Ulterior Objectives: A Lillian Saxton Thriller

by Scott Dennis Parker

  She had no power to steer her chute so she watched the progress of James’s flare. It lit up his translucent chute like a Japanese lantern. Ironically, she realized it was the first true moment of relaxation she’d had in days. She enjoyed the feel of the sea breeze on her face and through her hair. It calmed her. She breathed in deeply, refreshing her tarnished lungs with clean air.

  James’s chute deflated when it hit the water. Within a few more seconds, she plunged in the water. Holding her breath, she released the straps and swam free from the entangling lines of the parachute. James’s flare still sizzled on the ocean surface. Lillian toggled her life preserver and swam to him.

  “I see why these things are called Mae Wests,” James said when Lillian reached him. He held his hands over his chest. The inflatable material resembled a woman’s breasts.

  Lillian laughed. A good hearty, from-the-gut laugh. More tension released from her system. James joined in, even slapping the water. It splashed in her face, but she didn’t mind.

  Overhead, Henry’s plane circled. Elsa, in the aviator seat, held her flare aloft. From the distant darkness came the sound of a ship plowing through the waves.

  “Listen,” James said “I want to apologize for lying to you about the codebook. I was desperate to get out of Germany before it got bad. I wanted my wife and child to be raised in peace and safety.”

  Lillian regarded him as they bobbed up and down in the waves. His decision was hugely selfish. It had cost Frank his life, and loads of grief and pain for her and Henry. She wanted to tell him that. She wanted him to promise to visit Frank Monroe’s parents and tell them their son’s life was less important than his or his wife’s. She wanted to say this and more. Instead, she said, “the information you give the British better be damn good, save lives, and end this war quickly. Cooperate fully. No questions asked. When this war’s over, then you’ll be able to go back to America. Understand?”

  James nodded.

  “Promise.” She laced her voice with command.

  “I promise.” He smiled and floated in the water, saying nothing but just looking at her. “You really have changed.”

  Not wanting to let the comment go unchallenged, Lillian said, “I had to move on. I found a new path in life. I like it.”

  “You ever wonder what might have been? If you’d stayed with me?”

  “Or if you’d returned to the U.S.?” she countered. “I used to, yeah. But then I met a great teacher, one who showed me another way. He helped me get out of the hole I found myself in six years ago. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I rarely thought about you and me for the past five years. It wasn’t until your message came that those thoughts all flooded back. When this assignment started, I wasn’t prepared to deal with the emotions. Now, seeing you, Elsa, and the two of you together, I’m good. My hand hurts like hell and I’m ready for a bath, but I’m good.”

  “Lillian Saxton, you are a remarkable woman.”

  The genuineness of James’s comment warmed her. “You owe me something.” She changed her tone. “The name. Who killed my brother?”

  James said, “Christoph Dombacher. He’s an agent for the Reich. His commanding officer is General Hans Siegfried.”

  The name meant nothing to her now, but she knew it would mean everything in the future.

  The engine of Henry’s plane sputtered. Elsa threw the dying flare. It pinwheeled through the sky and landed with a plunk in the water. The starlight showed the shadow of the plane, then it dived in the distance. Two plumes blocked the stars.

  Lillian and James watched as Henry and Elsa floated to the sea. They splashed about fifty yards away.

  James started to swim in that direction but Lillian held him back. “Let them come to us. It’ll make it easier for the boat to find us.”

  They waited in silence for a few minutes. The lapping of the water around her began to lull Lillian. She hadn’t realized how tired she was, how hard the exertions she had just undertaken.

  “Lil,” James said.

  “Yeah?”

  “I want to tell you something before they get here. I assume we’ll be separated once we get on land, seeing as how I’m a war asset now.”

  Lillian’s relaxed state suddenly left her. “Okay.”

  “I never got over you. I only tried to replace the hole you left in my life. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for forcing that decision on you back in Paris.”

  He swam closer to her. The dying flare bobbed in the water, but it was enough light for Lillian to see the look in his eyes. She knew what he was going to do.

  James leaned in to her, meaning to kiss her. She put her hand on his lips, preventing him. Instead, she put her arms around him. The life jackets prevented a good, solid hug, but the emotion was there. She hugged him tightly, all the emotions and the years surging through her. He reciprocated. Lillian knew this was the last time she’d have with James, alone, all to herself.

  They parted and looked at each other. She saw into his soul. She wondered if her soul was open to him.

  Henry and Elsa neared. “Hey!” The British agent called.

  “We’re here!” Lillian gently pushed James away. He kept his gaze locked on hers. “Watch your eyes,” she said. She lit her flare and tossed it nearby.

  The water boiled near the burning flare. Henry, pulling Elsa along, emerged from the darkness. His smile was big and contagious.

  “Does the Navy come by here?”

  Lillian laughed.

  Elsa, seeing James, paddled over to him. The Geigers embraced each other, Elsa softly sobbing.

  Henry treaded water next to Lillian. He patted her on the back. “For a Yank, you did pretty good.”

  She splashed water at him. “Glad you could keep up.”

  He splashed water back at her.

  A Royal Navy cruiser, its engine churning the water, sliced through the waves. She steered clear of the four people in the water. From the deck, a bright spotlight illuminated the night.

  Lillian clamped her eyes shut and held her hand up to block the light.

  “Friend or foe?” came the call from the deck.

  “Friend,” Henry replied. rattling off the coded message.

  The crewman on deck replied in kind.

  The ship slowed. In the new light, Lillian watched a lifeboat lower to the water level. Two men were in the boat. They rowed toward the quartet bobbing in the water. Together, they hauled Elsa up first, then James.

  Henry, ever the dapper English gentleman, said, “After you, my lady.”

  This time, Lillian didn’t mind going first. Henry’s powerful hands helped her into the boat. He climbed in after her. She planted herself on one of the benches. Henry sat next to her. Right next to her.

  After all they had been through together, the talks they had in the hotel, Lillian felt comfortable with Henry Clark. She leaned against his shoulder. He put his arm around her. Together, they let someone else take control.

  CHAPTER 60

  The H.M.S. Delhi steamed back to England throughout the night. The Geigers stayed in a room to themselves. The bunks were one over the other so they didn’t get to lie together. As expected, a guard stood out in the hallway. He was armed.

  Henry Clark headed straight for sick bay. The doctor got the agent on the table and stitched up both wounds, the scalp as well as the arm. Henry got a nice dose of morphine to dull the pain and sank into an empty bunk.

  Lillian was given her own bunk in her own room. She peeled off her wet clothes and donned a spare uniform. The medic attended to her injured hand and neck. Cleaned up, she crashed into the bunk and was asleep in seconds.

  She woke and stared at the gray ceiling of the room. This was her last day on this mission. An odd feeling always crept into her soul when a mission reached its conclusion. In almost all cases, it was a job well done. She prided herself on her professionalism. In those cases in which the job didn’t end well, she looked for the debriefings where the issues were analyzed and lessons lea
rned were internalized.

  This mission, despite the glaring lie at the center of it, was a success. She had brought James Geiger out of Belgium and into the custody of the British government. His wife was with him. He would divulge all he knew about the Nazi codes and, with any good luck, that information would help the Allied war effort until the United States joined the fight.

  And she had the name. Christoph Dombacher. Her brother’s murderer.

  But there were costs. Frank Monroe topped the list. His loss wrenched her gut. He had been out of his element. She knew it, and James should have known it, but he insisted Frank deliver the message to Lillian. Frank did so, and it cost him his life. She vowed she would make a pilgrimage to see Frank’s parents and express her personal sorrow. She also made a mental note to check on where his body was.

  Tired as she was, she couldn’t keep her mind from facing. She needed some time off, but a part of her was antsy for the next mission. The only problem was that she would have to travel by sea to get back to America. That was a prospect she didn’t relish.

  With her red hair pulled back in a semiformal style, Lillian sauntered down the narrow halls to the mess. Being one of two females on board—and the only single one—she received lots of looks from the men. She tried to let their stares roll off her shoulders, but she liked the attention. Not that any of these blokes would have a chance with her. Back in the US Army, she strove to be one of the guys. Here, she was the anomaly. She fancied it.

  James, Elsa, and Henry were sitting at one of the tables, eating. Lillian got some food and sat next to Henry. “Good morning.”

  “Guten morgen.” Elsa reached her hand across the table and grasped Lillian’s hand. “I want to thank you for risking so much in getting us here. I know my husband lied to you, but I admire your resilience and courage. I might not have made the same decision as he did, but I’m glad you were there to help us.”

  Lillian tightened her fingers around Elsa’s. “Gern geschehen.”

  They ate and talked about nothing and everything. Lillian wondered if James had mentioned his attempted kiss while floating in the Channel, but then realized she didn’t care. The two of them were married. Who cared what they said to each other?

  “We’re expected at MI-6 when we dock,” Henry said. “You’ll be expected to deliver a report. In writing.” He rolled his eyes. “Do you have this kind of paperwork back in America?”

  Lillian nodded. “Except for those times I’m off-the-books, like this one. I expect I’ll be one of those footnotes in the history of this war: American sergeant helps German defector escape Nazi clutches.”

  “If you win the war,” Elsa said.

  “Oh, we’ll win it,” Lillian assured her. “It won’t be pretty. It may not be short, but we’ll win. Because I want a seat at the peace table. I want to ensure America has a hand in creating the postwar world.”

  Elsa opened her mouth to respond, then closed it. “We’ll see.”

  “We will.”

  They finished their breakfast talking about other subjects. The captain, a tall man with a weathered face and mustache, came down to the mess. He told them they’d dock in ten minutes and to be ready on deck. He signaled a crewman with a side arm to lead the Geigers up to the deck.

  “That won’t be necessary,” Lillian said.

  “Orders from MI-6.”

  Lillian shook her head. “This started as an American mission and it’ll end as one. When we get ashore, I’ll hand over the Geigers to the British government. Until then, they’re with me. And we don’t need the guard.” She leveled her gaze at the captain, five inches taller than she was.

  His steely eyes softened. “As you wish, Sergeant.”

  Lillian saluted him. “Thank you, sir. Permission to disembark.”

  He returned the salute. “Permission granted.”

  With that formality out of the way, Lillian led James and Elsa on deck. Henry trailed behind. The new morning was warm and sunny. The harbor was alive with activity. From this side of the Channel, Lillian couldn’t tell there was a war raging only thirty miles away.

  The Delhi docked. With the gangways lowered, Lillian, Henry, James, and Elsa disembarked. The men waiting for them were not hard to discern. Dressed in identical brown suits, they approached the quartet and identified themselves as Elliot and Raslo. They were to escort the prisoners to MI-6.

  “They’re not prisoners,” Lillian corrected. “They are defectors from Hitler’s Germany and important war assets for the British government. They should be accorded proper courtesy.”

  When Elliot mumbled something about taking them into custody, Lillian cut in. “Where’s your car? Until we set foot in MI-6, they’re with me. Understand?”

  Both men nodded. “This way.”

  Elliot and Raslo led them to a dark sedan. Everyone piled in. Elliot drove through London. Elsa stared out the window. She was viewing London for the first time. In short order, they arrived at the headquarters for British Intelligence. Lillian led the way into the building, the others trailing her.

  Admiral Charles Hastings stood inside the entryway. Flanking him were four other people, all severe-looking men. Hastings beamed at Lillian.

  “Sergeant Saxton, so good to see you.” He reached out and shook Lillian’s hand. “Agent Clark, glad to see you in one piece.” Likewise, he shook Henry’s hand.

  Then he turned to look at James and Elsa Geiger. “Mr. Geiger?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m looking forward to some long talks with you.”

  James Geiger raised his chin. “And I’ll willingly provide you with all that I know. I only ask we be treated with the proper respect.”

  A muscle in Hastings’s cheek twitched. “As long as you provide details, you’ll be accorded the utmost respect.” He indicated the men standing with him. “These men would like to begin as soon as possible. The situation on the Continent is, unfortunately, quite desperate.”

  James nodded. He faced Henry. “Agent Clark, thank you for helping us escape.” The two men shook hands.

  Elsa performed a small bow, like a dancer at the end of a stage play.

  To Lillian, James also offered his hand. He also gave her the look in his eyes. They had had their personal moment in the Channel. This was purely for show.

  Lillian took his hand and shook it.

  “Thank you, Lillian.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Fräulein Saxton,” Elsa said.

  Lillian looked at the German woman. “Frau Geiger.”

  Elsa stepped forward and embraced Lillian. After a moment, Lillian put her arms around James’s wife and the mother of his unborn child. All those years at the university, Lillian had desperately wanted to be in the role Elsa now held. Here, after all the years in between, Lillian Saxton was glad she was not Mrs. James Geiger.

  “Thank you,” Elsa said. “You are a brave woman. If your country truly does join the war and possesses fighters like you, I’m afraid the Reich doesn’t stand a chance.” They parted and smiled at each other.

  On a nod from Hastings, the four men led James and Elsa Geiger away.

  “Well, now that that’s settled,” Hastings said, turning on his heels. “Follow me.”

  Lillian and Henry exchanged glances. Silently, Henry shrugged. They followed. Hastings led them through the halls of MI-6. With Lillian dressed in an ill-fitting sailor’s uniform and Henry dressed similarly, the two of them must have looked quite the pair.

  Hastings led them back to his office. The last time she was here, Lillian had given the older man an earful. She wondered if he was about to return the favor.

  Walking over to a side table, Hastings stood next to a contraption that looked like a phone attached to a speaker. He pushed a button. “Cedric, they’re here. Please patch through the connection.”

  What followed was the sound of static and squawks. Finally, a familiar voice came out of the speakers.

  “Sergeant Saxton, this is Captain Donne
lly.”

  She tried to hide her shock at hearing her commanding officer’s voice, but she failed. Her mouth dropped open.

  “Congratulations on a successful mission. I’m sure our British friends will find the information James Geiger delivers to be useful.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “And you’re not the worse for wear?”

  She glanced down at her bandaged hand. “No, sir. Just a few scratches.”

  Henry and Hastings grinned at her.

  “Listen, Sergeant, I need to tell you something. And it’s passed through all the brass over here, so don’t think this is another incident of my going off the rails like we did in California.”

  “Understood, sir.”

  “Sergeant, I am officially placing you on detached service. You’re still a sergeant in the United States Army, but for now, you’ll be reporting to Admiral Hastings for further assignments in the near term.”

  “Sir?”

  “At ease, Sergeant. The matter is simple. We’re not at war. Yet. You and I both know that day is coming. Sooner or later. Until that time comes, I feel you will better serve the war effort working with those who are already fighting that son of a bitch Hitler. I’ll still expect regular reports, and Admiral Hastings will keep me up-to-date as well. I’ll pass on your reports to the upper brass. All commendations you receive over there will be on your official record. From what Admiral Hastings tells me, you’ll be paired with Agent Clark. From the details the admiral has given me, you two make quite the team. Do you understand, Sergeant?”

  It took Lillian a moment to respond. “Yes, sir. And thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now take the war to the Nazis. Make us proud.”

  The signal ended. Silence emanated from the speaker.

  Lillian Saxton looked at Henry Clark. He seemed as surprised as she was, but there was a sparkle in his eye. He winked at her.

  “Did you have anything to do with this?” she asked.

  “Not a thing,” he replied. “You’re actions in the field earned this. I’m just happy you’re on our side. I don’t know what we’d do if you worked for Jerry.”