There was a pause. Im listening. She sounded much more enthusiastic.

A patient I passed off to Lexa because I thought it would be a good learning experience. He had to stop for a second to get control of his emotions. He was angling for an OxyContin prescription that he clearly didnt need. Lexa mentioned later that hed gotten pretty worked up when she wouldnt write him a prescription. He had to be removed by Security.

Okay, Danielle said.

I think someone mentioned the guy was an ex-con, he said.

There was silence for a moment on Danielles end. Was she blowing him off? Did she not want his help anymore?

Spell the name for me again, she said.

He did and then heard the sound of computer keys clicking, then a slight hiss of breath being released.

That had to mean something. What? he asked.

Mr. Fugate did hard time for assault with a deadly weapon. He was lucky.

How is that lucky? Didnt sound that way to Morgan.

They could easily have charged him with attempted homicide based on what Im reading here. He must have made a deal. There was another pause. Hold on for a minute, Morgan?

Sure. Morgan swiveled around in his office chair as he waited for Danielle. It was a typical doctors office. His framed diplomas hung on one wall. A photo of Ashley sat on the credenza behind him so she was the first thing he saw when he walked in. The other wall had a painting of a seascape, impressionistic enough that it was almost abstract, but with an illusion of depth that patients seemed to find comforting. Hed often see people gazing into it as he gave them difficult diagnoses. Ashley had picked it out, of course.

Morgan? Danielle was back. I just spoke to Fugates parole officer. He has a job on a construction site in Falls Church. He should be there now. Ill pick you up in twenty minutes.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

Morgan got out of the sedan that Danielle had parked behind a line of cars along a chain link fence that had to be at least ten feet high with a coil of razor wire over that. She got out as well, checking her pockets and her holster. Lets set some ground rules.

Im listening. Morgan stuffed his hands into his pockets.

I want you here because of your eye for detail, your powers of observation, the way you have of picking out some telling element of whats in front of you that most people miss.