The dirty gray stone facade of the cheap nursing home loomed in front of Abhay, its cracked mortar and dark windows giving it a derelict, forbidding look. It was the third such building he’d been forced to move Mark into in as many weeks.

He was out of options.

Straightening his black polo shirt and brushing lint from his khaki slacks, Abhay entered the building and stopped to sign in at the front desk. A bored looking attendant glanced at him only long enough to note that he’d added his signature to the guest log and not enough to identify him. After completing the routine procedure, Abhay walked down the hall toward Mark’s new room.

When Abhay stepped inside, Mark was sitting in a wheelchair under the window reading a book. He looked up when he heard Abhay walk in, but then looked down again after identifying him.

“Good evening, Mr. Smith,” Abhay said in greeting.

“Could you have thought of something more original than Smith?” Mark’s tone was dripping with disdain.

“No,” Abhay grumbled. “I had barely enough time to draw up the new paperwork and move you before Black showed up at the last nursing home. You’re lucky I got you out of there in time. Name creativity was not high on my list of priorities.”

As Abhay expected, Mark paled at the mention of Adam Black’s name.

“What? You think I like moving you? You have no idea how hard it is to find nursing homes willing to look the other way when you bring an individual into their facilities for care.” Abhay moved to sit on the bed and leaned in close to Mark. He addressed Mark quietly. “In fact, this is the last one.”

“What do you mean, is?”

Abhay nodded. “As of today, you don’t live here anymore.”

“Where are you taking me this time?”

Abhay glanced out the window, ordering his thoughts before responding. “There’s a flat—”

“Where?”

“Elephant and Castle.” Mark huffed and Abhay held his hand up in a stop signal, forestalling Mark’s inevitable objections. “And before you deride it, be aware, this is one of my many personal residences.” Albeit one of the worst. There was no way Abhay would take the highly sought-after Mark Prescott to his true home overlooking the Thames. “You will be living there, rent free, and hopefully in relative security.”

“Why?”

“Because, Mark,” Abhay said with a smile he didn’t feel. “You’ve been discharged.” …And we have less than an hour before Black arrives. But Abhay didn’t need to tell him that.