“That’s why Mercer called me. We don’t know who the man was, why he was using such an elaborate disguise, why he went inside, and what he did to this woman. Okay? Don’t come any closer, Mike. Let me talk to her.”

I walked the short corridor to the rear of the hallway, glass crunching under the soles of my shoes.

“Tina? It’s Alex Cooper. We’re all still here. The police officers won’t leave until I convince them that you’re unharmed. I’ll keep them outside the building if you’ll let me in for just a few minutes.”

“I’d rank that a toss-up,” Mike said. “Ten minutes with you or the quick punch of a battering ram? Tough call.”

“You think this helps? You think she can’t hear you?” I threw up my arms in frustration as I turned to Mike. “Mercer, please take him upstairs.”

The men marched back to the first floor as I made another attempt to persuade Tina Barr to let me in.

“I’m the only one in the basement now, Tina. The men are all outside. I don’t want them to break down your door any more than you do. But they’re worried that you’ve been injured. There was a lot of smoke down here. Can you just tell me if you’re hurt?”

There was no answer for more than a minute. Then a soft voice spoke a word or two, which sounded as though the woman was still sitting or lying on the floor inside. I couldn’t understand her, so I crouched beside the door and put my ear against it.

“Sorry. What did you say?”

“Not hurt. I’ll be okay.”

She spoke haltingly, her words caught in her throat.

“Tina, are you having trouble breathing?”

No answer.

“We can give you oxygen, Tina. Is it the smoke? Is there still smoke in your apartment?”

“No.”

“The man who was dressed like a fireman, did you let him come into your apartment?”

She was crying again as she tried to speak. “No, no, I didn’t let him in.”

“But you told the police officer that-”

“I only opened the door because he showed me a gold badge and told me there was a fire. I could smell the smoke and then saw it. I believed him.” Tina Barr’s words came out phrase by phrase, embedded in sobs. “He forced his way inside. I didn’t let him in.”