creeps 。。。 I'd be scared to e down and stand next to her at a
hundred and eighty 。。。）
Suddenly a cold and tempting inner voice spoke to him。
（Let it go。 Go get Wendy and Danny and get the fuck out of here。 Let it blow
sky…high。）
He could visualize the explosion。 A double thunderclap that would first rip
the heart from this place； then the soul。 The boiler would go with an orange…
violet flash that would rain hot and burning shrapnel all over the cellar。 In
his mind he could see the redhot trinkets of metal careening from floor to walls
to ceiling like strange billiard balls； whistling jagged death through the air。
Some of them； surely； would whizz right through that stone arch； light on the
old papers on the other side； and they would burn merry hell。 Destroy the
secrets； burn the clues； it's a mystery no living hand will ever solve。 Then the
gas explosion； a great rumbling crackle of flame； a giant pilot light that would
turn the whole center of the hotel into a broiler。 Stairs and hallways and
ceilings and rooms aflame like the castle in the last reel of a Frankenstein
movie。 The flame spreading into the wings； hurrying up the black…and…blue…twined
carpets like eager guests。 The silk wallpaper charring and curling。 There were
no sprinklers； only those outmoded hoses and no one to use them。 And there
wasn't a fire engine in the world that could get here before late March。 Burn；
baby； burn。 In twelve hours there would be nothing left but the bare bones。
The needle on the gauge had moved up to two…twelve。 The boiler was creaking
and groaning like an old woman trying to get out of bed。 Hissing jets of steam
had be