Knight stepped into his brown calfskin Ferragamo loafers, then shrugged on his lightweight trench coat over his blue Zegna suit. He thought twice about the Omega Speedmaster he was wearing, then unbuckled the metal band. Knight had seen a blurb about Lee in Forbes Asia, and the bio suggested that every move Lee made was dedicated purely to the acquisition of wealth. But what made the biggest impression on Knight wasn’t the bland text of the puff piece, but rather the young Turk’s photo. His perfect grooming and attire painted a portrait of obsession—a man who wanted only the best. And men who wanted only the best wanted to work with only the best. For a man like that, it wasn’t about quality control; it was about ego. Yes, Knight knew the type well, and he knew how to navigate their psychology to his advantage.

He withdrew the $40,000 Breguet watch he had stored in the hotel safe and fastened it on his wrist. A man of Lee’s refined taste would recognize the rare watch’s exposed mechanics instantly. It would serve not only as Knight’s membership card in the new-money class, but also as the opening salvo in their negotiation before Knight ever opened his mouth.

Before heading out the door, he opened the curtains to heavy rain. Shit. He reached for his umbrella, then paused.

The instructions had been clear. Bring nothing.

Knight stood in the downpour, his socks wringing water into the bed of his god-awfully expensive shoes every time he shifted his weight. Christ, he must have been standing here for twenty minutes on this damn corner in the rain. He resisted the urge to check his watch, for fear that its minimal waterproofing wouldn’t hold up in this steamy climate.

The whole cloak-and-dagger setup for the meeting reminded Knight of a call he once got in Texas. One of his clients in El Paso was considering buying three adult hyenas for his roadside menagerie, and Knight requested to meet with the seller, to make sure the hyenas had been properly cared for before he underwrote their longevity. Their caretaker allegedly worked for a wealthy Mexican seller, and the meeting had been arranged at the last minute. The location for the rendezvous was a restaurant the man had chosen without leaving room for negotiation. Shortly into the conversation, it became clear to Knight that the anxious so-called caretaker was nothing more than a cutout who knew next to nothing about the animals and likely had never even seen the hyenas they were discussing. Over the years, Knight had come across numerous animals rescued from narco zoos in Mexico and South America, where the carnivores had served as both decoration and garbage disposals.