“I’d rather see the farm,” said Donny. “They wouldn’t even let them show footage of it on that French documentary. I could tell Lecker covets it, but doesn’t even really know. What’s the secret?”

“I can’t tell you. Not when you’re working with them.”

“I saw some of the strawberries.”

“Pretty amazing, right? That’s just a glimpse of what I’m talking about.”

“So let me help you. We can shake those monopolists down together. I think I know how we can do it.”

“They’re your clients!”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t try to persuade them to make a deal. And like you said, technically Heather’s money is my client. The trust. Not any of the companies they own. So let me in on your case. We can make them pay up. As long as we deliver Heather.”

“What do you mean, let you in on our case?”

“Show me what you’ve got. So I can tell them why they need to settle.”

“I don’t know, Donny.”

“You know what the alternative is. They come and repossess all y’all and all your New Corn and all your giant strawberries and shut down your whole project. The USA is dead, and the age of self-help is upon us. You may enforce your laws by kidnapping, but these companies have figured the same thing out. And they have a lot more firepower at their disposal.”

“We’re ready for them.”

“But what if we could avoid that?”

Percy was thinking it over.

“Joyce would understand what I’m proposing,” said Donny.

“That’s what you think,” said Percy. “But what the hell. Let me take you. And then we can decide how to send you back.”

“Thank you, Percy,” said Donny, standing and checking his watch. “Will they have food there?”

27

Percy walked Donny north from the courthouse down the wide path of what had been Poydras Street, past trees in bloom. You could smell it in the air, the smell of the fruit that would come with summer.

“Are you sure you don’t want back in on any of your cases?” said Donny. “If I could add your name to the pleadings, I’m pretty sure we could extract a settlement for Slider. Even without Slider.”

He meant it. Percy’s reputation intimidated the defense bar. She’s the one they should have used in the ads.

“No, thanks,” said Percy. “You can donate my share to what we’re doing here. Now, listen.”

Donny soaked it in some more. He heard birds.

They walked farther along, to where the path opened up on a wide clearing. Several blocks wide on either side, with no buildings, more like a park. Tall grass popping with orange and red poppies, around a wide depression in the center that had filled with water.