it was the truth. Surely he wouldn’t stand in her way now that she’d been honest with him. He seemed like a good man.
“You’re not in a position to help anyone,” he reminded her. His voice was a combination of sternness and trepidation. “Are you trying to get yourself killed or worse?”
She stared at him. What was worse than being killed? She shook that thought away. Somehow, she didn’t think she wanted to know the answer to that question. “No,” she said quietly. “But I can’t let them be hurt when I could have done something to prevent it.”
He rubbed his hands over his face and let out a groan, then swore a few times. Arthur Jones paced several times and then stopped in front of her suddenly. “All right.”
“All right?” She tilted her head to the side. “I don’t understand.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re beautiful when you’re confused?” Arthur asked.
“No,” she replied a little surprised at his statement. Then nibbled on her bottom lip. Not that it mattered much. He liked Ana’s face and had no idea what she truly looked like. It shouldn’t bother her, but it did. “That doesn’t tell me anything either.”
“All right, I’ll help you.” He gestured toward the car. “Get in. It’s going to be a long night, and we don’t have much time left.”
Anya didn’t stop to question his motivations. She was grateful for the help. It also surprised her a little he didn’t question what she wanted to do. Though it shouldn’t have… He’d been in the car too when Dierk and Edward had discussed the raid. Hopefully they wouldn’t come to regret their decision to help those kids. They still had to make it to them in time.
Chapter 8
The moon was a mere sliver in the sky, ensuring that they would be shrouded in darkness. Mr. Jones parked the car at the end of the road behind some trees. He was much better at stealth than she could ever attempt to be. She should be thankful for his assistance; however, she still didn’t understand why he’d agreed to help. What was his angle? Did he hope to gain something from her? If so, what? She hoped she hadn’t made a grave error in judgment. He seemed like a good man, but sometimes appearances could be deceiving.
They walked through the trees, using them to cover their movements. Mr. Jones held up his arm, his hand in a fist. Anya stopped and waited for him to explain. “Someone is out there,” he said in a low tone.
“What do we do?” she asked. Her hand shook a little and her stomach had turned into a knot of anxiety. She hadn’t thought this through, clearly. What if they were discovered? What explanation could they possibly have for lurking in the woods outside of the Allendorf estate?
“We wait until they pass,” he answered. “Then we move forward. I don’t believe they’re here for the kids. They may have been hired by the Allendorfs to patrol their grounds. Don’t move until I tell you.”
Anya remained completely still. She didn’t want to die, and if she could help the children and continue to breathe after the night was over, she’d do whatever he deemed necessary to achieve that goal. Several moments passed by that felt as if they were hours. Later, if asked, she’d probably say she lost years off her life. It certainly aged her significantly in a short time. This was nothing like she’d ever experienced, or would. Anya wasn’t nearly as brave as she’d thought. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and run back to the embassy. Deep inside she knew she had to go through with it though. If she gave in to her cowardice she’d never forgive herself.
Mr. Jones held up his hand and waved it, motioning her forward. “They’re gone. We don’t have a lot of time.” He turned his head and met her gaze in the darkness. She wished she could make out his expression, but the lack of light made it impossible. “Stay close.”
She nodded, unable to speak. Her throat had gone dry and a lump had taken permanent residence there. Anya tried to swallow, but it wouldn’t dislodge itself. No matter. She didn’t need to use her voice anyway. Mr. Jones had taken charge, and she’d gladly follow his lead.
They began moving again. When they reached the edge of the woods, he stopped again and held up his arm in the same fashion. That must