Milton crested the slight incline and emerged from the underpass. The police cars had pulled out to half a mile ahead of him and, as he watched, their brake lights flashed red and they turned off the road. It took him a few moments to catch up with them and, as he closed in, he saw that they had stopped in the parking lot at the rear of the hotel. Milton took the off-ramp and turned into the lot himself. He brought the scooter to a halt, turned off the ignition and raised it onto its stand. He made his way to a small clump of kelapa trees that would allow him a little cover while he watched what was happening.

A small crowd of hotel staff and guests had gathered outside the building, no doubt attracted by the arrival of the police. Several of them had their phones aloft, filming whatever was happening. The small crowd turned as the main doors to the hotel opened. A uniformed officer strode through, gesturing angrily with his hands that they should move out of the way; the crowd shuffled back, but no one left. Milton watched the policeman. It was the driver he had seen before; he was young and lean and had a pistol holstered at his hip.

Milton turned his attention to the doors of the hotel. He could see movement inside. Two officers were carrying someone to the door. Milton saw the navy-blue flowered dress and knew that the person being removed was Sakura.

The policeman in front was holding onto her ankles, and the man behind had his hands underneath her armpits. Her arms hung loose and her head lolled back. What had happened to her? Surely the naloxone would have worked on the opiates by now; had she had some sort of relapse? And where was Edwin? Where was the Filipina nurse whom the doctor had summoned to help? One of Sakura’s shoes came loose, unnoticed by the policemen, and dropped to the sidewalk as the officers hauled her toward the nearest cruiser. They opened the door at the back and dumped her inside.

A fourth policeman came out of the door to the hotel, followed by one of the hotel employees, who was arguing furiously with him. The policeman turned and said something to the employee. The man shrank back with his hands in front of him in supplication.

Two of the policemen got into the front of the first car, the remaining men heading for their own vehicles. The small convoy set off, their blue lights still flashing.

Milton heard the low rumble of thunder from a distance away.

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