James Lee Burke's The Neon Rain opens with Lieutenant Dave Robicheaux, a New Orleans homicide detective, at Angola penitentiary visiting a career criminal on death row for murder. The criminal, Johnny Massina, recognizes his debt to the world— and to Robicheaux, who "always treated [him] decent"—and hopes to even up what he can here before having to pay "some heavy dues . . . on the other side." Therefore, after making full confession to a priest, Massina warns Robicheaux that "the Columbians" intend to kill him for his involvement in an investigation—although neither Massina nor Robicheaux know which investigation has incited their ire. Massina, though fearful, has resigned himself to his fate despite his protestations of innocence.

Although he claims not to have committed the murder for which the state will execute him, he reasons that enough of his other crimes have gone unpunished...