“Yes,” Eva said. There was a great deal of hurt in that single, simple syllable.
“And Harrison and Jacobs want you to bring her to your apartment.” Earl repeated what Eva had told them. “This is getting worse and worse. I have a fireplace poker which might come in handy at some point.”
Zoe gave him a half-smile.
Eva also smiled, but the look in her eyes remained grim. “They want me to ring her and tell her that I’m taking her up on her offer.”
“What offer?” Henry broke in.
Eva grimaced. “To take me back as her lover because I’ve decided to leave Zoe.”
“This is ridiculous. Who came up with this brilliant idea?” Earl asked. “It’s a stupid idea. Any fool with eyes would know that you two are in love.”
“Friedrich’s idea,” Zoe said shortly.
“Friedrich? I was just beginning to like him,” Earl grumbled.
“So, what’s the plan?” Henry asked.
“Well, I call her and give her my spiel, and then she meets me at the office. Zoe interrupts...um...when I’m kissing...”
“Jesus wept on the Cross!” Earl raised his voice and got a mortified look from Father Haralambos—the swearing was getting a little too much for him. “Sorry, Father H, but that is the most idiotic, absolutely harebrained idea I’ve ever heard!” Earl’s incredulous gaze turned upon Eva. “You are going to kiss her?”
“Yes,” Eva replied.
Earl scowled and got up from his perch on the couch to cross over to Eva. He put his arm around her shoulders. “My dear friend, you are a lousy liar, and there is no way you are going to convince this killer that you are fair dinkum about her and dumping Zoe.”
“You can say that again!” Zoe exclaimed. Eva gave her a light slap on the thigh.
“I don’t want to do it, but that’s the only solution!” Eva protested. “It’s not as if I’m looking forward to kissing another woman, let alone having her hands all over me.”
“All right, so we have you trying to convince this killer that you are in love with her.” Earl went over the scenario and Eva nodded. “Zoe comes in when you are exchanging chewing gum...”
“Chewing gum?” Father Haralambos asked, feeling even more confused.
“Okay, Zoe comes in when you are getting this woman all steamed up about getting back together. What is Zoe going to do?”
“Get my flame thrower and cook her into a crispy critter,” Zoe muttered.
“Zoe!” Father Haralambos scolded. “As much as we don’t like this person, I don’t believe that thinking about killing her will make Eva’s job any easier.”
“I know, but the idea of Eva in Greta’s arms makes me sick,” Zoe answered. “I know she has to do it, but I’m going to wash her mouth out with peppermint mouthwash afterwards.”
“So what is Zoe going to do?” Earl persisted, clearly wanting to have the plan laid out for him in detail.
“Zoe is going to come in, see me kissing Greta, then we’ll exchange some nasty words, and I’ll ask Greta to take me home to pick up some clothes. Greta and I will go home and then David and Friedrich take over,” Eva said.
“That’s if they can find the right apartment,” Earl said. Eva hiked her eyebrow at him and he continued, “Well, I’ll be camped in Elena’s apartment in case my batting prowess is needed. Where is Zoe going to be?”
Eva looked at Zoe and grimaced. “With Henry and you,” Eva said.
“No way!” Zoe yelled and shot up from the sofa. “I am not going to leave you.”
“Zoe, it’s going to be dangerous for you if you are there. I’m not going to let you be put in a dangerous—”
“Let me?” Zoe’s eyes narrowed. “You won’t let me? What about what I want?”
“I’m not going to let you,” Eva said. It seemed, from the stubborn set of her jaw, that she was determined to stand her ground.
Father Haralambos looked at them. Zoe was ready to unleash her full temper, while Eva sat there quietly trying to stay calm. He made a decision. “I think now would be a good time, Earl, for me to show you the kitchen and let these two talk it out privately,” he said. “Henry, will you join us?”
He got up from his favorite chair and ushered Henry and Earl out of the room.
***
Zoe turned her back and looked out at the city skyline from the window. She was not going to leave Eva to face the danger by herself. Not this time.
“Zoe,” Eva whispered in her ear, putting her arm around Zoe’s rigid shoulders. “You can’t be in our apartment with Greta there too.”
“I don’t want you to do this by yourself,” Zoe replied, leaning back and closing her eyes. She wanted this whole nightmare to end and wished she had never heard of Greta Strauss or Wagner or whatever the woman wanted to call herself. “Greta isn’t as stupid as Muller and Rhimes. We may not be as lucky this time around.”
“I know, love, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“What about you?” Zoe turned and faced Eva, putting her arms around her waist. “What about you, Evy? Who is going to protect you?” she asked, looking into Eva’s eyes and seeing the resolution there that was just as fierce as her own desire to protect her. “Being hurt doesn’t always mean physical harm — you know that.”
Eva met Zoe’s gaze, and Zoe knew she understood the truth of the statement she had made. “If you got hurt, I don’t know what I’d do,” Eva said.
“I won’t get hurt,” Zoe said, thinking she was going to get to be with Eva after all.
“No. You’re staying with Henry and Earl. I want you with me, but I can’t have that,” Eva explained. “I’m sorry, but that’s the way it has to be.”
“Arghhh!” Zoe let out a frustrated yell. “You’re not going to be safe.”
“I’ll have David and Friedrich—”
“Oh, yes, those two inspire confidence,” Zoe said sarcastically.
“I’m not going to let you be in that apartment.”
“I don’t like it.”
“I know you don’t.” Eva sighed. Zoe buried her head in Eva’s chest and began to weep. She was terrified that something was going to go wrong and she would lose Eva. Greta Strauss was not Muller, a crippled old man who was out of his mind. Greta was a cunning, evil woman who could easily overpower Eva, and Zoe would not be there to stop her.
“I don’t want to see you hurt, love. It would kill me if anything happened to you,” Eva said, but Zoe refused to accept her reasoning.
***
Elena stuck her head around the door, and then entered Zoe and Eva’s apartment. Zoe spotted her and called her over.
“Hi,” Elena greeted Zoe and gave her a hug. “I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault, El. Where’s Friedrich?”
“He doesn’t want to come to dinner. He thinks you don’t want him—”
“What a load of rubbish,” Zoe muttered. She walked out of the apartment with Elena at her heels.
Zoe reached Elena’s apartment and knocked just as Elena caught up with her. The door opened to reveal Friedrich with slightly rumpled hair and no glasses, which made him look much younger than he usually did. Zoe simply brushed past him, much to Elena’s apparent amusement.
“Okay, what’s this about you not wanting to come to dinner?” Zoe asked, folding her arms across her chest and looking quite severe.
“Uh, I don’t think Eva would want me to be there,” Friedrich stammered. “I’m sorry. I don’t want anything to hurt Eva or you.”
“I don’t blame you for wanting to catch Greta. God knows I want to rid her from our lives. I just didn’t like the way David was questioning Eva,” Zoe said.
“I know and I’m sorry.” Friedrich smoothed his hair with his palms and picked up his glasses, which were on a table near the sofa. “I promise we won’t let anything happen to her.”
“You’d better not.” Zoe gave him a mock glare, but there was no mistaking that it was meant as a warning. She took him by the arm. “Come
on, let’s eat!”
***
A light breeze blew drifts of smoke inside the apartment along with the aroma of grilling sausages and steaks. Zoe pulled Friedrich inside, and Elena followed them. Henry was on the balcony. He stood in front of the barbeque grill wearing one of Zoe’s aprons — which was much too small for him — wielding a pair of tongs, and turning the meat. Clad in shorts and a cotton shirt, Eva sat on a wicker chair and grinned at him, her long legs stretched out in front of her.
“Zoe likes hers well done,” Eva said.
“I know, burnt sacrifice style,” Henry replied, and got a chuckle from Eva. “You remember that first time we had a barbeque at Cremorne Point? Zoe came back with her steak, looked me up and down, and said, ‘I want to sacrifice this cow to the barbeque gods.’”
Eva laughed. “Oh, I remember that day. I was dead tired from cleaning all day, and when you suggested we head to Cremorne, I thought you were mad.”
“You enjoyed yourself,” Henry reminded her.
“We watched the sun set over the bridge,” Zoe said from inside the apartment, where she was setting the table. “Very romantic.”
Eva glanced back at her and winked, then caught Elena’s gaze and smiled before she turned away. She then spoke softly to Henry so no one else could hear.
Henry turned another sausage and smiled. “I’ll be waiting, Eva.”
“I know you will. No matter what happens, keep Zoe away.”
“I don’t think I can guarantee that, my friend. I will try to keep her away, but if Zoe wants to do something, she is going to do it, unless I knock her out.”
“Try,” Eva replied. She leaned forward, stretched out a long arm, and snagged a little piece of the cooked meat from the grill. Popping it in her mouth, she chewed vigorously before going on, “Zoe is going to be your only responsibility.”
Henry glanced at her. “You are giving me the most important job. What if...”
Eva shook her head. “Do whatever you have to do to keep her safe and away from the apartment. If anything happens to her...” She could not continue and glanced away.
Henry set the tongs down and left the grill. He went to Eva’s side. “I give you my word: Zoe is going to be safe.”
“That’s all I ask, Henry.” Eva smiled up at him.
“Even if I have to lock her in the bathroom,” Henry quipped before he went back to his cooking duties. “Did Greta really do that stuff in the file?”
Eva nodded. “I’ve read the witness reports and the notes that David and Friedrich had. I don’t know this Greta; she isn’t the woman I thought I loved.”
“People change.”
“Not so drastically. I guess I never took notice before, but she idolized Hitler.”
“Why didn’t you join the party?”
“I didn’t believe as fervently in the cause as some of my friends did. Hitler was good for Germany in the beginning, but my mind was made up when I read Mein Kampf. Did you know he was an artist?” Eva turned her head as Zoe stepped out onto the balcony. She patted her lap and grinned when Zoe accepted the mute invitation and sat down.
Zoe gave her a quick kiss. “Who was an artist?”
“You would hear that bit, wouldn’t you?” Eva teased Zoe and gave her a quick kiss. “Adolph Hitler was an artist.”
“Oh. He should have stuck to art,” Zoe muttered. “So why are you discussing Hitler?”
“I was telling Henry I read Mein Kampf and it made me decide that I didn’t want to join the Nazi party and be a part of it.”
“I would have joined the Communist party if I had been old enough.” Zoe took the hot bread roll Earl offered her off the barbeque.
“You? A Communist?” Eva was surprised, since Zoe had never mentioned that she leaned towards socialist policies.
“I loved their colors.” Zoe grinned. “It was a change from the blue and white flags, and I found them different.”
Henry and Eva laughed. The last of the steaks and sausages were cooked and put onto a large platter. Henry covered the barbeque with the lid and took their dinner inside the apartment.
“Friedrich and Elena are here?” Eva whispered, getting a nod from Zoe. “I guess we’d better go inside.”
“Hmm,” Zoe replied. She snuggled against Eva’s chest and showed no signs of wanting to move. “How are you feeling?”
Eva took a deep breath and did a brief mental examination. “A little raw.”
“I’ll hold your hand.” Zoe smiled, then took Eva’s hand and kissed it. “I’ll always hold your hand.”
“In that case, I’m feeling all right,” Eva replied. “Come on, love.” She kissed Zoe one last time. Zoe got up reluctantly and waited while Eva negotiated her taller frame out of the chair. Hands clasped together, they walked back inside the apartment to join dinner with their friends.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Eva exhaled and glanced at the paper in her hand. She stared at it for quite some time before she rang the number Greta had given Debbie and left a message. It did not take long for Greta to return her call.
At ten a.m., Eva looked at the ringing phone and took a deep breath before picking up the receiver. She hoped she would not sound nervous and give the game away. She answered the phone in a calm voice, surprising herself.
“Eva, darling, how nice to hear your voice again,” Greta said, sounding very cheery. “So when can I see you, or is your wife not going to let me near you?”
Eva could hear the condescension in Greta’s laugh. “Eta.”
“Oh dear. I haven’t heard that nickname in a long time. It must have been at least nine years.” Greta’s voice sounded more bubbly, but still doubtful.
“Things have changed...love,” Eva said, rolling her eyes at the endearment and mentally shaking herself to keep her mind on the job.
“How so?” Greta asked.
Eva knew Greta was very much interested in resuming their relationship, but by the sound of her voice, she was still playing it cool. “Zoe and I have been having some problems. I mean — ever since you came back, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Debbie gave me your telephone number and I’ve been wanting to call you.”
Greta let out another peal of laughter. “Oh, I don’t doubt it. That little spitfire must have you firmly under her thumb!”
Eva held out the receiver and looked at it with a shake of her head. Putting it back to her ear, she said, “She is rather...”
“Domineering?” Greta offered. Her chuckling after that reply annoyed Eva even more.
“Bossy is the word I would use. She isn’t tall enough to be domineering.” Eva cringed at what she had just said, and was grateful that Zoe was not around to hear it. “She can get a little violent at times.”
“So, what would you like us to do, my love?”
“Can you meet me here? I’m at the office.”
“Ah, afraid the little woman would catch us?” Greta asked.
“Well, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. I mean, if you are interested.”
“Interested in having a second chance with you? Of course! I want to feel your body under mine and hear your passion. I would be stupid to pass up that opportunity.”
Eva grunted. She hoped Greta mistook the sound for arousal, not wanting to spoil the ruse.
“Not now, meine Liebe, wait until I get there.” Greta continued to chuckle over the line. “I will make you forget that little child.”
“Can you come—”
“I can come any time you want me to,” Greta interjected and laughed at her own crude joke, much to Eva’s silent disgust. “What time do you want me there?”
“Well how about five p.m.? Zoe has classes at university until six thirty, and she won’t be home until late,” Eva said, hoping that Greta would take the bait.
“Perfect. It’s been a long time, meine Liebe, and I am looking forward to getting reacquainted with that gorgeous body of yours.”
“I would like that.”
&nb
sp; Greta sighed. “I’ll see you at five. Goodbye, meine Liebe.”
“Goodbye,” Eva whispered, trying to convey a sense of desire. She held the receiver in her hand for a long moment, and then, with a heavy sigh, put it down in the cradle, ending the call. “God, give me strength,” she whispered. She called Zoe and then David to let them all know the plans were in motion.
Eva spent the rest of the day going through the motions of interviewing clients, and watching the clock. She was sitting at her desk looking at the files in front of her, though not paying much attention, when Friedrich and David showed up.
“Are you sure we can’t do it here? It’ll be after usual working hours,” Eva said hopefully.
“We don’t want to risk it. Your office workers don’t always leave before the cleaning crew arrives. We don’t want anyone to get hurt,” David replied. “I know you don’t want to have her in your apartment, but that’s the only place secure enough.”
“I know,” Eva said, resigned to the fact that she would have to take Greta to the apartment that she and Zoe called home.
“You take her there, and we will be waiting in the bedroom,” Friedrich added.
“Why not arrest her when we get inside?”
“We may lose her if she bolts out the door. You need to block the main door and alert us when you have done so.”
“How?”
“Use a word or a phrase, and when we hear that, we’ll come out.”
Eva was not at all sure about the plan. “How about ‘I have a wonderful surprise for you’? Would that work?”
Friedrich and David smiled at Eva and nodded. “It’s perfect,” David said.
“All right, but how will I know you’re in place?”
“We plan to be there at five p.m., before most of your neighbors come home from work, but we can overturn a book on the coffee table and put a flower on top as a signal. Once you see that, you’ll know we are there. If you don’t see it, do whatever you can to stall Greta until we arrive.”
***
After the meeting with David and Friedrich, the day continued to drag, making Eva jump every time the phone rang. She looked in alarm at the door when she heard a light knock. She looked hurriedly at her watch, which read only four p.m. Her heart in her throat, she stood as the door opened. Much to her relief, Zoe’s head popped around the door.
Where Shadows Linger (Intertwined Souls Series Book 2) Page 45
