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lowered the boom. “May I talk with you about something without your being offended or getting upset?”
    He smirked. “What’d I do now?”
    “Oh no, nothing. It’s just that I want to talk with you about something Pastor Billings is preaching about, but I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”
    “And what would the wrong idea be?”
    “Well, for instance, your thinking that I’m trying to change you or get you to come to church or criticize you.”
    “And you’re not trying to do any of that?”
    “No. I mean, you know how I feel about all that, so I’m not interested in starting anything. You’re an adult and can make up your own mind, but Pastor Billings has been speaking on something so incredible that I would sincerely like your opinion about it.”
    Rayford was in a bind. She had pushed him into a corner, overwhelming him with pleasantness so that he was in a lose-lose situation. If he begged off this discussion, he would seem as unreasonable as she was. If he acceded, and he didn’t seem to have a choice, he would have to endure yet another come-to-Jesus meeting.
    “You know something?” he said, brightening.
    “What?” Irene said flatly, clearly on guard against another lame excuse to delay the conversation.
    “That stuff I promised Raymie is in, and I have to go pick it up.”
    “Can’t that wait a day? Anyway, Rafe, stuff is not going to make up for your absence. He doesn’t want stuff. He wants you.”
    “Three new toys all at once? And, may I say, big-boy toys? We’re talking a four-wheeler, a snowmobile, and a bike for when the snow clears.”
    “You’re trying to buy him.”
    Rayford snorted. “See how you are? See what you do?”
    “I’m sorry, Rayford. Truly, I am. I shouldn’t have said that.”
    “But you meant it. And you know better. I’ve just been so busy.”
    “Order that kind of stuff online and spend the time you used to shop for it just being with your son.”
    “You just don’t know when to quit, do you?”
    “How much?” Gheorghe Vasile said.
    “How much}” Fortunato parroted. “Surely you don’t think you can buy off a man like Nicolae Carpathia.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “Nicolae Carpathia does not want your money. He wants your job.”
    A laugh escaped Vasile. “Never. I’d die first.”
    Fortunato loved this more than life. With the authority vested in him by the most powerful man he had ever known, he leaned forward until his nose was six inches from Vasile’s and told the president of the Republic of Romania, “That too can be arranged.”
    “I could have you executed for even hinting at such a thing.”
    “But you won’t. If anything happens to me, the same thing would happen that would occur if you do not comply with Dr. Carpathia’s wishes.”
    “Pray tell.”
    “I can tell you this, Mr. President: it will not be anything so pedestrian as taking the truth to the press, though the international media community would enjoy this. No, I believe the plan is to start with your son’s operation. Maybe a barn burns, a few horses are lost. Harbingers of what could happen to your grandchildren.”
    Vasile flushed, obviously smoldering. He narrowed his eyes and pointed a sausagelike finger. “You leave them out of this. You wouldn’t dare.”
    “Oh, this would be on you, sir. Not on me. Not on Carpathia. Not on Stonagal. The ramifications of your response are wholly up to you. You’ve had a good reign and you enjoy a fortune. Retire. Enjoy. Kick back.”
    “Romania is my life.”
    “The presidency will be your death. Give it up. You’ll be a statesman. The people will continue to revere you, provided they are not made aware of your finances.”
    Vasile seemed to fade from red to gray. “So, what, I announce I will not run for reelection, and you think that paves the way for Carpathia?”
    “Oh no, it’s not quite that simple.”
    “Why did I not assume so?”
    “You must resign within one week and engineer