He left the building and crossed Pennsylvania Avenue. Since the funeral, Lafayette Square had been cordoned off. It was empty, except for security details and pigeons. No secretaries sitting on the park benches eating take-out salads. The ragged protesters who lived in cardboard huts in direct view of the front gate—their signs had decried nuclear bombs, the neglect of the poor, the corporatization of the health care system—had been cleared away. Addis recalled the time Hanover had walked across the street and chatted with them. They asked him to cut military spending in half, to help all the poor children, to invest billions in solar power, to promote a week during which all businesses would be shut down and no one would consume anything other than the essentials. “Not such bad ideas,” Hanover had said to Addis. “I don’t know whether to wonder why they do this or why more people don’t.”

Addis passed through security at Blair House: metal detector, verification of his hard pass, and a mandatory pat-down. Jack was in the library, watching music videos. Addis said hello.

“Hey, Nick,” Jack said, turning from the television.

“What’s on?”

“Nothing much. But this one’s kinda cool. They all turn into cartoons, see? Lem likes it.”

“I haven’t seen this one,” Addis said.

“Most are pretty dumb … . We going to a game soon?”

“I haven’t forgotten. Maybe in a few days, when things calm down. Me, you, and Lem, okay?”

“Lem’s not here,” Jack said.

“Where is he?”

“He went home. His mom’s sick.”

“Well, he’ll be back soon.”

“Okay,” Jack said. “You promise?”

“Sure do. I’ll see you later.”

“Alright.” He started flipping channels.

Addis went up to the second-floor office. Dan Carey was leaving the room as Addis entered. The consultant turned and asked Margaret if he should stay. She said no, and invited Addis into the office. She was at the desk. O’Connor was sitting cross-legged in a chair next to her. They both had been poring over the papers spread out on her desk. Margaret swept them into a pile.

Carey’s numbers, Addis thought.

Margaret came out from behind the desk and greeted Addis with a dry kiss on the cheek. She sat on the couch and pointed to the spot next to her. He took his place.

“First,” she said. “Thank you.”

Before he could respond, she went on: “Second, I’m going to run. I’m going to make an official statement day after tomorrow. A speech at the Children’s Aid Fund. Bob was supposed to be there. They’ve asked for me. Not Sam. And I’ll be doing that show tomorrow night. I know I’m going to be pressed on my intentions. So I’ll give a short yes, and say watch the speech.”

When you’ll have live coverage on all the networks.