�Ladies,� a deep, sonorous voice said from behind them. If they didn�t know better, they would have sworn Ricardo Montalban had entered the room. They looked at each other, and as they started to look behind the bench, he said, �Don�t turn your heads. It�s better this way.� After they relaxed a little, the voice continued, �I understand you may have some information on the whereabouts of a man named Harry Denby.�

The two doctors looked at each other again, and each saw confusion on the other�s face.

�Don�t play with me,� the voice said, more gravelly now, �You�re both in over your heads. Mr. Denby took something that belongs to me, and I want it back. Then you can go.�

�Excuse me, but what did he take?� Dr. Pachla asked, looking forward at the blank wall in front of her.

�Okay, it couldn�t hurt for me to tell you,� he chuckled. The other men chuckled knowingly from their positions in the room. Dr. Hubley tried to swallow, but her throat was suddenly dry. �We are in the...pharmaceutical business...and Mr. Denby managed to steal twenty kilos of our most potent...painkiller. That�s worth about one and a half million dollars.�

�I can see why you would want to find him,� Dr. Hubley nodded, her face serious. �But I�m at a loss here. Neither of us knows anything. We�re both peripheral players after the fact. Besides that, something tells me that if I actually had information about Mr. Denby, I couldn�t tell you anyway. After all, you haven�t made any efforts to conceal yourselves or our location. There appears to be no reason for us to believe we would survive that conversation.�

�I�m afraid I share Dr. Hubley�s concerns,� Dr. Pachla nodded. The two women locked hands and squeezed. Breathing calmly was an effort.

�That�s too bad,� said the voice, almost sincerely. �I am sorry that we will have to pursue other more effective methods of persuasion.�

Dr. Muzqu�z looked up from his patient files with a scowl as Detective Rodriguez and Steve Mahoney knocked and then abruptly entered his office. Angie followed them in, trying to stop them. She knew Dr. Muzqu�z was going to rip her a new orifice when the cops were gone, and her face showed her misery.

�What do you want?�

�We�re looking for Dr. Pachla. Looks like she left in a big hurry today.�

�She went to the hospital to do her rounds, like she does every day. Angie will tell you that. You should have listened to her at the front desk. Now if you don�t mind, I don�t like to keep my patients waiting.�