Deadbolt

When Mira Kapoor's deadbolt finally refuses to turn after weeks of sticking, she calls the locksmith whose card is pinned to the building board. Tariq El-Sayed arrives exactly on time—tall, lean, courtly, and already looking at the damaged cylinder the way he looks at a problem he intends to solve completely. The previous lock has been forced. He replaces it with something stronger, adds a seconda...