“Come back here,” Heidi shrieked, racing after her.
It was then that Jane forced herself to trip and fall, landing painfully on the hard stone. “Now Gabriel, now!” she cried.
A shot rang out.
11
Smoke billowed from the rifle in Gabriel’s hands. Heidi screamed and suddenly reached down to clutch her arm, the ax falling to the floor with a metallic clang.
The bullet had struck home. Never in his life would he have imagined he’d shoot at a woman, but there was no way he could let Jane get hurt. No way in hell.
Jane rushed up from the floor, running over to him to fling her arms around his shoulders. “Gabriel. Oh, Gabriel.”
Though he sensed her distress and her relief, he didn’t know what to say to her. All he knew was that he never wanted to let her go. Ever.
Suddenly, the castle doors opened and several uniformed police officers burst into the great hall. Emmerich, the manservant, rushed in with them.
An officer started shouting at Gabriel in German, and though his grasp of the language was limited he made sure to toss the rifle aside and hold his hands up. The manservant pointed to Heidi, speaking rapidly in German to some of the other officers. Several police officers moved over to her, getting to work healing her wounded arm.
The officer who had shouted gave a salute and walked up to Gabriel. “I am Officer Schmitt. You are the American guests?”
“We are,” Gabriel said.
“Good day to you,” the officer said. “We apologize for our late arrival. The weather made our movement impossible. Are there any others who require medical assistance?”
“Berta, the cook, is missing,” Gabriel answered. “Heidi abducted her, so she’s probably somewhere in the castle.”
“Any causalities?” Schmitt asked.
“Two that we know of,” Gabriel replied grimly. “Otto Kramer, the castle solicitor, and Timothy O’Brien, the former owner’s brother-in-law.”
“That is very unfortunate.” Officer Schmitt turned to give several officers instructions in German and they raced off to follow his orders. “My officers will be looking for this Berta. The castle will be a crime scene but since weather conditions are still dangerous you are permitted to remain in a closed off part of the castle until the storm dies down. Some officers will remain here with you to provide additional security.”
“Thanks,” Gabriel said tightly.
With his arms around her, Gabriel walked with Jane to the fireplace. He sat her down on one of the chairs and helped her take off her torn coat. She was silent, her face pale with a blank expression. Likely she was in shock again.
He took a seat beside her and reached for her hand. “You were really brave back there.”
“Only because I knew you wouldn’t miss.” She turned to give him a small smile. “Thanks for saving my life.”
He squeezed her hand. “Thanks for saving mine. Heidi. Who would have thought?”
“That’s what she counted on,” Jane said. “Looking like the kind of person nobody would suspect.”
Excited chatter from some of the officers caught his attention, and he glanced over at the far side of the hall. Two officers were escorting a shaken-looking Berta.
“They found her,” Gabriel said.
Jane got to her feet immediately and rushed over to give Berta a hug.
Officer Schmitt walked over. “We found her in one of the secret passageways. She is afraid but seems unharmed. A medical team is on its way.”
Gabriel stood up to shake Schmitt’s hand. “Thank you again.”
“Of course. And I am sorry for your troubles,” Schmitt said. “Some officers will provide security and escort you and your girlfriend to your rooms. I suspect you will be able to leave the castle tomorrow when the storm has finally passed.”
“Jane isn’t my…” Gabriel’s voice trailed off. Even if she wasn’t his, he desperately wanted her to be. “I’ve got some evidence you might find useful.” He pulled the family tree and the crumpled birth certificate out of his pocket to hand them both over to the officer. “Thanks again. For everything.”
“This will help. Thank you.” Schmitt gave a nod and walked away.
Jane released Berta and followed after some police officers who walked up to Gabriel.
“I think they want us in our rooms while they gather evidence,” she said.
They walked upstairs with the officers, and when Jane stopped in front of her door Gabriel took her hand and looked at her. After everything they had just gone through, he should have wanted space. She should have been breaking down. But they had both been through hell before. Their traumas seemed to