“Every two hours like clockwork,” whispered Patton when the patrol had passed. “That gives us plenty of time. Alex, you stay on watch and text us if you see anything.”

“And don’t make any fucking noise,” said Bob.

Patton grabbed the small day pack that held her equipment, nodded to Bob, and they set off toward the fence, treading on the softest, quietest parts of the forest floor.

With wire cutters purchased in Innsbruck, they easily cut a row of links on the fence and pulled back a flap big enough to wriggle through. They chose a spot hidden by a clump of young trees and bent the fence back into place before heading into the Fox’s Den property, walking side by side, alert to any sounds other than their own footsteps and breathing. Bob kept his gun drawn, but now he did not train it on Patton.

“It will be on the highest spot on the property, above the tree line,” whispered Patton, nodding to the right where the land sloped up toward the edge of the forest.

“I don’t like the idea of going out in the open,” said Bob.

“You won’t,” said Patton. “You’ll stay in the edge of the forest and cover me. It’s not like I can run away.”

“I’m not worried about—”

“Stop,” said Patton, grabbing Bob by the arm. This time she did not whisper but spoke in a sharp tone that Bob could not ignore. He stopped and looked at her, nonplussed.

“I thought you wanted to stay quiet,” he whispered.

“I do,” said Patton in a nearly inaudible voice. “But look.” She nodded toward a few twigs lying on the ground just in front of Bob.

“What?” said Bob. “What are you talking about? It’s just . . . holy shit.”

“You see it?”

“Is that?”

“That is an S-mine. Himmler must have mined his perimeter.”

“Do you think . . .” said Bob.

“Do I think it’s still live? I certainly don’t want to be the one to find out. You know as well as I do that there are still live explosives from World War II all over Europe.”

Patton still had her hand on Bob’s arm, and she could feel him trembling. She guided him to the left, steering far clear of the tiny metal rod with the three wires protruding from the top.

They slowed their pace now, examining the ground in front of them before each step. In another hundred meters they reached the edge of the forest and Patton saw what they had come for at the top of a slight rise, tucked among a group of boulders. They sat down in the cover of the forest as Patton double-checked her equipment.

“I never would have seen that mine,” said Bob, turning to look at Patton for the first time since they avoided the explosive. He still sounded shaken as he added, “You saved my life.”