‘No!’ Grace’s scream cut through the air, echoing sharply against the drone of aircraft overhead.
‘Grace, stop!’ April called, her hand slipping from Grace’s wrist. ‘Grace!’
The planes were deafening, the roar so low and loud that when Grace looked up, she could see the pilot’s face, could see his smile before he unleashed a torrent of bullets raining down around them. They were under attack!
‘Grace!’ April called again.
But Grace ignored her, her eyes locked on Poppy, so close but so far away, bending down toward a cowering puppy. ‘Run!’ she screamed to her friend. ‘Poppy, run!’
Poppy stood still, her eyes filled with horror as she looked up at Grace, her mouth open as if she were about to call back.
Grace started to sprint, desperate to get to Poppy, to do something, anything, to save her. What was happening? Who was shooting at them? Why wouldn’t Poppy move?
Seconds felt like days as Poppy finally started to run, but then strong arms circled Grace from behind as her scream caught in her throat, holding her back, forcing her to stop.
‘Let me go!’ Grace yelled, gasping as people started to fall across the field, as the relentless drone continued, ammunition raining from the sky like a ferocious storm lashing the land. ‘We need to get to her!’
‘No.’ The word was whispered, but it was still a command. Teddy had hold of her, Teddy was dragging her back, and no matter how much she clawed at him or struggled, he wasn’t letting her go.
Grace could only watch in horror, screaming out to Poppy as one thought echoed over and over through her mind. Please let Poppy live.
PART ONE
CHAPTER ONE
PEARL HARBOR, NOVEMBER 1941
GRACE
‘You need to stop making eyes at Teddy,’ April whispered, nudging her hard in the side. ‘It’s embarrassing.’
Grace glared at her sister, pulling away from her and crossing her arms tightly over her chest as her cheeks started to burn. ‘I’m not making eyes at him!’ she hissed.
Teddy was her best friend’s sweetheart, and whatever she thought about him was never going to come to anything. Period. Besides, Teddy adored Poppy, and her friend adored him right back. It would break Poppy’s heart if she knew what Grace felt about her boyfriend.
‘I still can’t believe we’re here,’ April said with a smile, linking arms with her again despite Grace’s protest. ‘Is this paradise or what?’
Grace gave in and leaned against her, forgiving her sister in one big sigh as they strolled along the beach. April had her blonde hair loose over her shoulders, and it was soft against Grace’s cheek, her blue eyes so like their mother’s when she glanced down at her. ‘Definitely paradise,’ she agreed, shifting her gaze from her sister and staring out at the turquoise water, the tide gently washing in against the sand. It was her idea of heaven and so far removed from their life in Oregon, with nothing but sand and palm trees as far as the eye could see.
‘One of the other girls said that we’re in for some football injuries soon,’ April said. ‘Apparently the boys stationed here all love the start of football season.’
Grace nodded, watching as a horse and rider made their way closer, the girl’s feet bare, dark hair streaming out behind her as she rode along the waterline. Grace squinted and held up a hand to shield her eyes from the late-afternoon sun so she could keep watching her. If football injuries were the worst thing they were expecting, then she’d be just fine.
‘Do you think we can go horseback riding?’ Grace asked.
As a girl she’d always wanted to ride, and seeing the horse crossing the sand was bringing that childhood feeling straight back.
‘Wait up!’
Grace turned at Poppy’s call, her friend’s bright smile infectious as she ran and caught up to them. She looked back at Teddy, strolling away in the distance now, but he still raised his hand to wave at her. Grace quickly turned away, sighing as she watched Poppy blow kisses to him over her shoulder. Her friend’s dark hair was glossy under the bright sunlight, her red lips making her look even more striking than usual, and not for the first time she was a little in awe of how beautiful she was.
‘Is he heading back to base?’ April asked.
‘Yes. We’ll see him tonight at the party, though.’
Grace grabbed Poppy’s hand. ‘What party? I thought we had a curfew to keep us all in at night?’
‘Apparently there’s this big house by the beach, and we’re