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Julia was sleeping soundly He showered and dressed and went to the dining roo a buffet breakfast, with a happy chef on hand to make you whatever sort of omelet you wanted

Keller wasn’t sure he wanted that much human contact He sat by himself at a table for two, nodded at the waiter’s offer of orange juice, nodded a second time for coffee He picked out a plateful of ite to a second cup of coffee when Caruards showed up It took hinize them, because they’d finally eiven way to blue blazers and Dockers, and thisthey’d come all the way down to floral-patterned short-sleeve shirts Soested they didn’t feel entirely happy with their attire, but Keller wondered ifthe two soht, before he drifted off, he’d wondered what he was going to do about the, in the shower, he’d had them on his mind

Because, no question, they were a coet to Carmody, or even to do reconnaissance toward that end But he had a week, and Car to spend every ured the opportunity would arise before the ship was back in Port Everglades

So he could probably arrange some sort of accident But with these two around, would it pass as an accident? Not likely If they couldn’t keep their charge safe, the least they could do was straighten things out after the fact They’d turn the ship upside down looking for Carmody’s killer, and if the net they cast didn’t scoop up Keller, it still wouldn’t make his life simpler, or the reot to his feet, set his napkin beside his plate "I’ll be back," he told a passing waiter "Don’t clear the table"

Julia opened her eyes when he let hi," he said "Go back to sleep" He ru for, and hurried back to the dining room

His table was as he’d left it, and the waiter had refilled his coffee cup More important, Carmody’s minders were still at their table They were in fact built like football players, though a little se, Keller decided, and not the NCAA top tier but one level below it Appalachian State, University of Delaware--so like that

What Keller hoped was that they’d have football-player appetites They were both at the table noith plates of food in front of theht after they ordered their coffee and headed for the buffet, but he’d needed to get to the cabin first

Packing for the cruise, Keller had ed to find room for more than his clothes He kneouldn’t have access to chain drugstores or neighborhood hardware stores or ghetto entrepreneurs, not aboard ship, so he’d brought along what he thought he ht need His toilet kit included some special pills and powders, besides the usual aspirin, and an iarrote, of the sort he’d made and discarded in New York, ound into a coil and tucked into the toe of a spare shoe

And he’d packed the HandyMan traveler’s tool kit that had belonged to Julia’s father It was a sort of industrial-strength Swiss army knife, with a few implements Keller doubted he’d need There was a little chrome-plated hammer, handy if he needed to check somebody’s patellar reflex, and a pair of needle-nose pliers, and a belt punch But there was also a knife blade long enough to be useful

He sipped his coffee and set about watching the twoobvious about it A waiter approached, filled their coffee cups The running back took a sip, put his cup down, and got to his feet He picked up his plate, and evidently the tight end reminded him that you were supposed to use a clean plate each time, because he returned his plate to the table and headed for the buffet

A waiter appeared iht end stayed seated and had a sip of coffee

Coed hiy What the hell, let the guy ht his h, because the man’s hands fastened on the arms of his chair as if to brace hi up But no, the son of a bitch stayed where he was, and all he did with his hands was reach for his coffee

The running back took his tih food for both of theood, because even as his friend was brandishing his fork, he was ain to the arot to his feet, plate in hand, and it was the running back’s turn to reht end gave a laugh and put his plate back on the table

Well, ht Keller found that a hopeful sign

But, bright or not, it see to be at the table And if he waited any longer they’d leave the table together, and he wouldn’t get another shot until breakfast the next day, if then--toht as easily find them at a table for four, with Carmody and his sexpot

Keller took the little vial of pills from his pocket, uncapped the lid, shook thite tablets into his pal would have seen him pop them into his mouth and chase them with a sip of water, but in fact the pills remained in his hand

The ship had drawn up at the dock, and at nine its passengers would be able to dise in Nassau Keller’s plan would work better, he knew, if they were in open waters with a lively sea under them That would add verisiree of difficulty to his own moves

Still, this was his chance, and he took it

He got to his feet, walked down the aisle toward the table where the running back was plying his fork with enthusiasiven that the Carefree Nights lay at anchor, but Keller ht have equilibrium problems even on dry land

He nosis of unsteady on his pins, but when he reached their table he contrived to lose his balance big-ti onto the man’s shoulder for support

While the fellow reacted, Keller reached with his left hand and dropped one of the pills in the ht, fellow? Here, let ive you a hand"

"Sorry, sorry I was fine when the ship was rocking and rolling and now I can’t--oops!"

And oneback, who had to work to keep his own balance now that Keller had assumed the role of loose cannon But somehow both men stayed on their feet, even as somehow the second pill found its way into the other coffee cup

Apologies fro back And then Keller was on his way back, passing his own table, and giving here a lurch and there a lurch, until he had ether

As far as Keller could make out, everybody in Nassau had just diseed the docks He figured there had to be other people around, but that they had the good sense to stay away from the harbor

"Who buys all these T-shirts?" Julia wondered "‘Grandot was this lousy shirt’ How stunningly original Is there a tourist attraction on God’s earth where they don’t sell that shirt?"