Page 158 of The Elusive Billionaire

“I happened to sit up just as she got into the car. I was unsure of what was happening, but she appeared nervous, so.” She shrugs. “What can I say, you’ve made me paranoid, so I took a photo. Now, having confirmed the other party in those photos, I had HR send me her background check again. I’ve included it in the back of that folder.”

Anything I say right now could land me in hot water, so I need to choose my words carefully. Roman doesn’t have the same approach.

“Some could find the timing of this—” he says.

“Suspicious, yes, I’m aware.” I’ve never heard Quinn so cold. “Trust me, had I known I’d be in a position of having to defendmyself, I would have started compiling alibis long ago.” She drops another folder onto the table. “Luckily for me, I care about my honor more than this job, and when pushed into a corner, I’m a scrappy bitch.”

Using one red painted nail, she slides the final folder to me. “People should never underestimate a woman who has fought hard for the career she earned.”

This folder contains screenshots of social media posts ranging in date from ten to fifteen years ago—all of them are of a younger Kristen at various events, and they’re all with the Ashfords and the DeVanes, but she has a different last name in all of them—back then she went by Kristen Crawly.

“She’s connected to them,” I mutter. “But how?”

“That’s beyond my pay grade, Mr. Reyes. Luckily you have the big fancy IT team to figure it out for you.”

Fuck. I think I owe Quinn an apology.

Roman scribbles something and slides it over to me. He’s written: Are you sure she’s innocent?

Am I?

Braxton and Savvy don’t think so, but I know Quinn better than anyone, and I don’t think I’m wrong. If it ends up biting me in the ass, I’ll take the blame then.

“Quinn,” I say, standing.

“Unless you’re going to tell me about my severance package, I don’t need to hear anything else,” she says.

I nod, and she sighs heavily.

“Can I be honest with you?” she asks.

“Please.”

“I hate it here in Georgia. You’re an asshole. Completely unbearable to work for, and I’m tired. When you sent out the notice about shutting down the office, I realized I haven’t taken a vacation in the entire time I’ve worked for you. That’s over ten years, Mr. Reyes. Ten. Years. And while you compensate morethan fairly, this whole fiasco was a wakeup call for me. I want a life, and I can’t have that working for a man who’s married to his job because my job is you. So please just give me a big fat check and call it a day.”

She spins on her pointy heel, then pauses at the door. “For what it’s worth, I think Ms. Monroe will be good for you, and I hope that information on Ms. Richardson gives you what you need to get this company in order. Ace was a good man, and he’d be proud of how you guys are running it today.”

Quinn’s gone before I can formulate a response.

“Well, if she is innocent, seems like this will be best for everyone,” Roman says. “I have my team mining the internet for the connection between Kristen and Riley. We’ll have it soon.”

I drop back into my chair. “I’m a shitty boss.”

“Sounds like it.” Roman cracks a smile, and I don’t feel like pummeling him.

Perhaps that’s called growth.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

SAVVY

“When you’re in a crowd,say at a concert, what are you looking for when you scan for a threat?” Clover asks her bodyguard, Rip.

“Miss Clover, my job is to remain hidden and out of sight. You should go about your day as if I’m not here,” Rip replies.

I don’t know the last time I’ve seen Clover this excited about anything. You would think all the extra men trying and failing miserably to fit into a town fair would send her into panic city, but it appears to be doing the opposite.

“You’re not blendin’ in very well,” Chief says. “In my day…” I tune him out, knowing it will be a one-man pissing contest until Clover moves on to her next line of questioning.