New York, winter, 1966, 4:00 a.m. Detective Matt Walker is wrapping up a shift on the vice beat near Times Square. He’s just finished taking advantage of a prostitute, having promised to let her go in exchange for a favor. He considers this one of the perks of the job. “Vice isn’t free,” he remarks. “Someone has to pay for it.”

Now he’s drunk as hell and he can’t find his car. He needs a cup of coffee to sober up. The lights are on in the diner at 37th and 5th. When he tries to go in, the night porter explains the place is closed. They can’t take any customers.