Harry�s head spun as Hector abruptly turned him to the left, heading down a long corridor to his next home away from home. Harry counted the doors as they went down the hall. Hector paused briefly at the sixth door on the left, inserted a key, turned and propped the door open with his foot. He scooted Harry by him quickly, allowing the heavy metal door with a small mesh window to close behind him. Harry did not hear the telltale click of a secure room, so he figured the locking mechanism must be jammed open by the key that was still hanging on the outside of the door.

�Okay, Mr. Denby. Time to get out of the chair. I need it for another patient,� Hector mumbled as he unlocked the cuffs and freed Harry�s wrists. Harry stood shakily and Hector helped transfer him to the bed. There was a tray on a rolling table beside the bed, and Harry was suddenly very interested in its contents. He busied himself with peeking under covers and nibbling on runny mystery eggs and limp bacon as Hector left the room. He turned up his nose and started to work on the hard roll and rock solid pat of butter.

Harry noticed that there was no click after the door shut behind Hector. His innate sense of timing alerted him to this discrepancy, and he looked up at the door with hopeful curiosity. Just then, the door swung wide open and a large Hispanic man wearing a black raincoat, black driving gloves and shades entered the room. Harry saw Hector in the dark hallway, shoving bills into his pocket as he walked away.

�What the hell�?� Harry tried to jump out of the bed, nearly succeeding, but the large man grabbed his neck and forced him onto his back. Harry could barely breathe, much less scream. He felt dizzy, and black dots circled around his eyes. He gasped and struggled, then held still. Finally, the man loosened his grip and spoke.

�I don�t have to explain to you why silence is golden, now do I?� His voice was rough, and his accent was unique. Harry figured he was a Dominican. Harry shook his head slowly, never taking his eyes off his attacker. He had dark skin, dark eyes, black curly hair, and Harry guessed this muscular man weighed about two hundred pounds. Harry was in no condition to fight off an attack from a man of this size, so he resolved to listen, observe and survive.

�For the last few months, we�ve been missing some inventory, our cash flow has been weaker than usual, and some staff has gone missing.� Harry noticed his English was excellent and educated.

�We understand you might have some insight into the recent whereabouts of one of our business contacts, Mr. Kirkendall.� The man lifted his hand from Harry�s neck, and began admiring a rather large hunting knife with a long smooth cutting edge on one side, and a short serrated edge on the other side, near the handle. He waited patiently for Harry to respond.

�I just learned he vanished from the 15th Precinct holding cell. I�ve been in custody myself the entire time. He has not reached out to me in here.�