By noon, Libby had built a timeline spanning three years and four women. Wickham's pattern was disturbingly consistent: befriend trusting young women, convince them to be the public face of what seemed like legitimate "insider tips" businesses, then disappear when authorities started investigating—leaving the women to face charges while he stayed invisible.
A text from Georgia appeared on her screen.
Georgia
The lawyers finished reviewing Mary's evidence. Wickham got greedy with Lydia. Two birds with one stone—new front for the gambling scheme AND revenge on the D'Arcy family through you.
Libby stared at the text. She'd known Wickham was using Lydia to get at Liam, but seeing it confirmed in writing by the lawyers made it feel more calculated. More deliberate.
Libby
At least now we can prove it.
Georgia
Exactly. He overplayed his hand.
Her phone rang. Stewart Phillips from ESPN.
"Libby, I've been following the developments," Phillips said. "I'd like to give you airtime today. We can give you six minutes on SportsCenter at 5:30 to respond to this situation. Live."
"Today?" Her voice came out shaky.
"I know it's fast. But this story is going to dominate the sports news cycle whether you respond or not. I like you, I hope we end up hiring you, and I want to give you the chance to tell your side." He paused. "If you have evidence to present, even better. But either way, you deserve the platform to respond."
Libby looked at her laptop screen, at Mary's meticulously organized evidence showing the pattern across multiple cities and victims.
"I'll do it."
After Phillips hung up, Libby stared at her phone. She needed to tell Liam. He was in Montreal preparing for Game 4tonight, the biggest game of the season so far. But he'd asked her to keep him updated.
Libby
Busy?
The response came within seconds.
Liam
Free for you.
Busy for everyone else.
She smiled despite everything and called.
"Libby." His voice was immediate, focused. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. Something's right, actually." She walked him through Mary's discovery, the evidence, the pattern. "Stewart Phillips just offered me six minutes on SportsCenter today. Live. To expose all of it."
Silence on the other end. Then: "When?"
"5:30. Right before your game."
"Do it." No hesitation. "This is your story. Tell it."
"Liam, I want to ask Georgia if I can use her name to take him down. Reference what he did to her—not in detail, but the pattern."
"She'll say yes," he said. "Georgia would want other women to know they're not alone." He paused. "Libby, the goal here is to make Wickham panic. If he sees you've exposed his entire operation, if he realizes he's trapped?—"
