“That’s our sign,” one of the men said.

“Elise?” Cate turned and found her friend close behind her now, and she reached for her, holding her hand as they waded out. The boat was only small, just big enough for them all, and she knew they had to move fast, in case there were patrols nearby. If the Nazis saw them, if they were discovered, their shot at freedom was over.

“Lift him.”

Cate put her hands under Jack’s back and did her best to help, standing on tiptoe as they heaved him up into the boat. Her lower half was soaked through now, her boots sodden as she clambered up into the boat, breathing heavily as she landed like a fish being hauled on a line, scrambling to right herself.

“We need to go,” someone said, but in the dark she could barely make out the faces. She bent low over Jack, ear to his mouth, her fingers frantically searching at his neck for his pulse.

He’s still breathing. That’s all that matters.

“Stay with me, Jack,” she murmured. “We’re so close, do you hear me? Just keep breathing.”

She stroked his forehead, hoping he could feel how strongly she felt for him. When he lifted a hand and touched beside his eye, she wasn’t sure what he was trying to tell her, until his trembling hand hovered over his chest, before pointing at her.

I love you. That’s what he was trying to tell her. I love you.

“I love you, too,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead, lips hovering as tears slid from her cheeks to his skin. “I love you too, Jack. So don’t go leaving me, do you hear? You hold on.”

“This all we’re waiting on?”

Cate sat up, scanning the people in the boat. Where was Elise?

“Elise?” she asked, panic rising as she realized there were only men around her. “Elise!”

“I’m here.”

She feared they were dangerously exposed standing there, but as she turned on her flashlight it gave her enough light to see her friend still standing in the water, her hand on the side of the wooden boat.

“Elise, quickly, get in,” Cate urged, holding out her hand.

But Elise didn’t take it.

“Come with us,” Cate begged, as Elise finally took her hand. “I can’t leave you behind, not now. Get in the boat.”

In her haste to get Jack to safety and get into the boat herself, she’d forgotten that this was supposed to be goodbye to Elise. But after everything that had happened, surely she wasn’t going to stay?

“Elise?”

But Elise’s hand pulled away from hers the moment she said her name.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE ELISE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

ELISE

“Elise!” Cate said again, as Elise tried to back away. “Elise, you have to come with us. I can’t leave you.”