Chapter 15 #3
"Or she's trying to make it look inevitable so you fold." He turns my chair so I'm facing him. "Don't give her that. She can't force you out. Make her work for every inch."
He's right. I can't control whether the board tries to sabotage me. But I can control how I fight, how hard I make them work for it, whether they have to own their actions publicly.
My phone rings. Unknown number. I almost don't answer, but something makes me pick up.
"Ms. LaCroix, this is David Bethany with the Times-Picayune. I'm working on a story about the Deveraux arrest and I wanted to give you an opportunity to comment."
"I already gave a statement through my attorney."
"I understand. But we've just received surveillance footage that appears to show you at Dominion, the private club mentioned in the FBI press conference. The footage was provided by an anonymous source. I wanted to ask if you have any comment before we publish."
The bottom drops out of my stomach. "What footage?"
"Video showing you in what appears to be a private room at the club. The anonymous source claims this is representative of the material Armand Deveraux was monitoring. I'm required to give you an opportunity to respond before publication."
Someone leaked the surveillance footage. Not just photographs. Actual video from the monitoring station. And they leaked it to the media.
"No comment," I say, voice coming out steadier than I feel. "Contact my attorney Henry Castellanos for any official statements."
I end the call. Turn to Luc. "Someone leaked surveillance footage to the media. Video from Dominion. The Times-Picayune is publishing it."
His expression goes lethal. "When?"
"I don't know. Soon." I pull up the Times-Picayune website on my laptop. Nothing yet. But it's coming.
Another text from Henry appears:
Just got a call from Times-Picayune. Someone leaked surveillance footage. They're publishing within the hour. This changes everything. Emergency call in 10 minutes.
I stare at the screen. Someone leaked evidence from a federal case. The FBI wouldn't compromise their own investigation. NOPD wouldn't risk the prosecution. That leaves someone with access to case details, someone who knew what the surveillance captured.
Someone who benefits from maximum damage to my reputation right before a board vote.
"Patricia." The name comes out bitter. "Has to be. She's been working every angle all week, and now surveillance footage conveniently leaks right before they push for my resignation?" I look at Luc. "No one else benefits from maximum damage right now."
"Can you prove it?"
"No. But the timing..." I shake my head.
"Even if she didn't leak it directly, she's connected enough to make it happen.
A friend in law enforcement, someone with access to case files, a PI she hired.
" My jaw clenches. "Henry needs to investigate.
If she's dirty enough to leak federal evidence, we can bury her. "
Luc's jaw sets, something violent flickering behind his eyes. "Want me to handle that?"
The words are flat. Matter-of-fact. Not a joke.
"Legally," I clarify. "We bury her legally."
His mouth curves, sharp and cold. "Your way." A pause. "For now."
The footage is going to be everywhere by tonight. Every news outlet will pick it up.
Luc pulls me to my feet, hands framing my face. Tight enough to make me focus. "Someone leaked footage to destroy you. Same play Armand ran. Same play Julien ran." His eyes go cold. Empty. The look that says violence is on the table. "You don't back down. You make them regret it."
"The footage is going to be brutal."
"So?" He doesn't flinch. "Armand violated you. Now someone else is. They should be ashamed. Not you." His thumb drags across my jaw, claiming. "Fight. Make them see what they did. Make them live with it."
My phone rings. Henry.
I take a breath, steady myself, and answer. "I'm here."
"Footage is publishing in less than an hour," Henry says without preamble. "We need a damage control strategy immediately. I'm looking into the leak source, but whoever did this was careful. The timing is too perfect to be coincidence."
"Patricia."
"That's my working theory. But we need proof before we can move on that.
" His voice is sharp, focused. He shifts into strategy mode.
"For now, we get ahead of the story. Statement from you acknowledging the footage exists, condemning the leak as another violation, emphasizing that this is evidence in a federal criminal case that never should have been made public.
And we make it clear that leaking this footage is exactly the kind of violation Armand was arrested for.
Whoever did this is following his playbook. "
"Will that be enough?"
"I don't know. But it's better than letting the footage drop without response.
" He pauses. "Simone, this is going to get worse before it gets better.
The footage will be everywhere by tonight.
Board members are going to get nervous. Patricia's going to use this to argue you should step down. Are you ready for that fight?"
Luc's watching me, jaw set, eyes hard.
"Yes," I tell Henry. "I'm ready."
"Good. I'll draft the statement. Get it to you within the hour.
We'll release it the moment the footage goes live.
" Another pause. "And Simone? I'm digging into the leak.
If Patricia's behind this, even indirectly, I'll find the connection.
Leaking evidence from a federal case is dangerous territory.
She made a mistake if she touched this."
"Find it," I say. "Because I want her finished."
The call ends. I set my phone down, lean against Luc.
"Footage goes live within the hour," I tell him. "Henry's drafting a statement. He's investigating the leak."
"Rapier Strategic will handle that." His voice is cold. Final. "We have better resources for tracing leaks than Henry does. Digital forensics, surveillance analysis, law enforcement contacts. I'll have Remy start immediately."
"If I don't survive this, Armand wins even from a federal cell. And I'm not letting that happen."
"You'll survive." It's not a promise. It's a fact.
A news alert flashes across my screen.
brEAKING: Surveillance footage surfaces in Deveraux federal case. Exclusive video obtained by Times-Picayune shows LaCroix Petroleum CEO at private club referenced in FBI investigation. Full story and video publishing shortly.
The words blur. Then they sharpen.
Patricia's made her move.