Tucking the picture away again, she got out of the car and looked around. After arriving in the city, she had stopped a young policeman and asked for directions to the Café de Toussier. He’d been more than happy to assist. It was his suggestion that she park on Rue de l’Aimant, and she looked around now with a silent sigh of relief. It was somewhat disconcerting to be in a city where one was a stranger and unfamiliar with the area. Thankfully, the neighborhood appeared to be a respectable one. No one looked twice at the Bugatti or at the young woman driving it.
Turning, she walked along the sidewalk towards the road ahead. That should be Rue du Bain aux Plantes, and the café would be a block or two to the right. The sun shone brightly on the cobblestones and Evelyn took a deep breath, gazing around her in curiosity. Strasbourg had a rich history with many German influences, and the architecture around her reflected that. One day, she would have to come here again and take the time to explore the city properly, when she didn’t have an appointment to keep.
Evelyn glanced at her wristwatch, noting the hour. She was right on time. Karl should be at the café already. If he wasn’t, William had instructed her to sit at a table and wait for ten minutes. If there was still no sign of Karl after that, she should leave. He wouldn’t be coming.
Reaching Rue du Bain aux Plantes, she turned right and walked along the sidewalk. Ahead, the sidewalks on both sides were lined with several outdoor cafés just beginning to get busy with the lunchtime rush. Café de Toussier was in the middle of the stretch, a black awning with gold lettering extending over the wide front window. As she drew closer, Evelyn saw a man sitting alone with his back to the café, facing the street. He had his legs crossed and was wearing a dark suit with a hat pulled low over his forehead. As she watched, he pulled out a cigarette case and extracted a cigarette.
Glancing behind her, Evelyn stepped to the edge of the sidewalk to circumvent the small, round tables that took up most of the available pavement. The smell of fresh baked bread and coffee came from the café she was passing and her stomach rumbled in reaction. She increased her pace, passing the restaurant quickly and coming up to the Café de Toussier. As she approached, the man in the hat turned his head and she felt her pulse quicken. It was the face from the photograph.
Plastering a bright smile on her face, she approached him, meeting his dark gaze.
“I'm so sorry I'm late! The train was delayed and the shop was out of cigarettes,” she said, speaking the phrase William had made her memorize in the driveway the afternoon before.
Karl stood up quickly, his eyebrows rising into his forehead.
“Here. You can have one of mine,” he said, opening his case again and holding it out to her.
“Thank you, but I’ll wait until after coffee,” she replied dutifully, sinking into the chair across from him.
Karl nodded, tucking the cigarette case away and seating himself once more. A waiter appeared at Evelyn’s elbow and she glanced up with a smile.
“Un café, s'il vous plaît, du pain et du fromage,” she told him.
“Bien sur Mademoiselle,” he nodded and turned to Karl. “Et pour toi?”
“Je vais avoir la même,” Karl said in halting, heavily accented French.
The waiter nodded and turned to disappear back into the café.
“What happened to Rupert?” he asked her in a low voice, switching to German and lighting his cigarette.
“He’s in hospital with appendicitis,” Evelyn said readily. “I’ve come in his place.”
He shot her a look of disbelief. “You?”
Her eyes narrowed but the smile remained planted on her face. “Yes. Is that a problem?”
“A problem?” he laughed shortly. “There’s a problem, yes, but it’s not you.”
The smile faded and her brows came together.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Why is there a problem?”
Karl stared hard at her for a moment, then leaned forward.
“I was followed from Munich,” he told her, his jaw tightening. “A particularly persistent SS man.”
“SS man?” Evelyn repeated, her voice dropping to barely a whisper.
“Yes. Gestapo. He’s been watching me for weeks now. He finally approached me a few days ago to ask about my neighbor, but it was clear it was me that he was interested in.” Karl exhaled and smoke curled around them. “I didn’t think I was going to make it past the border, but I did.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“He came too.” Karl’s eyes met hers and she saw the fear in them. “He’s sitting across the street at the pâtisserie. No, don’t look! He’s watching us.”
Evelyn resisted the urge to look across the street with difficulty. “Why would he follow you here?”
“They must have discovered I was smuggling information out,” he said miserably. “I don’t know how, but that’s the only explanation. The question is why they allowed me to cross the border at all.”
“Surely they couldn’t stop you without proof?”
Karl let out a short, bitter laugh.
“You do not understand the role of the Gestapo, obviously,” he said. “They can do whatever they please, and who will tell them no?”
Evelyn stared at him, her brows coming together in consternation. “But surely there is someone they must answer to? They can’t just arrest you with no proof…can
