“None of my business,” Sierra said, “but don’t you find those dark glasses a bit of a nuisance at night?”

“You have no idea.”

The grim emotion in the words sent a chill across Sierra’s senses. Note to self: don’t mention the sunglasses again. They were clearly not a fashion statement.

Matt Harper had said that the sheet of plywood covering the old doorway opening was loose. He was right.

“I’ll go first,” North said.

“I’ll take the lead here,” Sierra said. “Matt will get nervous if he sees you with a gun.”

“You told him you would have company.”

“I didn’t tell him the company would be armed. At least let me alert him that we’re here and that you’re going in first.”

“All right.”

North eased the plywood aside. Sierra peered around the edge of the opening and saw a faint light emanating from a doorway in the middle of a long hall. It looked like the glow of a flashlight or a camp lantern.

“Matt?” she called. “It’s Sierra. I’ve got the man from the Foundation with me. He’s got a gun but it’s just a precaution. Nothing to worry about.”

There was no response.

North edged her aside.

“Stay here,” he ordered in a tone that indicated he expected to be obeyed.

The problem with clients was that they often got the idea that they were the ones in charge.

He moved past her into the dark hallway. She watched him glide down the corridor. He stopped just before he reached the illuminated doorway.

“Harper?” he said quietly.

Again there was no response. Sierra watched North disappear into the room.

He reappeared a moment later. “There’s a man down in here. Alive but unconscious. I assume it’s Harper but you’re the only one who can identify him.”

“Matt.” Sierra rushed forward.

North stepped aside when she arrived at the illuminated doorway. She looked around at what had once been a studio apartment and saw Matt sprawled on the floor. The flashlight he had evidently brought with him had fallen next to his outflung hand. The beam was aimed at the doorway.

She crouched beside him, stripped off her gloves, braced herself and put her fingertips to the side of his throat. She got a small jolt but she also found a reassuring beat.

“His pulse is strong,” she said. “There’s no sign of physical injury but he’s definitely unconscious. I’ll call nine-one-one.”

She reached into the pocket of her jacket and took out her phone.

“Looks like whoever attacked him is long gone,” North said from the doorway. He glanced back at Harper. An eerie stillness came over him. “I think he was trying to run.”

Sierra was about to make the call to the emergency operator. “What?”

“Judging by the way he’s lying on the floor and the position of the flashlight, it looks like he was trying to get out of here in a hurry.”

“He was probably trying to get away from whoever attacked him,” Sierra said.