Chapter 23I knew the Palms only by reputation. In short, it is a beautiful hotel. As many hotels in Miami, it was built in the roaring 20s and recently refurbished in the Art Deco of the period. The lobby is a sight to behold. The twenty-foot dome-like ceiling is majestically supported by a set of four huge columns dividing the space into three parts. The red tiles of the floor bring out the whiteness of the surroundings. Every sofa and chair throughout the hotel (even in the rooms) is upholstered of beige or brown fabric over chestnut wood. Many of the rooms overlook the ocean, the swimming pool, or the gazebo-garden, and, of course, it is named ‘The Palms’ because of the so many palm trees populating the grounds.
Khalid had reserved a suite with two double beds in the one bedroom. He ha
