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.
Even though he was expecting to see Ferrari behind the curtains, the shock of looking into those deep-sunken murderous eyes made his heart turn a somersault.
Ferrari, as still as a statue, held an automatic in his right hand which pointed at O'Brien's stomach.
For a split second the two men looked at each other, then O'Brien dropped the curtain and still keeping his face turned from Conrad's watching eyes, he went over to the toilet basin and began to rinse his hands.
Thunder crashed overhead, and lightning coming through the small window filled the bathroom with a dazzling flash of light.
Conrad came into the bathroom.
'I'll have a wash too,' he said. 'Phew! It's running off me.'
O'Brien stepped back, and without appearing to do so, forced Conrad away from the shower curtains.
'Think it's going on all night?' he asked as he began to dry his hands on a towel. He tried very hard to speak casually, but Conrad again caught the overtones of uneasiness in O'Brien's voice.
'I shouldn't be surprised.' He took the towel from O'Brien. Glancing up, his eyes took in the bathroom window. 'I've been wondering if I should put a second bar up there.'
O'Brien had to make an effort to keep his eyes from straying towards the shower curtains.
'Think anyone could squeeze through that?' he said, trying to sound scornful. 'Why, it's impossible.'
Conrad wandered to the door.
'I guess that's right.' He moved out into the passage. 'Okay, Weiner. Go ahead.'
Pete entered the bathroom.
As O'Brien pushed past him, their eyes met and Pete received a shock. What was the matter with the guy? he wondered. He looked like he had seen a ghost.
Then suddenly he felt a cold wave of fear wash over him. It was just as if a bodiless voice had whispered a warning in his ear. He became transfixed, more frightened than he had ever been before in his life.
O'Brien had reached the door.
