He went to the file cabinet. As he had hoped, it was unlocked. There were only about a dozen files but in the last one he found what he was seeking. A key ring with three spare keys for the two suites. He helped himself to one of each of them.

As he left the steward’s station he heard the whir of the elevator. The staircase was at the end of the long corridor. He would not have time to get to it without being seen. With giant strides he ran to the door of the unoccupied suite and let himself in. He was just closing it when he heard Lady Exner’s high-pitched voice telling Regan Reilly how perfectly thrilling the drill had been.

Hardwick leaned against the door and let out a silent whistle. If Reilly had seen him up here, alarms would have gone off in her head. He’d taken a chance but feeling the keys in his hand made it worthwhile.

The draperies were drawn but it was possible to discern the layout of the suite. Carefully he studied it. It undoubtedly was a mirror image of the one where Exner and Reilly were staying. There was no place to hide. The only hope he had of getting to them would be to let himself into their suite in the middle of the night and use the surprise factor. It wouldn’t be hard to take care of the old lady. It was Reilly who might be a problem.

He studied the sofa. It was obviously a convertible. This would be where Reilly slept in the other suite. Even though she might be awake and hear him come in, with the element of surprise he could crack her head before she had time to call out or reach for the phone. From the sofa he ran back down to the foyer. Eight seconds. That was all the time he needed.

There was one problem. If blood spattered on either bed, no one would believe that the two women had disappeared because Reilly was trying to keep Exner from falling off the terrace.

A pillow. Over their faces. No trace that way. In the duskiness of the quiet penthouse Cameron Hardwick smiled. The slow-acting knockout drops that had served him so well at casinos would be useful again. They took a couple of hours to take effect completely. It wouldn’t be that hard to slip them in Exner’s drink at dinner, or else he’d manage to join her and Reilly for a nightcap in one of the lounges. It would be too much to drug them both. Reilly would get suspicious if they both started fading at once.

He had four nights to make it happen but the last night, Friday, would be the safest. In the confusion of docking early Saturday morning, they wouldn’t be missed immediately.