The car leapt forward.
Aleida almost toppled over the seatback. “What on—”
Bas sped down the road, unimpeded.
“Bas!” She ducked to see out the windscreen. “The planes!”
“They don’t care about refugees, only soldiers. Now’s my chance.” His jaw set in that hard way of his.
The dragons swooped lower, foul breath spinning in silver discs.
“Theo, stay down! Cover your head.” Aleida folded herself low. Her hands formed the flimsiest of helmets. “Stay down!”
The roar of the auto’s engine merged with the whine of the planes. Pops rang out, and Aleida screamed.
The whining and pops veered away.
“Told you we were fine,” Bas said. “I’m the only person on this road smart enough to see it.”
Aleida stayed low, breathing hard, burying her fingers in the hair she’d coiled so neatly.
He expected her to praise him for his insight and courage.
She dug her fingers deeper into the hated hairstyle. Why should she have to praise foolishness? Why should she have to lie to a man who endangered his wife and child? Why couldn’t she get away from him?
Why couldn’t he die?
Aleida choked on that dark thought.
Bas groaned, and the car slowed. “At least I gained a mile.”
She peeked over the dashboard. Refugees dragged carts onto the road, herded animals around...
Around a horse and a man sprawled on the road.
Red. So much red.
Aleida gasped and clapped both hands over her face. The Germans did kill refugees. It could have been them.
The car lurched down to the right, and Bas cursed. “Must have blown a tire.”
What did he expect racing at such speeds? But Aleida kept that thought to herself.
Bas eased the car into a line of trees, where dozens of refugees were setting up camp. “You prepare dinner while I change the tire.”
“All right.” Her voice and her legs quivered as she climbed out of the car.
She opened the back door and gathered Theo into her arms. He clung to her. “It’s all right, Schatje. You were so brave.”
Bas shrugged off his suit jacket. “Hold this.”
She shifted Theo so she could take the jacket.
Bas opened the boot of the car and hauled out the spare tire. “Don’t let the jacket out of your sight. Our passports are in there.”
Aleida took a step back. Another.
While Bas changed the tire, she and Theo could walk away. Simply walk away. She could exchange her couture hat and coat for a peasant’s shawl. And keep walking.
