“No, of course not. The social worker told us not to. She said it was best, so the girls would never be ashamed of where they came from.” Tears heaved through her words. “They’re our daughters. They’ve always been our daughters.”

Leah’s breath came fast and shallow. “Yes, but—”

“Telling them—oh, I couldn’t. I couldn’t hurt them like that. They’re such happy, well-adjusted girls, so active and well liked. I can’t let you upset their world. I won’t.” Conviction solidified in Mrs. Scholz’s tone.

Leah’s head shook back and forth. “But they’re my sisters, the only people left from my family. I—I love them.”

“I beg you. If you do love them, let them be. Please let them be.”

“But—”

“Please, Mrs.—Mrs.—Please don’t contact me again. Good day.” She hung up.

Leah gaped at the dead phone.

Mama Paxton laid a hand on her shoulder. “Oh, mija. I’m so sorry.”

“But they’re my sisters. My family. My family.” Something burned in her belly, and she thumped the phone into the receiver.

She usually took hold of anger and molded it into the safe shape of sadness, but now she let it pulse hot in her veins.

Mrs. Scholz had no right. Callie and Polly were Leah’s family by birth, by blood.

How dare this woman tell Leah she didn’t belong with her own family?

Leah couldn’t accept that. She wouldn’t.

If she wanted to belong, she had to join.

40

POINTE DU HOC

For the second time that night, the gunfire stopped as abruptly as it had started.

Straining to see in the dark, Clay pointed his rifle through the top of the hedgerow. He hadn’t seen a single enemy soldier or fired a shot since sunset. Both night counterattacks had come far to Clay’s right in the orchard, rather than in the wheat field he faced.

He sank lower in the foxhole he shared with Ruby. How many more times would the Germans attack? How much longer could the Rangers hold out?

Close to midnight, Colonel Rudder had ordered the detachment to hold the position by the highway while the main force held the point by Rudder’s headquarters. A lot of distance and a whole lot of Germans separated them.

South of the highway, eighty-five Rangers formed an L-shaped defensive line, with the angle of the L pointing southwest. Clay guarded the middle of the lower leg near the command post.

What a ragtag group—members of the three companies that had climbed the cliffs, plus twenty-three men from the 5th Ranger Battalion, the lone contingent to arrive from Omaha Beach. Boy, were they welcome.

“Lieutenant!” Footsteps thumped up the dirt lane, and a man jumped into the command post foxhole. “The Krauts took the angle, then retreated. No word from D Company. I think they’re wiped out.”