The Librarian Spy(102)

Agony and rage blossomed anew in Elaine’s breast. Nicole, so brave and lovely, loyal to the bitter, terrible end.

“For Nicole.” Etienne extended his fist over the desk. “And for Joseph.” The item he released clattered with a metallic clunk that rattled into place. When he drew his hand away, a silver iron cross lay on the table, smeared with fresh blood.

She sucked in a breath and looked up at him to find his eyes burning into hers.

“The bastard was rushing to clean out his office, preparing to flee.” Etienne spoke through gritted teeth, his expression fierce. “I could not allow him to leave—not when he hadn’t paid for what he had done.”

She went to him and opened her arms. They held one another as their tears fell for the loved ones they could never bring back. For the pain of so much loss.

They had finally won, but the cost had been dear indeed.



TWENTY-SEVEN


Ava


Sunlight sparkled over the Tagus with a brilliance that left Ava shielding her face with the flat of her hand. The noxious odor of smoke from the massive ship obliterated any freshness the water might have cast off. All around her, people rushed this way and that, their bulging suitcases clutched at their sides, children herded close to their parents.

Ava scanned the sea of people, seeking out Sarah and Noah.

They had been lucky to obtain tickets on the SS Drottningholm. Ava had been correct about the lines at the office being even longer after the Allied attack.

Fortunately, the invasion appeared to have been successful with securing Allied soldiers into the occupied territory and putting Nazis on the run. But the victory had come at a steep cost with thousands dead. Thousands she could not allow herself to think of.

“Miss Ava.” A squeal of excitement pulled her attention to the right as Noah barreled toward her with Sarah following closely behind.

Ava caught him and swung him up into a big hug, cherishing the moment, for it would be the last—at least in Lisbon. He grinned at her and pointed to the towering SS Drottningholm. “Is that ours?”

“It is,” Ava confirmed. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” he shouted, practicing the American word. He had quickly learned several phrases and was eager to learn more.

Ava laughed and set him down. He immediately dug out his toy ship and held it up, comparing it to the original. “Ship,” he said slowly in English, and she nodded in approval.

“I cannot thank you enough for all you have done.” Sarah swept forward to embrace her.

Ava waved off her gratitude, especially when the effort had been that of so many people, namely Elaine Rousseau. And James.

An ache filled Ava’s chest, and she shoved the thought of him aside.

“It was a combined effort,” Ava replied. “It is so good to know you will be reunited with Lewis soon.”

“You will visit when you return to America?” Sarah gazed imploringly at her.

“I absolutely will.”

The horn on the ship blared, and the crowd collectively pushed toward the open gangplanks.

“It appears the time of our departure has come.” Sarah took a large breath and let it whoosh out.

“He is still going to love you,” Ava said reassuringly and hugged her friend.

“Merci.” Sarah beamed at her and took Noah’s hand. The little boy turned and waved until the crowd swallowed them up. Though Ava knew him well enough by then to realize he was likely still waving long after.

Ava didn’t leave until the large vessel glided from the dock amid a puff of thick, dark smoke. People stood at the railings above, calling out their farewells. Though Ava couldn’t discern any one person there from the other, she still waved and shouted her well wishes.

And then, as soon as they had come into her life, Sarah and Noah were gone. Finally on their way to America. To safety. To be reunited as a family.

A week letter, a V Mail appeared on Ava’s desk. She opened it with trembling fingers and sobbed an exhale of relief as she read the five simple words.

I’m safe. I love you.
-D
Short and sweeter than any mail she’d ever received. Daniel was safe.

After so many tense years of uncertainty and loss in her life, finally things seemed to be going right.

The foreign newspapers dwindled over the next four months as the Allied advantage became undeniable and Germany was squeezed in on all sides. It was then the notification came from Washington that the IDC’s efforts of information gathering in Lisbon were no longer needed. Mike was to be transferred to Switzerland. Ava had been offered the same but declined.

While she loved gathering information and meeting people she would always remember, she wanted to settle down in DC, preparing for Daniel’s inevitable return when the war ended. Something she hoped would happen sooner than later.

They had already spent far too long apart. She missed his brotherly advice that teetered on the edge of a lecture, meeting up for game night on Fridays and laughing until her face hurt, like they used to do before the war. Those days that had once been so common now felt a lifetime ago.

And, if truth be told, she was still licking her wounds over James.

She hadn’t seen him since the day of his confession in her apartment. At first, she had been glad for his absence, but as the days churned into weeks she regretted the sharpness of her words.

“You have mail.” Peggy slid a V Mail envelope onto Ava’s desk.