He’s playing with me. He wants to go to this house, and I’m not going to know why until it’s too late. Cate fought to keep her head high as they walked together, keeping as much distance between them as she could without showing how fearful she was of him. There was something about him; he was so handsome, but despite his friendliness, he was as cold as ice. His good looks were chiseled and his height was intimidating, especially in such a well-fitted uniform jacket that showed off his broad shoulders, but it was his calm, precise way of talking, as if nothing could ever scare him, that upset her the most. Perhaps it was her overactive imagination, but she could almost sense what he was capable of, and it terrified her. And she had a feeling he was toying with her, the way he’d feigned interest in her missing dog.

They walked the rest of the way in silence until they reached the house, and she glanced at him as he stopped.

“Thank you for your kindness,” she said, half-turning, waiting for him to leave. “I’m fine from here.”

But he didn’t go. He waited, smiling still, and she knew then that he wanted to see for himself. He doesn’t believe that this is my house.

Cate’s knees knocked; she couldn’t stand in the drizzling rain any longer, playing this dangerous game. Her fate would be sealed by whoever opened the door, and she knew then that he was capable of killing as quickly as he could squash an insect beneath his boot.

She walked up the two steps and knocked, realizing as she did so that if it were her home, she wouldn’t have to knock. She would have walked straight in.

The German cleared his throat behind her, and she knocked again, louder this time, her knuckles stinging. Had he realized that? Was he about to level his gun at her for making such an obvious mistake? But now that she’d knocked, she had to stick with it, didn’t she?

This time she heard feet padding on timber from inside, and as the door swung open, she was greeted by a pretty blonde, her brown eyes wide as she stared back at her, followed by a loud yap as the smallest, scruffiest dog she’d ever seen came flying between the blonde’s legs.

“Oscar!” the woman scolded, at the same time as Cate took her chance to scoop the unsuspecting canine into her arms and shower him with kisses.

“Darling! There you are!” she cooed, almost using English and giving herself away. “I can’t believe you came home on your own! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“I see your dog was home all along,” came a deep voice from behind her.