； their eyes yellow in the twilight。 He thought of Bella and her gleaming family： these curs hardly seemed of the same species。 When he looked their way they hung their heads and watched him indirectly； like inept spies。
He went up to the main entrance of the hotel： the word ORPHEUS was still clearly carved above the door； there were mock…Doric columns to either side of the steps； and fancy tilework on the threshold。 But the door itself had boards nailed across it； and notices warned of swift prosecution if anyone trespassed。 There seemed little chance of that。 The second…； third… and fourth…story windows were boarded up with the same thoroughness as the door； those on the first floor had been bricked up entirely。 There was a door at the back of the building that was not boarded up； but it was bolted from the inside。 This was probably where Halifax had entered the building： but Whitehead must have given him access。 Without breaking and entering； there was no way in。
It was only on his second orbit of the hotel that he gave some serious consideration to the fire escape。 It zigzagged up the east side of。 the building； an impressive piece of wrought…iron work that was now rusting badly。 Further mutilation had been done to it by some enterprising salvage firm； that； seeing profit in the scrap metal； had started to cut the escape away from the wall； only to give up on the job when it had reached the second floor。 This left the bottom flight missing； the escape's truncated tail hanging ten or eleven feet from the ground。 Marty studied the problem。 The fire…exit doors on most of the stories had been nailed up； but one； on the fourth story； showed signs of tampering。 Was this how the old man had gained entrance？ He would have needed help； presumably： Luther； perhaps。
Marty scanned the wall beneath the fire escape。 It was graffiti…strewn； but smooth。 There was no chance of a handhold or foothold to get him up the first few feet and onto the steps themselves。 He turned to the wasteland； looking for inspiration； and a few minutes〃 search in the deepening dusk revealed a pile of discarded furniture； among it a table； three…legged； but serviceable。 He hauled it back to the fire escape and then wedged a collection of refuse bags beneath it in lieu of its missing limb。 It made an unsteady perch when he climbed up onto it； and even then his fingers missed the bottom of the escape。 He was obliged to jump for a handhold； and on the fourth attempt he achieved one； leaving him swinging at arm's length from the bottom step。 A drizzle of rust scales hit his face and hair。 The escape creaked。 He mustered his will and hauled himself up a vital few inches； then struck out with his left hand for a hold on a higher stair。 His shoulder joints plained； but he pulled on upward； hand over hand； until he could lift his leg high enough to hoist his whole body onto the steps。
The first stage achieved； he stood on the escape and caught his breath； then started up。 The structure was by no means stable； the salvage crew had obviously been at work loosening it from the wall。 Every step he took； a grating squeal seemed to presage its capitulation。
〃Hold on；〃 he whispered to it； mounting the steps with as light a tread as he could。 His efforts were rewarded on the fourth story。 As he guessed； the door had been opened quite recently； and with no small sense of relief he stepped from the dubious safety of the fire escape and into the hotel itself。
It still stank of the conflagration that had defeated it： the bitter smell of burned wood and charred carpeting。 Below him he could see…by the meager light through the open fire door…the gutted floors。 The walls were scorched； the paint on the banisters diseased with blisters。 But just a few steps up from here the fire's progress had been arrested。
Marty started up the stairs to the fifth story。 A long corridor presented itself to him； with rooms to right and left。 He wandered down the passageway taking a perfunctory look into each of the suites as he passed。 The numbered doors let onto empty spaces： all the furniture and fittings that were salvageable had been removed years ago。
Perhaps because of its isolated position； and the difficulty of entering； the building had not been squatted or vandalized。 The rooms were almost absurdly clean； their deep…pile beige carpets…too bothersome to remove； apparently…springy as cliff turf beneath his feet。 He checked every suite on the fifth floor before retracing his path to the stairs and going up another flight。 The scene was the same here； although the suites…which had perhaps once manded a salable view…were larger and fewer on this floor； the carpets； if anything； lusher。 It was bizarre； ascending from the charred depths of the hotel to this pristine； breathless place。 People had perhaps died in the blindfold corridors below； asphyxiated or baked to death in their dressing gowns。 But up here no trace of the tragedy had intruded。
There was one floor left to investigate。 As he climbed the final flight of stairs the illumination suddenly strengthened until it was almost as bright as day。 The source was highway light； finding its way through the skylights and ineptly sealed windows。 He explored the labyrinthine system of rooms as quickly as possible； pausing only to glance out of the window。 Far below； he could see the car parked beyond the fence； the dogs engaged in a mass rape。 In the second suite he suddenly caught sight of somebody watching him across the vast reception room only to realize that the haggard face was his own； reflected in a wall…sized mirror。
The door of the third suite； on this final floor； was locked； the first locked suite Marty had encountered。 Proof positive； if any were needed； that it had an occupant。
Jubilant； Marty rapped on the door。 〃Hello？ Mr。 Whitehead？〃 There was no answering movement from within。 He rapped again； harder； casing the door as he did so to see if a break…in was plausible； but it looked too solid to be easily shouldered down。 If necessary； he'd have to go back to the car and get some tools。
〃It's Strauss； Mr。 Whitehead。 It's Marty Strauss。 I know you're in there。 Answer me。〃 He listened。 When there was no reply； he beat on the door a third time； this time with fist instead of knuckles。 And suddenly the reply came； shockingly close。 The old man was standing just the other side of the door； had been all along probably。
〃Go to Hell；〃 the voice said。 It was a little slurred； but unmistakably that of Whitehead。
〃I have to speak to you；〃 Marty replied。 〃Let me in。〃 〃How the fuck did you find me？〃 Whitehead demanded。 〃You bastard。〃 〃I made some inquiries； that's all。 If I can find you； anybody can。〃 〃Not if you keep your wretched mouth shut。 You want money； is that it？ e here for money； have you？〃 〃No。〃 〃You can have it。 I'll get it to you； however much you want。〃 〃I don't want money。〃 〃Then you're a damn fool；〃 Whitehead said； and he laughed to himself； a witless； ragged titter。 The man was drunk。
〃Mamoulian's on to you；〃 Marty said。 〃He knows you're alive。〃 The laughing stopped。
〃How？〃 〃Carys。〃 〃You've seen her？〃 〃Yes。 She's safe。〃 〃Well 。 。 。 I underestimated you。〃 He paused； there was a soft sound； as if he was leaning against the door。 After a while he spoke again。 He sounded exhausted。
〃What did you e for； if not for money？ She's got some expensive habits； you know。〃 〃No thanks to you。〃 〃I'm sure you'll find it as convenient as I did； given time。 She'll bend over backward for a fix。〃 〃You're filth； you know that？〃 〃But you came to warn me anyway。〃 The old man leaped on the paradox with lightning speed； quick as ever to open a hole in a man's flank。 〃Poor Marty 。 。 。〃 the slurred voice trailed away； smothered by mock pity。 Then； razor…sharp： 〃How did you find me？〃 〃The strawberries。〃 What sounded like muffled choking came from within the suite； but it was Whitehead laughing again； this time at himself。 It took several moments for him to regain his posure。 〃Strawberries 。 。 。〃 he murmured。 〃My！ You must be persuasive。 Did you break his arms？〃 〃No。 He volunteered the information。 He didn't want to see you curl up and die。〃 〃I'm not going to die！〃 the old man …snapped。