He released her and crossed to the table. When he picked up the monitor, Ashley reached into her pocket and removed the small receiver.

"It's so I can hear her," she said, probably unnecessarily. The man was a security expert. He would have access to listening devices she could only imagine. "I don't bring Maggie to work with me on a whim, Mr. Ritter. I go to college during the day, which is why I work the hours I do. I can't afford to pay someone to spend the night. A sitter would take most of my paycheck and I need that for rent, food and tuition."

She briefly closed her eyes as the room began to spin. He wouldn't care, she thought glumly. He was going to fire her. She would lose both her paycheck and her health insurance. Still, she wouldn't go without a fight.

"She's never been any trouble. It's been nearly a year and no one has ever found out." She winced at how that sounded. "I'm not saying that to excuse my behavior, just to point out that she's not really a problem." She's not a reason to fire me. Except she didn't say that.

Maggie moved to her side and took her hand. "Don't worry, Mommy. The nice man likes us."

Oh, yeah, Ashley thought. Maybe served up for breakfast, but not any other way. There was something scary about the man in front of her. Something she couldn't exactly put her finger on. A stillness, maybe? Or maybe it was his eyes-so cold. He studied her like a predator assessing a potential victim. Jeff Ritter was tall, maybe six-two or three. His tailored suit looked expensive and well cut, but it couldn't conceal the power of his body. He was a honed fighting machine. Maybe a killing one.

He was blond, with eyes the color of slate. In another life he could have been described as handsome, but not in this one. There was too much wariness in his stance, too much danger.