Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Brie
The KOAN debrief takes place the next day in a nondescript Midtown office building, the kind of anonymous space that could house anything from accounting firms to import businesses.
Hudson leads us through the aftermath with military precision—what went right, what went wrong, and what Elena’s next moves might be once she’s cornered.
He’s not happy I went against his directive, but Quinn’s calm “she saved the op” undercuts his reprimand—I owe her for taking the blast radius on that call. Hudson’s scowl at her voice over the speaker tells me she’ll take heat for defending me.
“Pierce is currently being questioned,” Hudson reports, scrolling his tablet. “FBI with Kansas authorities. Picked him up at his office two hours ago.”
Pierce’s arrest will send ripples through Crawford’s donor network. The senator’s coordinating with Alicia Morgan to manage potential fallout.
“What about Elena?” I ask. One scenario we worried over is that we wouldn’t get to the right people for an investigation, or that someone in her network would bury it.
“She’s gone. By the time federal agents reached her last known address, the apartment had been cleaned out. Furniture still there, but closets mostly cleared. Running theory is she got word that feds were going to pick up Pierce, and she acted.”
“She’s choosing to flee, not lawyer up,” Noah says, head tilted, thoughtful.
I’m not entirely surprised. Elena Vasquez struck me as someone with an exit strategy.
“So we won,” I say, though the words feel hollow.
“Crawford’s safe. If any of his business comes out in deposition or court, I’m sure Alicia has a plan.
Pierce is in custody and even if he walks, a court case is in his future and any threats he’s made are substantially weakened, and Elena’s operation is blown. ”
“No announcement yet, but rumor is she’s out as deputy chief of staff. But…” He pauses. “Vasquez is still out there, with resources. If she’d stayed, the money would bleed into defense. On the lam, she may take a different tack.”
“Revenge?” I ask. Fine hairs lift; the chill beads under my skin.
“If I were her, I’d take a step back and assess the damage,” Quinn says.
“The good news is, all evidence has been passed on to the authorities—in duplicate. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pierce talks to cut himself a deal.
If you’re wondering if she’s going to go after d’Avricourt, I don’t see the point.
She won’t gain anything other than adding to the list of charges against her. ”
Hudson looks at the phone that’s placed on the table, the source of Quinn’s voice. It’s odd that he keeps her down in North Carolina most of the time, but maybe she doesn’t like to travel. I’ve never asked.
“I tend to agree with Quinn. The risk level is low, but it’s not non-existent. d’Avricourt’s residence is secure, correct?”
“Yes,” I nod, but honestly, if Elena were to go after him, I’d envision a setup that feels disconnected from her; a mugging gone wrong in an alley, or a stray bullet that could be blamed on gangs. “What about Alicia Morgan?”
“Her primary residence is in Georgetown,” Noah answers. “I can check it out. Do an assessment, but she’s known as the fixer. I’d expect this isn’t the first time she’s been in a risky situation.”
“True,” Hudson agrees. “And it would be odd for anyone to hold anything against her. She was acting on behalf of a client. But doing an assessment on her home is a good idea. If anything does happen, we’ll be faster with recommendations.”
“Sure thing,” Noah says.
The meeting continues for another hour, covering security protocols and ongoing monitoring, but I find my attention drifting.
We’ve accomplished what we set out to do, yet something feels unfinished.
Elena fleeing doesn’t sit right. She’s what?
Early sixties. Would she really disappear to a non-extradition territory never to be heard from again? Didn’t Moira say she’s too ambitious?
By the time I return to Adrien’s penthouse, evening shadows are lengthening across Manhattan. The city lights twinkle beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, beautiful and distant, like stars in an alien sky.
We arrived within minutes of each other—me from my meeting in midtown, him coming from his nearby office.
When I arrived, he’d been waiting in the lobby, likely tracking my approach on his phone.
He brushed a kiss across my cheek and we silently ascended to his home.
We pass wordlessly through the foyer of his penthouse and the gleaming center table with orchids and a new, stunning fall floral arrangement.
My gaze lingers on the polished walnut table and memory hits—him kneeling, mouth and hands, heat flooding back so fast it leaves me oddly hollow after, missing the urgency and hating this despondent echo. We won. I shouldn’t feel like this. But I do, and I can tell Adrien feels the same.
I follow him through the penthouse to the wine alcove off the great room. He quickly selects a bottle and sets about uncorking it.
“Busy day?” I ask, knowing he’s likely been insanely busy.
“Eddie isn’t someone I can trust, but he did a lot. I’ll need a replacement—fast. And now I have two more on staff to terminate, although thankfully they weren’t managing directors.”
“No?”
“One bartender in Paris, and the other managed the housekeeping staff in Shanghai.”
“You believe Moira?”
“Thinking it’s odd they’re lower on the org chart?” he asks, filling two crystal goblets with a healthy measure. “You’re probably right. I’m going to need to visit those locations. I actually talked to your boss this afternoon.”
“Is that right?”
“He’s going to help me do an assessment of all five properties. He has additional resources to tap.” He passes me a glass and lightly clinks his against mine, then takes a long swig, like he’s finally exhaled. “Also called on Alicia.”
“We talked about her in our meeting today.”
“And?”
“Just doing a security assessment on her home; in case there’s fallout.”
“Smart.”
“Why’d you go to see her?” I ask, curious, but I have a good idea.
“Asked her to prepare communications to the membership that explains we’ve been compromised.”
“You think Elena’s going to leak material?”
“She’ll do what she can to attack The Sanctuary. I feel confident about that. But it’ll be known she’s the one dripping scandals so the fallout should be limited to those she doesn’t care if she offends. She’ll aim to do enough to hurt me without making her situation more precarious.”
“That’s probably a good assessment. So Alicia’s drafting communications?”
“They go out tomorrow. I wanted them to go out tonight, but she convinced me to wait until I can be in the office and reachable. She’s also sending in her staff to assist with triage.
We’ll do New York-based members tomorrow.
Depending on how they react, I’ll either do one-on-one meetings or have a membership meeting.
She thinks that most inquiries will come from those whose marriages might be impacted, and the business segment won’t immediately connect the risk.
Since I’ve identified the leak and stopped it, she’s predicting minimal backlash.
And she says it’s good that I’m addressing the leaks.
That will be important for rebuilding trust.”
“You weren’t counting on that source of income anyway,” I say, although if I’m honest, a part of me recognizes there’s something there that could be leveraged.
Perhaps I’ve spent too much of my career valuing intelligence, but it’s an undeniable truth that a place where the wealthy gather offers valuable insights—at least for those who listen and watch closely.
“True,” he says, swirling his wine, the light catching the crystal. “I didn’t expect Elena to walk away so cleanly. No pressure. No attempt to bury it.” He glances at me. “That tells me she’s confident—or calculating. Possibly both.”
“Maybe she has backup operations we don’t know about,” I say, giving the idea consideration.
“Or maybe she’s taking stock. Laying low while she plans.
” That was Quinn’s theory. “It all happened fast. I’d imagine she’s as angry at Moira for setting up the meeting with you as she is at you.
And me. And KOAN, for that matter. KOAN isn’t a well-known entity.
She’s probably researching it. Figuring out what she’s up against. If self-assessment is a strength, she might be recognizing the role she played.
She trusted too easily, all because she assumed greed was universal. ”
We settle onto the sofa, and for the first time in days, I allow myself to relax slightly. The immediate threat is over. Pierce is in custody, Elena is on the run, and KOAN has the information they need to unravel the broader conspiracy. The wine soothes the agitated nerves.
Agitated because… Why? But I know the reason.
Typically, I finish a project and move on.
Repercussions always follow a project, but I’m not usually close to those involved.
Now I am. And I’m uneasy about what’s going to unfold.
If not this week, next week, a month from now.
Someone like Elena Vasquez could choose to play the long game.
The White House hasn’t made any announcements.
Even Pierce’s detainment hasn’t hit the news wire.
“What happens now?” Adrien asks. “With us, I mean.”
We’ve already said I’m not going to walk away and I returned to his place tonight. I exhale, shifting slightly on the sofa to fully face him. “I don’t know. I’ve never mixed personal and professional like this before.”
“And?”