The encounter in Mexico had shaken Knight, who told his client he would not be able to insure the hyenas. He then cautioned the Texan that it was possible the hyenas—one of the few mammals known to eat their prey bone and all—had developed a taste for human flesh that could prove particularly hazardous for anyone interacting with the creatures.

But Lee was not some criminal, Knight assured himself. Lee was no different from the celebrated marijuana moguls who had made millions from the newly emerging legal cannabis trade in the United States. He was an entrepreneur and an opportunist capitalizing on an evolving market landscape—just like Knight.

Knight felt a hand seize his shoulder as he stood in the downpour.

“Don’t move.”

He swallowed, rock still. He looked down to see a metal detector wand tracing his body from behind. Moments later, a limo pulled up, and the man with the metal detector opened the door of the car, gesturing for him to get in.

Knight slid onto the seat, his drenched clothes streaking the leather with water. He tugged his sleeve up nonchalantly to make sure his watch was exposed for Lee’s observation. Opposite him, Lee looked him in the eye coldly, taking the measure of the salesman who had been so eager to pitch him his business.

“Speak.”

Lee’s severe tone caught him off guard. Where to begin? “My name is—”

“Randall Knight. You’re a partner at Carlyle Insurance. I know; I did my research on you. You have five minutes.”

Knight leaned forward, forcing a confident smile. “I did my research on you too. You’re a businessman. So am I. My company insures animals—everything from exotic to livestock. And from what I gather, animals are a business that you’re about to venture into for the first time.”

He was uncertain how direct he could be with Lee about his not-yet-legal plans. Lee’s face betrayed nothing.

“If your tiger-farming legislation gets pushed through next month, you’ll be looking to start big-cat production on an industrial scale. People think animals are like any other widget, but they’re not. Things can go south with animals real fast, and catastrophic inventory collapse is something I deal with every day. And it’s something I can also help my clients avoid. That’s why men like Sheikh Humaid and Sergei Kerimov count on me.” He hoped the social proof of his two billionaire clients would increase his value in Lee’s eyes.

Knight continued. “If you’re looking to do what I think you are looking to do, you can’t afford to have a volatile supply chain.”

Lee looked out the window, lost in thought. Knight couldn’t read whether he was processing Knight’s pitch, or had already passed on it in his mind.