Page 7 of Elliot

“They did tell you my schedule cannot change, right? I have four months to get this IPO positioned for the best launch possible.”

“I’m aware. The only time I’ll interfere with your schedule is to protect you from danger.” The door opened at the garage level. Maya glanced around. It was dark, and her heels echoed in the cement-enclosed area. The sound of metal hitting metal somewhere to her left made her jump. Elliot’s hand was on her back instantly. “This way.”

“I guess I’m more tired than I thought. I’m never jumpy.”

“Of course, Ms. Callahan.”

She snapped her gaze in his direction. “You can call me Maya. Everyone does.”

“No, I’m sorry. My employers require me to address you as Ms. Callahan.” Elliot walked her over to a town car and opened the rear door after he unlocked it. “Ma’am.”

“I can sit in the front with you.” She pointed to the front door.

“No, ma’am. It’s far safer for you to be in the rear of the vehicle.”

“It is?” she asked as she got into the back seat.

Elliot shutthe door and thought,For me, yeah. He’d decided to draw a wide line between himself and the beautiful woman he’d be with day and night for the next four months or until he found out who was behind the things happening to her. The way she shook woke up that caveman mentality.Me man, me protect. He used to joke about it with his men … before. And with that, any thought of stepping over lines promptly ended. He put the rat in the trunk and then got into the vehicle. “Your address?”

Maya gave him the address he’d memorized, and he plugged it into his GPS. It had been a year or so since he’d driven in New York. The last time he’d escorted Faith and her children to the city. Maya stared out the window as he drove to her apartment building. He had to access the parking area using a code Maya gave him. He saw a camera pointed toward the entrance. Score one for security, but he’d prefer the area be manned.

A key card inserted into the console on an elevator control panel allowed Maya to access her apartment. She gave him hers, and he pocketed it after using it. “Who has duplicates of this card?” he asked as they rode to the penthouse.

“Ah, my housekeeper, Louise; she’s been with me for years. Jessica Hall, Olivia Solomon, and the security people downstairs have an emergency bypass key.”

“What’s the reason for Jessica having a card?”

“She’s my personal assistant. If I need something, she comes over and gets it. I’ve had to have her retrieve documents, my tablet, and a change of clothes when an evening meeting comes up unexpectedly. I’ve known Jessica since we were both in college. As I’ve progressed, I’ve kept her with me.”

“How close of friends are you?” Elliot asked as the elevator opened into a spacious living room. The feel was light and modern. But there were no pictures of Maya or her family. The décor didn’t look how he’d expect her apartment to look.

He watched as Maya considered her words before answering. “More like acquaintances. She was on a project with me in one of my business classes. When I was looking for someone to work with me when I first started out, she applied for the job.”

“And Ms. Solomon?”

“Olivia? She has a key so she can escape. She uses my apartment to decompress sometimes. We work in a very stressful environment. Sometimes, a person just needs to be able to slip away where no one can find you.”

“Do you have a location like that?”

“Not yet. Someday.” She glanced at him. “Maybe when I’m as successful as Olivia.”

“Is that the ultimate goal? To be that successful?”

“Of course.” The reply was immediate and unyielding.

He glanced back at the open elevator door. “Does this elevator only service this apartment?”

“Yes. If anyone calls the elevator, they have to have a key to get it to come down.”

“Emergency egress?”

“What?” She looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

“Escape route if the elevator doesn’t work?”

“Oh, this way.” Maya showed him the stairwell, which could be accessed through the large, modern kitchen.

“Surveillance system?”

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