Evelyn followed, staying close to her. They moved quickly, pausing at each row so the woman could peer around the bookshelf and up the aisle. At the third row, her fingers tightened around Evelyn’s wrist and she stood very still. Evelyn held her breath, standing perfectly still behind her. Then she heard it, the low murmur of German coming from the front of the next aisle. Straining, she tried to make out what they were saying, but it was too muffled at this distance. Her mysterious friend was silent, listening. Then, after a moment, she peeked around the edge of the row.
They began moving again, but this time she didn’t stop at the next row. Instead, she broke into a run, releasing Evelyn’s wrist. Evelyn kept pace with her, her heart in her throat as she looked over the woman’s shoulder. There, a few feet ahead, was a door.
They reached it at a full run and the woman twisted the handle, throwing it open and disappearing through without a backward glance. Evelyn followed, then grabbed onto a thin, wrought iron railing as she skidded to a stop. A narrow metal staircase spiraled down before her and her new friend was already a few steps down.
“Hurry!’ she hissed, glancing up. “Close the door!”
Evelyn closed the door quietly behind her and then started down the narrow steps, her gloved hand gripping the railing for support. The steps were deadly and she had sudden visions of her stockinged foot slipping on the cold metal. Swallowing, she pushed her fear aside and followed the woman, reaching the bottom a moment later.
The woman pulled her away from the bottom of the steps and they pressed against the wall, out of sight from the door above. Pausing to catch their breaths, the two women listened for the sound of the door opening. When only silence ensued, the woman exhaled softly.
“I think we made it,” she whispered, glancing at Evelyn. “There’s a door that leads outside at the end of this corridor. Let’s go.”
Evelyn nodded and reached down to slip her shoes back on before following the woman down the cold and narrow hallway to a heavy door.
“How do you know about this?” she whispered.
“We all know about it,” the woman replied over her shoulder. “We have to, in case of situations like this.”
They reached the heavy door and late afternoon sunlight streamed in when she pushed it open. Stepping into the warm sunlight, Evelyn took a deep breath, glancing behind her.
“Who are you?” she demanded. “And how did you know I needed help? And how did you know about them?”
The woman closed the door behind them and turned to face her, squinting in the bright sun.
“My name is Josephine Rousseau,” she said, holding out her hand. “For the rest, would you mind waiting until we’re away from here? I don’t entirely trust our safety just yet.”
Evelyn took the offered hand. “I’m Evelyn.”
“Well Evelyn, why don’t we go somewhere else and I’ll explain what I can?” Josephine suggested with a quick smile.
Evelyn gave her a searching look, then nodded.
“After you.”
Evelyn nodded to the waiter as he set a cup of coffee before her, then looked across the small table at Josephine. They were seated in the back corner of a café in what Evelyn’s mother would have termed as a “questionable” section of the city. Cigarette smoke curled around the small room, tinted varying shades of blue and gray by the sunlight making its way determinedly through the small window panes at the front of the café. Another time, Evelyn might feel decidedly out of place, but right now she was grateful for the protection of the anonymous neighborhood so far removed from the library.
“How did you know about the library?” she asked, lifting her cup to sip the coffee. The strong, hot liquid warmed her and Evelyn felt the trembling in her arms and legs, which had been plaguing her since their flight, ease.
“Karl contacted me when he hid the package,” Josephine told her. “It was the alternate plan, you see.”
“Karl? You know about Karl?” Evelyn gazed at her in bemusement. “I don’t understand.”
Josephine looked at her for a moment, her brows creased in a frown.
“I can see that you don’t,” she said, setting down her cup. “How long have you been working for Bill? He didn’t tell you about the rest of us?”
Evelyn swallowed uncomfortably. “No.” Her gaze wavered and she lowered her eyes to her coffee. “To be honest, this was my first time doing anything like this.”
Josephine stared at her, her mouth dropping open. “What?”
She nodded miserably. “I certainly managed to make an absolute mess of it, didn’t I?”
“What do you mean this was your first time?” Josephine demanded.
Evelyn shrugged. “Just that.”
There was a moment of stunned silence, then Josephine started laughing. Evelyn watched her uncomfortably.
“I don’t see what’s so amusing,” she muttered. “I’ve gone and mucked it all up.”
Josephine shook her head, the laughter dying on her lips. “Far from it! You did splendidly well! I know seasoned couriers who wouldn’t have done any better, and most would have been caught. Why on earth did Buckley send you?”
“I think he thought it would be a very easy pick-up.”
Josephine tilted her head thoughtfully, then sighed.
“Yes. I suppose he did. There’s no way he could have known Karl would be followed out of Germany.” She drank some coffee, motioning for Evelyn to do the same. “Drink. It will help settle your nerves. You must be terrified.”
Evelyn lifted the coffee and drank obediently, not answering. Josephine watched her for a minute, then set her cup down again.
“I’ll try to explain what I can,” she said, “although, I’m not sure how much will make sense to you. In the past
