“Did you know that the two once resided together in a group house? Indeed. Out of curiosity, I did poke about. This was when they were both young, enthusiastic, fresh-faced Capitol Hill interns. In any event, credit Mr. Kelly for possessing the good sense to find an unlikely pathway for the information. If he had dangled it before me himself I might have chosen to write about internal White House plotting against the President. And why would Mr. Conditt play along? For old times’ sake, perhaps, as a favor to his friend. To stick you? It’s a possibility. One should never underestimate the psychological motive in this repressed Southern town. You might be interested to know that a colleague of mine informed me that he had heard that Conditt, prior to the tragedy, had been under consideration for a senior position within Vice President Mumfries’ office. In any event, I long ago ceased attempting to discern motives in this city. What counts is what counts … . Sorry, truly, if all this adds one more disappointment to your stock.”

The reporter paid for the drink and left. Addis remained in the bar and traced another chain. Because Kelly and Conditt had introduced the story to Hynes-Pierce, Addis had been placed on the Blue Ridge trail; because he had investigated, he had pieced together the bizarre story that brought down …

The network was now airing video from the Chicago convention: Margaret’s arrival. Mumfries’s initial refusal to answer questions about Hynes-Pierce’s story. Margaret’s teary-eyed withdrawal. Ken Byrd passing out a written statement—on the Fourth of July—announcing that Mumfries would no longer seek the nomination. Then film from the extra day that was added to the convention, when shocked, confused, and exhausted delegates eventually selected Palmer as the party’s presidential nominee.

A young black woman holding a swaddled-up infant entered the room. Twayne Starrell followed. Addis stood and said hello.

“My wife Tamika and my daughter,” Starrell said.

“Congratulations,” Addis replied.

“They’re staying with us a while,” Dunne said. “Gives Alma something to do other than fret over me.”

The couple sat on the couch. Starrell took the sleeping baby in his arms. Addis returned to the rocker.

“What’s her name?” he asked.

“Vanessa,” Timmons said. “After my grammie. Her middle name’s Clarissa.”

Addis looked at Dunne, who grinned.

The network played footage from the congressional hearings: Representative Wynn Gravitt, the chair of the special joint committee, lecturing Brewster McGreer. Jake Grayton arriving at the Capitol, accompanied by a lawyer, pleading the Fifth before the panel. Hamilton Kelly being yelled at by a senator, who accused him of scheming with Grayton and forging the memo on White House security to discredit Dunne. Members of Grayton’s interagency SWAT team wearing hoods to conceal their identities and testifying that Grayton had placed an outsider in charge of their group and then used the unit to follow and monitor Dunne, Lancette, and Addis.