This Way for a Shroud

"It's the only way I can be sure the guards keep on their toes. If they thought I wasn't going to show up, they'd take cover as soon as it started to rain."

Conrad saw a dim, shadowy figure sitting on the verandah.

"Is that vou. Tom?" he asked.

"Yeah," O'Brien said.

"I think I'll turn in," Madge said. "Miss Coleman's gone up. There's a light in her room. Good night, Paul. Good night, sergeant."

Conrad wandered over to where O'Brien was sitting and flopped into a chair beside him.

"Phew! It's close."

"Going to be a storm," O'Brien said. There was a flat, uneasy note in his voice that made Conrad prick up his ears.

"It won't reach us for another hour yet. What's the time, Tom?"

"Quarter to ten. It's coming up a damn sight faster than you imagine. I bet you it'll be right over the house in ten minutes. Hark at that," he went on as thunder crashed suddenly. "Coming up fast."

"All okay your end, Tom?"

"I guess so."

The flat, uneasy voice had a disquieting effect on Conrad.

"Are you all right, Tom?" he asked, trying to see O'Brien in the darkness.

"Of course I'm all right," O'Brien snapped, and heaved himself out of his chair. "I guess that punk wants his bath now. It's coming up for ten o'clock."

"I'll come with you," Conrad said, still a little worried by O'Brien's apparent edginess. "I want to make the rounds before I turn in."

"Are you going out again?"

"Yes, about three, I guess."

A flash of lightning lit up the verandah, and Conrad was startled to see how pale O'Brien looked.

"Are you sure you're all right, Tom?"

"Hell, yes! Maybe the storm's given me a headache, but there's nothing the matter with me," O'Brien said, and wiped his glistening face with his handkerchief. "I never did like thunderstorms."

The crash of thunder that came while he was speaking shook the hunting lodge.

"Phew! It sounds overhead already," Conrad said.

O'Brien walked into the hall where a guard sat nursing a riot gun.

Conrad joined him and together they walked up the stairs.

"Hot enough to fry eggs," Conrad said, taking out his handkerchief to mop his face.

O'Brien didn't say anything. He was wondering if Ferrari had got inside the bathroom yet. His mouth felt dry, and he was aware the muscles in his legs were fluttering and his heart was pounding.

They walked along the lighted passage where another guard sat facing the head of the stairs.

"Hark at that: rain," Conrad said. "Well, you were right. There must be quite a gale blowing."

They could hear the rain hammering on the roof. Conrad paused a moment to peer out of the window on the landing. A solid sheet of water streamed down the window pane, sending a white mist of spray as it cascaded down the sloping roof. Jagged flashes of lightning lit up the rain-soaked trees and lawn.

Thunder rolled and crashed in a deafening crescendo.

O'Brien opened Pete's bedroom door.

Pete was in his dressing-gown, a towel over his arm. He stood by the window, looking out.

Two of his guards were playing gin rummy at a table away from the window. The third guard nursed a riot gun and watched Pete's back with bored indifference.

At the sound of the door opening, Pete looked around. The two guards at the table stiffened, their hands moving to their hip pockets. The guard with the riot gun got to his feet.

"Okay, relax," Conrad said, coming in. He was pleased to see how alert everyone was. "Some night, huh?"

"I'll say," the guard with the riot gun returned.

Conrad noticed Pete was looking past him at O'Brien, and there was an alert, quizzing look in Pete's eyes. Conrad looked quickly at O'Brien. He was surprised to see how white and hard O'Brien's face was, and there was a savage gleam in his eyes Conrad had never seen before.

"Well, come on," O'Brien said, and he seemed to be speaking through clenched teeth. He walked out of the room and Pete followed him.

The two guards resumed their card game. The guard holding the riot gun groped for a cigarette.

Conrad stood hesitating, then he went after Pete.

Pete was walking just behind O'Brien, along the passage to the bathroom, which was down a few stairs and round a bend in the passage. They had to pass Frances's room which was a few feet from the bathroom.

Conrad caught up with Pete as O'Brien turned the bathroom door handle and pushed the door open.

"Stay here," O'Brien growled to Pete, and turning on the light he walked into the bathroom.

Conrad moved around Pete and stood in the doorway, watching O'Brien, who glanced over his shoulder and saw Conrad. It was only with a tremendous effort that O'Brien managed to keep his face expressionless.

O'Brien opened the big cupboard door and glanced inside, then he crossed over to the shower curtains. His heart was beating so violently he could scarcely breathe.

He turned his broad back towards the door and partially blotted out the shower curtains from Conrad's view. Then he parted the curtains and glanced inside.