“I want you to go out and stir up the troops. Reassure them. Tell them everything is going to be fine.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Can I tell them that the firings and demotions of the prosecutors who opposed you during the primary were a mistake and that you’ve reconsidered?”

“No. Politics 101, Jim. You have to reward your friends and punish your enemies. There’s going to be carrots, but there have to be sticks, too.”

“Yes’m. And my suggestion? I know it’s kind of thinking outside the — ”

“No. I like the idea, really I do, but I can’t go trying misdemeanors with the babies, just to get some experience.”

“I think it would show some humility, and — ”

“You’ve lived in Texas your whole life, Jim. In what fucking corner of this fucking state is there some fucking premium on humility?”

“Well, I’ll give ya that, Ma’am. So I can’t tell them that they can speak their minds freely, and I can’t tell them that you’re going to get some courtroom experience with misdemeanors before you grab a high-profile to try yourself, so what can I tell them.*”

“You can tell them who’s wearing the fucking pants around here.”

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* Yes, I know there should be a question mark there, but Robert B. Parker always uses a period in this sort of situation, and he knows what he’s doing.