over his face, followed by fear as the impossible suggested itself. “Where is Daniella?” He looked around in a panic. He grabbed Thom’s arm. “Where is she? Where is Daniella?”
“I don’t know,” Thom said, shaking his head. “I haven’t seen her.” He turned to the others. “Has anyone seen Daniella?”
Murmurs broke out around the room, but no one replied. The band continued, oblivious. The dancers stopped one by one as realization settled in that the mood in the room had changed. Sober faces regarded them. Dan saw Bill enter from the opposite side of the room.
“Anyone?” Thom repeated, his voice tense. “We’re looking for Daniella.”
“I saw her about twenty minutes ago,” said a bald man with a concerned face. “She was on the upstairs deck. I think she had on a jacket like Sebastiano’s.”
Sebastiano let out a moan.
“Look,” Dan said decisively. “Let’s find out for sure what’s happened. Who said they saw someone fall overboard?”
“We did,” came a voice near the back of the room.
They turned to see an older man in black tie standing with a woman in a mauve dress, their faces pale with concern. “My wife and I definitely saw someone fall from the upper deck.”
“We thought it was that young man.” His wife pointed at Sebastiano.
“Where was this?” Dan said.
“We were on the back lower deck when someone toppled from above. Whoever it was fell right past us.”
Sebastiano looked around in terror. He latched onto Bill. “You’re a doctor. Do something!”
“Okay, let’s not panic,” Thom commanded. “We’ll notify the captain to turn the boat around.” He turned to Sebastiano. “We’ll find her — don’t worry.” His eyes stopped at Dan. “Would you please organize a search on board for Daniella? She’s got to be here somewhere.”
Dan nodded. “I’ll start upstairs.”
“I’ll go with you,” Trevor said.
Twelve
This Terrible Place
The lights of Glenora appeared up ahead like a cord pulling them onward to a terrible fate. The band had stopped playing as the ballroom filled with grave faces. Most of the guests stood silently by or talked among themselves in concerned whispers. It was clear Daniella was nowhere on board. The outside decks were abandoned after a quick search failed to reveal anything. Bathrooms and anterooms had also been checked. Authorities were notified of the disappearance, and a search-and-rescue team from Trenton was called out. Within fifteen minutes a helicopter could be heard sweeping overhead, its searchlight mapping the waves. A local volunteer crew had already formed. A dozen small craft operators were patrolling the darkened waters of the bay, looking for signs of struggle or movement.
The ship docked at Glenora and the guests filed off in a light drizzle. Officers from the Picton OPP detachment met them onshore. They listened as Thom explained how Daniella had fallen from an upper deck.
Sebastiano stood to one side, rocking and shivering. “Why did we come to this awful country?” he moaned. Dan thought of the Serbian boy who’d come to Canada and ended up in a ravine with gunshot wounds to his head.
An EMS vehicle stood onshore, its lights flashing silently while figures moved about in the rain. Dan’s name rang a bell with one of the questioning officers. “We never met, but we worked together on a case once,” the man said, squinting at him in the lantern light. “You helped us locate a woman named Sarah McNeill. I’m Detective Constable Peter Saylor.”
They shook. The officer looked at Sebastiano and motioned Dan over for a private word. “Do you think she’s done a runner? You weren’t far from shore. She’s a visitor, right? Some guy’s sister? Maybe she wanted to stay.”
Dan shook his head. “I doubt it. She came for her brother’s wedding. They’re from Brazil, not Cuba. I overheard him say she couldn’t swim.”
The officer took a deep breath. “That’s rough,” he said. “I guess if she’s out there, we’ll find her.” He let Dan through and nodded to the next in line.
Bill was waiting in the car. He stared straight ahead. Dan got into the driver’s seat without a word. The silence stretched taut between them.
“I’m sorry about what I said earlier,” Bill said finally.
Dan shook his head. “It’s not important.”
Bill nodded. “I spoke to Thom. He’d like us to stay at the house tonight. If you don’t mind, we’ll go back there.”
“Of course. Whatever he needs.”
Trevor opened the door for them. He looked at Dan. “I persuaded Aunt Lucille to go to bed,” he said. “She didn’t want to, but she was quite shaken. I’ve just been sitting here feeling useless. Is there anything I can do?”
“Not that I know of,” Dan said. “Ted took Jezebel home. She was pretty shaken too. I don’t know when Thom and Sebastiano will be back. They wanted to stay to see if the patrol boats turned anything up.”
They spoke in subdued voices. It seemed possible that if they were gentle and kind enough, the night’s events might unfold in a more optimistic manner, that the outcome might not be as dark and dire as it seemed at that moment.
Without waiting to be asked, Bill poured everyone a drink. They made desultory conversation for another hour. At three o’clock, Trevor went up to his room. Thom and Sebastiano arrived looking grim-faced an hour later. Sebastiano resisted all efforts to console him.
“Bloody awful business,” Thom murmured, his hand on Sebastiano’s shoulder.
“Give him these,” Bill said, placing something in Thom’s hand. Thom looked down at the pink pills. “I’ve got more, if you want any yourself.”
Thom took Sebastiano upstairs and returned twenty minutes
