Chapter Three
Caroline
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“WANT ME TO RUN THROUGH it again?” His expression was sympathetic, but I had the sense he was running out of patience. He’d already told me Carla was due to dock in Rotterdam soon, and once the night’s catch had been unloaded, we’d need to move.
“Yes, please, Sir.” Ignoring my hammering heartbeat, I tried to pay attention, but inside, my thoughts were reeling.
I hadn’t even realized there was ‘a plan’ until he’d started to explain, but I supposed I should have known better.
When had Harper not had a plan? It seemed from the moment he’d laid eyes on me, there had been a strategy behind his actions; to pluck me away from Sorosson and Walker that first night, to use and enjoy me for his own personal entertainment, and finally, to save me all over again.
Fleetingly, I acknowledged the only thing he hadn’t anticipated was his growing feelings for me, but observing his steely countenance then, I’d have never guessed at the emotions.
He might have cast off his uniform, but years as the commander general would take longer to discard.
“Andrew says there’s a truck that will take us across the border.”
“A truck?” I repeated, already imagining how dark and arduous that journey would be.
“Not the most salubrious way to travel, I know.” He shrugged. “But right now, that’s the best way to avoid officials who might want to see our passports.”
“Passports?” Shit, I hadn’t even thought about documentation. “That’s going to be a problem.”
“We’ll be okay,” he consoled. “We’re together and, all being well, the driver will only take one break on the way to Zurich.”
“Wait,” I interrupted. “Zurich?”
I couldn’t remember him mentioning Switzerland before, but then, everything since we’d come back to the berth seemed to have been a haze, as though his passion had subdued the part of my brain that would usually have been panicking.
“Yes, Caroline.” His quiet sigh spoke of exasperation, but, reaching for my hand, his touch was gentle. “We’ve been through this.”
“I’m sorry.” Anxiety tore at my belly. No matter how slowly he went through the details, I couldn’t seem to retain any of the information. “I don’t remember, Sir.”
“It’s probably the shock.” He squeezed my fingers. “Zurich is where my private bank account is held. It holds a safety deposit box for me in its vault.”
Safety deposit box?
“Okay...” I sounded as confused as I felt.
“And we need that box now, little girl,” he prompted, piecing the puzzle together for me.
“What’s in the box, Sir? More money?” My gaze flitted to the stack of currency he’d bundled into the bag before we left.
“Swiss francs and Euros, yes,” he replied. “Which will be a whole lot more useful to us now than British pounds, but also a few other things that will help us get settled.”
“And you’ve always had this safety deposit box?”
I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea. Normal people like me, who lived largely paycheck to paycheck, didn’t have secret boxes in foreign vaults crammed with goodness only knew what wealth.
“Not always.” He smirked. “But for a while.”
“Why?” My head was spinning. “Why would a man who held such an eminent position, and until recently, had the ear of the president, need something like that?”
“Good question, little girl.” He patted the back of my hand gently with that same large palm that had been the architect of both my pleasure and pain.
My gaze flitted to that palm, briefly recalling some of those delectable highs and terrible lows.
“I guess I was never truly immersed in the whole BTP regime and propaganda. The box has always been my insurance policy in case I ever needed to get out. I just never imagined it being so...” He paused, as though searching for the right words.
“Theatrical?” I offered, recollecting the commanders we’d sedated before we released scores of women.
“Passionate.” His fingers tightened around mine. “You’ve given me something to live for.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
Gazing into his eyes, it was difficult to reconcile the sense of hope swelling in my chest. After so long living with none, with nothing except the threat of starvation and violence, the possibility of happiness with a man like Harper still seemed unattainable.
Unforgivable. I swallowed back the snide conclusion, not wanting to hear its judgment. What would Fern, Jean, Linda, and the others think if they saw me now?
“What is it?” His brows furrowed. “I can see you overthinking again.”
Smiling at his shrewd assessment, my laughter was dry. “You know me too well, Sir.”
“Not too well.” He edged along the bed, his hand loosening from mine to snake around my shoulders. “I’m going to know you a whole lot better yet. So?” His tone was suddenly expectant. “What’s on your mind?”
Shaking my head, I allowed my eyes to flutter closed. “I was just thinking about the other women I knew in Gamma. I hope they’re okay.”
The images of their faces burst behind my lids while I replied, dreadful memories of the things Mitchell had done blending with the surprise and joy I’d seen in their eyes when I’d opened the doors to the appalling block and set the remaining inhabitants free.
“You gave them the best possible chance.” His pensive tone drew my eyes back open. “I’m proud of you for suggesting we free them and ashamed that I never came up with the idea.”
“You’ve done everything you could since we—"
A loud thud on the door splintered my sentence, and our attention turned in time to see it open.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Andrew looked sheepish as he edged into the compartment as though he knew what we’d been doing. “We’re here. My guys are unloading our catch as I speak.”
“Thanks.” Harper rose to greet the captain. “Do you know if your truck driver acquaintance is here?”
“Aye.” Andrew nodded. “Hans is waiting on the other side of the dock. He hauls fresh produce across the continent, so it’s a better vehicle for you and your lady than the temperature-controlled vehicles that take our fish.”
“We really appreciate what you’re doing for us.” I climbed to my feet, but I was still a foot shorter than both men. “Thank you, Captain.”
“Aye, well...” If I didn’t know better, I’d have sworn a blush crept along his beard-covered face. “Don’t get me wrong, the commander general’s stack of cash helped talk me into it, but you’re welcome.”
“You deserve the money.” Harper’s lips curled as he took my hand. “Caroline’s right. We’d have been stuck without you.”
“I’m just trying to do the right thing.” Andrew’s expression hardened. “Can’t say I agree with all that’s been going on there, to be honest.”
“Can’t say I do, either,” I concurred. “Will you be okay? I mean, won’t you be in trouble when you go back?”
I had no idea why the thought had abruptly occurred to me, but I despised the idea of anything awful happening to him because of us. Too many people had already been lost. It was time for the suffering to end.
“I have my European citizenship, lassie.” Andrew smiled. “I’ll be fine. Here.” He thrust the garments he’d been holding toward me. “Take this. It gets cold in the back of trucks, even if they’re not chilled.”
“Thank you.” Allowing the fabric to unravel, I found two of the overcoats his crew had donned while working earlier.
They looked drab and smelt far worse, but I was grateful for the gesture.
No doubt we’d be glad of his thoughtfulness later, on our journey to Zurich, though a part of me still couldn’t believe we were heading to Switzerland in the back of a lorry.
“And these.” Andrew pushed a bottle of water and what looked like a packet of cookies in Harper’s direction. “I don’t have anything else, I’m afraid.”
“It’s more than I deserve.” Harper’s tone was contrite as he lowered to drop the essentials into the bag. “Thank you again, Andrew.” Pushing his palm out toward the old captain, Harper met his eyes when they shook hands. “We’ll be out of your hair as soon as you say the time is right.”
“Aye.” Andrew cast an eye over me. “I’ll come back when the coast is clear. We don’t normally get boarded by officials for checks, but just in case...”
My stomach knotted at the prospect he painted, an image of uniformed officers exploding in my mind’s eyes.
I’d seen enough men in uniform to last me a lifetime, and the last thing we needed were government representatives poking their noses around.
Harper hadn’t mentioned his plans to get around border checks indefinitely, and I hadn’t dared to ask, but we’d need a strategy once he had his hands on the box hiding in a Swiss vault.
“It shouldn’t be longer than ten minutes or so.” Nodding, Andrew retreated to the door Harper had just screwed me against.
“We’ll be waiting,” Harper assured him as Andrew disappeared into the small hallway.
I offered him another smile before he slipped out of sight. After months of abuse and depravity, it was heartening to know there were still some good men left in the world.