"He's a kid," he said. "You raise him right and he'll take good care of you. Thing is, you got to believe in discipline."

"It is not your job to discipline my staff. And I have never had a problem with him."

"Yeah? And maybe this is one time when you don't need a problem with him," he replied.

"I really would appreciate it if you wouldn't try to run my office."

I was tired and out of sorts, and Lucy still was not answering the phone at Mant's house. Marino had parked next to me, and I unlocked my driver's door.

"So, what's Lucy doing for the New Year?" he asked as if he knew my concerns.

"Hopefully, spending it with me. But I haven't heard from her." I got into the car.

"The snow started up north, so Quantico got hit first," he said. "Maybe she got caught. You know how 95 can be."

"She's got a car phone. Besides, she's driving from Charlottesville," I said.

"How come?"

"The Academy's decided to send her back to UVA for another graduate course."

"In what? Advanced Rocket Science?"

"Apparently, she's doing a special study in virtual reality."

"So maybe she got stuck somewhere between here and Charlottesville." He did not want me to leave.

"She could have left a message."

He stared around the parking lot. It was empty save for the dark-blue morgue wagon, which was covered with snow. Flakes clung to his wispy hair and must have been cold on his balding head, but he did not seem to mind.

"Do you have New Year plans?" I started the engine, then the wipers to plow snow off the windshield.

"A couple of us guys are supposed to play poker and eat chili."

"That sounds like fun." I looked up at his big, flushed face as he continued staring off.

"Doc. I went through Eddings' apartment back in Richmond and didn't want to get into it in front of Danny. I think you're going to want to go through it, too."