because we both grew up in Iowa. The prairie can feel like a river, constantly moving. And maybe, like me, he wanted to see the world.â
From the bed, Sadie stirred. âYou did, didnât you?â
Esther cut her voice low, her words almost for herself. âI was going to Europe. I was just waiting for my official orders when I met Linus.â She blew into her coffee. âDid you know that Linus has the complete collection of Hardy Boys mysteries? And a stack of about a million comic books. But not one copy of
Tom Sawyer
or
Huckleberry Finn
or even something bolder, Hemingway, or Fitzgerald.â
Caroline turned over the letter. âThis Peter moves around a lot. This is the third location heâs written you from.â
âI noticed that too. I wonder if heâs not with one of those army units, you know, the ones with the German prisoners of war?â
âPrisoners of war? In Wisconsin?â
âI read an article in the newspaper. I canât believe you missed itâwe had a crew of prisoners pass through here a few weeks ago, on their way to Fort McCoy. They hire the prisoners out to pick peas and work in processing plants.â She helped herself to another strawberry. âHeâs probably making sure they all stay healthyâa traveling medic.â
âI donât know how I feel about having Nazis in our backyard.â
âNot all the POWs are Nazis. I read a letter to the editor from a woman who said she heard some of them singing âAmazing Grace,â and that they held regular church services at their camps.â
âGermans, singing hymns?â
âHalf our town is German, Caroline. You might be Dutch, or whatever, but I would bet that your neighbors still have relatives in Germany. Even Berthaâshe hasnât said anything, but I suspect her family was fighting for the other side.â
âI donât know. If I saw a Nazi, Iâd spit on him where he stood.â Caroline bit into another strawberry, catching the bloody juice as it ran down her chin. She slurped it up. âI just hope they donât come to Roosevelt. We might have the Battle of the Bulge right in the middle of the convalescent ward.â Caroline finished off the strawberry then opened Estherâs book. âIâll quiz you.â
âIâm not ready.â
âSure you are. Youâve been at this every waking hour. Do the Hahns know?â
Sadie whimpered in her sleep. Esther got up, settled next to her on the bed, peeled her sweaty hair from her face. âNo. I think a part of me is hoping I get this scholarship and then I can leaveâbe on my own.â
âWhat, escape with Sadie in the middle of the night?â
âShh!â
âBut youâre going to sneak out of town?â
âAnd, I was hoping you might come with me.â
Caroline blinked, swallowed, her gaze falling to Sadie, then back. Slowly, she nodded.
Esther took her hand. A smile pulsed between them.
âWhat if Linus is alive?â Caroline said quietly.
âHeâs not.â
âDid you get a telegram?â
âNo. But he must be dead. He has to be. He hasnât written.â She cut her voice to just above a whisper. âHeâs not coming back, and I have to be ready when the Hahns find out.â
Caroline drew a deep breath. âWhen is the exam?â
Sadie drew her thumb up to her mouth. Sighed, her body shuddering before she settled back into slumber.
âIn two weeks. Iâll be ready.â Esther got up, sat down again at the table. Opened the book. âDid you know that Rosemary was in love with Linus? He was supposed to come home during his last furloughâthe one he spent with me.â
âHow do you know that?â
âShe heard me talking to Charlieââ
âOne of these days, heâs going to wake up and spill your secretsââ
âAnd when she found out that he might be
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