“You don’t need me at the lodge with you?”

“I could. But when she wakes up, first thing she’s going to freak about is all the personal life she’s left hanging. So we have to take care of that, number one. Beyond those obvious life details, I won’t know more than that until she wakes up and starts talking.”

“Sir?”

“Henry. Quit doing that careful ‘sir’ thing. Whatever’s bothering you, just get it off your chest before you drive me nuts.”

“Yes, sir. What if she wakes up and wants to go home? What if she doesn’t want to stay with you?”

“Henry.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Of course she won’t want to stay with me. She doesn’t know me from Adam. But it’s my problem to build her trust. To make this work. Not yours.”

“Yes, sir.”

Maguire sighed. “What’s the ‘but’ now, Henry?”

“It’s just… she’s young. And very, well, pretty. Very pretty.”

“Henry.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Have I ever struck you as the kind of man who’d take advantage of a wounded woman?”

“No, sir.”

“Have you noticed that I have any lack of attractive women in my life?”

“No, sir.”

“And here’s the punch line, Henry. I kidnapped her. That means I have the power over the situation. And that means there’s no way I’d touch a hair on her head. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“If I were burning in hell, Henry. If she begged me. If she were my last chance to have sex in my entire life. Some things are plain wrong, and the line here is crystal clear. While she’s under my care, she couldn’t be safer.”

“Got it, sir.”

“Now, are there any more questions, or can I go back and catch an hour of shut-eye?”

“Absolutely no questions, sir.”

About every three months or so, Henry revealed a sense of humor. Otherwise it was like having an old-fashioned aunt around, always underfoot, worrying whether he had an umbrella in the rain, whether he’d eaten, whether he was hot or cold or tired. Damn good employee. But exhausting sometimes.