Chapter 42

"You're not staying?" Eva asked Kurt, standing in the open doorway of the bedroom he occasionally used.

"I have to get back to Berlin," he said, looking up from his open suitcase.

"He's keeping you busy."

"I'll be back in a week," Kurt replied. "Will you miss me?"

"No," she said airily.

"You should come with me. The man is disgusting. You'd like him."

"Hmph," Eva snorted. "It's boring."

"Not this one," he said with a chuckle. "He travels with a ten year old girl. Tells everyone she is his niece, but when he gets her alone ... She's quite amazing."

"You like such things?"

"I like to watch," Kurt shrugged.

"Is he a target?" Eva wondered, walking slowly around the bedroom. She picked up a framed photograph of a horse from the dresser and smiled at it.

"No." Kurt went back to his packing. "I have a surveillance team from the Federal Police on him. We're waiting for his buyers and then we'll arrest everyone at once."

"You're a policeman now?" she smiled at him. They were often covered as officials from other agencies in the German government, police or even military depending on circumstances. It wasn't unusual and when necessary, additional manpower could be drawn from the most appropriate agency.

"Do you want me to show you my handcuffs?" Kurt chuckled. "I have a badge too."

"And a gun?" Eva smiled, but it was forced and he could tell.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she sighed. "I'm just bored."

"You should take some time off," Kurt said, snapping his small suitcase closed. "It isn't easy what we do."

"Yeah."

"My car's downstairs," he sighed as he stood up, offering Eva a smile. "I have to go."

"I'll walk with you," she agreed and a moment later asked him, "Do you ever watch me, Kurt?"

"Sometimes," he teased her with a laugh. "When I'm lonely."

"Hmmm..." Eva smiled, taking his arm as they walked towards the staircase.

"Oh! Hey!" Wolfgang stepped out of Veronique's bedroom and stopped suddenly as he met Eva and Kurt.

"Uh!" Veronique giggled from behind him and then her smiling face peered around the doorway as she looked over the man's shoulder.

"We're going to the kitchen," Wolfgang explained, his face taking on a slightly pained expression as Veronique's hands rubbed across his chest and down to his stomach.

"To get ice cream!" Veronique stuck out her tongue. "Do you want some?"

"No," Eva shook her head, pretending not to notice the woman's long fingers reaching for her brother's swollen crotch.

"Is everything alright?" Wolfgang asked her.

"I'm running away with Kurt," Eva said. "He loves me and I'm going to have his baby."

"Oh," Wolfgang nodded seriously and Veronique giggled. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Eva tightened her grip on Kurt's arm and smiled up at his amused face. "I thought we would name the baby Heinrich."

"And what if it's a boy?" Kurt asked with a chuckle, the two of them walking slowly down the curving stairs.