The Final Reckoning

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Tom looked up at Rebecca and saw that the faraway distraction of a few moments ago had vanished. He followed her gaze to the blueprints, depicting in precise detail the layout of the water supply of five German cities, and then back to him.

‘Tell me the quote again.’

Tom reached for the piece of paper he had scribbled on. ‘“I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water”.’

She nodded, still staring at the diagrams of the waterworks.

‘It can only mean one thing, Rebecca.’

‘I know.’

‘It would have been so many people.’

‘I know.’ She turned away from the drawings, preferring to stare at the floor.

Tom got up from the slashed remnant of a chair he had been sitting on and moved across to her. When he placed his hands on her shoulders, she leaned into him, welcoming his touch.

‘Look, we know it didn't happen. Everyone would know about it if it had. We know that Plan B happened because Plan A failed. The key question is, why did it fail? What happened?’