Addis ignored the outstretched hand. He had not met Hynes-Pierce but he knew of him. Hynes-Pierce was the reporter probing the Hanovers’ land deal in Rapides Parish. And he was the fellow who, three weeks before the last presidential election, had aired an interview on a television tabloid show with a woman who years earlier had filed a sexual harassment complaint against Margaret Hanover. The woman’s story was accurate to a degree: She had submitted such a complaint when Margaret Hanover was an administrator at a community college in New Orleans. But the accusation had been dismissed quickly by a review board. After the broadcast aired, it had taken less than a day for reporters to locate relatives and friends of the complainant. They explained that the woman had a long history of mental illness and that she had accused numerous men and women of sexual harassment. After the election, Hynes-Pierce was hired by the Courier-Press, where his speciality—skewering the Hanovers and their associates—was much appreciated by the right-wing, millionaire recluse who owned the paper.

“Excuse me, but this is my home,” Addis said.

“Yes it is. Rather ill-mannered of me to intrude on such a fine morning.” He lifted his head to the sky, and the sunlight illuminated the crevices in his face. His teeth were shaded yellow. “But I have a delicate issue to discuss.”

“Call me at work? I promise I’ll get back to you. Things are a little crazy these days. Surely, you can understand that.”

Addis stepped toward his car. Hynes-Pierce leaned against the door on the driver’s side.

“Why were you making calls to New Orleans and Rapides yesterday?” Hynes-Pierce asked. “Getting ducks in their row, perhaps?”

Addis had been on the phone the previous day to Louisiana. He had spoken to Flip Whalen, who had been Hanover’s chief of staff during the gubernatorial years. Whalen had stayed in Louisiana after the election to tend to his wife, who was battling a variety of cancers. A paper-thin wisp of a man, Whalen was the keeper of the Hanover history. If anything came up that was pre-White House, he was the first call.

The Hanovers had a few deals over the years, Whalen had told Addis. Maybe something in Rapides, but nothing that ever demanded Whalen’s attention. Other money matters had required troubleshooting. Margaret had been on the board of a nursing home firm that was charged with Medicaid fraud, but she resigned promptly. And then there was a financial adviser they had used who was charged with promoting fraudulent securities solicitations. That had sparked a run of newspaper stories, but the episode blew over. Talk to Harris Griffith, Whalen advised, he was their accountant for many years. But be gentle with Griffith, Whalen cautioned, he had gotten caught up in some funny savings-and-loan business and had lost his job at a fancy downtown firm.