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suggestions?”
    A cautious look crept into the bartender’s eyes. “Not offhand, sir.” He studied Liddell’s face. “Ingrid would be the girl to see. You meet her yet?”
    Liddell shook his head.
    “She’s a real smart girl, Ingrid is. Knows everything that’s going on. First night out she holds this dance for unattached men and women.” He winked. “Like that there’s no making mistakes. You know right from the start who’s looking for it.”
    “Looks like I’m a little late.”
    The bartender took in the broad shoulders, the heavy jaw, shook his head. “You won’t have no trouble. The competition ain’t that good.” He reached down under the bar, brought up a phone, pushed a button on the base. “This is Cyril in the bar,” he told the operator. “Is Ingrid back on board yet?” He waited for a moment, nodded. “Okay. Ask her to come up to the French Quarter. Got somebody here who wants to meet her.” He dropped the receiver back on its hook. “She’ll be right up.”
    A waiter leaned on the bar at the far end, rapped his knuckles on the mahogany. The bartender nodded to Liddell, shuffled down to where the waiter stood.
    Somewhere deep in the innards of the ship, there was the soft rumble of the engines. Liddell consulted his watch, checked the time out at 5:45. By now the tender was out of sight under the side of the ship discharging its passengers. In another hour, the Queen would be slicing the waters of the harbor into rippling waves on its way to Grenada. The following day it would be in La Guaira and the third morning in Curaçao. He wondered what it was that made Landers think the diamonds would be brought aboard in Curaçao rather than La Guaira which was on the coast of South America. Why the double risk, when the delivery could have been made in one motion on the north coast of South America?
    He heard, rather than saw, the girl’s entrance. There was a perceptible break in the hum of conversation, then it resumed with greater vigor. Liddell glanced up into the backbar mirror, saw her for the first time.
    The captain said this was one of the sights he shouldn’t miss. It only took a glance to tell him why.
    She was tall, generously proportioned in a Scandinavian way. Her hair was a golden brown, piled on the top of her head, her skin was sunburned to a soft nut-brown. Her thick-lipped mouth was a crimson slash in the cocoa of her complexion.
    She wore a navy blue blouse, its V-neck slashed deeply enough to make speculation whether she wore anything under it unnecessary. As she walked, her full breasts had a motion of their own which, combined with the white sheath skirt that clung to her rounded hips and thighs, made her progress across the room to the bar a production.
    Liddell swung around as she walked up, stopped alongside him. Her eyes were green, slanted, an effect that was enhanced by expert tinting of the lids. She looked him over frankly, appraisingly, seemed to like what she saw.
    “So you’re the new passenger?” Her voice was husky, slightly accented. “I’ve been hearing about you. They weren’t exaggerating.”
    “It sure doesn’t take much to make the bugle around here.” Liddell grinned. “I thought I was being nice and inconspicuous.”
    The blonde shrugged, did interesting things to her facade. “An unattached man always creates some excitement. Especially an attractive one.” She eyed the broad shoulders, the thick hair flecked with gray, the humorous grin. “They’re sure going to be drawing straws for you.”
    Liddell grinned. “You make a guy feel right at home. And you don’t even know my name.”
    “Johnny Liddell. You’re in 321 B deck—”
    “I hope you remember that.”
    The blonde pasted a saucy grin on the full lips. “I don’t usually remember passengers’ cabin numbers.” The green eyes flicked around the room, she dropped her voice. “The paying guests resent competition.” She brought her eyes back to his face. “The staff is