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The lights of another side-by-side raced up to Ray’s. Peter stood on the edge of the ravine, looking down, illuminated by the Razor’s headlights. Ray climbed out of his vehicle and gestured wildly at Peter and the fire.
Hattie squinted and recognized William seated next to another policeman.
She and Steffan picked up the pace, putting more distance between them. Soon, she couldn’t see the fire.
Relief and horror raced through her. She’d escaped. Hopefully. But the aftermath of another death she’d been blamed for was almost as bad as five years ago. Then only Detective Jensen and Peter had known she’d been there. Nobody but his family had believed Treven that the billionaire heiress Hattie Ballard had killed Jane. Now all those policemen knew her face, her full name, the allegations, and that she’d escaped. She’d never be free to come back to Augustine and Steffan now.
Steffan led her through the forest, holding branches out of the way. She was still scratched by undergrowth and stray branches and out of breath from the quick pace and the fear.
He had the infrared goggles back on, but the sky was getting lighter and lighter. They eventually came to a trail, and he took off the goggles.
They kept walking at a quick pace as the sun rose.
Finally, Steffan stopped next to a creek. “This is fresh. Do you want a drink?”
“Yes, please.” She scooped water in her hand and drank it, then poured it over her head, then drank some more, then drenched her shirt with it. She was sticky, dusty, tired, and gross, but she was free, for now, and Steffan was here.
The doctor prince kneeled directly across from her. He was sparkling with moisture from his lips to his chest, far too attractive. A prince, and her hero, risking so much for her. What man did that? Not the ones she usually traveled with, but Sadie’s Wolf would, and her dad and uncle would have when they were alive.
Their eyes caught and held. She wanted to plow him over and kiss him good and long, but this obviously wasn’t that moment.
He stood. “We need to keep moving.”
“Where are we going?”
“Ray will have a car waiting at the trailhead. It’s close to our military base.”
“You and Ray planned all of this out while you drove in that side by side?”
“It was all Jensen and Peter. Jensen whispered to Ray that Peter would go slow and we should delay William, then we needed to race in front of William, accidentally ram and blow the Razor up, claim it started on fire from the gas tanks and Peter bailed, but you didn’t get out.”
They’d faked her death. That made more sense. “Morbid, but maybe Treven’s dad, or at least the police, Interpol, and media will believe it. It’s much better than being arrested. Thank you.”
“Hattie.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I would never let you be arrested.”
Hattie appreciated him and wished she didn’t have to leave him, but his idea to clear her name was a million times harder now. Even if Jensen could prove it was William who’d killed Franz. Poor Franz. He was a jerk working with William to frame her, but he didn’t deserve to die.
“I can’t believe William would kill Franz. Didn’t he claim Franz and Treven were friends, and that’s why Franz reached out to him?”
“That’s what he said. The only reason he would kill Franz is to frame you. Franz and William must have set this whole thing up and then William turned on Franz. Somehow, we’ve got to find the proof of that.”
“A little hard since Franz is dead.” Despair filled her. What was she going to do? She’d be an international criminal now. Would all of her money be seized? She definitely couldn’t go home.
He squeezed her hand. “Franz or William will have made mistakes, bragged to somebody, a money trail, something.”
“Here’s hoping.” They walked in silence. Steffan didn’t need any more stress than what had already been heaped on him by this mess, but she had to ask, “What are you going to do with me now?” She wished it was a flirtatious line and not a desperate one.
“Ray and Macey will get ahold of Sutton Smith, who will get ahold of Wolf and Sadie. Are you all right hiding out with them until we sort this mess out?”
It was the best-case scenario and Sutton was brilliant and could help if they needed. The worst-case scenario would be William Rindlesbacher finding her. Middle ground would be facial reconstruction surgery and living her life under an assumed identity. Could she come back to Steffan then?
What if he offered to come with her now?
No, she told herself firmly.
“It will be great to be with Sadie,” she said.
They walked and philosophized about how William had planned out and executed this scheme and why. Franz must’ve gotten involved for the money.
