Page 205 of Valor

“Here,” he said, the distant barking getting closer. “We will cross here.”

She gripped his arm. “Are you sure?”

He wasn’t. The rocks looked all the same under the white froth rushing down the slope. But as another bark cut through the noise of the wild water, Fred knew their time was running out fast.

“We must. Before they see us.”

Fred searched the rushing river. The sound was overwhelming, yet it failed to drown out the excited barking of the Germans’ dogs. They had caught their trail. His heart pumped so hard that the pulsing veins in his temples throbbed. Thunder clapped somewhere in the distance. If it started to rain, the river would swell up, making it impossible to cross.

“Let’s go.” He hoisted her brother on his back, then reached for her arm. “This is as good a place as any.”

Not bothering to take off their shoes, they stepped onto the first boulder. Fast water rushed over their feet as Fred gripped Hedvika’s hand.

“I won’t let go.”

She squeezed his fingers in answer. Fred shifted the boy on his back, then searched for the next rock to step on.

“Ready?” He glanced at her.

She nodded.

Fred’s foot reached a reddish flat stone. It was fully submerged but looked sturdy enough to support their weight. It wobbled. He sucked in a breath but kept his balance. Standing on two rocks, he felt secure, yet he needed to take the next step. Fred clenched his jaw.

Lord, please.

Jakob tightened his hold on him. Fred started to choke.

“Let go,” he pushed the words through his teeth. “Just a little.” He shook his shoulders to let the scared boy know he needed to breathe.

And then Jakob did let go. The splash felt like a thousand daggers stabbing at Fred at once.

“Hedvika!” The boy called out to his sister as the current carried him away. She screamed.

Fred let go of her hand and jumped in after Jakob. As he struggled to reach him, he looked back at her. Hedvika’s eyes were wide with terror.

“Get to the other side. We’ll find you,” he called out. The stream carried him so fast that he wasn’t sure she heard him. Fred looked ahead but didn’t see the boy.

“Ja—” Water filled his mouth. Then he saw the boulder in the middle of the raging water. He flailed his arms, hoping to lessen the impact. Water flooded his mouth. He coughed. The river mercilessly pushed him onto the ancient piece of granite. The lancing pain was so sharp that everything went dark for a second. Fred swallowed the river water.

Jesus!

This was not the way he wanted his life to end. He had to save Jakob, take Hedvika into the mountains, hide in the shepherd’s hut, and think of a plan to get them to safety. Dying in the frigid water wasn’t what he prayed for.

“God!” Fred called out as he gasped for breath, pinned against the boulder by the white-water current. Then, something grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him up.

Did they find us?Fred’s mind fired. But if they did, they would just shoot, not pull me out.But before he could turn around and see whose strong arms had dragged him out of the current, the world turned black.

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

Northern Moravia, 2025

A one-lane loggingaccess turnoff from the winding mountain road promised the end to the nauseating switchbacks. Meghan took in her surroundings. There was nothing but the deep tracks on the forest floor and the towering pines. If she got lost here, no one would ever find her.

“How far to the mill?” Meghan struggled to sound confident.

“We’ve got to take it slow. I don’t want to risk a flat. We won’t get a cell signal in this valley.”

Great, so they wouldn’t be able to call for help if something went wrong. What about the black SUV?

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