Read the excerpt from "Object Lesson, Part 2."

Joey burst into tears.

Louise Carpenter made an instinctive gesture toward him. Ellery's head-shake warned her back. He went close to the boy and tousled the red head, murmuring something the others could not hear. And after a while Joey's tears sniffled to an end and he wiped his eyes on his sleeve in a puzzled way.

Ellery makes the inference that Miss Carpenter

a. made Joey cry.
b. wants to comfort Joey.
c. is Joey's favorite teacher.
d. is in danger.