Page 21 of French Escapade

Ken

We do not leave right after Élodie’s departure. Jimmy enjoys a third cup of coffee. The fact that he drowns it with milk seems to tremendously bother the owner of the place. He says that never, absolutely never, in his entire life has he seen someone drinkcafé au laitwhile eating hisfarciswhich are local stuffed veggies. No matter how many good things we say about his cooking, he chooses to remain offended and watches us leave with great relief. I’m sure he truly feels sorry for us for not being lucky enough to be born French.

Thanks to the GPS on my phone, we find our way back to the station, retrieve our luggage, and head to the boarding house where Ted made a reservation for us. The owner, a lovely young woman in her thirties, welcomes us with open arms as if we were her long-lost cousins. She leads us to two adjacent bedrooms. It’s a far cry from the Richmond Palace, but it’s perfect. Better than most of the barracks we slept in while deployed.

“The bathroom is the last door in the corridor. The toilets are on the right. Can’t miss it— there’s a sign on the door,” she says, after opening our rooms. “Breakfast is served between seven and nine.”

“Thank you so much, Mademoiselle Josette,” Jimmy answers with his most endearing smile.

“Josette! Do I look like a Josette to you?” she laughs. “Nah, my name is Odile. Josette was my mom’s name.”

While Jimmy apologizes profusely, I disappear into my room and unpack. I pull the curtains and lie down on my bed after setting the alarm on my phone for a few minutes before 1800 hours. Since I didn’t get any real sleep on the plane, I’m tired. Thanks to the jet lag, I’ll probably be in great shape tonight, but right this instant, rest is what I need.

I shut my eyes and, because I wasn’t invited to the brainstorming meeting to prepare our operation, I play out the various options available in my mind. Given the sophistication of the venue, it is likely the police will want to keep a low profile. Whatever the country, it’s never a good idea to antagonize the rich and powerful. Élodie asked us to wear tuxedos so we won’t stand out. No problem. With the tuxedos, we’ll blend in with the crowd.

And what will Élodie be wearing? I imagine her in a cocktail dress, but have a hard time deciding on the style. In my over-vivid imagination, she’s the star of a fashion show that would make French designers proud. A sparkling red dress, revealing a beautiful leg. Or perhaps a blue one, with Bond-girl style décolletage.

I scold myself. Tonight will be neither the time nor the place to let her know I find her very attractive. Furthermore, a woman like that must already have someone in her life. If not, French men are stupid.

So, if Madison is anywhere to be seen, there will be no two ways about it. I’ll take her by the arm or throw her over my shoulder and leave. And should someone try to stand in my way, it will give me an opportunity to let off some steam.

Door number one: a boxing session with a bodyguard. Door number two: dealing with Madison’s tears. I’d pick door number one every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Except I’m afraid it’s not going to be that simple.

Nothing has been so far.

A question remains: what to do if Arkady shows up without my sister? I don’t know anything about French law, but I’m pretty sure Jimmy and I can’t pull him away from the party for a very private conversation without breaking a handful of laws.

Will Élodie and her colleagues be allowed to question him? Probably. After all, they will have cause to do so. There’s the message Madison left saying she’s been held against her will.

But given what Élodie has told us about Arkady, he won’t be easy to intimidate. He must have been questioned by the police hundreds of times. And by Russian police, too. I fear the Russian cops are unlikely to have as much respect for human rights as the French ones. After all, France is the birthplace of those rights.

But if we can’t stop him, maybe we can follow him. Does Élodie’s boss have enough manpower available to put on this case? It takes a large crew to tail someone without being noticed.

No point in continuing to torture myself. I can’t do anything but wait for tonight. I toss and turn in the small bed and fall asleep while imagining the lovely French police officer very scantily clad.

Heavy knocks on my door pull me out of sleep a few minutes later. A quick look at my watch proves me wrong—I’ve slept for two solid hours. The door opens, the space quickly filled by Ted. He’s carrying half-a-dozen suit bags and a big traveling duffel.

“I forgot to ask for your shoe size,” he explains, after noticing my frown. “I’m not big on fashion, but even I know that your usual sneakers would make you stand out after you dress up.”

I stand while he places the suits on the only chair in the room and drops the bag on the floor. A few seconds later, Jimmy walks through the door Ted left open. Seems Ted’s knock was loud enough to raise the dead.

Jimmy looks alert, but the marks left on his cheeks by the pillow are evidence that he’s slept as well. He looks at the bag and then around the room.

“What are you looking for?” Ted asks.

“Food. Did you bring any food?” he answers. “I’m hungry again.”

“Is your stomach a bottomless pit?” asks a woman’s voice behind us.

Jimmy moves, allowing me to get a glimpse. Élodie doesn’t look anything like the woman we were walking around with earlier. She’s turned into a different creature altogether. Sophisticated and all made up. I study every curve of her black dress. If she’s carrying, the gun has to be in her purse.

“Wow! You clean up really nice,” Jimmy says in English, forgetting his French.

“I clean up nice?” Élodie repeats.

“No, no. It’s just an expression. It means that you really look nice when you dress up.”

She frowns, listening to my explanation.

“So you’re saying that I lookedblahbefore?”

He raises both hands, as if surrendering, and attempts to explain. “That is not what I meant,” he mumbles.

That’s when I notice Élodie’s mischievous gaze. She’s having a hard time keeping it together as Jimmy tries to dig himself out of his hole. Finally, she gives up and bursts out laughing. Ted and I do, too. Jimmy follows, as soon as he understands that she was just giving him a hard time.

I think I like her even more. I have always dreamed of having an ally to tease Jimmy.

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