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Neither of the men corrected her that he was Chief Jensen. Steffan felt a jolt of apprehension. Jensen always did the right thing. Always. He was a straight arrow. If he’d helped Hattie escape when he was a detective but made her swear never to return, would he have to do the legal thing now? As the Chief, it wouldn’t be only aiding and abetting an escapee—it would be conspiracy.
“I tried paragliding,” Hattie continued as Steffan’s mind spun with questions and worries. “I blame Franz. The wind was vicious, and we were separated. Apparently, I crash landed in Augustine. I loathe that I’ve put you in a bad situation again. If I had my cash or credit cards, I would heavily compensate you for everything you’ve done. I promise I can do that after my money is restored.” She gave a cautious smile.
Jensen’s brow furrowed. “Don’t.”
Steffan’s stomach dropped. Hattie needed to proceed cautiously. Jensen was already on edge, and Steffan had no clue if he’d arrest her or drive her to the border and leave her there with no money or help.
No. Jensen was a good man; he wouldn’t desert a woman in need.
“Sorry. I won’t.” Hattie swallowed and nodded. “At this moment, I am simply begging you, from the goodness of your generous heart, to help me escape like you did last time. Please.” She looked from Jensen to Steffan.
Who was Franz? Not that it mattered. Jensen had helped her escape. Jane Presley’s murder. Had she really been involved…?
“No way you were the murderer who escaped after Jane Presley’s murder,” Steffan said.
Jensen shot him a look, and Hattie cringed and poked at a hole in her fitted workout shorts. The tension ramped up as Jensen slipped his hand in his pocket. Going for his cell phone? At least he wasn’t reaching for his gun. He closed his eyes and shook his head. If Steffan knew his friend at all, he was struggling with an internal battle.
“She was framed,” he said to Steffan, a muscle working in his jaw. “Treven Rindlesbacher tried to frame her, but she’s innocent and I have to do the right thing.”
The words hung in the air. Hattie slumped against the bed in relief. “Thank you,” she said, her voice breaking.
Jensen nodded. “Please eat, Hattie, and I’ll fill him in.”
Hattie’s eyes flashed with concern. “Nobody knows about any of this, but me and you and whoever the older guy was. Is it fair to drag him into it?”
“You can trust Steffan, and we’re going to need his help. The Rindlesbachers are growing edgier than ever. If they find you here …” He shook his head. “We need the royal family on our side. I helped you before because of my partner Peter’s insight and insistence and because it was the right thing to do, but I’ve never broken the law before or since. Of course the Rindlesbachers won’t see it that way. This scandal getting out could hurt not only you and my department, but the entire country and the royal family.”
Steffan swallowed. What kind of help was Jensen asking for? He’d give it, but conspiracy to cover up a crime? Aiding a wanted woman? And facing international scandal and putting his medical and royal reputation on the line. What if it hurt his family? If the Rindlesbachers got a hold of this, they could claim there was no limit to the corruption of the royal family line of August. Corruption at the highest level. Corruption even in regards to the most heinous of crimes.
He had no idea what to say or do, but an innocent woman going to jail for murder because of the scheming of the Rindlesbachers could not happen on his watch.
Hattie’s gaze met Steffan’s. “Will you help me? Can I trust you?”
Everything inside him softened. He understood why Jensen had willingly risked everything five years ago. Steffan would do what he had to do to protect Hattie and do the right thing, even if it wasn’t the legal thing. She was so regal, he felt like he should bow before her and ask for the favor of her trust, for the honor of protecting her. Like a knight of old protecting the innocent and beautiful princess from the scheming sorceress Morgan Le Fay. It kind of fit as he pictured Naomi Rindlesbacher—seemingly kind and benevolent, but evil and manipulative clear through, a pathological liar who would do anything to further her husband’s position and get her son out of prison.
“I will help you, and I promise you can trust me.” Steffan said it like an oath. Should he bow to her, go on one knee?
“Thank you,” she breathed out, leaning her head back against the pillow and looking him over with those captivating deep-brown eyes. “You do seem the trustworthy type. Handsome, honorable, princely doctor and all of that. You could be a knight of old.”
Steffan could only stare at her. Had she read his mind? He liked her description of him. He liked her. But if she’d been semi off-limits as his patient, she was completely off-limits as a woman wanted for a murder she didn’t commit, who needed to evacuate his country before she put everyone he loved at risk.
“Okay, Detective … I mean Chief Jensen. Spill the story while I try to eat.” She gave Jensen a weak smile and cut a piece of chicken.
“Hattie was visiting our country with her friend Jane Presley,” Jensen said to Steffan. “They met Treven and some other locals dancing.”
Hattie nodded, chewing the bite of chicken, but her eyes flashed with anger and resentment.
“Treven convinced Hattie to help him rendezvous with Jane in a quiet spot down on the river walk.”
“He convinced me he was interested in my friend but too shy to ask her to meet him,” Hattie murmured, her voice full of emotion as opposed to Jensen’s level, clinical explanation. “Jane was a sweetie, innocent and kind …” Her voice broke, and she focused on her food, stirring her rice with her fork.
Silence filled the small room. Steffan wished he could comfort her. “You could only get Treven as an accomplice?” he murmured to Jensen.
His friend nodded. Steffan could only imagine how all of this had burdened Jensen over the years. The true murderer framing an innocent woman. Jensen breaking the law to save her. Insane.
“Accomplice?” Hattie bit out, obviously overhearing him. “He killed Jane in cold blood. I led him right to her, then I stepped back to let them have their moment. Before I could turn away, he’d stabbed her with a knife through her heart.” Her voice rose, and tears formed in her pretty brown eyes. “Then he looked back at me and laughed. ‘I won the dare’, he said.”
Steffan’s heart thumped out of control. He stepped closer to the bed. “How did you get away from him?”
