The Last Night in London by Karen White (reading list .TXT) 📕

He held smoke in his lungs for a long moment, then exhaled slowly. “Not as useful as he thinks.”

She placed her hand on the cigarette case, but he stopped her, his strong fingers encircling her wrist. “Be careful, Eva. A tiger is most dangerous when he knows he is trapped.” He looked behind her at the almost-empty tables around them, his gaze settling briefly on the only other occupants of the café: a woman and a young girl having tea and sharing a sliver of the sweet Czech breakfast cake bublanina, a rare treat because of sugar rationing.

“I don’t . . .” She wanted to tell him that she didn’t understand what he was saying, that there were no tigers. But she did understand. He was wrong, though. Alex had always been dangerous. She’d just been too weak to believe she could fight back. Until the night Graham had made her almost believe she was both brave and strong enough to choose sides.

Mr. Danek spoke softly. “What would you do to be free of him?”

She’d thought of her answer many times. It never wavered. “Anything.”

“Anything,” Mr. Danek repeated. He tapped his cigarette against the ashtray, then looked at her with an unfamiliar intensity. “Whose side are you on?”

She answered without thinking. “The good side.”

A hint of a smile traced his lips. “I am happy to hear it.” He blew out small smoke rings that drifted toward the ceiling. As if he were talking about the weather, he said, “You need to pack a bag for yourself and Precious, and be ready to go at a moment’s notice. We might not have the luxury of waiting until the baby is born. Do you understand? I will find out where your mother is, and when I tell you, I want you to write her address inside your bag, somewhere not obvious, yes? Take it to your friend Sophia. She will keep it safe until you are ready to leave.”

Sophia? She didn’t let the question reach her lips. Of course Sophia. Graham’s sister. David’s wife.

She pulled the cigarette case to her side of the table, keeping her eyes down, as if it were the focus of their conversation. “How do you know you can find this information?”

“Because I have at times been useful to our friend, and he trusts me. As does Jiri. I don’t know for how much longer, however. We will need to move fast.”

“I’m ready.” She leaned forward.

“Listen carefully.” He glanced behind her before returning his attention to Eva, who nodded, exhilarated and alarmed at once.

“A week from Thursday, there will be another Blackout Ball at the Savoy. Tell Alex that you wish to go. Alex’s car has been confiscated because he was caught using rationed petrol, so you will take a taxi. That means there will be no Jiri, which is good. When Alex brings you back to your flat, invite him upstairs. To your bedroom.”

She hid her revulsion at his implication. “What if there’s an air raid?”

“Then we will make adjustments. You will need to be prepared.”

“And Precious? She’ll be in the flat. I won’t do this unless I know she’ll be safe.”

“Sophia will invite her over for dinner and will then convince her to stay in case of an air raid.”

Eva nodded, ready for his next words. “And then what?”

“You won’t need to worry about anything after that. Just get Alex upstairs. Someone will be waiting for him. David will be downstairs in a car with Precious. He will drive you to the train station, and you will take the train to Dorset. To your mother. You will be safe from Alex forever.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“Because it is. But ask yourself—can you do this thing?”

She thought of Alex’s face in the dim light inside his car, calling her Ethel. Giving her the diamond bracelet because he knew she wouldn’t say no. And she thought of Graham saying she was strong and brave. She met Mr. Danek’s eyes. “Yes. I can.”

He looked over her shoulder as the woman and the little girl stood to leave, and noisily pushed in their chairs. “Good.” Turning back to Eva, he said, “There is one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“You will need a weapon to protect yourself. I have a gun for you. Meet me tomorrow morning at fifteen past six in the ruins of St. Giles Church in Cripplegate. Don’t be late. You may need to walk far, because there is so much bomb damage in the area. I will show you how to use the gun, make sure you can fire straight and not shoot yourself. Be sure you are not followed. I will try to make sure Jiri has another place to be, but our mutual friend has many associates.”

She nodded. “I understand. I’m not frightened.”

Mr. Danek’s eyes darkened. “You should be. Being brave isn’t the same as not being frightened. Being brave is feeling frightened and still doing what needs to be done.”

Eva hesitated, then stood. “When this is all over, will Graham know where to find me?”

“He’ll know. He has made you a promise, yes? To keep you safe. He is a man of his word.”

Eva felt the sting of tears at the mention of something she and Graham had shared, how he’d thought it important enough to tell someone else. But determined to be strong, she blinked them back, nodded, then left.

Outside, she paused on the sidewalk and looked over her shoulder, through the window. Mr. Danek was watching her. She almost ran inside to tell him not to, that it meant he wouldn’t see her again. But she turned instead and headed down the sidewalk, hoping that what she’d told him and Graham was true.

CHAPTER 38

LONDON

MARCH 1941

On their way to the Blackout Ball at the Savoy, Eva smiled at Alex in the back of the taxi as it slid along the darkened streets. Not too much; she didn’t want him to be suspicious, but enough that he wouldn’t be