Friedrich glanced toward the staircase, toward Ilse and Daniel, whose voices floated down to them, soft petals on the wind.
“I would not say you’re wrong,” he said, eyes still on the stairs. “But it also feels like a betrayal to stop trying. To myself, and my people. To Ilse. And Daniel.” He turned his gaze to Audrey. “When I first decided to do this, I knew I would likely die. And I accepted that. Though I didn’t… My life was much more straightforward. I did not have anything in particular to live for when all this began.”
Audrey tried to ignore the pressure in her chest. “And now you do.”
“Yes.”
Friedrich and Ilse had grown even closer over the past few weeks, drawn together as Ilse cared for Friedrich’s injury with tenderness, and by Daniel, who interacted with Friedrich now as though he were indeed his father. They were in love, and Audrey did her best to feel glad for Ilse’s happiness, that something of what she wanted out of her life—to have a family of her own—had been salvaged from the wreckage.
But Audrey wasn’t sure where that left her. Nothing felt like home anymore. Not this version of Berlin, certainly. Not her father’s house in Kensington, which now sat empty and deserted. Her aunt in Alnwick was her only family, but that didn’t feel like home either. All that felt like home was Ilse, wherever she was.
“Your purpose is the same as mine, except…” She pressed her lips together. “Your purpose actually needs you.”
“Ilse still needs you,” he said immediately. It was generous of him.
“I can’t offer her anything she can’t get from you,” she said.
“Well… there are mutterings about another invasion. Poland, this time.” He shook his head. “If that happens, I cannot see how we can continue to avoid another war. It is only a matter of time. And then, my work may take me away from Berlin. It depends how far Germany’s reach continues to expand, whether they set up SS offices in the occupied countries. But she would need you here. If I’m away, she would need you.”
“I’ll always do anything to protect her.” Audrey straightened in her chair. “The truth is, I don’t know how much longer I can fully resist Weber.” She flushed. “Even before all this happened, I wasn’t sure. He’s clearly impatient, and if I don’t give in willingly, I’m afraid he might just take what he wants, regardless. And it’s not…” She trailed off.
The click of his belt buckle.
Her hair dampened with blood.
“I don’t think me sacrificing that will yield anything more valuable than the information we already got about Hanover. If we were to continue any kind of broad-scale resistance, I would need a new mission anyway.”
“I agree,” Friedrich said. “But I don’t know how we’re going to extract you from Weber’s office. No one ever leaves their job, for all the reasons I just outlined.”
She chewed her lip, considering. “Well… the women do. I know how I can quit.”
Friedrich raised his eyebrows. Audrey filled him in on Johanna’s predicament, the suspicions about what had happened to Ursula.
“It will be entirely believable,” she said, thinking of her recent vomiting episode with a wave of relief. “Without question.” Frau Schulze would ensure everyone in the entire ministry, well beyond Weber’s office, would suspect pregnancy as the impetus of her departure.
“But what will you tell Weber?” he asked.
They both stared at the coffee table between them, the morning light reflecting on its polished surface.
“A beau,” Friedrich said finally. “He would be spurned if you left for your own reasons, but he will accept it if another man has claim to you.”
“Claim to me?” Audrey exhaled through a growl.
Friedrich shrugged. “I’m sorry. But tell him your beau has insisted you leave your job so you can get married. Men like Weber don’t tolerate working wives.”
Audrey scoffed, but knew he was right. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll do it. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
Audrey turned off the lamps in the lounge. It was nearing nine o’clock, and Ilse had retreated upstairs a while ago to bathe Daniel and get him into bed. They’d had a lovely afternoon together, just the two of them whilst Daniel napped, and Friedrich went out to visit Aldous for a couple of hours, returning before dinner. After deciding to quit her job, Audrey had felt lighter than she had in a long time, and she and Ilse had drunk cold glasses of ginger ale and played two-person bridge like they used to when they were girls. Audrey still wasn’t very good, which they’d both had a good laugh about. A sense of relief came over her, that perhaps they could just stay like this, hide out in relative contentment until the end of the coming war—which surely couldn’t last as long or be as bad as the Great War. Maybe she didn’t need to think into the future just yet. Maybe being here with Ilse in the present could be enough for now.
Audrey had just checked for the evening post when she heard a male voice outside, and a loud knock sounded on the front door. It was late for door-to-door salesmen. She debated answering, but with a tired air, unlatched the lock. Her stomach fell through the floor.
Three SS officers stood on the porch, their severe faces partially illuminated by yellow light from the streetlamps. Behind them was a woman, her face in shadow.
Audrey recovered herself and adopted a welcoming yet puzzled expression appropriate to the face of a loyal German who opened her door to three officers late in the evening. Perhaps they were here to speak to Friedrich. Perhaps there was no cause for alarm.
“Guten Abend,” she said. “How can I help you, gentlemen?”
Two of them exchanged a glance. Another spoke. “Ada Jakob?” He was tall and heavily decorated.
“Y-yes,” she said.
“We need to come in.”
“Of course.” Audrey waved them through.
“Who’s there?” she heard Friedrich call from down the hall. She felt a modicum of relief as he strode toward them. “What is this?” he asked, dark brow furrowed.
“Obersturmbannführer Müller?” the same man said. He was evidently the spokesman. He saluted.
Audrey took in the men, then her eyes moved to the woman. She was shorter than Audrey, a little plain-looking, but somehow familiar, with an angry look in her eye.
“Heil Hitler. I am Obersturmbannführer Ziegler. We are here for Ada Jakob.”
Audrey’s breath hitched. She looked from him to the woman again, and a cold wave came over her, as though she’d been doused with a bucket of frigid water.
She knew where she’d seen her before…
Ziegler faced the woman now. “Frau Braun? You confirm this is the same woman?”
