Glen suddenly stepped in between them, forcing Matthew to back up out of the doorway until he stood outside.

“You need to lay off, man,” Glen said.  “That’s my sister you’re talking to.  I didn’t invite you over here to threaten her.”

Matthew’s eyes continued to bore into Spencer’s.  His look was so vicious, Spencer unknowingly took a step back.

He said, “I wondered how you were able last as her assistant for so long, when most of the girls I’ve spoken to were either fired or quit after a few weeks. I guess the difference between you and them is desperation.  You need the job so much you don’t care how badly Ashley treats you or anyone else.”  He added with a smile, “How much does it pay to be Ashley’s lap dog?”

Spencer slammed the door to his face.  She had a hit a nerve with him and he returned the favor.  She knew that’s what her co-workers thought of her: Ashley’s ‘lap dog.’  They’d never said it to her face of course, but she could see it in their looks.  It seemed like they were embarrassed for her.

She stared at the closed door and took a few deep breaths before turning to Glen, “What the hell was that?”

“I’m sorry,” Glen said, raising his hands in apology. “I didn’t know the guy was unstable.  I was only trying to help.  I knew you needed the money.”

“No one needs money that bad,” Spencer said. “He looked like he wanted to hit me.”

“I promise you, Spencer, he’s never acted like that before,” Glen said. “If he had, I never would’ve invited him over here.”

“You never should’ve told him where I lived in the first place.”

“I didn’t,” Glen said.  “He just showed up here one day asking for you.  We got to talking and I figured I could negotiate an even better deal for you. One you wouldn’t want to turn down.  I invited him over a few times after that just to work out the details.  But that’s it.  I was going to surprise you with this new contract.”

Spencer slapped her forehead in frustration.  “Don’t you get it Glen?  There is no contract that I would ever sign.”

“I know that now,” Glen said repentantly. “I didn’t know the guy was psycho.   He was always nice.  He was even good with Sammy.  He got her to eat carrots by saying they were orange candy.”

The idea of Matthew within two feet of her daughter made her stomach cringe

“I’m going to go check on Sammy,” Spencer said, heading up the stairs.

Her hands were still shaking from the confrontation with Matthew.  She wished she knew his story.  Why this exposé of Ashley was so personal for him.  She wondered if she should tell Ashley that he approached her for information.  No, she thought, it was too late now.  She had first met Matthew nearly a month ago.  If she were to report it now, it may seem like she’d been considering the deal all this time.  She could try to fudge the weeks so it didn’t seem like so long ago, but then she may get caught in a lie.  She just hoped this was the last she would see of him.