Page 62 of Winter's End
Mila hesitated. “Is there any word of Daan?”
“Only confirmation of de Boer’s betrayal – this time by his personal driver who, it turns out, is supportive of Resistance efforts. Stand by, Mila. We are formulating a plan. Not another Dutch hero must be sacrificed to the bastard’s greed.”
EVI
In all her life, she had never hidden anything of consequence from Mam. But the Colt pistol that Jacob had entrusted to Evi – a duplicate of the one he kept for himself – felt like a hot potato in her hands.
She hid it first in a rain boot. She put it under her mattress, concealed it under a pile of sweaters on her shelf. Finally, she stowed it in the bottom of her book bag, where Mam would have no reason to look.
If she felt awkward as they ate their watery cabbage soup, her mother did not seem to notice. In fact, she was unusually quiet.
Finally, Mam dropped her spoon in the empty bowl. Evi jumped at the sound.
“Lieveling,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “I talked today with Leela Bakker. It seems that some German Jewish escapees have been hiding out for months in one of the old limestone caves near Limburg.But the farmers who have been aiding them, Leela said, are crying out now for food and medical supplies – and even clothing.”
Evi frowned.
“God knows we do not have much to spare, Evi, but those people are desperate.” She paused. “Leela is gathering together what she can…and she asked me to –”
Evi’s head snapped up. “Mam...”
“Evi, you know as well as I do that whatever we can provide will be more safely delivered over water.”
“Mam, you told me yourself that you think you might have been observed when you transported Rachel…”
“One trip, Evi. That is all I agreed to. Who can navigate the inlets and canals better than I can?”
“But Mam, the Germans are more watchful than ever. Checkpoints are springing up all over…”
But her mother’s face was set. “That is precisely why the waterways are better, Evi. There are Resistance volunteers all along the Meuse who can help me get these life-saving supplies to their destination.”
Evi spooned up the last of her soup.
“I will be careful, Evi, I promise. I can do the turnaround in the daylight hours, when many boats are on the water….”
She put her hand over Evi’s. “And it is no more dangerous than what you have been doing, trolling for German officers to be murdered.”
Evi looked into her mother’s earnest face, thinner and more lined as the months passed. She had not been asked to repeat her tavern performance since the last near-debacle. But neither was she afraid to do so if she were summoned – and once she perfected her proficiency with the Colt, she would be ready for more critical assignments. She fully expected such missions would be forthcoming once she proved she could take care of herself.
She saw the Colt in her mind’s eye, hidden in the depths of her schoolbag.
“Mam, are you certain…?”
“I am, Evi. I must help these poor people trapped in a cave. You know I must.”
Evi raised her water glass high. “Then may God keep us both from harm.”
ZOE
Zoe had had enough. She pored over thekliniekappointment book. With fewer and fewer appointments scheduled, and Daan only God knew where, she thought it only sensible to close the doors for a while – at least until she could figure out where supplies could be replenished and how to keep the business going in Daan’s absence. Or perhaps, by the grace of God, until the Allies managed to push their way through.
Food supplies were scarcer than ever, even for those who stood in long ration lines. She had heard from Pieter that two Swedish aid ships loaded with food and medical supplies had arrived at the port in Delfzjjl. The Germans had offloaded the bounty to their channel barges – but none of it had thus far been distributed to the starving Dutch.
Queen Wilhelmina, according toRadioOranje, had personally appealed to both President Roosevelt and England’s King George for food assistance. But if it arrived, theverdomdGermans would likely appropriate that as well…and since the self-exiled Queen was not yet ready to return, it would be foolish to think the war would end any time soon.
Zoe found herself becoming more despairing by the day – not least because of Daan’s abduction. The food they had managed to get to the hospital after the train explosion would not last much longer, not with dozens of mouths to feed, and with the Germans continuing to demand patient and medical staff rosters, the state of affairs in Heemstede was becoming dire.
In the past, she would have taken her concerns to Daan. Now, she knew, she must go to Pieter. She was about to pick up the receiver and dial when she heard a pounding at the front door. Not the Gestapo,surely, she told herself, fearing the worst as she grappled with the locks on her door.
