Read Online Shadowed by Grace by Cara Putman - Free Book Online Page A

hour, why not make it a week? With a jeep he’d make each day work for him.
    After Scott spread a Frick map in front of him, he and DeWald spent the next hours comparing it to one of the Harvard Lists for the region and plotting the best approach.
    Scott stood. “You want to join us? There’s room for more in the jeep.”
    DeWald shook his head. “I’ve got to get this outfit appreciated. Build plans for the move north. You get out there while I get the framework in place.”
    “All right.” Scott worked until his back ached from bending over the maps. The lines blurred in front of him. If he studied the pages more, he wouldn’t be able to make sense of what he saw.
    He stopped by Rachel’s hotel on his way to his quarters. It was late, but he wanted to try one more time. Now that he had a jeep and a plan, he’d like her to rejoin him. He wandered around the lobby and small restaurant. He just decided he’d wasted enough time when he spotted her dark hair topped with her military cap. An oversized book sat in her lap, and she looked a thousand miles away.
    “You’re alive.”
    Rachel jerked to attention, the book sliding on her skirt before she caught it. “Lieutenant.”
    He’d hoped for a bit more warmth in her voice. “I haven’t seen you in days. You disappeared.”
    She brushed a hand across the cover and sighed. “It wasn’t my intent. I got a new assignment when we returned. Taking photos of refugees.” She shrugged as she looked at him for the first time. “I thought the press office would inform you.”
    “They didn’t.” He let a small smile crack his face. “I’m headed out tomorrow. Would you like to join us?”
    She bit her lower lip in an appealing gesture. “I’d like to, but . . .”
    “You have an assignment.”
    “I do. One I’m to keep to myself.”
    “Ah, one of those.” He nodded.
    “Yes.”
    “I enjoyed our day together.”
    Her gaze searched his face as if she weighed the truth of his statement. He met her gaze and hoped she read his sincerity.
    “I did too. Thank you for showing me your job. One of the photos was picked up by the wire service.”
    “That’s great!”
    “It is.” Her smile had a shy edge to it, and then she shifted as she stifled a yawn.
    “I’ll leave you to whatever you were doing.”
    She stood and extended her hand. “Good night, Lieutenant.”
    He took her hand. What would she do if he pulled her into an embrace? He shook the impulsive thought away and raised her hand to kiss it instead, then turned to leave before he did anything more ridiculous and impulsive.
    The next morning Scott paced outside his office. Would Private Salmon grace him with his presence? Vehicles roared along the street despite the predawn hour. If the private didn’t show up fast, the early start Scott wanted would evaporate.
    Someone laid on a horn, enough that it pierced the racket of other traffic. A few moments later, a jeep slid in front of Scott. “Ready, Lieutenant?”
    Scott hopped into the vehicle and nodded. “Let’s go.”
    “Where to?”
    “Salerno.”
    The next days passed as they worked their way up and down streets, trails, and bomb-pitted roads. The devastation extended in each direction. Scott made notes as they drove, looking for landmarks listed in the brochures. In the late thirties his time in Rome had extended to Naples but not many villages—each of which had a treasure. Now his assignment from DeWald was to get to as many of the sixty-five Neapolitan churches damaged by recent battles. By June each should have repair work underway until restoration could be attempted.
    What would Rachel think of the countryside, small towns, and churches? Would she sense the loss he felt as they traveled the countryside and worked with local Italian art superintendents to reinforce churches? Churches stood with roofs bombed off. Stained glass created centuries before by renowned artists—shattered. Frescoes incinerated by fire. Roofs could be rebuilt,