| can.” “Were you asleep just now? Did I wake you?” “What’s the time over there?” “Nine,” she said, sounding somewhat confused. “In the morning.” “That’s what we have here too,” he said. “Oh, I didn’t realize you’re at work.” “Never mind,” he said. “Never mind. You can call me anytime. Glad to hear from you. Forgive the grumpy old man I’ve become, but I’ve been worried. Was worried. But happy again when I heard you’re safe and all.” “Safe since we left Somalia, actually,” she said. “I’m waiting for a connection to Amsterdam. Next flight with a seat available is not until tomorrow morning. Can’t be helped. Tourists fleeing winter, I guess. So I’ll have to hang around here at the airport all day, which is… Anyway, I’ll be at Schiphol Airport by half past seven tomorrow. Morning, that is.” “I’ll pick you up. You’ll be exhausted.” He almost heard her smile. Despite everything she’d gone through. “Don’t bother, Walter. I’ll take the train. It’s no problem.” “You have a pile of luggage. I’ll pick you up.” “I have almost no luggage left. It’s all gone, and anything that was left that I didn’t want to bring home again, I gave away. I have some hand luggage. I’ll take the train. I’ll call you from Amsterdam station when I get there. Can you pick me up there? In a police car? One with flashing lights and a siren? I’d like that.” “I’ll see what I can do.” “I know you’ll |
condensing in the air. He nodded and pulled his cap down farther over his ears. She had drawn up her parka’s hood. She wore a two-piece ski suit under her parka, the kind a member of a SWAT team would wear. The suit had pockets in unusual places, allowing fast access. He had to admit she looked positively adventure-ready. Like a polar explorer on steroids. Maybe a polar bear would make an appearance. Maybe this part of the country would break away from the continent and drift toward the North Pole. Everything seemed possible in this eerie landscape. She gestured for him to follow. Along their left side, the landscape rose and gradually formed a steep wall with protruding lumps of rock sticking out from between the roots of plants and trees. To their right rose tight pines, like an army of pale green warriors, forbidding enough to prevent access to that part of the forest, where ancient forces might rule the deep, dark woods. Under their feet, the floor was rocky and uneven. Eekhaut slowed down to choose his footing. He couldn’t afford an accident. It would be easy enough to break an ankle. Dewaal paused and peeked over her shoulder. Her face remained in the hood’s shadow, and he couldn’t see her expression. She had been mostly silent all day, even during the drive from Amsterdam. Now, with only the pale tip of her nose sticking out from the shadow of her hood, she looked like a ghost |
