"My message is this: investigate Gray Wickham, not his victims. Follow the money, follow the pattern, and you'll find a serial fraudster who has been operating unchecked for years."
Phillips paused, then looked directly at her. "And what would you say to Gray Wickham, if he's watching?"
Libby didn't hesitate. "Gray, I know your type. You trade on charm, exploit trust, and leave wreckage behind while you stay invisible. What you did to Georgia D'Arcy. You thought my sister would be just another easy mark, another disposable front. Youtold me once I had integrity, that I was different. You should have believed it. You underestimated her. And you severely underestimated me. This isn't just a scandal anymore; this is evidence. It's federal. Every reporter, every prosecutor, every team owner now knows your name isn't just linked to hockey--it's linked to cowardice and serial fraud. You like attention, Gray? Enjoy this."
She paused, her voice softening. "And to my sister Lydia, wherever you are—please call. Come home. We're not angry. We just want you safe."
"Elizabeth Bennet-Cross, thank you for your time."
"Thank you, Stewart."
The red light went dark.
Libby sat frozen for a moment, adrenaline still coursing through her veins, before a production assistant unclipped her mic. Phillips extended his hand.
"That was exceptional journalism," he said. "We'll be following this story closely. The Bristol position is still on hold until this resolves, but Libby—you just made your case better than any interview could have."
Libby was in an Uber back to Jane's apartment when her phone exploded with notifications. Twitter was on fire. The interview had gone viral—sports reporters, legal analysts, even former players weighing in.
Then Georgia called.
"Mark tracked him," Georgia said without preamble. "Wickham took a private flight to St. Barts this afternoon. No extradition treaty."
"So he just... gets away with it?"
"Not if he ever wants to come back to the US. And your interview just made sure everyone knows his face." Georgia's voice was grim. "He's trapped there, Libby. That's not freedom—that's exile."
"What about Lydia?"
"We're working on it. Mark has people checking hotels, rental cars, anything connected to Wickham's known aliases." Georgia paused. "Libby, wherever she is, your interview just changed everything. If Wickham's panicking, he's going to make mistakes."
Libby got back to the apartment in the early evening. The game was starting. She turned on the TV, found the broadcast, and curled up on the couch with her phone.
The opening faceoff. Liam won it, cycled the puck, created an immediate scoring chance that Montreal's goalie barely stopped. The energy was different tonight—Boston came out aggressive, relentless.
Montreal pushed back hard. Heavy hits, desperate forechecking. Liam blocked a shot that left him limping for two strides before he shook it off and won another faceoff.
Ten minutes into the first period, Morrison scored on a power play. Liam with the assist. 1-0 Boston.
The period ended and Libby was reaching for her water when her phone rang. Jane.
"Lydia just called me," Jane said, her voice shaking. "She's at the Providence Grand Hotel, Room 412. Wickham left hours ago. She's stranded—he has her passport and credit cards. She finally realized he's not coming back."
"Is she hurt?"
"No. Scared and humiliated, but not hurt." Jane's voice cracked. "Your interview went viral. Her Instagram and TikTok exploded with comments—people feeling sorry for her, callingher a victim. That's what finally made her understand what he is."
"I'm calling Mark," Libby said, already pulling up the number. "Tell her not to leave the room. Help is coming."
She hung up and immediately called Mark. He answered on the first ring.
"Providence Grand Hotel, room 412," Libby said.
"Good. We'll have someone there in twenty minutes." Mark's voice was grim. "But Libby, you need to understand—there's an active federal gambling investigation. The FBI is going to want to question her. She's a key witness."
"She's a victim?—"
"We don't know that until we can prove it. But she's also the only person who can testify about Wickham's operation from the inside. The lawyers will handle it, but she's going to be taken into custody for questioning."
