book and stood up。
〃Wash up and brush your teeth。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃Don't forget to use the floss。〃
〃I won't。〃
They stood side by side for a moment； watching the wax and wane of the coals
of the fire。 Most of the lobby was chilly and drafty； but this circle around the
fireplace was magically warm； and hard to leave。
〃It was Uncle Al on the phone；〃 she said casually。
〃Oh yeah？〃 Totally unsurprised。
〃I wonder if Uncle Al was mad at Daddy；〃 she said； still casually。
〃Yeah； he sure was；〃 Danny said； still watching the fire。 〃He didn't want
Daddy to write the book。〃
〃What book； Danny？〃
〃About the hotel。〃
The question framed on her lips was one she and Jack had asked Danny a
thousand times： How do you know that？ She hadn't asked him。 She didn't want to
upset him before bed； or make him aware that they were casually discussing his
knowledge of things he had no way of knowing at all。 And he did know； she was
convinced of that。 Dr。 Edmonds's patter about inductive reasoning and
subconscious logic was just that： patter。 Her sister 。。。 how had Danny known
she was thinking about Aileen in the waiting room that day？ And
（I dreamed Daddy had an accident。）
She shook her head； as if to clear it。 〃Go wash up； doc。〃
〃Okay。〃 He ran up the stairs toward their quarters。 Frowning； she had gone
into the kitchen to warm Jack's milk in a saucepan。
And now； lying wakeful in her bed and listening to her husband's breathing and
the wind outside （miraculously； they'd had only another flurry that afternoon；
still no heavy snow）； she let her mind turn fully to her lovely； troubling son；
born with a caul over