A Miscalculated Gambit

"By the way, you let a full-blown coastline shoot-out hit the headlines in Sylvania and didn't breathe a word to me!" Phoebe scolded, still smarting from the surprise. She had only found out after seeing the news.

Although reporters never named names, online comments buzzed with wild theories. A handful guessed it was Vancroft infighting—but those voices were drowned by speculation.

Phoebe, howeve