Bull’s-Eye and Highbridge ran out of the chapel, and down the corridor to the nearest companionway. The bells on their stocking caps tinkled as their feet, barely touching the steps, descended to the next level. Two flights below they found an outside door, pushed it open, and stepped out onto a large deserted deck lined with beach chairs. It was immediately obvious that there was no place to hide. They hurried toward the ship’s stern, up a set of wrought-iron steps, and found themselves on the pool deck. A bar was at one end. A wall of glass windows at the other end of the deck looked into a cafeteria-style dining room marked “The Lido” where several waiters were carrying platters and placing them on a long table.
“They must be setting up for the midnight buffet,” Highbridge whispered. “People do nothing but eat on these cruise ships.”
“Except us,” Bull’s-Eye grunted. “Let’s go in and get some food.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Highbridge objected.
“An empty stomach is nothing to kid about. Just stay calm. Act hungry. Follow me.”
They strolled past the pool, through the double doors, and headed for the buffet table. An ice sculpture of Marlon Brando in a naval uniform, his feet in a drip pan, served as the somewhat-watery centerpiece.
“Sorry, the midnight buffet doesn’t start until eleven,” a waiter on his way to the kitchen stopped to tell them.
“Yeah, well we just got back from the North Pole, and it’s too late to have dinner downstairs,” Bull’s-Eye explained, his voice trying to sound jolly. Even to his own ears the words didn’t ring true, so he started to laugh. He realized the laugh didn’t ring true either.
“We’ll grab enough to tide us and the reindeer over,” Highbridge added. “Rudolph gets temperamental when he hasn’t eaten.”
The waiter shrugged. “None of the hot food is out yet. I hope Rudolph likes cheese.”
Bull’s-Eye nodded, then whispered under his breath. “Enough with the small talk. We’ll sneak in later. Let’s grab whatever they have and get out of here fast.”