by Anne Barwell
Reiniger twisted his arm farther. He heard a satisfying crack. Jacques’s breathing sped up, but he didn’t cry out. Under different circumstances, Reiniger might admire Jacques’s stubbornness, but he was the enemy and had information Reiniger wanted.
“Standartenführer Holm has placed me in charge of this investigation. Not only that, but he has given me the authority to use whatever means necessary to find these men.” Reiniger let go of Jacques’s arm and took a step back. “I consider this necessary. I’m giving you a final chance to change my mind.”
Jacques took a deep breath. Good, he seemed to be considering. He glanced at Reiniger and then at the clock on the wall.
Interesting.
“I was the only one who knew about these men being in the area,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “Do what you want with me, but leave my daughter alone and let the other prisoners go.”
“Please continue.” Reiniger wasn’t about to agree to any such terms. He was in charge here, not Jacques. In fact, Jacques wasn’t in a position to demand anything.
“You’ll let them go?” Jacques asked.
“Please continue,” Reiniger repeated.
“There were four men. Two who spoke German but not much French, a Frenchman, and a man who looked to be part Chinese.”
Reiniger smiled. “There, that wasn’t too difficult, was it? One of the men pretending to be German was the man who saved your daughter, wasn’t he?”
Jacques nodded. “Yes. He used a French name, but I heard him and two of the others speaking English. They didn’t realize I spoke the language.”
“Do you have any idea where they were headed?” Reiniger allowed his smile to grow wider. This had to be Bryant and the men he was traveling with when Esser encountered them outside Bétheny. Holm would be very pleased.
“No… sir.” Jacques hung his head. Reiniger grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head up so Jacques was looking directly at him. Jacques swallowed and then continued talking. Now he finally loosened his tongue, he was almost babbling. “The man who saved my daughter… he called one of the other men Ken.”
“Lowe,” Reiniger said softly, “which makes his companion Herr Bryant. I thought as much.” He let go of Jacques. “Thank you. You’ve been most helpful. These men are very dangerous. Consider yourself lucky you are rid of them.”
“Thank you, sir.” Jacques seemed subdued, but Reiniger wasn’t fooled for a moment. He’d seen this kind of deceit before.
Reiniger spoke into his telephone. “Esser, please come to my office. I have a task for you. Tell Beutel to come in as well.”
It only took a moment until the door opened and the two men entered. Both stood at attention, although Esser glanced at Jacques and raised an eyebrow.
Reiniger decided to ignore Esser’s unspoken question. He’d soon learn to stop his incessant questioning. Esser was there to follow Reiniger’s orders. Nothing more and nothing less.
“Oberscharführer, take this man away.” Reiniger sat down and began sorting through the rest of his papers. “Oh, and Esser?” he added in a casual tone when Esser had almost reached the door.
“Yes, sir?”
“Kill the hostages. They are no longer useful.”
Jacques turned and stared at Reiniger, a look of horror and disbelief on his face. “But I told you everything I know. I don’t know where these men have gone.”
“Yes, and I’ve thanked you for your information.” Reiniger smiled. “I might even consider ignoring your poor daughter’s reputation. It’s such a shame it is in shreds.” His tone hardened, the smile no longer necessary. “Don’t take me for a fool. I know you waited for as long as you could before telling me what you knew. I saw you glance at the clock several times. You were giving the traitors time to get away. Consider yourself fortunate I don’t order your execution as well.”
“But you promised….”
Reiniger gave Beutel a nod. “Find this excuse for a man a cell with a view of the execution, and show him what to expect if he continues to hold back information when I ask for it.” He had another job for Esser, one that would teach him the importance of following orders without question.
“Yes, sir.” Beutel saluted. He shoved Jacques forward, and they left the room.
Reiniger considered for a moment. He hadn’t promised Jacques anything, had he? After all, it wouldn’t pay to show any weakness. No, he hadn’t. It wasn’t his fault people continuously heard what they wanted to.
“Esser,” Reiniger said, glancing up at him. “I’ve decided you can organize the firing squad. Make sure the executions are carried out efficiently and quickly. There is no point waiting another hour until curfew. Our prey is long gone, and we don’t want any further unpleasantness.” He’d found from experience that loved ones tended to cause trouble if their relatives and friends lingered in pain. “Oh, and arrange to get any mess cleaned up. I don’t want any sign that this ever took place.”
“Yes, sir.” Esser saluted. “And the girl, sir? The prisoner’s daughter?”
“Bring her in for questioning. He obviously cares for her, which might be useful.” Reiniger uncapped his pen and began reading through the rest of his papers. He didn’t know how Holm found the time for all this paperwork. It was tiring, and he had more important things to do. Bryant and his team were still out there, but not for much longer. After months of no leads, the game was in play again.
He stretched and poured a glass of water, then looked at his watch and tapped it to make sure it hadn’t stopped. How long did it take to line up four people and execute them? It appeared Esser was waiting until curfew after all. Reiniger felt a trickle of annoyance. He sipped his water and walked over to the window, glass still in his hand.
Reiniger stood lost in thought for a while, allowing himself to imagine Lehrer’s expression when he found the broken body of the man he’d made the mistake to call friend. Finally he forced himself back to reality. As pleasant as his musings were, he needed to deal with Esser and remind him of his orders. He was about to pick up the telephone when four gunshots sounded in the distance, followed by the pathetic noise of a woman crying.
His stay in Pont-Audemer was almost at an end. Although he’d allowed his prey to slip through his fingers, it would not happen again.
Chapter Ten
ARLETTE HAD been quiet since they’d left Lisieux. The message she’d received from Matt’s team hadn’t said much, but, given the warning to avoid Bayeux and take another route to Cyrville-sur-Mer, Michel knew something must have happened.
Although he’d questioned her further, she didn’t appear to know anything more. Instead, she’d asked him whether there was something he wasn’t telling her. Was the search of the train simply a random check? He’d turned the conversation back toward her, asking if she was certain the villagers of Cyrville-sur-Mer could be trusted. She’d muttered something about whether he trusted her—glanced at Kristopher—and then asked whether their friendship was as important to him as it was to her.
Kristopher, sensibly, had stayed out of the conversation, although Michel could tell he was concerned. If Matt’s message was because they’d had a near encounter with Holm or one of his men, Michel and his team could be walking into a trap instead of a safe house.
“She’s worried,” Kristopher whispered as they approached one of the farms at the outskirts of the village. “She also thinks you’re lying to her.”
“I hope you’re not suggesting I tell her everything.” Michel raised an eyebrow. Surely the look she’d given Kristopher didn’t mean she’d worked out the real reason he’d gone with Michel to meet his parents? It was more likely she was questioning their mission and Kristopher’s true identity.
Arlette had gone ahead, insisting she make sure the farm hadn’t been compromised, so they had a few minutes to speak freely.
“Of course not, but—” Kristopher stopped midsentence. “Matt’s approaching. Perhaps this is a conversation we should continue later, hmm?”
Matt smiled when he saw them, although he didn’t look happy. “Our truck was pulled over by one of Holm’s officers outside Bétheny, and Reiniger was in Pont-Audemer. He didn’t see us, but it was a close call. Did you run into any trouble?”
“Just what was probably a routine check on the train,” Michel said. “Arlette is concerned it was more.”
“Oh?” Matt raised an eyebrow. “You said ‘probably.’ So you don’t think it was routine either?”
“The soldiers didn’t appear to be looking for anyone specifically,” Kristopher said. “If they’d had our descriptions, I doubt we would be here now.”
As they approached the cowshed, Michel heard raised voices. A moment later, it grew quiet, also not a good sign. He didn’t need to hear the specifics of the conversation to know Arlette was angry.
“Sébastien knows Holm is hunting us,” Matt said. “My guess is he’s just told Arlette.” He paused at the bottom step of the stairs leading to the room above the shed. “I can try to talk to her first if you’d like.”
Michel shrugged. “I doubt it would make any difference.” Nevertheless, he waited a minute before following Matt up the stairs.
Part of him didn’t blame her, although he still thought he’d made the right decision. The less anyone knew about this mission, the better.
Kristopher caught Michel’s arm. “You did what you thought was right,” he murmured. “She wouldn’t have been happy learning about this if you’d told her.”
“I know, but she won’t see it that way.” Michel steeled himself for what was to come, then sprinted up the stairs to join the rest of the team, Kristopher following behind.
“You should have told us about Holm!” Arlette turned to face Michel as soon as he entered the room. He flinched from the anger in her voice and instinctively took a step backward.
“You were told what you needed to carry out your mission,” Ken said calmly. “If London decided you needed to know anything else, they would have passed along the information.”
“Marcel is right.” Matt stepped into the conversation. “Our mission is classified. The fewer people who know about it, the better.”
Arlette kept glaring at Michel as though the whole situation was solely his fault. “I wasn’t—I’m not asking for the specifics of your mission,” she said evenly, “but I think the fact that you have SS officers hunting you might be pertinent to trying to keep you safe. It’s more difficult to go unnoticed when they are circulating photographs and descriptions of you.”
“We don’t know—” Michel started to say.
“Of course they’ll have your descriptions, even if they don’t have any photographs.” Arlette shook her head. “I would have never suggested taking the train if I’d known about this. What if you’d been recognized! You’re risking all of us.”
Now Holm had confirmation they were in the area, he’d step up his search. Months of no news would have hampered his ability to do so. Even SS officers had to follow orders from their superiors, and his would be growing weary of his continued failure to find them. The sighting in Port-Audemer was exactly what he’d needed.
“It wasn’t Michel’s decision.” Kristopher stepped between them. “He is acting under orders, the same way you are.”
As much as he appreciated Kristopher trying to protect him, Michel didn’t want him stretching the truth on his behalf. “We hadn’t seen Holm or his men in months. We’d hoped we’d lost them.”
That wasn’t exactly the truth either. While they’d hoped they’d lost Holm, it had always been a matter of when rather than if he caught up with them again. Holm was not a man who gave up easily, especially when his reputation was at stake.
Sébastien rolled his eyes. “Hoped? How do you expect us to complete our mission when you withhold important information? As Arlette said, we’re not asking about the specifics of your mission, but our mission is—”
“Your mission was to get us to Normandy safely, and you’ve done that,” Matt said. “I’m sorry you’re angry about this, and I can understand it, but nothing has gone the way it was supposed to since we arrived in Germany. We’ve lost good men and people we care about. If you want to be relieved of your duties and return to your original Resistance cell, I won’t stand in your way.”
“I’m not leaving,” Arlette said. “Someone has to stay and make sure this doesn’t happen again. You’re lucky you weren’t caught and killed.” She folded her arms, and her expression narrowed. “Who is Holm after exactly? I doubt it’s all of you.”
“That’s… complicated,” Michel said. The less she knew about Kristopher’s role in all this, the safer he’d be. “We can’t tell you that without compromising the security of the mission. We need to get our team out of France and will do what is needed to ensure that happens.”
“Are you going with your friends?” Arlette asked.
“No. I’m….” Michel fought the urge to glance at Kristopher. “I’m staying in France and continuing our fight to free our country once this is done.”
“Good.” Arlette’s expression softened. “I apologize for my outburst,” she said. “I knew this mission was dangerous, but I didn’t realize it was personal. It is, isn’t it?”
What else had Sébastien told her?
“That’s one way of putting it,” Liang muttered. “Sébastien,” he asked, “are you still with us too?”
“I’ll stay and see this through,” Sébastien said. “I didn’t sign up for the Resistance without realizing the danger involved. I still say it’s better to die this way than to spend the war working for them.” He glanced at Michel but directed his next comment to Matt. “I still agree with Arlette about needing to know the SS is after you. It’s difficult, not to mention dangerous, making decisions when you only have half the information.”
“Thank you,” Matt said. “We will share any information that we are able to, but I’m not about to disobey orders and risk my team by telling you anything else.”
“Fair enough,” Sébastien said. “I will keep my opinions to myself as long as you do not place any members of my team in unnecessary danger because of the secrets you must keep.”
Although Michel didn’t know Sébastien that well, Arlette had told him that he was originally from Lisieux, and had worked with the Resistance in the Normandy area since joining the Maquis.
“Fair enough,” Matt echoed. “Now, the sooner we check in with London, the sooner we can make plans to leave.” He looked at his watch. “It’s time we met with the Resistance here. There should be a message for us, and we need to compose an answer to send to London.”
“We’re supposed to meet at the church,” Sébastien said. “Don’t worry. We’re not spending the whole time we’re here in this room above the cowshed. The local priest has made arrangements for a safe house we can use.”
“I’m looking forward to a proper bed,” Arlette said. She turned to Michel. “Do you remember Nicolas and Théo?”
“Yes.” The two boys had grown up in the same village as Michel and Arlette, but they’d moved away just before the war. They’d been good friends and inseparable. Michel had once wondered if they were keen on each other until Théo had been caught kissing a girl behind the church. Shortly after he’d left, she’d discovered she was pregnant, but Michel had no idea whether Théo knew about it or not.
“They’re with the Resistance here,” Arlette said. “We’ll be working with them.” She chuckled at his expression of disbelief. “They’re only five years younger than we are. Hardly the boys you remember. Nicolas’s wife, Cécile, is active in the Resistance too.”
“Did Théo marry?” Michel asked. Now he thought of it, he remembered Théo had family in Normandy. When he’d left the Melun area, Nicolas had followed him.
“No,” Arlette said. “I don’t think he ever got over his broken heart.” She seemed to be relishing the chance to update him with the local gossip now she’d recovered her good mood. “Sometimes you only get one chance at true lo
ve. I think it’s very romantic, but I feel so sorry for him.”
Liang said something quietly to Kristopher, who shrugged. Michel met his gaze, but Kristopher shrugged again. Kristopher felt uncomfortable when Arlette insisted on taking over a conversation like this. Michel wished he could tell Arlette the truth, but it was part of what couldn’t be said.
“Don’t go too far, and don’t be long,” Matt said to Liang as he and Kristopher began to walk away. “We’ll be back from the church soon, and we need to relocate to the safe house. This place will be safe enough in the meantime, but remember Holm has men in the area. The last thing we need is to have our presence confirmed.”
“Because that’s so much better than him sending men to hunt us down on the off chance we’re here,” Liang said. He gave Matt an apologetic look as soon as he’d spoken. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Just the thought of meeting that man again brings back memories I’d prefer to forget.”
“No need to apologize. I feel the same way,” Matt said. He had a different way of hiding how he truly felt than Liang, although his cheerfulness often didn’t quite ring true. The few times he’d mentioned Elise he hadn’t managed to completely hide his grief over her loss. Wounds like that took a long time to heal.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Michel asked. He didn’t want to spend too much time in Arlette’s company reminiscing about a past he didn’t want to focus on.
“Marcel and I can handle this,” Matt said. “Michel, if Alexandre and Benoit don’t return in a few minutes, tell them to continue their conversation inside.” Kristopher and Liang tended to forget the time once they started talking, but although Matt seemed to think they were discussing science, Michel knew better. Kristopher had found someone else he could confide in, and Michel had encouraged it. He trusted Liang, and it was good to have another perspective on their situation.
“I’ll come with you, Julien, and introduce you,” Sébastien said to Matt. “As Arlette knows at least two of these men, it might be a good idea if she did as well. Besides, you will need someone to translate. They speak a little German, but not much.”
