Chapter Thirty-Three: Political Machinations and Unseen Threats
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Derek Matheson waits inside his Bombardier Challenger 3500 on the tarmac near Lake Pontchartrain. The jet’s worn leather and scuffed trim hint at the business empire he has built. Walt Kimbel arrives late, carrying a bag, and tells the pilots they can take off. Once airborne, Matheson presses for news about the Garden District murder.
Kimbel reports that Vargas (Cuchillo) is furious—not at them, but at the NOPD, who either bungled the operation or were interfered with. The official story paints the killings as a drug-war incident, a narrative that plays perfectly into Icy’s gubernatorial campaign. She can claim she cleaned up New Orleans and blame federal failures, then ride a law-and-order platform to the statehouse.
Matheson marvels at Icy’s skill. He muses that he should have married her. Kimbel suggests they donate five million dollars to her campaign. Matheson worries about FEC oversight, but Kimbel explains that Louisiana’s governor’s race falls under the state ethics board, and that the local DA (Icy herself) would handle any criminal referrals. They plan to route the money through a 501(c)(4) social-welfare group that does not disclose donors, which will then contribute to Icy’s 527 Super PAC named T-JAW (Truth, Justice, and the American Way).
Matheson forces his mind to the upcoming investor meeting in New York, where he will unveil Xylaxyn, a synthetic painkiller designed to replace fentanyl for cancer patients. Carolyn Boyle has crafted a sound bite: “Not only are we enhancing lives—we’re eliminating the need for fentanyl.” Matheson dreams of ten years of patent dominance.
He cannot shake the Garden District, however, and asks Kimbel if the story is true. Kimbel whispers that a professional with a dog eliminated most of the crew. Bates’s COPE unit plus Cuchillo’s assassins are hunting the man. Matheson hopes the loose end is silenced before he can talk.
Key Events
- Matheson waits for Kimbel in his jet, growing anxious about the headlines.
- Kimbel arrives and reports Vargas’s anger at the NOPD for the botched Garden District operation.
- They agree that the drug-war cover story serves Icy’s campaign, allowing her to blame the feds.
- Matheson and Kimbel devise a donation scheme: $5 million via a 501(c)(4) to Icy’s 527 Super PAC, avoiding donor disclosure.
- Matheson reflects on his past partnership with Cuchillo and his current team (CFO, Carolyn Boyle).
- He prepares to pitch Xylaxyn as a fentanyl substitute to investors.
- Kimbel reveals that a professional operative with a dog assassinated most of the cartel crew; Bates and Cuchillo’s men are hunting him.
Character Development
- Derek Matheson: Displays growing paranoia as he watches news coverage and worries about the narrative spinning out of control. His reliance on Kimbel and Boyle underscores a leader who prefers to stay one step removed from dirty work. His nostalgic thought about marrying Icy reveals both admiration and personal regret.
- Walt Kimbel: Acts as the practical fixer—cool under pressure, knowledgeable about campaign finance loopholes, and willing to expose the truth about the mystery operative. He shields Matheson from ugly details while managing the flow of information.
- Icy (offstage): Remains an unseen force, manipulating institutions and media through legal channels. Her ability to serve as both candidate and potential DA highlights the conflict of interest built into the system.
- Fulgencio Vargas (Cuchillo): His anger hints at a man who expects flawless execution; the botched hit threatens his business and his political investments.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Control of the narrative: The chapter revolves around shaping public perception—the drug-war story, the campaign sound bite, and the cover-up of the real assassin all demonstrate how power brokers manufacture reality.
- Facade vs. reality: Matheson’s jet has “creases in the upholstery and scuffs on the trim”; he repeats the mantra “Fake it till you make it.” The worn luxury mirrors his empire, built on a deal with a cartel.
- Campaign finance as a weapon: The detailed mechanics of 527s and 501(c)(4) groups show how legal structures can be exploited to launder political money while avoiding disclosure.
- The lone operative: The introduction of a “guy with a dog” who took out a crew like a “pro” sets up an unknown threat—a symbol of justice or chaos that the established powers cannot control.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the political conspiracy behind the Garden District killings and reveals the full scope of the plan to install Icy as governor. It also introduces the existence of a mysterious, highly skilled operative (likely the protagonist, James Reece) who has become a target of both Bates’s COPE unit and Cuchillo’s killers. The chapter sets up a major confrontation while highlighting the corruption that Reece will have to expose or dismantle.
Study Questions and Answers
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How do Matheson and Kimbel plan to contribute to Icy’s campaign while avoiding public disclosure?
They create a 501(c)(4) social-welfare organization that does not reveal its donors. That group then contributes to Icy’s 527 Super PAC, T-JAW. Because the PAC operates independently and state-level rules differ from federal rules, the money can flow without FEC oversight. -
Why does Matheson believe Xylaxyn will make him “untouchable”?
Xylaxyn is a patented anti-inflammatory painkiller that replaces fentanyl for cancer patients. By marketing it as a solution to the opioid crisis, Matheson expects ten years of exclusive profits and positive press, insulating him from competition and scandal—if he can keep his cartel ties hidden. -
What does Kimbel’s description of the Garden District assassin reveal about the threat Matheson faces?
Kimbel says a professional with a dog killed most of the cartel crew “like a pro.” Authorities and Cuchillo are hunting him, but his skill suggests he is a dangerous loose end. If he survives and talks, the cover story collapses, threatening the political campaign and Matheson’s empire.