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“So this is where I’ll die. In the elevator of a grandiose hotel inBalHarbour.”

Those were the words pounding on my brain as I pounded my fists against the immutable elevator door.

My family was staying in one of the most luxurious resorts inMiami Beach. When we’d arrived the night before I couldn’t believe my good fortune. My unspoiledBrooklyneyes darted from the window walls to the glass rooms to the modern-styled sofas framing the parlor and then back to the window walls again.

In fact those window walls had been covered in shades when I first glanced in their direction. I had fingered them gently when someone yelled “Don’t touch!” and up flew the shades — in the entire suite! With the touch of my finger I had instigated three mansion-sized rooms to shoot up their window shades. Then I found out that somebody had flicked a switch in unison with my touching the shades and that had been my first glimpse of the breathtaking view outside our windows.