wheedled

Ask any nerd who wheedled her parents for a little more cash to buy books: What you get from Scholastic is what your parents are willing to buy you.

He wheedled money from the city for more cops, more police stations, more equipment, and he made nice with community organizations.

Then he had the woman hand her phone to a visiting technician and wheedled the phone number of the department head out him.

So Nok's mother wheedled and cut deals with her society friends, and by a sheer miracle, she landed Nok's father an even better gig: Chief Law Commissioner.

The part of Orlean who, as a child, wheedled her pet-averse mother into adopting a dog is never too distant from the scrutinizing reporter.