A loud knock on the door provided a welcome change of pace. Alex crossed the room and opened the door for officer Steve Mahoney, who bustled in with a pile of papers.

�Whoa, ho, hold that door,� Andy said from down the hallway as he and Diane stepped off the elevator. They ran down the hallway and joined the group in Dr. Hubley�s living room.

�Okay, Steve, what do you have for me?� Alex said, extending his hand for the papers.

�Phone recs for Dr. Hubley and Dr. Pachla. I confirmed there was a phone call from Dr. Hubley to Dr. Pachla�s office last night, and then from Dr. Hubley�s home to Detective Russell�s home. I also confirmed that both doctors saw Detective Russell that day.�

Everyone looked over at Diane, who didn�t look up from the phone records she was studying. �So, what�s the next step?� she asked.

�We find out what the mysterious Dr. Muzqu�z knows,� Alex said. �Without you guys. Sorry.�

�I�d just be a distraction, anyway,� Diane nodded. She excused herself to use the bathroom. When she emerged, she grabbed a piece of gum from her purse.

The limo entered a warehouse district on the riverfront and drove past dozens of old, weather-beaten, unmarked buildings. Finally, the limo turned and entered a driveway that went between two tall yellowish buildings, then turned left and entered a loading dock that angled down so that the truck bed of eighteen-wheelers could be loaded directly from the platform. The limo parked near the back of the loading dock. The doors opened and the �investigators� got out. Number One leaned back in and extended his gloved hand to Dr. Pachla, who took it without argument. She had earned enough bruises on this trip already.

The men and Dr. Pachla entered a dingy office inside the warehouse. In the middle of the room was the back seat bench that had been removed from an old van. A woman was sitting on the gray vinyl seat, surrounded by filthy seat belts and buckles. There were several splits in the vinyl, as if someone had sliced it open with a knife and exposed the foamy flesh inside. Man number two pointed at the seat, and Dr. Pachla gingerly sat down next to the woman.

�Dr. Hubley, I presume?� Dr. Pachla said. �Are you okay?�

�Dr. Pachla. Nice to meet you in person.�

�Shut up!� shouted Number One, and he put his hand directly on the gun inside his coat. The women shared a worried glance and kept silent. They didn�t have to wait long.