Page 41 of A Zephyr Rising
“What is it?”Madeline looked over her shoulder.“Oh—” She nudged her mother.“Don’t look now, Mama.We’re about to get caught.”
Gran glanced back and then gave them both a smug smile.“Don’t look at him.He isn’t likely to give us a moment’s attention if we’re not looking at him.He can’t possibly recognize us from behind.”
As Stephen drew closer, the officer came out the door again.“This way, please.You’ll need to identify the patient.We have more than one man with that name here.”He glanced past them at Stephen, who stopped behind them.“You’ll have to wait a few minutes, sir.What’re you here for?”
“I’m here to see the head of command.On a very urgent matter,” Stephen said.Gran was right.He barely paid attention to them.
“As soon as I’m done helping these sisters.”The officer held the door for them.
Ginger passed through, her gait feeling stiff and artificial.Just remain calm.She felt faint and breathed shallowly, gripping Madeline’s arm.
Why was Stephen here?To reverse the paperwork he’d obtained for John Martin?
She wouldn’t put it past him.
The air inside was degrees cooler but nothing helped the insufferable feeling of choking.They followed the officer to what appeared to be some sort of holding room.Another officer sat at a desk, drinking tea as he wrote in a ledger.As they arrived, a back door in the room opened and John came through, accompanied by an escort.Two other interned men filed in behind him.
“That’s him.That’s the patient.”Ginger moved toward John.She pointed to him.The officer gave him a wary look.
John appeared dumbfounded but from the way he drew in his eyebrows, he recognized her.
Ginger met his gaze, giving him a pleading look.Please don’t give us away.Her voice felt hoarse as she spoke, “This is the man who needs to be in quarantine.”
John blanched.“Quarantine?”
“Your family has come down with typhus.We have medical transport for you.We need to leave immediately,” Madeline said in a stern tone.
Gran gave a grave nod.
John shifted nervously.“Typhus?Well, what about?—”
His father?Of course, that would be the worry.Ginger cut him off.“Please, Mr.Martin.Don’t give us any trouble.This whole internment center is at risk if you don’t cooperate and come along.You wouldn’t want to put everyone in danger, would you?”She had to hope the officers didn’t know the internees well enough to know John also had a father here.
John’s face was somber.The officer at the desk shifted in his seat, holding his mug back as though the disease could be transmitted through it.“Is my family all right?”John asked.
“We’re taking care of them.”Hopefully that would be enough for him to understand she was trying to help him.Ginger took a deep breath, wanting more than anything to tell John the truth.She wished she could see Mr.Martin.Promise she would keep fighting for him.Give him a chance to say goodbye to his son.She hoped John would forgive her for not letting her have a chance to say goodbye.
Gran and Madeline were at her side.“Quickly now,” Madeline said and held her arm out for John to take.The officer at the desk wore a bewildered but resigned expression.“We’ll return him when he’s well.Thank you, officer.”
They hurried out the door to the holding room, the front guard still escorting them.Before it shut, Ginger gave one last glance back.
She wanted more than anything to help Mr.Martin, too.
Henry’s voice rang in her head.Friedrich is beyond our help.You must accept that.
She didn’t want to accept it.
Drawing closer to the front guard’s station, Ginger saw Stephen through a window.He still waited outside, a scowl on his face.Going out this way would mean he’d see her for sure.
“Not this way.”Ginger spun toward the guard.“We don’t want to put any member of the public at risk by getting too close.Is there a back entrance?”
The guard took several steps away, rubbing his hands on his jacket uneasily.He nodded.“But isn’t it better to just get him outside?”
“Could you, perhaps, escort that man in the front elsewhere?It would be for the best,” Madeline said.“Then we can go through once you’re both safely out of the way.”
The guard gave a brisk nod, clearly relieved to be away from the diseased patient.He hurried out.Moments later, he and Stephen started off in another direction.
Ginger held her breath as they went outside.The closer they drew to the car, the more her heart pounded.
