by Marilyn Turk
SHADOWED BY A SPY BY MARILYN TURK
Published by Heritage Beacon Fiction
an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
2333 Barton Oaks Dr., Raleigh, NC 27614
ISBN: 978-1-946016-54-6
Copyright © 2018 by Marilyn Turk
Cover design by Elaina Lee
Interior design by AtriTeX Technologies P Ltd
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For more information on this book and the author visit: http://pathwayheart.com
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination or are used for fictional purposes. Any mentioned brand names, places, and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners, bear no association with the author or the publisher, and are used for fictional purposes only.
Brought to you by the creative team at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas:
Eddie Jones, Ann Tatlock, Leslie L. McKee, Shonda Savage, Brian Cross, Elaina Lee
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Turk, Marilyn.
Shadowed by a Spy / Marilyn Turk 1st ed.
Printed in the United States of America
PRAISE FOR SHADOWED BY A SPY
What a fabulous story! Once again, Marilyn has penned a compelling and suspenseful tale that has all the ingredients I love in a novel: great characters, romance, mystery and intrigue, and a simmering tension that builds to an exciting climax. And she’s set the story during WW2, my favorite era of history. Highly recommended.
~ Dan Walsh
Bestselling author of 19 novels including
The Unfinished Gift, The Reunion and When Night Comes
Shadowed by a Spy has everything a fiction reader could ask for: World War II historical facts woven with a well-crafted story, spies and espionage, the excitement of New York and the dangers that swirl between the alleys, the work places and the USO dance halls. Best yet, the book’s fabric is woven with the desires of a man and woman who are moved by both love and war, and then forced to make the kind of heart-choices that keep pages turning.
~ Eva Marie Everson
Bestselling Author of The One True Love of Alice-Ann
World War II intrigue, a tender love story, and suspicious newcomers who may or may not be Nazi spies. What more could a reader want? Add a nursing student with a desire to help those most in need plus characters who carry both physical and spiritual wounds of all kinds, and Marilyn Turk has penned yet another knock-out novel. Historical fiction fans will not be disappointed.
~ Julie Cantrell
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling novelist of Perennials
Lexie Smithfield, a nurse at Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital in New York City in the 1940s, faces a curious melee of German spies, soldiers suffering from “shell shock,” arrogant doctors, and danger. This World War II love story by award-winning author Marilyn Turk is filled with romance and intrigue. A treat for both history buffs and romance readers.
~ Suzanne Woods Fisher
Bestselling author of Anna’s Crossing
Shadowed by a Spy is more than a love story. It explores the drive in each of us to be something more. I was profoundly affected by the plight of patients suffering from mental health issues, particularly those returning from war. This might be a historical novel set in World War II, but the issues Marilyn Turk raises within the world of her story are equally pressing today and deserve to be discussed honestly and openly as they are in this novel. The inclusion of a based-on-history spy story (that I bet you never knew about!) adds a layer of suspense to this important story.
~ Jodie Bailey
RT Reviewers Choice and Selah Award Winner
CBA Bestselling Author
Set against the backdrop of World War II and New York City, Shadowed by a Spy has it all—courageous soldiers, brave nurses, men and women entertaining the troops and spies who want to do damage to American soil. Marilyn Turk has written a page-turner based on real events that has surprises in every plot thread. With exquisite detail and a fast-paced telling, Shadowed by a Spy will give readers a new respect for the sacrifices many made during World War II and also take them back to a romantic, frightening time in American history.
~ Lenora Worth
Author of Their Amish Reunion
Dedication
To my daddy, who told me I was stubborn enough to do anything I wanted to do.
On the night of June 12, 1942, a German submarine dispatched a raft of four Nazi spies off the coast of Long Island, New York. Landing on the beach near Amagansett, they changed into civilian clothes and buried wooden crates containing supplies and explosives on the beach. Undetected in the pre-dawn foggy morning, they walked down the main highway to the Amagansett station of the Long Island Railroad and boarded the 6:59 train on June 13 to Manhattan where they would begin their two-year mission of destruction in America.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Discussion Questions
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Chapter One
June 13, 1942, Long Island, NY
Conversation across the room sparked Lexie Smithfield’s attention. She glanced over and noticed a group of four men entering the train station. The men glanced around before clustering on the side of the room to talk among themselves. Was it her imagination, or did they seem overly cautious? Her pulse quickened as she strained to hear their conversation; however, their low voices sounded like mumbling. Who were they?
Stop it, she chastised herself. Must she always suspect everyone around her? When would she get over that habit? She’d left her fears behind at Jekyll Island.
But every day, the newspapers warned about Nazis patrolling the coast, so no wonder she was suspicious. She had enough on her mind without worrying about some strangers. Last night’s conversation with her fiancé Russell, for one.
“So much for a chance to spend some time together,” he’d said. “I sure wish you didn’t have to go back so soon.” He’d looked like a forlorn puppy when she’d said good night.
“I do too. I’m sorry. I hate to leave early, but the big parade in the city made the hospital shorthanded.”
“Well, at least we had the afternoon together and a nice dinner with Peg and Marian.”
“And I got to see and hear you play at the USO dance.”
“I could go back with you tomorrow.” It was just like Russell to offer to cut his own free time short.
“No, you stay here and rest, and enjoy your day off.”
Their goodnight kiss had been sweet and tender but brief. Someday, they’d be married, and everything would be different. But when was “someday”?
Ever since that kiss, something about him had been bothering her. Despite his actions, he seemed more remote. Was it her imagination, or had his attitude changed? Sure, Russell was as jovial as ever during the evening. He’d laughed and teased her like always. So why did he seem different? Or was she just worrying over nothing, feeling sorry for herself because she had to go back to work sooner than expected?
It was her fault she had to leave, well, maybe not exactly, but since she was a student nurse, she had little to say about her schedule. Ever since they’d left Jekyll Island at the end of March, they’d had so little time together. Going to nursing school at Bellevue Hospital required her full attention. Plus, Russell’s new job as assistant manager at the Martinique Hotel in Manhattan, as well as his moonlighting as a piano player for the USO, made his days long. But like most Americans, he wanted to do his part for the war effort, even though the schedule was exhausting. It was rare for him and Lexie to even grab lunch together most weeks.
The invitation from the elderly Maurice sisters to visit them at their summer cottage in East Hampton had been a welcome opportunity to spend time away from their busy routines. Convenient, too, since the cottage wasn’t far from Montauk Manor where the USO show was held, so Russell could stay in the sisters’ converted carriage house afterward.
Lexie stifled a yawn behind her gloved hand. A cup of hot tea would be nice right now. So many things felt wrong about today, and the chill of the foggy day was just one of them. Wasn’t it supposed to be balmy and sunny in June? She rubbed her shoulders and stamped her feet to stay warm in the unheated room.
If only her plans hadn’t changed. She’d asked for the two-day pass far enough in advance, but news about the huge patriotic parade in the city canceled any ideas she had to be with her fiancé. Nurses from every branch in the service—Red Cross, Army, and Navy—as well as Bellevue’s student nurses, were required to march in the parade. She wasn’t one of the nurses marching, but she had to return anyway so the hospital wouldn’t be short-staffed.
Another man strolled into the station holding a copy of The New York Times. He sat down on a bench in the waiting room and opened the newspaper displaying a bold headline about today’s parade. Chuckles from the group of men drew her attention. They nudged each another as they looked at the man with the paper. What were they laughing at? One of the men made eye contact with her before turning back to the group and rejoining their conversation.
A shudder trickled down her back. Why did they make her uncomfortable? She could imagine Russell telling her to quit suspecting everyone. Here on Long Island with such a large military presence, they didn’t have to worry about the threat of Nazis, unlike the unprotected community on Jekyll Island. Lexie berated herself. Quit worrying. You’re safe here.
The odor of cigarette smoke assailed her nostrils, prompting her to seek its source, and another glance at the group of men confirmed her suspicion. One man smoked while offering cigarettes from a pack to the others. Russell often teased her about her sensitive sense of smell. She’d always been able to detect odors before other people noticed. And since she was one of the few people who didn’t smoke, it was easy for her to pick up the scent, especially since she disliked it so much.
Lexie shifted her gaze back to the train tracks outside. She was being rude staring at the men, much less trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. At times like these, she really missed Russell’s company. A sudden thought jolted her. They were supposed to discuss their wedding this weekend, maybe even choose a place for it in East Hampton. But once again, they didn’t have time.
She blew out a frustrated breath. Was Russell as concerned about their lack of wedding plans as she was? What if he was having second thoughts about marrying her? She shook her head. No, Russell loved her. She was sure of that. So what was causing that niggling feeling that something was wrong?
The mournful whistle of the approaching train summoned her outside to the platform. She pushed her gray felt hat down over her ears and pulled her coat together at the neck, wishing she’d added a scarf on this chilly morning. As the front of the train appeared through the fog, its screeching brakes slowed the rumbling engine to a halt. Lexie walked to the second railroad car. The men from the waiting room followed her outside as well, keeping their distance from other travelers.
Lexie waited for passengers to disembark, though she didn’t expect any at that early hour on a Saturday. When she was certain no one was getting off the train, she grabbed the cold steel railing to pull herself up to the first step.
As she did, her foot slipped on the metal stair, and she stumbled. A man’s arm reached out to steady her, and she glanced over her shoulder to see who it was. Her gaze locked with one of the men from the station, the one with the sandy-blond hair and wire-rimmed glasses.
“Oh, thank you,” Lexie said. “The step must be wet from the fog.”
The man nodded and said, “Be careful,” before releasing his grip on her. Lexie’s face warmed, embarrassed by her clumsiness. She climbed into the car and settled in a seat next to the window, even though all she could see outside were the ghostly shapes of trees and shrubs. She probably wouldn’t even be able to glimpse the water when the train passed within view of the ocean.
Two of the men from the station moved past her seat and walked to the rear of the train car. She didn’t notice where the other two went. Why did these men move so far away from her? It wasn’t as if the car was crowded. Only a handful of passengers were on board. Was it her imagination, or were the men trying to get as far away from everyone else as possible? Maybe they didn’t want anyone to hear what they were discussing. Why did she care what they talked about? She certainly didn’t intend to converse with them or anyone else. The only person she wanted to talk to was Russell.
When she and Russell did have a chance to talk, she enjoyed telling him about her days at the hospital. He always appeared to be interested, but maybe he got tired of hearing about it and thought she spent too much time there. From the moment she made the decision to attend nursing school, he’d supported her choice, saying he was happy she was pursuing a goal that meant that much to her. After all, he had moved to New York for her. Could he be regretting that decision now?
Not everyone had approved of her becoming a nurse. She chuckled to herself, remembering the responses she’d gotten from acquaintances in the Hamptons. Some of them thought nursing wasn’t a proper profession for people of their standing, people of Lexie’s parents’ standing at one time. The wealthy women of East Hampton helped the war effort in other ways—by contributing financially, rolling bandages, or collecting for the USO. Even the sisters had questioned Lexie’s career choice, but they at least tried to understand and lend their support.
Peg and Marian Maurice, the two elderly sisters she’d met on Jekyll Island, were so special. They treated her like family and worried about her like parents. They fretted over her safety, and only the assurance that Russell worked near the h
ospital gave them any comfort. To them, a single girl in the city should have someone to look out for her, but Lexie knew their concern stemmed from a different era, a time when women didn’t travel alone. The city was one place Lexie did feel safe and comfortable, a place where she didn’t have to look over her shoulder all the time like she had in the past.
Besides, now that so many men were going off to war, more women were alone and finding it necessary to function without a man around to take care of them. Plenty of women her age were on their own without a husband or a boyfriend nearby. Of course, Lexie was seldom by herself anyway. When she walked from the nurses’ residence to the hospital, there were always other nurses to accompany her. The only time she didn’t feel so safe was when she had to return to the residence after working a night shift at the hospital. She had to admit it was creepy outside the hospital at night, but thankfully, she didn’t have far to go.
As the train rumbled toward the city, more people climbed aboard at each stop. The atmosphere inside the car lifted as the excited newcomers discussed the big parade they were on their way to watch. Lexie wanted to share their excitement, but her heart was back in East Hampton with Russell. She shot a quick glance toward the back of the car to see if the two men from the station were still there. This time, she noticed that one of the men was fidgety, constantly looking around. What was he worried about? Was there someone he didn’t want to see?
Oh, bother, Lex. Stop imagining things. If Abner, the old gardener from Jekyll Island, were here, he’d tell her she was “making a mountain out of a molehill.”
She smiled at the memory of the old man who used to scare her. How was he doing now since the club had closed? He was one of the reasons she wanted to study the effects of shell shock on soldiers. The thought reminded her to look over some notes she took at the hospital last week. With still an hour before the train arrived at Penn Station, Lexie had time to review them. She pulled some folded sheets out of her handbag, opened the paper, and smoothed out the creases. A visiting doctor had been training the staff on a new procedure he’d used with mental patients in France. Maybe if this new form of treatment had been used on former soldiers like Abner, his life would have turned out better. At least someone was trying to help the returning soldiers.
