moment. She had fought her way back from the brink before. She would just have to do it again.
Her resolve restored, she left the window. Tired beyond anything she could remember, she let herself collapse on the bed, uniform and all, and slept.
Chapter 31
“What do you mean, I’m free to go?” She stared at Lieutenant Holland, the unit’s Rome liaison officer, in utter incomprehension. “Did Major Ricca agree to this?”
As much as she would love to rejoin the production, last night’s fiasco was still fresh in her mind. The last thing she wanted was to be shot while “trying to escape.”
Morning sunlight streamed through the window she had uncovered last night. She had been sitting on the bed, contemplating whether she should ask the guard to let her use the bathroom, when the door had opened and Lieutenant Holland had poked his cheerful mug in.
The lieutenant shrugged. “He didn’t seem opposed. He said it was all a miscommunication and that you should get back to your unit ASAP.”
“Really?” She couldn’t quite keep the suspicion out of her voice. Something about the situation didn’t smell quite right. On the other hand, did she want to stick around if she didn’t have to? The answer to that was a resounding no. She needed to get back to Marcie.
But first things first.
She dragged her fingers through her snarled hair. “Let me ask the guard where the bathroom is, and then give me five minutes to freshen up.”
The lieutenant looked puzzled. “What guard?”
“The . . .” She stopped and quickly reevaluated what she had been about to say. Had the major removed the guard before sending Holland up? If he did, then . . . “What exactly did Major Ricca say transpired last night?”
“That you were found wandering the streets alone, lost, and were brought here for assistance. While talking to the major, you began slurring and confusing your words, which made him think you were drunk. Then he found out from Miss May that you hadn’t been drinking and were likely exhausted from the double performances, so he dropped all charges of drunk and disorderly and said to convey his apologies for any inconvenience.”
“Swell.” Vi rubbed her eyes, which still felt gritty from a poor night’s sleep. “Well, I’ll still need a minute or two.”
“Of course,” Lieutenant Holland said cheerfully. He politely got out of her way as she headed toward the door, his gaze roaming around the room. “Not much of a guest room, is it?”
Vi almost laughed but decided her energy was better spent getting herself ready. Less than ten minutes later, she rejoined Lieutenant Holland, looking far more respectable than she had. To her relief, no one stopped them on their way out. On the other hand, she didn’t see Major Ricca or Sergeant Danger, either. Or her belongings.
Lieutenant Holland had a taxicab waiting for them outside the gate. Again, she half expected to be stopped by the guard as she passed, but he merely waved them through.
She couldn’t imagine they had verified her story that quickly. Yes, there was a time difference between Rome and Chicago, but it went in the wrong direction. One in the morning here had been six in the evening there. Everyone would be home with their families then. Though, with the war on, maybe intelligence gatherers didn’t get time off.
“Where on earth did you go?” Marcie whispered the moment Vi sank into the auditorium seat next to her. Sue was just getting everyone gathered for notes on last night’s performance. “And why did Sergeant Danger stop by last night to get your things, only to return them this morning?”
“There was a snafu with communications,” Vi said, deciding to use Major Ricca’s latest story. “The MPs thought I was drunk and were going to throw me in the stockade but then decided I was merely exhausted, and here I am.”
“Meaning they let you sleep it off,” Marcie teased.
Frances leaned forward over the seat back, having sat in the row behind them. “The person you should apologize to is Gertie. She was beside herself this morning when you didn’t show for breakfast, sure we’d have to change all the formations again.”
“Shoot.” Vi looked over her shoulder. “Sorry, Gertie! I didn’t mean to spook you.”
“That’s all right.” Gertie smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Vi wanted to kick herself. She hadn’t even thought of Gertie last night. Marcie, yes. Frances, yes. But not the one dancer who had apparently taken her absence the hardest.
Matt strolled up,