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“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.
Hattie screamed in surprise, elbowed the guy in the gut, and tried to yank herself from his embrace.
Cold metal pressed to her neck. Sharp, cold metal.
She froze.
“Don’t move or I’ll slice you apart,” Franz whispered.
“F-Franz.” Her teeth chattered and her body trembled. “What are you doing?”
He kept the knife to her neck but knocked her headlamp off and into the lake. Then he wrapped his other arm tight around her chest.
“I know you’re there,” he hollered into the darkness. “If any of you get close, I’ll slice her pretty neck open.”
Then he dragged her back into the trees. Hattie wanted to fight and struggle, but the knife pricked her flesh and hot blood trickled down her throat. The knife was sharp, and Franz was obviously unstable. Her heart raced out of control.
For the first time since her parents had died, she didn’t let herself overthink it. Hang-ups be darned. She humbled herself, and she prayed. She prayed desperately.
