Ed looked over the man’s shoulder and saw the FedEx truck. He slowly released the hammer on the pistol, then signed for the package.

The driver handed him a stiff FedEx envelope. “Have a good day,” he said, then left.

Ed went back to the kitchen, opened the envelope, and shook out the key to the strong case. He put it into the other pocket of his robe, got the mail from the mailbox on the porch, and went back to his breakfast. When he was done he cleaned up after himself, then went into his study, switched on the TV for Morning Joe, and started opening the mail.

He was absorbed in a copy of his investment statement when he looked up and found a man standing in the door. What with Joe Scarborough in mid-rant, he hadn’t heard him enter the house. He thought of going for his pistol, but the man already had one in his hand, equipped with a silencer. Ed pressed the mute button on the TV remote control. “What the fuck do you want?” It occurred to him that, having published and circulated his book, there was nothing pressing remaining in his life, and it might be as good a time as any to die.

“We want the strong case,” the man said. “And if you don’t give it to us without a fuss, you’re going to die here and now.”

“Oh, all right,” Ed said. “Can I get up and get it without being shot?”

“Go ahead, but carefully.”

Ed got up, swung back the bookcase hiding his safe, entered the code, and opened the door.

“Don’t reach inside,” the man said, “just step back two paces.”

“Sure thing,” Rawls said, and followed orders.

The man motioned to a companion behind him. “Get the thing out of the safe.” The man stepped past Rawls and retrieved the strong case.

“We’ll say good morning to you, then,” the man with the silenced pistol said.

“And to you,” Ed replied.

The man turned to go.

“Oh,” Ed said.

The man turned. “What?”

“It occurs to me that you might like to have the key, since the case can’t be opened without it.”

“Where is the key?”

“In this pocket,” Ed said, pointing at it.

“Take it out very, very carefully,” the man said.

Ed did so, then tossed it to him.

The man caught the key without taking his eyes from Rawls, impressing him. “Thank you. Now sit down and don’t move for five minutes.”

Ed sat down, picked up his investment statement, and started to read.

The man with the silenced pistol vanished, and Ed heard the front door close softly. He picked up the remote and restored Joe Scarborough to speech in mid-rant. He was now on the subject of Nelson Knott’s announcement and its potential effect on the coming election.

—