Page 71 of Shadows In Paris
‘I know, I know. She’s courageous beyond words. Too courageous for her own good, and you know how unruly Hannah can be. I think a bit of support from me will be just what they need. And if they don’t need it, I’ll stay in the shadows and be on the next flight out of there.’
‘You must miss being in the field very much. The thrill is addictive, isn’t it?’
‘I suppose there’s that, but honestly, I wouldn’t go in if I didn’t think it was necessary. Thrilling or not, it’s hardly a picnic dropping into occupied France in the depths of winter.’
Val shrugged her shoulders. ‘Let me talk to the big man and see what he says. Ultimately, it’s up to him.’
Jack’s laugh was genuine. ‘We both know that’s not quite true. Come on, Val. He hangs on your every word. Give me the go ahead this time and I promise I’ll be a good boy and sithere wrapped in cotton wool doing whatever it is you want me doing for the rest of the year.’
‘That’s a big promise. I hope you can keep it Jackie-boy,’ she said, smiling. ‘You realise it’s still only January, and the year has barely begun?’
Jack stubbed his cigarette out, flashing her a charming grin. ‘Come on, you know my word is good. Let me go in and put my mind at rest, and if I’m overreacting, I’ll leave them in play and fly out immediately.’
Val stood and crossed the room. At the door, she turned. ‘You’ll have my answer shortly. Don’t start packing yet.’
‘I always pack light,’ he winked, and she laughed and left the room.
In the early hours of the following morning, Jack’s French-made leather brown boots touched the snow-coated ground of the woods on the outskirts of Paris. There was no reception committeeand no visible moon to light his way. Sometimes one had to land in imperfect conditions. As the icy snowflakes flurried all around him, blurring his vision, he realised this was one of those times.
CHAPTER 37
Hannah’s boss wore only a blood-stained shirt. His bottom half was naked, his thighs pale and his trousers ruffled around his boots on the floor.
Lizzie trained her gun on him as a precaution, but she knew before she checked his pulse, the major general wouldn’t be bothering Hannah anymore. He was stone cold dead. Lizzie shone the torch around to check if there was any sign of a struggle. The cupboard was tidy, and the assassination, if that’s what it was, had all the hallmarks of a professional, right down to the assault on his manhood.
Angel had struck again.
Lizzie closed the door firmly and raced to untie Celine and break the news to her. They collected their cleaning materials and locked the doors behind them. Now to get out of there before someone at German High Command realised the major general was missing. Lizzie followed Celine down the wide staircase, clutching a bucket and mop and trying to act calm as they stored the equipment in the maintenance room.
‘Take it nice and steady,’ Lizzie whispered to Celine, asthey moved towards the back exit where the same soldier stood on duty.
They were nearly at the door when a German voice called to the soldier from the main desk in the lobby. ‘The major general has a visitor. Did you see him leave earlier?’
The soldier replied, ‘No, I haven’t seen the major general today.’
Lizzie waited for the soldier to unlock the back door, acting as though their lives didn’t depend on escaping before someone discovered the body of the major general stuffed in a cupboard upstairs in his private suite.
She turned towards the lobby to see who the visitor was. A tall blond officer stared back at her, and her heart dipped as they shared a second of instant mutual recognition. Her senses were on fire. It was the officer from the train who had defended her and then insisted on driving her home with cakes when they saw each other again. It seemed so long ago because every day undercover was like a lifetime. She’d purposely avoided the café where they’d bumped into each so she wouldn’t need to fend off more awkward questions.
There was confusion on his face, but as their eyes met, she saw his expression morph into one of admiration. Lizzie didn’t touch her gun, but she was ready to shoot if it came to that. If she had to go down in a shower of bullets trying to escape, then that was preferable to being taken by the Gestapo. Lizzie didn’t know how high her pain threshold was, and she had no desire to test it. Her cyanide pill nestled in the pendant around her neck.
She braced herself. Her heart thundered as she looked at the officer for a second. Lizzie knew she was taking a risk, and it may have been better to acknowledge him publicly, but she followed her instincts and prayed he would be as keen as her to keep their connection a secret. She turnedback to the soldier who bent to unbolt the back door, which swung open. They were only a few steps away from freedom.
‘Thank you. Have a good evening,’ Celine said.
The soldier wished them the same. Lizzie moved towards the door, fearing a hand on her shoulder at any moment.
Celine was just about to step through the door when a voice from the lobby called, ‘Stop the cleaners.’
Lizzie slid her hand into the pocket of her overalls and touched the grip of her gun that lay cushioned in the folds of the thick material.
‘Ask them if they saw the major general,’ the soldier barked.
The guard turned to Celine and Lizzie, an enquiring expression on his face. ‘You heard. Well?’ he asked.
Celine said, ‘The offices were empty, as they often are.’
The soldier’s eyes assessed Lizzie. ‘And you? Did you see the major general when you were upstairs?’
