The Midnight Sun was a small, intimate bar set off the main foyer on the promenade deck. It opened nightly at twelve when the other bars closed for the night and provided a headquarters and a refuge for the night owls.
Johnny Liddell walked into the room, stood in the doorway and looked around until his eyes became accustomed to the dimness. There was a small, circular bar set in the center of the room. It had red-leather elbow rests and a ring of matching stools. The only lighting in the room came from hidden fixtures in the corners, giving it a dim, intimate air. A number of comfortable armchairs and low tables were scattered around so as to provide each with the maximum of privacy. Near the ceiling, a pall of gray smoke stirred lazily in the draft from the open door.
Most of the table
