He lapsed into silence and Wesley was quiet, waiting. After a few moments, Bill sighed heavily and sat forward, reaching for a pad and pencil.
“There’s not much I can do at this point but try to buy her some extra time and pray that she presents herself,” he muttered, scrawling a reply on the pad. “Have this reply sent back. If he hasn’t had any contact by mid-afternoon, he’s to depart as planned.”
“And Jian?”
Bill tore off the paper, folded it and handed it to Wesley, his lips pressed together in a grim line.
“Will have to find another way home.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
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Spillum, Norway
Evelyn bent over the table and studied the map spread out before her. Erik stood next to her, his brows pulled together thoughtfully as he, also, studied the map. It was late in the morning and they hadn’t left at first light, as had been their intention. When Jørgen went out to tend the animals, he had discovered that the fresh snow had caused a large section of fir tree to fall, blocking the entrance to the barn. Because he had been kind enough to give them shelter and food, Erik and Philip had spent part of the morning helping him cut and move the obstruction. By the time they had finished, Jørgen insisted on giving them breakfast as well.
“I think this will be the best route here,” Erik finally said, pointing. “From what Jørgen said, the roads will be clear, but there’s no reason to risk it. We can cross the mountain here and avoid the road altogether until here, where we will have to take it. This will take us to the bridge. Once we cross the bridge, there are a few different roads to take, and we can easily avoid the main one.”
“I don’t even know where I’m going,” Evelyn muttered, staring at the map helplessly. “With no way of reaching my contact, I don’t know which harbor to go to. From what I can see, there are three.”
Erik glanced at her. “Yes. There are more, but these three would be the only ones capable of docking a large ship. What kind of ship are we talking about?”
“A cruiser,” she said after a moments hesitation.
“Definitely one of those three, then,” he said thoughtfully. “You will be able to see them well enough when you get there.” He looked at her and gave her a small smile. “You will find them. Don’t worry. Namsos is not like London, or even Oslo.”
Evelyn nodded, taking strength from that small smile. She had learned over the past few days that Erik gave them rarely. He was trying to encourage her and give her hope. They were so close. She was so close. And yet so much could still go wrong.
“Well? What have you two decided?” Anna asked, coming into the room with Philip close behind.
“We’ll stay off the main road and stick to the mountains until we have to cross the bridge,” Erik said. “Once we get to the bridge, we have no choice but to be in the open.”
“There are no German troops in the area yet,” Philip said. “If we take the main road, it will be faster and easier.”
“There are no troops that we know of,” Erik replied. “It’s not worth the risk if we’re wrong.”
“That’s true,” Anna agreed, glancing down at the map. “How much longer will it take to go through the hills, though?”
“With the added snow? Perhaps an extra hour.”
Anna looked at Evelyn sharply. “It’s almost ten now. That will put you in Namsos after one.”
Evelyn nodded. “I know.”
She had no way of knowing when Lt. Commander Wheeler would leave, but Erik was right. It wasn’t worth taking the risk to go along the main road. If the SS troops had followed them, they could very well be watching the roads into Namsos, waiting for them. And they would be looking for two men and two women traveling together.
Philip pulled out a chair and sat down, leaning his elbow on the table while he studied the map.
“If we go that way, we’ll reach the bridge at mid-day,” he said slowly. “The sun will be at its highest and any reconnaissance flights will have a very clear view.” Then, as if echoing Evelyn’s own thoughts, he continued, “The SS will be looking for two couples. If they see us on the bridge, there will be no mistaking us.”
“That’s why they won’t see us on the bridge,” Evelyn said, her voice even.
“What? How is that?” Anna demanded. “Do you have a plan to become invisible?”
“Not invisible, no,” she said with a laugh. “But not what they’re looking for. You see, we won’t be crossing the bridge together.”
Anna and Philip stated at her blankly, but Erik grasped what she meant immediately. He frowned, his dark eyes probing hers.
“That wasn’t the plan,” he said. “I told you I would see you into Namsos. I told you I would get you there safely.”
“And you have,” she told him with a smile. “I would never have got this far without your help and guidance. For that, I owe you a great debt. If ever I have the opportunity to repay it, know that I will do everything in my power to do so.”
“Do you mean you’re leaving?” Anna suddenly gasped, her eyes flaring wide. “Is that what you mean? You’re going on alone?”
“Yes.”
“No!” Anna glared at her, her face flushing. “We’ve come this far together. We will go the rest of the way as well. There is no reason for us to give up now.”
“I’m not giving up. I’m being practical. Anna, there is nowhere between here,” Evelyn pointed on the map, “and here where we can take cover from aerial reconnaissance. We will be completely exposed, and if the Germans are out there, the only defense we have left is to separate.”
“She’s right,” Philip admitted reluctantly after a moment of silence. “Dressed as she is, she can be mistaken for a farmer’s wife
