Just as I started to put it away, there was a shadow in the doorway. I looked up to see Mancini standing there. I didn’t even hear him approach. “How did it go, kid?” I’m pretty sure he’s not that much older than I am, but okay. He does have me beat with experience alone.

“It went fine. I guess I can see why you put us together.”

“He eliminates a lot of the guesswork, doesn’t he?” He walked into the room, and I looked at him, ...