“Hello there,” Zoe said. Eva opened her arms and Zoe embraced her in a tight hug. “I hoped to see you before she gets here.”
“Hmm. I’m so glad you did. Is Henry with you?” Eva asked, stroking Zoe’s cheek.
“Sure is. He’s waiting outside. Earl is chatting with Debbie and charming her.”
“Is there anyone in the waiting room?”
“No, it’s quiet, but there must be clients in other offices though, since I heard some talking.”
They stood embracing for a few moments, enjoying their closeness. Both were a little startled when the phone rang. Eva leaned out of Zoe’s embrace and picked up the receiver. As she listened to the message, her face paled at the news.
“What’s wrong?” Zoe whispered.
Eva shook her head. “Um...tell her I’ll be ready to see her in a few minutes.” She put the receiver down and swore blasphemously in German.
“What’s wrong?” Zoe demanded as Eva sighed her frustration loudly.
“I think we need to change the way we are going to do this. Greta is early.”
“Stupid bloody bitch,” Zoe spat.
“We need to have an argument. Um, I told her that you...uh...sometimes you got violent.”
“What!” Zoe exclaimed. “There is absolutely no way in heaven or on Earth I am going to hit you. I might as well hurt myself. No way!”
“Please, Zoe, this could unravel right this minute. When Greta comes in, I want you to yell at me and slap me, then storm off. Get yourself and the boys back to the apartment and make sure Friedrich and David are in place.”
“Stupid bloody bitch, I’m going to kill her.” Zoe continued to swear as Eva tried to get control of herself. She heard a soft knock on the door and gave Zoe a quick kiss, feeling as nervous as she imagined an actor might be before the curtain went up.
The door opened and a smiling Greta entered to find Zoe shoving Eva in the chest and yelling in Greek. Greta stood watching them for a moment before clearing her throat to announce her presence.
Zoe turned and directed her anger at her, clear hatred in her eyes. Greta took an involuntary step backwards in surprise. Eva knew that Greta was not used to being intimidated and certainly not by someone like Zoe. True to form, she quickly covered up her misstep, a tiny smile playing on her lips, and made a show of removing her gloves.
“Hello, meine Liebe,” she greeted Eva, staring straight at Zoe. Zoe’s eyes narrowed. She then addressed Zoe, as if the irate woman was a mere afterthought. “We meet again, little Zoe.”
Zoe spat in her direction and Greta narrowly avoided being hit. “Oh my,” Greta said, sneering. “You are such a peasant, girl.”
Zoe turned to Eva, reverting to German. “So you were planning a little rendezvous with the Nazi bitch from hell?”
Eva crossed her arms over her chest and tried valiantly to look indifferent to Zoe’s abuse. Although she knew it was pretend, each word cut into her like a well-honed razor.
“Hey!” Greta advanced towards Zoe, clearly wanting to stop the tirade against Eva.
“Shut the fuck up!” Zoe turned and screamed at Greta, her face mottled red, her nostrils pinched and white with the force of her fury. “You steal my lover and I’m supposed to sit here and take it?”
“Eva needs a real woman to love her, and you’re not it,” Greta replied smugly. Her look of triumph was an ugly thing.
Zoe turned back to Eva, who had taken a seat on the edge of her desk and had her arms folded across her chest. Eva was doing her best to seem nonchalant and aloof. She wanted Greta to assume that she had gone through these tirades before, and that she pitied Zoe’s lack of control.
“I thought you loved me, but as soon as the Nazi slut comes back, you just have to run off!” Zoe said, her eyes snapping emerald fire.
“Loved you?” Eva said. “Hardly. You were a means to an end.” Her heart ached as she spoke those words, but she had to go through with the charade.
“Well, little one, I don’t think it’s much of a contest now, do you?” Greta was obviously enjoying the show. Eva knew that Greta had not seriously believed she would fall for a naïve child, and now her opinion seemed vindicated.
Zoe shouted, “What does that mean, you Nazi whore?” Her body tensed as if she was ready to pounce on Greta and start swinging.
Greta smirked. “It means, little Zoe, that I’m going to be making love to her tonight. She will be screaming my name, and you’re just a little footnote in the life of Eva Muller.”
“You Nazi whore.” Zoe faced Eva. “A means to an end? What the hell are you talking about?”
Eva rose to her full height and went up to Zoe, put her hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “You were my ticket out of Greece, thank you. I needed the Resistance’s resources.” She leaned down, took Zoe’s face between her hands, and went on, “You know how it is, Zoe, you were in the right place at the right time.”
Her heart nearly broke when she recognized the agonized expression on Zoe’s face. Neither of them was immune to the ache created by the words they had flung at each other in the past few minutes. Their intellects understood that this charade was not real, but their hearts, so open to each other, wondered otherwise. Silent tears rolled down Zoe’s face, and Eva wanted to cry out her denial.
She nearly did cry when Zoe’s hand twitched and struck her across the cheek, the sound reverberating around the small office. Zoe staggered back, her shock written on her face. Eva knew Zoe’s soul must have been lacerated by that blow. The look in those incandescent green eyes spoke volumes. Without a word, Zoe flung the door open and raced out of the office, disappearing down the corridor.
“Bye, bye, Zoe!” Greta taunted, laughing in triumph.
Eva put a trembling hand against her hot cheek and swallowed her tears.
***
Henry heard the office door open. He was about to investigate when he caught sight of an enraged Zoe storming down the corridor. He opened his mouth to ask what had happened, but he never got the chance, since Zoe exited via the stairwell leaving him in her wake. She had not even spared him a single glance.
After a moment’s hesitation, Earl and Henry followed Zoe down the stairs and into the car park.
“Zoe?” Henry asked with concern. She was doubled over near his car, throwing up. He hurried to her side and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Henry, take me home, quickly,” Zoe said through clenched teeth. She wiped her mouth and stood back up.
Chapter Sixty
Eva’s eyes misted over when Zoe stormed out of the office. Her heart ached. The pain she felt was worse than anything that had been done to her — not because of the slap, but from having forced Zoe to take part in this charade to convince Greta.
Greta put her arms around Eva from behind, pressing herself against her back. “Are you all right, darling?” she cooed.
Eva nodded and pressed a hand to her burning eyes, hoping Greta would not read too much into the tears that were threatening to spill over.
“Well, you don’t look all right.” Greta turned Eva to face her. “Sit down and I’ll bring you a glass of water,” she directed. Eva sat down in the visitor’s chair, her mind warring with her emotions, while Greta went to the pitcher of water on the desk and poured her a glass, all solicitousness and grace now that she believed she had won.
Eva took the glass with both hands, fearful of dropping it in her agitation. She was tired and wanted to get this crazy, idiotic plan over and done with. She wanted to go and comfort Zoe, to hold her. To hell with the Nazis, she thought, weary to her soul. To hell with everyone.
“I want you to come home with me, my love,” Greta said.
“Can’t,” Eva whispered. She cleared her throat. She needed to stall to give Zoe and Earl a chance to warn Friedrich and David that she would be bringing Greta to the apartment much earlier than they had planned.
“Why? That she-demon is going to be at your place, and frankly, I don’t feel l
ike going another round with her. I think even the Gestapo were gentler.”
Eva forced herself to chuckle. “I have some papers I need to retrieve before Zoe finds them. Also, I hope she’ll still head off to school instead of the apartment.”
“Oh, of course,” Greta said, getting to her feet. “How about I relax you a bit, then we can go back to your apartment to pick up your papers and clothes. I have a house that we can go to.”
“You have a house?”
“Yes, a lovely house; you’ll like it.” Greta went behind Eva’s chair and began to massage her neck.
Eva groaned slightly as the wire-taut tension in her muscles was released under Greta’s expert ministrations. She slumped forward, enjoying the massage despite it being at Greta’s hands.
Greta slipped her hands inside Eva’s shirt and began to massage her neck and shoulders more thoroughly. “Did Zoe cause these?”
Eva had wondered when Greta would notice her scars. She sighed. “No, that’s my stepfather’s legacy,” she said quietly.
“Oh, that brute!” Greta put her arms around Eva and unbuttoned her shirt. She lowered it from her shoulders in order to reveal more of her back. “Oh, love, why did he do this?”
“Because I loved you,” Eva replied honestly.
“Such barbarity.” Greta was obviously angry that Muller had disfigured Eva. “I thought that Zoe hurt you—she has a temper on her.”
“Zoe’s temper is quite explosive,” Eva admitted, which was not a lie.
“Does she hit you?”
“Not often,” Eva lied outright, mentally wincing. In for a penny, in for a pound, was the Australian saying. She grimaced at what she was going to say next. “She hated touching my back.” The truth was that Zoe took every opportunity to touch her back. The scars did not repulse her at all.
“Stupid peasant.” Greta kissed the side of Eva’s throat. Eva leaned back and closed her eyes, pretending to enjoy the caress as she stopped herself from pulling away from the unwanted touch. “You are a precious jewel,” Greta said. She took Eva’s hand, pulled her to her feet, and looked onto her eyes. “I have always loved you, and I’m sorry I made the decision to marry John. It was a mistake.”
“And I didn’t realize until you came back that I am still very much in love with you.”
Greta smiled. She leaned down and kissed Eva, the tenderness becoming more demanding and passionate as she held Eva’s hands behind her back, restraining her. Eva moaned a little, much to Greta’s apparent delight. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Hmm.” Eva let a little sigh escape, as if in anticipation.
“But first, we have to go to your apartment and get this mess over and done with, all right?”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Eva replied, and that was the truth. She was looking forward to getting this mess over and done with — the sooner the better.
***
Henry drove at a high speed, narrowly avoiding the attention of police patrol cars, and stopped just around the corner from the block of apartments. He followed Zoe inside the building and up the stairs. Elena opened her door. She stood open-mouthed as Zoe rushed past her and into the bathroom without a word of greeting.
Henry shrugged at Elena’s questioning look and went to Eva and Zoe’s apartment, letting himself in with the spare key. He was pleasantly surprised to find both agents already inside, getting ready for Eva’s arrival.
“Greta arrived early, so I would say,” Henry paused to glance at his watch, “to expect them here in about half an hour. Eva is going to try and stall her, but I’m not sure how successful she’s going to be.”
“Okay, we’re ready. Good job, Henry, come and join us.” Friedrich indicated, with a wave of his hand, the five police officers and David, who had gotten up and headed towards the bedroom as planned.
“Okay, if you need my cricket bat, let me know,” Earl joked. He closed the door of the apartment and walked down the hall, entering Elena’s apartment and closing the door quietly.
“Where’s Zoe?” he asked Elena, who pointed to the bathroom.
“What happened?” she asked, concerned.
“I don’t know. Greta arrived early and they had to improvise, so I’m not sure what happened, but Zoe was very upset.” Earl shrugged once more.
***
As soon as she entered Elena’s apartment, Zoe rushed to the bathroom and sank to her knees, sick to her stomach. She leaned over and threw up into the toilet bowl. The taste of bile was acrid and made her even more nauseous. She sat back on her heels on the cool tiles, placed her hands over her face, and cried bitterly at what she had been forced to do to the woman that she loved. The look of shock on Eva’s face had caused a pain so deep in Zoe’s heart that her world had seemed to shatter in an instant, leaving her heart cold and dark, devoid of joy and life.
Earl knocked on the door and entered. He knelt down beside Zoe and held her as she cried on his shoulder. “She’s going to be all right, Zoe,” he murmured.
“You don’t understand.”
“Zoe...”
“You don’t understand. I made a promise never to hurt her, and I just did.” Zoe was heartsick. All she wanted was to hold and love Eva, and apologize for the horrible thing she had done. “She’s been abused before by people she thought loved her, and now me. I hit her. I hit my Eva.” Zoe dissolved into tears.
Elena came into the bathroom. She looked on helplessly, tears in her eyes for Zoe’s pain.
Earl clearly did not know what to do or what to say. He looked to Elena and said that he hoped Friedrich and David would finish the job and let the two women come together again soon, because witnessing Zoe’s self-castigation was like watching a slow death.
Zoe ignored them, and cried until her eyes were as sore as her heart.
Chapter Sixty-One
The car turned the corner at Glebe Point Road and came to a stop in front of the block of apartments. Randolph put the vehicle in park and turned off the engine.
“Stay here. I don’t think we will be long,” Greta ordered him. She stepped out of the car and held out a hand to Eva. “Are you alright?”
“Yes. I just hope Zoe isn’t there.”
“Don’t worry, my love, I can handle that little peasant,” Greta replied. She took Eva’s hand, and they walked up the walkway, leaving Randolph to watch them with a smile on his face. He was hoping to be called up to the apartment later and to join in the fun.
***
Elena had been anxiously watching the road from her balcony, hoping to see Eva and Greta. Zoe was crying her eyes out, and there was nothing she could do to help her. She felt helpless, which brought back memories of her time in the camp, when she was powerless to keep her mother from dying. She took a deep breath and leaned over the railing, hoping if she wished it hard enough, they would materialize. She smiled grimly as a car stopped outside the building. “Hey, Earl, they’re here!” she said.
“About bloody time,” Earl muttered. He walked outside to join Elena on the balcony. He took her into his embrace so as not to arouse suspicion. Earlier, they had worked out a plan which enabled them to watch the road while pretending to be a couple, enjoying each other and not the view. They were praying that this whole plan worked out.
“If this doesn’t work out, I’m going to take my gun and start shooting,” Earl whispered.
Elena was praying too.
***
Greta was happy, the happiest she had been since she had left Auschwitz. Her future looked anything but secure, though she was determined to enjoy life. She had never believed in coincidence, so when she had seen Eva again after so many years, she took it as a sign from God. She was a good Lutheran, and this was her reward.
“Are you happy, my love?” she asked, leaning towards Eva as they walked up the stairs. She would be very glad when Eva left this awful building and came home with her.
“I am now,” Eva responded, giving Greta a smile.
Greta grinned
back at her, her imagination roaming ahead to the night of ecstasy they would share. Since Auschwitz, there had been many disappointments, but at last, it seemed as if God was answering her prayers.
***
They passed Elena’s apartment, and Eva gave the door a quick look before stopping in front of her own. She prayed that Earl and Zoe had got back quickly enough to let Friedrich and David know about the change in plans. She certainly didn’t want another miscue like the one they had experienced with Muller.
She opened the door and let Greta inside, glancing around to see if Friedrich had left the sign that they were indeed ready. She smiled when she saw the overturned book on the low table, a single rose resting on top.
Greta spun Eva around and pinned her against the door, holding both her hands over her head. “You know, I know what you are up to,” Greta whispered. She began to nibble on Eva’s ear, causing Eva to tremble slightly. Greta apparently took that as a sign she was getting her where she wanted her. She insinuated a knee between Eva’s thighs and pressed herself more tightly against Eva’s body.
Eva took a deep breath to calm herself, and gave Greta what she hoped was a sexy grin. “You do?”
“Oh, yes, indeed. You haven’t had someone make love to you the way you deserve. That child probably didn’t know how to please you or what excites you. I know what you need. My mere presence excites you, doesn’t it, my love?” Greta’s lips curved in a predatory grin.
Eva grinned back while Greta pulled her shirt out of the waistband of her skirt and began to run her hands over Eva’s sides possessively, pulling her closer and nuzzling her neck.
“Hmm,” Eva agreed, not trusting her voice at this point, nauseated by Greta’s attempts to excite her. She closed her eyes as Greta partially unbuttoned her shirt, pulling it slightly off her left shoulder. Greta kissed the exposed flesh and returned her attention to Eva’s neck. Eva felt the sharp sting of teeth, and quelled the reflex to shove Greta away.
Where Shadows Linger (Intertwined Souls Series Book 2) Page 46
