The CEO Above My Desk (Mckenzie Shinabery) novel Chapter 200

Chapter 200

Agent Naomi Bennett

I disliked Avery Quinneth within the first thirty seconds of sitting across from her. Not because she looked terrified. Not because she was bruised. Not even because she’d spent the last two years feeding information into one of the most corrupt political operations I’d seen in a long time.

No.

I disliked her because she still kept trying to soften her involvement every time she spoke. Tiny little pauses. Tiny little hesitations.

Like if she worded things carefully enough, maybe she could convince herself she wasn’t as responsible as she actually

was.

Unfortunately for her, I’d been doing this job for fourteen years. And I was very, very tired.

Rain hammered steadily against the conference room windows while the executive floor outside remained in controlled

chaos.

Phones ringing. Lawyers pacing. Employees whispering nervously. And through the glass walls, I could still see Violet

Ashcroft sitting at her desk while Rowan hovered around her like a man trying very hard not to physically wrap his wife in

bulletproof glass.

Interesting dynamic. But not my priority right now.

My priority sat trembling across from me in an expensive office chair trying not to look guilty.

I flipped open the case file slowly. “Avery Quinneth.”

Her eyes immediately dropped toward the table.

Good.

Fear usually made people honest eventually.

“You understand you are currently involved in a federal corruption investigation tied to multiple homicides, evidence tampering, political coercion, unlawful surveillance, witness intimidation, and potential conspiracy charges?”

Avery swallowed hard. “gfe

Fantastic.” I leaned back slightly in the chair. “Then let’s stop pretending you were just forwarding emails and start

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Chapter 200

acting like a woman who understands how catastrophic this situation actually is.”

Avery visibly flinched. “I told Rowan everything I know,” she said quietly.

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“No,” I corrected calmly. “You told Rowan enough to keep him from throwing you out of the building.”

Her eyes widened slightly.

I let the silence stretch intentionally. People filled silence when they got uncomfortable enough.

Avery cracked first. “Hargrove hired both of us at the same time.”

I stayed quiet.

“Me and Calder.”

I folded my hands calmly together on top of the

table. “Explain.”

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Avery rubbed shakily at the bruising on her throat before speaking again. “She needed two things.” Her voice grew quieter. “Intimidation and information. Calder handled intimidation.”

Of course he did.

“And you?”

Avery laughed weakly at herself. “Information.”

Outside the conference room, Rowan moved behind Violet’s desk before setting a bottle of water beside her keyboard. The

woman looked too exhausted to argue.

I focused back on Avery. “Hargrove specifically targeted Ashcroft Industries?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because Rowan was getting too much public support quietly.” Avery swallowed hard. “People trusted him.”

That tracked with the files. “Hargrove didn’t like that?”

Avery looked at me like I was stupid. “No. She hated it.”

I nodded once slowly. “Continue.”

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Chapter 200

Avery’s fingers twisted together harder now. “She wanted Violet gone first.”

That immediately got my full attention. “What do you mean gone?”

“Not dead,” Avery said quickly. “At first.”

At first. Jesus Christ.

“She wanted Violet scared enough to leave the company.” Avery’s eyes lowered toward the table again. “She thought if Rowan lost Violet, he’d become unstable emotionally.”

“Hargrove thought Violet was grounding him,” I said carefully.

Avery nodded weakly. “She said Rowan Ashcroft was easier to manipulate before Violet Pierce showed up.”

I glanced briefly through the conference room glass again. Rowan’s hand rested lightly against the back of Violet’s chair while speaking quietly to Theo. Protective. Constantly watching her.

I looked back toward Avery. “So b

exactly were they planning to scare Violer off-

Avery looked sick now. “Hargrove hired an ex–con through Calder.”

My expression hardened immediately. “For what purpose?”

“To stalk them.”

Them. Plural.

“Violet and Camille.”

Outside the conference room, Camille laughed loudly at something Theo said while organizing legal files. Completely

unaware.

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