Addis removed the other papers from the knapsack. Xeroxed articles about the Tangiers explosion. Stories about the Hanovers, mainly profiles from the presidential campaign. One headline read, “The Hanover Legend: More Truth Than Not.” There were three passports in different names. Each photograph was the same: close enough to Morrison. A passbook for a numbered bank account in Geneva. Photographs cut out of magazines of the presidential briefing room. An article about the bartender at the Mayflower; the name of Brady Sandlin, the reporter Morrison had impersonated, was circled. Pages of handwritten notes on graph paper. The writing was small, difficult to read. Phrases, not sentences. “Cleared money.” “Semtech source burned.” “Bird-man at the emb.” “Car dealer bribe.” An envelope of travelers’ checks—several thousand dollars—with signatures matching the name on one of the passports. There were pages torn out of Soldier of Fortune magazine. Four bottles of pills, the labels in German. A short newspaper death notice: “Reginald Morrison, Alexandria”—

Louisiana? Alexandria, Louisiana? That would be too fucking a coincidence.

—“72-years-old, pneumonia.” Farmer. Electrician. Husband of Helen Alice Morrison, deceased. It was dated seven weeks before the assassination. And letters, handwritten in a wobbly scrawl. The top of the first page of each letter had been torn to remove the name of the addressee. The bottom of the last pages were similarly torn so Addis could find no signature.

Addis read one:

Went to Mother’s grave yesterday. Been long time now. She never got used to being in that home. Doctors say I’m pretty sick. Maybe you can make it back, tho’ I dont know if you get these letters at that address you gave me. One thing I guess you got a rite to know. You know how we lost the spread at Blue Ridge. Sold it stupid’cause they told us a judge was going to swipe it for iminet domain. There’s more than that. Some years on—when we was living at Uncle Pete’s—I heard from this real estate guy how the Ridge was sold again to Govnor Hanover and then sold again to some other folks … .

Blue Ridge? At the Mayflower, he had checked in under the name of Max Bridge. B-ridge. Was that the message?