Page 74 of Winter’s End

Haarlem, the Netherlands

February 1945

MILA

The plan was for Mila to reunite with Pieter at the auto park within moments after de Boer went down. But from the time the big man hit the ground, nothing went as expected.

Sirens sounded almost at once. Whether a passerby had telephoned police headquarters or whether the two police vehicles that screeched to the curb simply happened by was irrelevant. Floodlights lit up the area almost at once, and uniformed officers began to cordon off the streets.

From behind her, the few hardy souls out walking in the cold began rushing toward the tumult at the fountain, making it risky for Mila to push the other way without drawing suspicion. On the other side of the square, she feared, Pieter could be trapped with a pistol in his possession, unable to flee.

More police vehicles, sirens wailing, rolled into the square. A pair of helicopters maneuvered into place and hovered above the scene at the fountain, and the loud, unnervingWAH-wah-WAH-wahof an ambulance echoed in the frigid night air.

Mila watched, frozen in place, as de Boer was loaded onto a stretcher and tethered by technicians to what looked like a jumble of tubes.Could the traitor still be alive?

Allowing the procession of bystanders to pass, she walked quickly in the direction of the auto park, praying Pieter had been able to flee.

She rounded a corner to find herself face to face with four advancing Gestapo.

“Fraulein? Wohin gehst du so schnell?”Where are you going so quickly?

“Unteroffizieres,” she began in fluent German. “I have been out enjoying this beautiful city. Even in winter, it is spectacular.”

The officers looked from one to the other.

“Sie sind Deutche?” You are German?Identifikation!”

“Deutche, nein,” she smiled, producing the false papers that identified her as Swiss. “Nur ein bewunderer.” Only an admirer.

The taller of the two studied her papers, looked up at her with narrowed eyes. “Are you aware there has been a shooting?” he asked in German.

“A shooting?” she repeated, blue eyes wide, grateful for her fluency in the language. “Vo?” she asked innocently. Where?

More narrowed eyes. Whispered words between them.

She was about to invoke the name of her German benefactor when, finally, the tall one handed back her papers. “Go back to your hotel, Fraulein” he warned. “At once.”

She inclined her head, a puzzled look on her face. “Ja, sicher,” she said. At once.”

She could feel their eyes on her back as she traversed the street, turned left at the next corner. She walked faster as she neared the grey Renault. Her shoulders slumped. It was unoccupied.

Shivering, she retreated into the shadows of the car park.Lieve god, what now? What if Pieter had been unable to retreat?What if de Boer’s officers had grabbed him?

EVI

Baby Jacob lay sound asleep in her arms, a dribble of formula trickling from tiny rosebud lips onto his rounded chin. Evi, lost in the infant’s contentment, dabbed at the drip with a bit of cloth.

“Evi…” Mam stood over her shoulder. “For the baby’s sake, I am glad for your help. But please…Do not get too attached.”

“I know…”

“Arrangements are in place, and there is only so much formula. I must move him downstream today, while there is still enough to keep him fed him on his journey across the border.”

“Please, Mam, be careful…”

“I am always careful.”

“Yes, but…” Evi sighed. “There are Germans everywhere. They are more watchful than ever.”