“I had a feeling you would say that. But for now, we need to get the children to their new home.”
“You win. For now.” His steps accompanied the light laughter she heard from him.
Several moments later, five children were loaded into their car. None of them had any belongings with them whatsoever. They must have had the clothes on their back and nothing else.
“Everyone ready?”
Melanie’s voice came from the driver’s seat.
Yeses echoed through the vehicle, and it slowly moved forward.
When they reached the farm on the outskirts of Paris, Chaisley said a brief hello to the farmer and his wife and hugged each of the kids.
Back in the car, she felt relief that another group was sheltered, but her heart still ached that this was necessary in the first place.
How long could they keep this up?
Leaning her head against the cool glass of the window, she sighed. That was her exhaustion speaking. Not her heart.
Back at their hotel, Melanie parked the car.
“I need some fresh air, Mel.”
“Me too. Want to take a short walk before retiring for the night?”
“That sounds lovely.” Chaisley exited the vehicle and stretched in the cool night air.
They kept a leisurely pace down the sidewalk for a couple of minutes. Mel was probably lost in her own thoughts like Chaisley. The past few weeks had a different feel than ever before. Heavy. Burdensome.
“We’re coming to a corner. Let’s head to the right.”
“Sounds good.” Chaisley nodded.
Thick hands grabbed her arms and slammed her up against a wall.
“Mel?” she squeaked, but a large hand covered her mouth.
“We know who you are.” The voice was gravelly.
Chaisley writhed against her captor, and she could feel Melanie doing the same beside her. Mel’s hand grabbed hers.
“Where did you take those children?”
She was pushed harder into the wall, but with a hand covering her face, she couldn’t have responded even if she wanted to. Were these Gestapo? In France? Certainly they had no power here... did they?
“Well?”
Whoever held Mel must have removed their hand from her mouth because it was her voice next. “What children? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play innocent with me.”Smack!“We’ve been watching you for two days.”
“I’m not playing innocent. I sincerely don’t know what you’re talking about. Perhaps you have us confused with someone else.” How could Mel keep her voice so calm?
The one holding Chaisley loosened his grip. Just a little more and she could cry out for help. She’d heard other footsteps close, surely someone would come to their aid.
When the hand over her mouth relaxed a tiny bit, she bit him. Hard.
Then she screamed for all she was worth.
