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Meghan frowned.
“Robert wanted to buy the mill from your grandfather. Fred wouldn’t sell.”
“Was Jakob still alive during that time?”
“Yes.”
“Did he want the mill, too?”
“Yes.”
Meghan covered her mouth. The story finally made sense. She had become a pawn in the middle of a dangerous family feud and a deadly treasure hunt.
God, how did I get here? I have nothing to do with this. Please, get me out.
“Let me show you one more thing.” The beam of his phone light illuminated the names written on the face of the rock, about halfway down the list. “Look closer.”
Hedvika, Fred, Karel, Honza, Jakob, Mark.
“They made it all the way here, hid in this cave, and waited for the contacts that would guide them over the mountains or to other hiding places in this area. Most of them became a part of the resistance.”
Meghan ran her fingers over the rough letters. Suddenly, Oliver’s story became real. Seeing her grandfather’s name written on the face of the rock made it personal. Finally, she understood what Oliver was after. It wasn’t a pot of gold; it was justice.
“Karel made it all the way to England and joined the RAF.”
“What?” She looked at him in disbelief. “How? It’s hundreds of kilometers away. He would have to cross the enemy lines.”
“Or go east.”
“To Russia?’
“The Tatra mountains in Slovakia were a major resistance stronghold. The partisans received aid from the Russians. They sabotaged the Germans by blowing up bridges. They worked with covert missions, stealing or disabling Luftwaffe aircraft. They hid people, nursed the wounded pilots, and guided them over the mountains back to Russia.”
Meghan spun around, taking in the dark space. This cave played a major part in Czech history, but she was more than ready to see the light of the day. The paradox of their situation did not escape her.
“Speaking of Russians. Do you think we could check if they are gone? I’d like to use a real bathroom soon.”
He chuckled. “Let me go out and see. I’ll be right back.”
Meghan gripped his hand. “You are not leaving me here alone.”
Oliver pulled her closer. “I’m—I don’t know what I’ll find at the entrance. If they are in the area, I don’t want you to be in danger.”
“I think it’s a little too late for that.” She looked up. His breath caressed her cheek. There was so much more to this high school teacher. Her heart skipped a beat. If only she dared to kiss him.
Meghan pulled away, regaining her senses. It was his fault she was stuck in this cave with mercenaries at her heels. Had he been honest with her since the start, she would have had more options. A local real estate agent could have already listed the property, and she could have enjoyed the rest of her trip sightseeing. But instead, she was here, in a dark cave, worried she’d be found by a group of armed men.
“Let’s go,” she said in a tone that left no room for discussion.
“Stay close to me.” Oliver pointed his phone light toward the narrow passage. “And don’t do anything stupid.”
“Me?” She almost felt offended. Meghan had done nothing dumb except get into his car and ask him to take her shopping. And moved into his house. Gone on an excursion into a forest, in the mountains, the name of which she couldn’t even pronounce. Yes, none of that wasstupid. Meghan promised herself that as soon as they got out of this situation, she would seek out a lawyer, hand over all the paperwork for the mill, and book the first flight to Canada. She was done with this cat-and-mouse game.
Mindful of the low-hanging boulders, Meghan followed Oliver’s lead. As they approached the mouth of the cave, he slowed down.
“You know the way from here,” he said as he turned back to face her.
She frowned.