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Waking at three a.m. was jarring. Leaving the comfortable bed and Steffan’s arms was worse.
Hattie and Steffan were both quiet as they used the restroom, crept downstairs, got a drink of water, slid back into their dusty hiking shoes, and exited the beautiful cabin.
It was chilly outside, but crisp and beautiful. Steffan had a flashlight in hand, but the bright stars and half-moon guided them through the forest. She followed quietly, walking to her impending doom. It had nothing to do with Franz and whatever the idiot was trying to do to her, and everything to do with her and Steffan’s time being almost done. She wished they could chat easily like the past two days, that they could hug and kiss.
She had to stop wishing for things that couldn’t be right now.
They met up with Jensen and another tough-looking dude. Jensen turned on a light strapped to his chest, and she realized the other man was Steffan’s brother, General Raymond August. Two princes—one a general, one the most incredible man she’d ever met and a doctor—and a high-ranking chief of police. She could get used to this entourage.
Steffan and Ray slapped each other on the shoulder as men did, and then Steffan turned to her. “Hattie Ballard, this is my brother Ray. General Raymond August, I should say.”
Ray gave a half-smile and pushed at Steffan. “Nice to meet you, Hattie.”
“Thank you for helping me.”
“Of course.”
Jensen strapped a headlamp on her and then gave her a recording device that looked like a flag pin, she thought maybe the Augustine flag. “It’s on, so don’t worry about messing with it.”
She nodded and pinned it to her shirt. Jensen handed over a tracking device. “I don’t think we’ll need this as we’ll be close, but just in case something goes awry.”
“Thank you.” She slipped it into the key pocket of her running shorts.
Steffan received a pistol and infrared goggles.
Jensen spoke quietly. “We’re only half a kilometer from the lake. Hattie, you’re going to have to walk in alone as per Franz’s instructions, but don’t worry. We have men all through the trees, and we’ll come as soon as we hear what he wants from you. It’ll make it much easier to prosecute him since we’ll have a recording of the conversation. Your American laws about information getting thrown out of court won’t apply here. Don’t let him get too close to you. We don’t want him grabbing or hurting you. Just find out what he wants and why he stole from you. Then we’ll close in and take him down. Any questions?”
“Which way do I walk?”
Jensen smiled and tilted his head toward a well-defined trail. “Follow that trail and it will open up to the lake.”
“Perfect.” She looked at Steffan. “Kiss for good luck?”
She ignored the probably shocked expressions on the other men’s faces and focused on Steffan’s perfect grin. He gathered her close and kissed her soundly. “You don’t need luck. You’re a fearless island, a suit of armor, and heaven is watching over you, along with me, Jensen, and Ray.”
Steffan made her believe the beautiful things he said about her. At least she had a standard she wanted to live up to now. She didn’t know about heaven. Her parents and aunt and uncle would pull their guardian angel weight, but she and heaven were still at odds. Even in this intense situation, she wouldn’t give into that growing urge to pray. Steffan, Jensen, and Ray were definitely assets, though.
“See y’all soon.” She bravely stepped from Steffan’s embrace, flipped on her headlamp, and strode up the trail.
“I like her,” Jensen said quietly, but the sound floated to her in the quiet pre-dawn stillness.
“Back off,” Steffan snarled. “She’s my girl.”
Jensen’s reply was lost to her as she was too far away, but something about level-headed, good-natured Steffan getting possessive and standing up to the police chief made her heart threaten to burst.
She’s my girl. She’s my girl.
Hattie wanted to be his girl. Could he truly fix the mess with Treven? Could she be safe in Augustine and not cause Jensen any stress or trouble? How incredible would it be to spend more time with Aliya and Curt? Get to know Ray and Macey and the rest of his family? Explore this gorgeous country with Steffan by her side?
As she stewed about those questions, she quickly approached the lake. The trees thinned and the still surface reflected the half-moon’s light. It was beautiful. She swung her headlamp around, looking for Franz. Were these woods really crawling with Jensen’s men? She hoped so. She wasn’t afraid of Franz, but she’d definitely underestimated him, and he was playing some serious head games with her now.
Creeping around the trail that circled the lake, she didn’t know if she should call for Franz or be searching for another note. If he’d left another note and she had another day with Steffan to wait for Franz’s next silly move, she didn’t know that she’d complain too loudly. Except for the fact she’d be putting Jensen out even more and risking one of the police or military people ratting her out to the Rindlesbachers.
She shivered in her short-sleeved shirt and running shorts and hugged herself for warmth. Should she turn the headlamp off, or was it an easy way for Jensen’s men to see her? It was also an easy way for Franz to see her.
Arms wrapped around her neck and chest from behind.
