Fortunately, Lombard had a guy inside ACG who’d kept them up to speed, so they knew about the operation in Pennsylvania. Still, he wanted to be there to hear what George had to say for himself. Of course, that was impossible. Titus’s whole operation was highly illegal, which meant Lombard remained stuck on the sidelines, watching his life play out on a twenty-seven-inch monitor. Goddamn George Abe. Maybe he should have called in the feds, but he didn’t trust that peckerwood Brant at the Bureau to keep it quiet. Well, what was done was done, and anyway, it was almost time for George to go another round with Titus’s big boy.

A knock came at his study door. Lombard shut off the monitor and called them in. A dyspeptic Leland Reed entered, holding out a phone. Benjamin didn’t like that Reed carried his anxiety so plainly. A man in this line of work needed a better poker face. Lombard asked what he wanted.

“I have a Calista Dauplaise for you.”

Benjamin nodded smoothly, as though expecting the call. He wasn’t. He couldn’t have been any more surprised if Reed had said Abraham Lincoln were on the line. Calista Dauplaise? What were the odds of the old witch calling him?

“Wasn’t she one of your old donors from the Virginia days?” Reed asked. “She sounds ready to get back in bed with us in a big way, but says she wants to talk to you directly.” Reed was wired in enough to know who she was but shrewd enough to play dumb. “Want me to put her off?”

Already during the primaries, he’d gotten feelers from unexpected donors, but this was another thing entirely. Calista wouldn’t give him a dime to use the bathroom in hell. And today of all days. Just how involved with Abe Consulting was she?

Lombard snapped his fingers impatiently for Reed to give him the phone, then shooed him out.

“Hello, Calista.”

“Benjamin.”

“So, Leland tells me you found Jesus and want to help America elect the right man.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

They both chuckled over that, but it would be a mistake to think she found this funny. Just as it was a mistake to think a hyena was smiling just because it showed you its teeth.

“What do you want?”

“How is George?” she asked.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Benjamin, you have George. And likely Mike Rilling as well.”

“Those are pretty serious accusations you’re throwing around.”

“Shut up and listen to me closely if you ever hope to be president.”

Benjamin Lombard hadn’t been told to shut up since his sophomore year in college. He hadn’t actually shut up when told to since he was fourteen years of age. But as soon as Calista began to speak, his mouth snapped shut and stayed that way until she was done.