Outside Steinkjer, Norway
Evelyn shivered and tried in vain to burrow deeper into her coat. The combination of snow and frigid wind was taking its toll on her and her fingers were numb inside her fur-lined gloves. Darkness had fallen hours ago and Erik had finally agreed to stop long enough to allow Peder to try to get through to London.
“Anything?” she asked, looking over Peder’s shoulder. He had cleared off a hollowed out tree trunk and was sitting astride it with his radio case open in front of him.
“No.”
Evelyn bit her lip and tried to see her watch in the moonlight. She could barely make out the little illuminated hands, but she thought it was just after eleven.
“Could it be because we’re late?” Peder asked, looking over his shoulder. “We told them ten.”
“Keep trying,” she told him.
He nodded and turned his attention back to the radio. After watching for a second, she went over to where Anna was sitting on her suitcase and using a tree as a back rest.
“Anything yet?” Anna asked as she joined her.
She shook her head and dropped down onto her own suitcase.
“Not yet.” She looked around. “Where’s Erik?”
“He went to scout around ahead.” Anna leaned her head back against the tree trunk. “He doesn’t trust Steinkjer to be clear of German troops. He and Philip are both trying to determine the best route to take to minimize the risk of running into them.”
“I’m so sorry you’re in the middle of this,” Evelyn said in a low voice after a minute. “I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. If you want to part company, I completely understand and will go the rest of the way alone.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Anna said crossly. “We’re not leaving you.”
“It’s getting too dangerous.”
“Which is exactly why we won’t leave you. Now stop suggesting it. You’re stuck with us.” Anna threw her a tired smile. “Besides, where would I go? We’re going to Peder’s uncle after Namsos, so we have to keep moving in this direction anyway.”
Evelyn nodded and tried to adjust the woolen scarf more securely around her neck to block out the cold wind.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get warm,” she said after a long moment. “And it doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to find anywhere to take shelter.”
“Erik thinks that we’ll find somewhere outside Steinkjer. He just wants to get past it first.” Anna stifled a yawn. “I’ll tell you this, though, I’m more worried about finding somewhere to get food. We’ve only got a few pieces of bread left and no cheese.”
Before Evelyn could respond, Philip emerged from the trees nearby and glanced at them. He looked around, then came over to them.
“Your brother’s not back yet?”
“Not yet. Why? Did you see something?”
He shook his head, a frown on his face. “No. Everything seemed clear, but I feel like something is wrong.”
Evelyn looked up sharply. “Wrong how?”
“I don’t know. I can’t explain it.” He looked at the rifle hanging across her body, nodding to it. “Get that loaded and ready. It’s better to be prepared.”
“It already is,” she assured him. “If needed, I’m ready.”
He nodded and seemed a little comforted by that. Brushing snow off a log nearby, he dropped down onto it and looked towards Peder a few feet away.
“Is he still trying to get through to London?” he asked.
Evelyn nodded. There had been no way to prevent Philip from finding out who Peder was trying to contact, not once he and Erik were the only two left. Erik had assured her of the other man’s discretion, and she had no other choice but to trust him, but she still wasn’t happy about it.
“How long has he been trying?”
“About twenty minutes.”
Philip frowned. “I hope the Germans aren’t nearby. If they are, and they realize a wireless signal is going out close by...”
Anna frowned and looked over to Peder. “Is that possible?”
“It is if they know to look for one,” he said without lifting his head from the radio. “Otherwise, they need special equipment to scan for it, and then they have to be within a certain range. I wouldn’t worry too much.”
“I hope you’re right,” Philip said.
“If we can’t get through soon, we’ll stop,” Evelyn said after a moment. “If it wasn’t important, I wouldn’t continue to try.”
“I know.” Philip sighed and rubbed his face, then pushed himself to his feet. “I’ll go see what’s keeping Erik.”
He was just turning away when Erik came through the trees on the other side of Peder.
“I’m here,” he said. “How are things behind us?”
“They’re fine, but I don’t have a good feeling,” Philip replied. “What about ahead?”
Erik looked grim. “It’s the same.”
Anna looked from one to the other.
“What does that mean?” she asked when neither of them seemed inclined to elaborate. “Either you saw evidence of German troops in the area or you didn’t.”
“I didn’t, but something isn’t right,” Erik said, stepping over the hollowed out tree trunk where Peder was seated. “I can’t explain it. We need to be on our guard and as quiet as possible.”
“Do we continue on this course?” Philip asked.
He nodded.
“Yes. I don’t know that changing course now would do anything other than slow us down. And time isn’t on our side.” He looked at Peder. “How long have you been trying to get through now?”
“Almost half an hour.”
Erik’s frown grew and he went over to stand next to Evelyn.
“That’s too long. If there are enemy troops in the area, they could intercept the signal and realize we’re here,” he said, looking down at her.
“Peder doesn’t think that’s likely,” Anna told him. “He said that they would have to know to look for the signal.”
Erik never took his eyes off Evelyn’s face, staring at her steadily.
“Is there any possibility that they could know to listen for a wireless signal?” he asked, his eyes boring into hers.
Evelyn swallowed. Of course there was a possibility. She knew it and Anna knew
