The Lifeline by Deborah Swift

Author:Deborah Swift [Swift, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2021-01-04T16:00:00+00:00

The following week Astrid was on her knees on the rug, creating another worksheet, when she heard an unfamiliar buzzing sound.

With shock she realised it was the doorbell from the street below.

Warily, she put the door on the latch and went down the three flights. ‘Who is it?’ she asked from behind the locked door.

‘Herman.’

She opened it. ‘How the hell did you know where I live?’

He pushed his way into the lobby. ‘Surprising what we know. We have to be careful who we trust.’

‘Come up. I live on the third floor.’ She set off up the stairs. ‘You weren’t followed?’ she turned to whisper at him.

He rolled his eyes.

‘Sorry. I had to ask. Someone was following me. That’s why I didn’t make the drop offs last week. I had to dump everything at Steen & Strøm’s.’ She pushed her way into her apartment, and closed the door after him.

‘I knew something was up,’ Herman said, sitting down and lighting up without asking her permission. ‘So we have to be careful. You’re not to come near me, or make any contact from now on, understand?’

‘But what about my children’s paper?’ She pushed an ashtray on the table towards him.

‘Not important. It was a nice thing, and a good cover for our recruitment campaign, but —’

She was outraged. ‘Is that all you saw it as? Just cover for your campaign?’

‘It was useful to us, but you’re getting too popular, too easy to trace.’

‘It was a vital service for those children,’ she flashed. ‘For them it reminded them of normal life, gave their parents a few hours to themselves —’

He put on a soothing voice. ‘Oh, I’m not saying it wasn’t valuable in its way, just not to us. So we won’t be printing any more, and I’ll ask you to stay away from my house.’

Now she was livid. ‘So that’s it? You’re dismissing me, now I’ve risked my life delivering your damn leaflets?’

‘Now look, Astrid, I know you think a lot of your teaching, and I admire that, but your time with us was always going to be limited. A woman who looks like you is bound to attract German attention. Just be thankful you’re alive.’ He tapped his ash into the ashtray.

She walked to the door and opened it. ‘How dare you. It’s time for you to leave. You’ve made your point and it works both ways. You had your uses to me, but now I no longer need you.’

‘Aw, Astrid, don’t be like that.’ He stood up, tried to put a hand on her arm. ‘Ulf wouldn’t like it if we weren’t friends.’

‘Don’t dare to bring him into this! Get out of here before I lose my temper.’

‘You can’t just resign, you know. Once you’re in, you’re in for life. Think about it some more because Milorg won’t hesitate to remove people who threaten their networks.’

‘Get. Out.’

He went, trying to swagger, but failing, and leaving a cloud of cigarette smoke in his wake.

When she’d calmed down she opened the window to get rid of the smell, and made some chicory tea.

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