Maggie's hand snaked out to reach for a slice of ham. Her mind was racing. Was there any way for Charles and the girls to know the way this was playing out? Probably not, she decided. Her eyes narrowed as she stared across the table at Ted. He met her gaze without flinching.

"You and the others need Navarro, so you better get in touch with someone and do something in the next few days," Ted said quietly.

Maggie nibbled on her bottom lip. Ted was right. But. . .was he setting a trap for her? Evidently the question she wasn't asking verbally showed on her face.

"Maggie, get dressed and go home. Do what you have to do. I'm not going to do a thing. Personally, I think Navarro will make a hell of a director. When my source told me Navarro is prepared to walk away rather than give up his friendship with Emery and Wong because that's what it will take to get him appointed, I had all I needed to know about the guy. You're the go-between. Take care of it, Maggie."

Maggie shoved the ham to the side of the table. She leaned across and was mere inches from Ted. "All of this," she said, waving her arms around, "was and is wonderful. I enjoyed every single minute of it. If you're setting me up, Ted, there will be no place for you to hide. I will come after you with all my new friends. Just so you know. For both our sakes, I hope the new you is here to stay. If you are setting me up, I will fire your ass, and you will be grist for the mill. I'll make sure you never work again for a newspaper. That's assuming you're still alive at that point. Thanks for the heads-up."

Ted dipped his knife in the mayo jar. "Hey, what are friends for?"

Ted was munching contentedly while slipping tidbits of ham to the cats when he heard the door to his apartment close with a loud bang. No kiss good night. He winced. Then he shrugged. This new Ted wasn't one bit worried about anyone coming after him. He was walking the straight and narrow these days. His conscience clear, Ted decided to make a second sandwich. Sex always made him hungry. Really, really good sex made him ravenous.

Outside, her stomach churning, Maggie hailed a cab and gave the driver Jack Emery's address. How weird that just a few hours ago she'd been sitting at her desk at the Post thinking about her neighbor Jack Emery and how they never ran into one another. She looked down at her watch and saw that it was almost eleven o'-clock. She knew for a fact that Jack never went to bed before midnight. She, on the other hand, was usually in bed by ten and soon sound asleep.