Ray nodded and grinned. Chief Robbie hadn’t changed his position, still sitting there, leaning in to listen, alligator boot crossed over his knee, waiting for them to go on and get to the point of this luncheon. Vardaman’s big toothy grin faded.

“I didn’t want y’all to feel pressure to come,” Vardaman said. His broad face ruddy, head too big for his body, like a bobblehead won at the state fair. “But I don’t like to go through flunkies. And I know you don’t. This is a crucial time for us at this election. If we want to protect and grow Mississippi, we all need to be on the same team. Not any different from when I played high school ball. How about you, Chief? I know you had to have played some football back in the day. Guy your size.”

He shook his head. “Nope,” he said. “Just stickball. And the wrestling.”

“I heard that’s where you got those boots,” Vardaman said, his smile huge and welcoming. “Wrasslin’ the big ole gator?”

“Maybe,” Chief Robbie said. “We all pretend to be larger than life. Big-game hunter. Hero. Leader.”

Vardaman’s expression didn’t fade this time, only grew a little larger as he laughed, settling farther back into the seat. The old black woman appeared from the door to the kitchen and he waved her away. “Just a minute, Lucille. Got a little business to discuss.”

Chief Robbie’s eyes were as flat as two-lane blacktop. Unmoving, a big piece of cut stone examining the smaller man.

“A man doesn’t ever want to look back in a race,” Vardaman said. “But you don’t get too comfortable with the lead. Things can happen. I have enemies. Lots of enemies. Folks are still sore as hell over how my people took that primary election and left their guy with egg on his face. Couldn’t have done it without y’all’s help. The establishment never wanted a man like me. Someone who will challenge and uproot this whole broken system. They look at you people as outsiders. Enemies to a way of life that hadn’t changed since the plantation days.”

Robbie looked over to Ray. Ray nodded back.

“Enough bullshit,” Chief Robbie said. “How much?”

“What’s that?”

“We want to thrive,” Chief Robbie said. “You want to win. We don’t want a lottery. And we want to see more casinos inside the state and off the water. We must have your support and approval. And you need our money to beat the people in Jackson. Like I said, how much?”