Bangkok – Thursday, Feb. 27, 9 a.m. (9:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Feb. 26) The driver opened the rear door of the German luxury sedan, and Ko stretched his long legs out onto the red carpet. He paused before the main entrance of the Honor Park Embassy, brushed off his suit and straightened his tie. A tropical downpour—strangely early this year—had just ended. The air smelled fresh, and the trees and plants lining the semicircular drive glistened as they dripped dry. Patches of

Washington, DC – Wednesday, Feb. 26, 9 p.m. EST A waiter rested his tray, loaded with five steins of beer and five glasses of bourbon, on the table next to Anna. Around her sat Viktor, Raven, Mel and Sara. The table was draped in a white tablecloth. A little plastic “reserved” sign stood in the middle. “I can’t believe you got Karl to take a reservation, Mel,” said Anna. “You’re welcome,” Mel said. “But let me be clear—the tablecloth was Karl’s idea.” “What about the drinks?

Washington, DC – Monday, Feb. 24, 3:30 p.m. EST Anna and Tanner reached the end of the Reflecting Pool and paused by the foot of the Lincoln Memorial. Anna detected a twinkle in Tanner’s eye. “Is it about the Mirror article?” she asked. “Yes, indeed,” Tanner said, nodding and pursing his lips again. “Turns out Steven Brown, Senator Caleb’s flack, admitted to planting the smear campaign about you. You’ll never guess who put him up to it.” “I couldn’t say,” she replied. “Sasha

Miami – Monday, Feb. 24, 1:00 p.m. EST Lin sauntered up the gangway of the Angelfish followed by two willowy women, both taller than he was. One was wearing tight jeans and a black tube top with stilettos, the other strappy sandals and a short white dress. Hendrik greeted them and showed them to the upper deck, where Torenmaas was waiting. “Theo! After all we’ve been through lately, I brought you a special present,” Lin said, shaking Torenmaas’ hand and glancing back at the w

Washington, DC – Monday, Feb. 24, 12:00 noon EST Anna was dying to confront de Jeanbourg. For the last couple of hours, she had been consumed with her obligations at the crime scene. She had watched with satisfaction as the hand-cuffed assassin was shoved into a squad car, and regret had washed over her as Jean Claude placed a cloth over Giovanni’s face and comforted Sara. Giovanni had probably not realized how literally he would end up protecting Sara, Anna figured. But he h

Washington, DC – Monday, Feb. 24, 10:00 a.m. EST Sara jumped up and headed to the front door of the café, planning to bolt just like she had done at the Portrait Gallery. Anna rushed after her. “Sara, wait!” she pleaded. “Please sit down. We need to make a plan.” Giovanni trailed as well. “I didn’t mean I thought you would do it.” Pausing by the entrance, Sara glared at him. Filling the silence, Giovanni quickly continued. “They gave me a few days to convince you, but instead

Washington, DC – Monday, Feb. 24, 9:45 a.m. EST When Sara and Giovanni arrived outside Café de Nimes, Giovanni looked at her for guidance. “Go,” was all she said. He understood, and she followed him inside. Jean Claude’s face lit up at the sight of her. “Ah, Mademoiselle!” he said. “Your Frenchman has found you!” “Yes, Jean Claude,” she said, mustering a smile. “Two more café au laits, please.” “Right away, Mademoiselle!” Jean Claude said. Sara pointed to a booth in the back.

Chiang Mai – Monday, Feb. 24, 4:00 p.m. (4:00 a.m. EST) Raven and Ice sat in the back of a tuk tuk on the shoulder of a two-lane road outside of Chiang Mai. The driver, who didn’t understand English, leaned forward and drooped his arms over the steering wheel as if he might collapse. He stared into the distance, awaiting instructions. “Thank God you noticed Sasha and Ingrid leaving,” Raven said. “Or I would have lost them. I wish we could follow them into this place. What is

Miami – Monday, Feb. 24, 12:30 a.m. EST Jimmy Lin drove to Torenmaas’ place—he owed him that now. When Lin arrived at the security booth, he gave his name, made his case, and waited for the guards to check with the boss. Lin stared at a lizard hopping up, swirling around the trunk of a palm tree in the beam of a floodlight. He wasn’t sure what Torenmaas’ reaction to his late-night visit would be. Perhaps he would still be pissed and not want to meet. Or perhaps the post-midni

Chiang Mai – Saturday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m. local time (10:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 21) Ko awoke to one of Keng’s guards yelling, “Out!” He blinked and his body tensed up. Two men were waving semiautomatic pistols at him, signaling to leave Keng’s “guest house.” Ko jumped to his feet and followed the first man out the side door and along Charoen Rajd Road. The other guard followed. Sweating in the mid-morning sun, Ko contemplated an escape, but decided against it. Keng’s hulki

Koh Samui, Thailand – Friday, Feb. 21, 10:00 a.m. local time & Miami – Thursday, Feb. 20, 10:00 p.m. EST In the sitting room of his private villa on Koh Samui, Jesse clenched his teeth and called Jimmy Lin again—his fourth attempt in so many hours. The wide-open sliding doors created the effect of a picture frame. Outside, Joanna was reading her daily devotions on a lounge beside a sea-green infinity pool. A glass of ice water stood beside her on a little bamboo table. She wo