New York City. 79th and Third. It was a Thursday, five minutes past midnight, when my partner and I were called to find a missing husband.

The door was answered by Mary Olson, a woman in black and red pajamas. She admitted right away he wasn't missing, but was at the bridge club. Could we pick him up and bring him home. "Yes, Ma'm," I said. We could handle it and she said don't be so sure. He's an addict. We headed over to 42nd and Broadway, the Bucket O' Blood. We didn't bother to knock.

Four men in the back room were still at it, their sleeves rolled up. Our client's husband, Jack Olson, had a six count but there were honors in the spade suit and the 5-5 shape wasn't bad to look at. He passed in second seat and then had a decision to make, vul against not and a 60 partscore, which didn't seem to matter anymore. I whispered to my partner and he nodded. We were in agreement on what to do.

 South (Jack)
   K Q J 10 2
   10 7 6 5 2
   4 2
   2

Opening lead: 10

We nodded at each other. Better to bid the chunky suit than risk a responsive double. Partner might bid the club suit if he didn't hold a 4-card major. Too risky to double.

But when 4 got doubled on the way out, the three of us let out a cool whistle, me, my partner, and Jack Olson, sitting South. The lead was the 10 of diamonds. Dummy wasn't bad, but we had to decide how to play it.

 South (Jack)
   K Q J 10 2
   10 7 6 5 2
   4 2
   2

Opening lead: 10

Jack finessed the queen pretty fast and it held. Nice. Now a trump was led to the king, which won the trick, everyone following low.

What now?

 South (Jack)
   K Q J 10 2
   10 7 6 5 2
   4 2
   2

The hand looked easy, but then again, we weren't bridge players.

Jack led the queen of trump next. West discarded a diamond and the queen held. East, we later found out, was Dan the Ducker, just out of Riker's Island.

Olson led the jack next and the Ducker took the trick and returned a diamond. Jack was trapped in dummy. He tried to cash the ace-king of hearts, but East ruffed the second heart and our man slammed the cards on the table in disgust.

He lost two trumps, a heart and a club for down one. "No score," said the dummy, "he had honors."

 South (Jack)
   K Q J 10 2
   10 7 6 5 2
   4 2
   2

Opening lead: 10

I wrote the hand down for evidence and we headed back to 79th. "He was there, Ma'm," I said. "And he played it the best he could."

"No he didn't," she said. "He should have safetied the hand. After a trump to the king, play a heart to the king, then another trump to hand. Then take the heart finesse. It can't lose."

"Can't lose?" said my partner. "No," she moaned. "If East has the queen doubleton, that's all he gets, one spade, one heart and one club. But if East ruffs, he gets only two trumps and the ace of clubs. He's got to come home!"

We nodded and went back to the club, frisked him and brought him back uptown, where he spent the night safely in his wife's arms. We did our job.

 South (Jack)
   K Q J 10 2
   10 7 6 5 2
   4 2
   2

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