Cassie drew a deep breath before she entered the shop, smoothing her hand across her blonde hair. She hoped she didn’t appear flustered, as she fought to pull her nerves under control. She stepped across the shop’s threshold and spotted four of the girls with Sister Anne, next to a display of traditional dirndl dresses.

“Cassie, you changed your mind,” Francesca said excitedly, hurrying to her to take her hand.

“The thought of meeting a wolf alone, made me reconsider my plans,” she said, praying her lie wasn’t as transparent as she imagined it was.

“Wonderful. Come look at these dresses. They are adorable.”

Cassie walked to the rack with the dirndls and reached out, running a finger across the embroidered flowers along the front of the dark green overlay skirt. The white apron was decorated with matching flowers along the hem, and the white blouse had flowers along the puff sleeves.

“Isn’t it gorgeous?” Francesca asked.

“It is very pretty,” Cassie answered.

“I told the girls, I would purchase each of them a souvenir,” Hans said as he stepped up behind her. “If you would like the dress, Francesca, it is yours.”

“Really?” the girl answered excitedly, then looked to Sister Anne who stared back with a disapproving gaze. “Well, perhaps I shouldn’t. It is rather expensive, and I’m not sure where I would wear it.”

“Perhaps you should look for something more practical,” Cassie suggested. “Clothing wears out, and like you said, where would you wear it?”

“True.”

Cassie and Sister Anne watched Francesca walk away, followed by Justina and Isabella. She turned back to see Hans staring at her, a suspicious look on his handsome face. For a moment, she thought only of the camera that had been spying on her, but since he was with the girls, chances of him seeing, or hearing, what she and the owner’s sister was discussing, was very unlikely.

“I’m pleased you changed your mind and decided to join us,” he said. “I can’t help wondering what changed it, though.”

“I thought about it, and you were right. Perhaps I will accept your escort, but not today. I didn’t sleep very well last night, and I believe I will turn in early. If your offer still stands, I’ll accept for tomorrow afternoon.”

“I would be delighted.”

Cassie forced herself to smile as the man bowed slightly at the waist, then turned to watch the girls, discussing a shelf of ceramic and glass objects.

“It looks like they are having a difficult time making up their minds,” she said. “I think they may require some helpful advice.”

“Please, allow me,” Hans said. “I can suggest something to represent our village, without being overwhelming or cumbersome.”

Cassie watched the man walk away, then turned back to the dirndl. She took Sister Anne’s hand and held her back from joining the girls. She glanced over her shoulder to make certain the man was occupied, and the clerk was busy behind the counter. She looked at the nun and drew a deep breath.

“We need to leave this village,” she said in a hushed whisper. “Quickly.”

“Why?” the nun asked, looking to Hans who hadn’t seemed to notice the woman’s loud remark.

“I can explain when we leave, but right now, we need to get the girls, and get out of here. It’s not safe for them.”

Sister Anne frowned deeply and was about to open her mouth to speak when Cassie placed her finger across her lips.

“Please, trust me. Lars tried to warn me last night, and I didn’t listen. Now he’s dead. This village is not safe for the girls. I think you can sense it as well. There are no girls in this town for a reason, and I believe he is that reason.”

Cassie nodded to Hans’ back and watched the nun turn to look him. Hans stood between Francesca and Isabella, and Sister Anne was about to accuse Cassie of being paranoid, when the man laid his hand on the lower back of the girl, in a possessive, forward move that left the nun’s stomach jumping.

“Don’t let him know we’re leaving,” Cassie warned her, stopping her from walking to the girls. “Make up some excuse to go back to the lodge. The bus will be waiting for us. Once we’re out of this place, I’ll explain things more clearly.”

“Girls, it’s time to go back to the lodge,” Sister Anne called out, after silently nodding to Cassie. “We need to eat, and if you’d like, you may use the hot tub before bed.”

“That sounds incredible,” Isabella said with a blush as she turned to look at the man who had been holding her the past few minutes. “Perhaps you can join us, Hans?”

“No!” Sister Anne said in a loud, shocked voice that brought the eyes of everyone around them, to rest on her pale expression. “I mean…it’s not proper. I cannot allow a strange man to see you in your bathing suits.”

“We’re completely covered, Sister,” Maria said, coming out of the dressing room, joined by Violetta, and Bianca.

“It’s not like we’re naked,” Bianca giggled.

“I said no,” the nun said sternly, then turned back to the man who stared at her with a slight frown. “I apologize, Baron, but the girls are Catholic. It would not be proper.”

“Of course, I understand completely. But I will see you all tomorrow,” he promised when the girls began to complain. “We can share lunch before I take Cassie to see her friend’s grave. Perhaps afterward, you would like to come to the castle for supper.”

“That would be great,” Francesca said with a wide smile.

“Yes, that would be very nice,” Sister Anne said, taking the glass paperweight from the girl’s hand and setting it back on the shelf. “It has been a pleasure meeting you, and on behalf of the girls, I thank you for your hospitality.”

“You are more than welcome,” Hans said with a friendly smile as he bowed slightly at the waist.

“Well…we’ll see you tomorrow,” she concluded, then quickly ushered the girls out the door.

Cassie turned to follow the others but was stopped by a strong hand on her arm. She turned to see the deep, intent stare on the Baron’s face, and for a moment she was afraid he knew what was going on.

“Perhaps I could talk you into having supper with me tonight,” he said in a quiet voice.

“I’m sorry. I promised the girls…you understand?”

“I don’t remember a time when I have been rejected as much as I have today. I’m not used to having my orders…requests…refused.”

“Then perhaps this is a new beginning for you,” she said with a single raised eyebrow and a soft smile.

Cassie turned and walked away, leaving the man to stare after her in confusion.

“But I don’t understand why we have to leave?” Bianca complained as Sister Anne hurried them along with their packing.

“Please, do not ask any more questions,” the nun said. “Just pack. We must leave, quickly. It’s dangerous for you here.”

“But Hans is coming over tomorrow,” Francesca complained. “He’ll be expecting us to join him for lunch.”

“Please, do as I tell you. Gather your things and let’s get out of here. I’ll explain everything once we’re safely away from Hennhofen.”

Francesca and Bianca went back into the adjoining room, followed by Maria. They closed the door behind them, quietly, then stepped up to the side of one of the queen-sized beds, and began speaking in hushed whispers.

“I don’t understand what’s going on, but if we’re in danger, then I think the Baron can help us,” Francesca said.

“Maybe we should speak with Cassie,” Bianca added. “She’ll be able to talk Sister Anne out of leaving.”

“You go talk to her, and I’ll call the Baron,” Francesca whispered.

Maria turned around to make certain the nun wasn’t anywhere close to hearing them, then turned back to the other two.

“I don’t think we should go against Sister Anne,” she said. “I’ve never seen her like this. Something has scared her, and I’m afraid. What if she’s right? What if we are in danger?”

“Then who better to help protect us, then the Baron?” Francesca argued. “He’s powerful and strong, and he owns the whole bloody village. I’m sure if there’s anything dangerous, he’ll help us.”

“Did you hear what Cassie was saying about that boy who died?” Bianca asked. “She said he told her, her friend was still alive, but had been stolen. I’m scared. What if that’s what has the Sister upset?”

“I don’t like this,” Maria said with a deep frown. “I feel…strange. Sister Anne has never acted like this. Ever. There’s something seriously wrong, and I’m really frightened.”

“Go talk to Cassie, and I’ll call the Baron, I’m sure the front desk will have his number,” Francesca told Bianca, then turned back to Maria. “You go keep Sister out of the way.”

Maria nodded and went back into the bedroom with the nun, while Bianca slipped quietly out of the room. Francesca took the phone off the bedside table and pulled it across the bed, taking it with her into the bathroom. She closed the door quietly and stuffed a towel under it, then picked up the receiver and asked to be connected to Baron von Hennhofen.

“I’m very glad you called me,” Hans said, with a tight expression gripping his jaw. “You go ahead and do what Sister Anne told you to do. I’ll take care of everything else.”

Hans hung up the phone and looked to the large dark man standing beside the door.

“They are leaving,” he told him. “I knew that little bitch was acting strange. Send Axel to the lodge and take the van. Make sure he has the gas. Once they are on the road, I want him to make an excuse to leave the van. I will not allow her to escape my grip.”

“What about the bus driver?” the man asked.

“Take care of him any way you have to. Once they are safely tucked away, we will restore control of the village.”

“And what about Elke?” Liam asked.

“She did her part, just a bit premature. Once her sister is back, bring her here. Three strikes against the bench should teach her to follow her orders more carefully next time.”

“And Garran?”

“He’s starting to get on my nerves. I’ll deal with him later. Right now, I want those girls, and I want Cassidy where I can keep an eye on her. That one is going to take some very special training to teach her to obey a man’s orders.”

“Yes, Your Lordship,” the man answered, then turned and left the room.

Hans stood and paced his way to the parlor window and looked out. He could see the front of the lodge in the distance, and his frown deepened. Sophia didn’t tell him her friend was so persistent, or such a nosey little bitch. But it didn’t matter. He would personally take Cassie in hand, just as he had her friend and every woman before her. There wasn’t a chance in hell he would allow her to escape.

With a wicked grin, he thought of the young girls with her. They weren’t in his original plans, but they were within the right parameters. They were attractive, and he knew they’d be well worth the money, once they were properly trained. The chubby one would need special consideration, though. If he couldn’t get her to lose that weight, he’d have to keep her at the castle as a servant, and that could potentially cost him a couple of million euros.

Hans watched the bus pull around to the front of the lodge, as his own bus pulled out of the tunnel’s entrance. His frown deepened as he clenched his teeth tight. One way or another, he’d have Cassidy Wynn under his roof, even if he had to tear this whole village apart to do it.

Cassie stuffed her clothes back into her bag, then quickly unzipped Sophia’s. The clerk brought up the two suitcases, her phone, skis, and computer as soon as she left to get the girls. She already searched her computer but couldn’t find anything more than a few dozen pictures. She did find the phone numbers of the friends Sophia had met during her stay at the lodge and quickly dialed them. The first two numbers went into voicemail, but the third answered, as a man’s deep voice said hello.

“Is this Michael Taylor?” she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Yes, who’s this?”

“My name is Cassidy Wynn. I’m a friend of Sophia Arnold. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.”

“Sure, what’s up? Hey, how’s Sophia feeling?”

“She’s…better,” Cassie said hesitantly. “How did you know she wasn’t feeling well?”

“Lars told us she’d gotten ill after supper. I’m sorry she missed the skiing trip. Tell her it was amazing. I’ll send her a photo of the sunrise.”

“I know she’d love to see it. Can you tell me, what happened that night at the lodge? Sophia can’t seem to remember much about it.”

“I’m not surprised,” the man laughed. “When she came back from having supper with the Baron, she was pretty wasted. He took her to her room, and that’s the last we saw of them. I’m sure he found a way to sober her up.”

“Didn’t she leave when you did?”

“No, actually she left while we were on the slopes. She left us a note saying she was ill and had to go to the hospital. We saw Hans a couple of days later, and he told us she’d had an appendicitis attack, and had to have surgery. We’re all sorry we missed saying goodbye to her, but I’m glad she’s doing better.”

“I’ll let her know that, thank you.”

“Hey, tell her we’re going to link up in Britain in November, and we’d love for her and Hans to join us.”

“I don’t think Hans will be around,” Cassie said with narrowed eyes.

“What do you mean? He said they were getting married.”

“That fell through,” Cassie assured him. “But I’ll let her know about the trip. I’m sure she’d love to join you if she’s not made other plans.”

“That’s great. And tell her we’re all sorry it didn’t work out with Hans. We thought they were in love.”

“I’ll let her know. Thank you for talking with me. It explains a lot.”

“I hope I filled in enough of the night for her,” the man laughed. “Once they left our sight, we didn’t see them again. Though I doubted we would, considering how she was acting. She was really out of it.”

“She doesn’t tolerate her alcohol very well.”

Cassie concluded her call with another promise that she would tell Sophia about their invitation, then hung up. She wasn’t sure if she was angry that her friend was alive, or if she was angry that her suspicions had been correct. She had no idea where Sophia was being held, but she could only assume it had something to do with Frankenstein’s castle on the mountain. It seemed like the perfect place to hide a person, and never have anyone the wiser.

A soft knock sounded at the door, and for a moment Cassie considered not opening it. She wasn’t sure if Hans had believed her excuses or not, but she was desperate to get out of this village before he realized she’d lied.

Slowly, she opened the door, wondering if she could find anything to use as a weapon. Bianca looked at her with wide eyes, then glanced behind her to make certain they were alone.

“Bianca, what are you doing…”

“I need to talk with you,” she said in an urgent whisper.

Cassie stepped aside and allowed the girl to enter, frowning as she closed the door.

“Did Sister Anne tell you we’re leaving?” she asked, turning to see the bags on the bed. “Are you leaving too?”

“We all are,” Cassie answered, moving to the bed and packing the rest of her items into the bags.

“Why? Sister Anne told us we’re in danger, but she wouldn’t explain anything else. We’re not children, Cassie. We deserve to know what’s happened.”

“Baron von Hennhofen is…a dangerous man,” Cassie told her, unsure if she should tell her everything. “Sophia is alive. He stole her, and he’s keeping her prisoner. We have to get out of the village before he comes after one of you.”

“Why us?” the girl asked with a frown that made her look much older than her eighteen years.

“I don’t have all the details, I just know that he likes young girls, and if my suspicions are correct, once he has you, he’ll…you’ll never see Italy, or your friends, or your school again.”

“This has to do with that article you wrote, doesn’t it?” she asked, watching the shocked look on Cassie’s face.

“Yes, I believe it does,” Cassie replied. “But how do you know about that article?”

“Yesterday, after you told us you were a journalist, I did an internet search and found it. It was frightening. Do you think the Baron is part of all of that?”

“I don’t know, but I’m not sticking around to find out. You have to pack, and we’re all getting out of here before he finds out we’ve left.”

“Oh no,” Bianca said with wide eyes. “Francesca was going to call him and tell him we were in danger. She thought that he would be able to protect us.”

“Oh, my God. We have to stop her.”

Cassie grabbed the three bags, slipping Sophia’s computer case over her shoulder. She left the skis on the bed, then hurried out of the door with the girl. They nearly ran down the hallway to the room where Francesca was and swung the door open.

Francesca was on the bed, her bag in front of her, as she was placing the clothes from the dresser into it. Cassie looked around, watching Sister Anne and the other girls come into the room, looking frightened and confused.

“Please tell me you didn’t call him?” Cassie demanded, watching the guilty expression cross the young girl’s face.

“The Baron can protect us,” Francesca told her confidently. “He said he would take care of everything.”

“He knows?” Sister Anne asked.

“We have to get out of here, now,” Cassie told them. “How long ago did you talk to him?”

“Just a few minutes, but he said he’d take care of everything. He’ll protect us.”

“He’s the reason we’re leaving!” Cassie snapped. “Good God, you better pray we leave before he can keep to his word, or…” her voice trailed off as Bianca hurried to the closet and grabbed her suitcase, throwing everything she had in the dresser and closet into it.

“Or what?” Francesca asked with an angry expression. “The Baron is a good man. He’s kind and caring, and he will help us.”

“You little idiot,” Bianca snapped, pushing her friend’s shoulder when she stood up, knocking her back down to the bed. “He steals girls and sells them as sex slaves. He did it with Cassie’s friend, and he plans on doing the same to all of us.”

“He wouldn’t do anything like that,” Francesca said, her tone less confident than it had been a few moments before.

“He’s been doing it for a long time,” Cassie told her with an angry glare. “The desk clerk told me so. And Lars was killed because he tried to warn me.”

“The wolves killed him,” Francesca said, her voice even less confident then it had been.

“There were no wolves. Sophia told me they stayed away from people as if they were trained. They are his. He’s trained them to keep people from snooping around his castle.”

“Enough of this,” Bianca said anxiously, locking the hooks on her case. “Let’s get out of here before he catches up to us.”

The group hurried down the stairs, looking around at the empty room. The owner’s sister was behind the counter, and she looked up when Cassie approached her.

“The bus?” she asked.

“It’s broken, but we have a van available. It’s out front.”

“Our bill,” Sister Anne said, watching the woman shake her head.

“Don’t worry about it. Just leave, and God be with you.”

Cassie led the girls to a white passenger van sitting outside the front of the lodge’s entrance. She looked to the man who stepped out of the front driver’s seat, frowning when she read the embroidered writing on his grey polo shirt.

'Axel, Level 3 Trainer'.

He looked to the girls and frowned as he reached for the bags.

“Wir müssen zurück den berg hinunter gehen,” Sister Anne said, watching the man’s expression change.

“Ich kann sie nehmen,” he answered, then opened the back of the van and began loading the bags inside.

“He’ll take us down the mountain,” the nun told Cassie. “Once we’re down, we can alert the authorities.”

“Let’s just hope we can do it in time to save Sophia, and any other girls he may have.”

The group opened the side door to the long white vehicle and climbed in. Cassie sat in the front seat next to the driver and waited until he came around and started the engine. She stared around them as they drove down the dirt road toward the opposite end of town.

Unlike when they arrived, the streets were empty and there was nobody there to stare at them. In a way, it was a relief, but all she could think of was the old westerns she used to watch with her aunt. When the streets were deserted, it usually meant there was a showdown. That thought stayed with her until they left the village and began down the narrow road.

Cassie took out her phone and began a text to Bateman. She had to tell him what she found and see if he could contact the police, or Interpol, and have them meet her when they arrived back at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

She had just typed in her message and was about to press the send button when the van began a strange, jerking sensation. She frowned when she looked at the driver, watching him look at the dashboard.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Was ist denn los?” Sister Anne asked him.

“Ich weib es nicht,” he answered. “Der Motor ist nicht immer Brennstoff.”

“He said the engine isn’t getting fuel,” the nun said.

Cassie looked across his shoulder to the gages.

“It has a full tank,” she said.

“Es ist nicht der kraftstoff, es ist der motor. Es gibt etwas falsch mit es.”

“He said there’s something wrong with the motor.”

“Is there any place he can pull over? I doubt this road is very safe if someone is coming up.”

“Sie können stoppen und überprüfen Sie es?” the nun asked him, leaning over the front seat.

“Ja. Es sollte nur eine Minute dauern.”

“He said it would only take a minute,” she told Cassie, sitting back in her seat as the driver stopped the van on the road and shut off the engine.

“Es sollte nur eine Minute dauern,” he said again.

The driver reached under the seat and fished around for a moment, as Cassie heard the clanking of a metal can against the seat supports. Then he retrieved a rag and stepped out of the door, closing it behind him.

“I’m frightened, Sister Anne,” Isabella said.

“It’s alright girls. It won’t be long, and we’ll be down the mountain.”

“What do you think his shirt means?” Cassie asked the nun. “It said level 3 trainer. What’s he a trainer for, and what’s level 3?”

“They have a gym at the lodge, and it is a ski village. Maybe that’s what they call their instructors.”

“Do you hear a hissing sound?” Bianca asked.

The girls stopped talking, as Cassie looked out the window to the driver, who still had his head under the hood of the engine.

“Maybe it’s a water hose,” she suggested, remembering a time when her aunt’s car had a split in the water hose. It sounded like this, but somehow…this was different.

“I don’t feel very well,” Francesca said, placing her hand across her stomach.

“You shouldn’t feel well at all,” Maria snapped. “It’s your fault we were nearly caught.”

“That’s enough arguing,” Sister Anne said sternly. “It’s nobody’s fault. We’re just fortunate we were able to get away.”

“I really feel sick,” Francesca complained again. “I think I’m going to throw up.”

“I don’t feel well either,” Justina said.

“Me too,” Isabella added.

Cassie was beginning to feel dizzy and her stomach felt queasy. She looked down, seeing a small grey cloud surrounding the floor beneath the driver’s seat. She stared at it for a moment, trying to focus on it as the girls began coughing, then realized it was gas. She tried to reach whatever was making the cloud, but her arms felt heavy, and she found moving difficult. She tried again, as darkness swelled up around her, and she collapsed to the seat. The last thing she remembered was feeling cool air around her legs and the sound of an engine roaring to life.