Joanna sighed. ‘OK. I take your point. I’ll tell the Dorchester I’ll be around for another week.’
‘Ah … I’m afraid not.’
‘Would you say that again?’
‘We may be quite sure that you can be trusted. Others may not. We have to do this by the book.’
Joanna stared at him. ‘You mean you are actually arresting me? Putting me in prison? You have got to be joking.’
‘I am putting you into protective custody. You will be taken to a safe house, and held there until it is time for you to leave.’
‘And Burton’s reply? He sends them to the Dorchester.’
‘I will arrange for it to be picked up and delivered to MI5. Once they have read it, it will be kept for you to take back to Germany when you go.’
‘What a shitting mess.’
‘You don’t have to go back to Germany at all, you know. You can opt out, right this minute. We’ll still have to keep you here until after the raid, but then we can sort it out with the State Department, and you can go home.’
Joanna shook her head. ‘I have to go back, James.’ ‘Because of Franz?’
‘There is that. Oh, not because of any love between us. But he’s a decent guy, and he shares some of my secrets, which could get him into deep trouble if Weber got the idea I had defected and started asking questions. And then there’s Madeleine. You were in love with her once, right?’
‘I thought I was.’
‘Well, she too is closely connected to what I’ve been doing, and her survival is linked to my loyalty and behaviour. You wouldn’t like to think of her standing on a scaffold, would you?’ ‘It would be pretty grim. But I wouldn’t like to think of you in that position, either.’
Joanna blew him a kiss. ‘I can take care of myself. So what happens now?’
‘You’ll go with Rachel.’
‘Great.’
‘And Joanna … no funny stuff. Until we say so, you play this by our rules. We have scaffolds in England too, you know.'
She gazed at him for several seconds, then nodded. ‘I reckon you do.’
James telephoned the brigadier. ‘Pound One, sir.’
‘Ah, James, I was about to call you. Is there a problem?' ‘I hope it won’t be a problem, sir. It concerns Jonsson.’ The brigadier snorted. ‘Well?’
James repeated the relevant conversation. ‘As I say, it really is just a hiccup. As soon as the raid is over, she can be released. A month in the clink won’t do her any harm.’
‘Ah. Yes. Unfortunately, James, it may be a lot longer than that.’
‘Sir?’
‘Operation Rutter has been postponed, James. For at least a month.’
Chapter Ten
The Raid
‘Shit! James cried. ‘Shit, shit, shit!’
‘I know exactly how you feel,’ the brigadier said. ‘But these things happen. The raid will now take place in the middle of August. You’ll have to stand your people down. Just for a month.’
‘They’re ready to go now. I’m ready to go now.’
‘James, you are a professional. And you say your people will follow you anywhere. Well, now they'll have to wait a while. But only a month. You’ll make your move at the end of June.’
‘You do realize, sir, that a delay like this increases the risk of a leak?’
‘Nothing has been leaked so far, has it? The same security applies. Leave the worrying to us.’
‘Yes, sir.’ He replaced the receiver and looked at Rachel. ‘As you say,’ she agreed. ‘Shit, shit, shit. What first?’
James looked at his watch. ‘Pound Seventeen won’t be listening for another four hours.’
‘But Liane will be all ready to go.’
‘She knows she’s not to assemble until she’s certain I’m on my way.’
‘She’ll be spitting mad.’
‘Don’t you think I’m spitting mad? But there’s something else we have to do. Get me MI5.’
‘Loring,’ said the slight young man leaning against the bar.
‘Barron,’ James said, looking around the room with some distaste; it was just a shade too clean and tastefully decorated. ‘SIS?’
‘What makes you think that?’
‘The fact that you had our phone number.’
‘Good point. Do you people always meet in places like this?’
‘Safest, old man. Everyone in places like this has a secret, and everyone else knows better than to ask questions. What are you drinking? I’m on a Pink Lady.’
‘I’m sure she’s enjoying it. I’ll have a pint of bitter.’ Loring chose not to take offence, but merely remarked, ‘I’m not sure they serve that here.’ But they did, and the two officers retired to a table in the corner of the bar, which at this early hour had only a handful of customers. ‘Now then,’ Loring said, ‘do you have something for us, or do you wish something from us?’
‘You have recently received a visit from one of my people. Joanna Jonsson.’
‘One of yours, is she? I say, old man, you do like them large.’
It was James’s turn to decide not to take offence. ‘She gave you, as usual, a letter for a man named Burton.’ Loring sipped his drink. ‘I would like to know what was in that letter.’ ‘Sorry, old man. Classified, you know.’
‘Look, the letter was delivered by my girl.’
‘Then she is the one you should ask for its contents.’
‘You know she hasn’t got a clue what she’s carrying.’ ‘Then perhaps you should change your rules.’
James finished his beer. Getting angry with this twit would be totally counter-productive; he was only doing his job. ‘Well, will you tell me this: was the letter anything to do with troop movements, or a possible attack on the French Channel coast?’
‘Sorry, old man. Can’t be done. Another drink?’
‘I would choke,’ James said, and left.
‘Shit, shit, shit,’ Rachel muttered. ‘How can we fight a war when every department regards itself as a world of its own and won’t share its secrets?’
‘He was only doing his job.’
‘You are too fair-minded. I’d have wrung the bugger’s neck.’
‘Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings …
She snorted. ‘Can’t you pull rank? Get the brigadier on him?’
‘No, I can’t. The last thing anyone would want is a row between SIS and MI5.’
‘So we still don’t know if Jerry really has the wind up or if it’s a routine exchange of views. What about Joanna? You’re going to have to go along and tell her she’s in hock for two months instead of one.’
‘I have decided to delegate that duty to you.’
‘Oh, great. I’ll have to see if I can borrow a suit of armour from the Tower. What about your other favourite woman? It’s just about time.’
James sighed. ‘Then you’d better get through.’
‘Shit,’ Liane said. ‘Shit, shit, shit.’
‘I couldn’t agree with you more,’ James said.
‘We are all ready to go. Ammunition and food supplies have been issued … ’
‘But no routes compiled, I hope.’
‘You said that must wait until you got here.’
‘Good girl. So how many of you actually know the destination?’
‘Me, Pierre and Anatole.’
‘How much do you trust Anatole?’
‘We have to trust him absolutely. He runs the radio.’ is he there now?’
‘No. I send him out of the room when I am speaking with you.’
‘Then you don’t trust him absolutely.’
‘What are you saying?’
‘That I am aware that this delay is going to strain everyone’s nerve. I know I can trust you and Pierre. I have never met Anatole, and I know that Rachel is unhappy about the part he played in her kidnapping. So just keep an eye on him. As for the rest, try to keep everyone happy. It’s only another month.’ ‘I wish you were here.’
‘I wish I was ther
e, too. But I will be soon.’ i love you, James.’
‘I love you too. Over and out.’
He replaced the mike, looked at Rachel, who appeared to be sucking on a lemon.
‘That,’ James said, ‘has been the longest month for my life.’ ‘I haven’t enjoyed it either,’ Rachel replied. ‘You haven’t had your mind on your work. Or on anything else.’
‘How is Joanna?’
‘Spitting blood. I’ve just told her she has at least another month in there.’
‘We must make it up to her when she comes out. So, all set?’
‘As always. Shall I enumerate?’
‘As always, I have complete confidence in you. So — ’ The telephone jangled. They stared at each other. ‘You’d better answer it,’ James suggested.
‘Maybe it’s off. Oh, how I hope it’s off. After such a delay there has to have been a leak.’ She picked up the phone. ‘Pound Two.’
‘Pound. Put James on.’
Rachel handed James the phone, whispering, ‘Maybe!’ ‘Pound One.’
‘James, all ready for the off?’
‘Yes, sir. Don’t tell me there’s another delay?’
‘No, no. I have some news. Good news. Well, I suppose it’s good news, for most of us. Tell me, have you been badgering MI5?’
‘Ah … I contacted them about a month ago. I wanted to find out if Jonsson’s contact had been instructed to find out what he could about the raid. So I asked MI5 for a release. They weren’t the least bit co-operative.’
‘Well, you seem to have put the wind up them vertically. Apparently there was a query regarding a possible descent on the Channel coast of France, mentioning Dieppe specifically. So they felt they should do something about it. The upshot is that after tailing Burton for some time, they have arrested him.’
‘Oh my God! Without a reference to us?’
‘I know. They do like to keep things to themselves. He’s on a technicality, drunken driving, and they’ll release him once the show is over.’
‘So they know about it.’
‘Well, yes. They had to be briefed when they started asking questions. But what interests us is another part of the instructions to Burton. It’s very cryptic: “release Jonsson, use number seven for reply”. What do you suppose they meant by that?’ ‘Did that message ever get to Burton?’
‘No. They just arrested him.’
‘Well, sir, I would say that he has been instructed to betray Jonsson to us. That is, that the Nazis have decided she is of no more use to them.’
‘But if they’re shopping Jonsson, how will Burton get his message back to them?’
‘Through this other agent they seem to have. Number Seven.’
‘And who is he? Or she?’
‘I’m sorry, sir. That’s MI5’s business.’
‘Hmm. I suppose this could put Jonsson in a spot of bother. I mean, she hasn’t been shopped, has she? Not yet, anyway. You’ll have to warn her of the situation. I assume that she's intending to take Burton’s reply back to Germany. But now there won’t be one, will there?’
James looked at Rachel, who was listening on the extension. ‘I think we can sort that one out, sir. Leave it with me.’ ‘Good man. Well, the best of luck, and I hope to see you back in … well, as soon as possible.'
The phone went dead. ‘Has he ever fired a shot in anger in his life?’ Rachel asked.
‘I believe he was a subaltern in the Great War.’
‘And Joanna?’
‘Keep her until I get back. We’ll discuss the situation then.’ He took her in his arms. ‘Aren’t you going to wish me luck?’ She kissed him. “Just come back, you great schmuck.’
‘Shit!’ Franz Hoeppner cried. ‘Shit, shit, shit!’
‘Sir?’ Eva hurried in from the outer office. Franz handed her the sheet of paper with the official heading. ‘Oh, my God!’ she said. ‘Oh, Herr Colonel.’
‘It had to happen some time,’ Franz said. ‘I have been here too long as it is. And I actually applied for a front-line posting last July. It’s just that it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Get me the Albert Hotel in Berlin, will you?’
‘Yes, sir. Ah … that man Monterre is here.’
‘Oh, fuck him. I beg your pardon, Eva. Let him wait. Put that call through first.’
Fifteen minutes later he was connected. ‘Colonel Hoeppner,’ he said. ‘Is Fraulein Jonsson there?’
‘I’m afraid the Fraulein is not in residence at this moment, sir.’
‘But you still have her suite?’
‘Oh, indeed, sir.’
‘So you are expecting her back. When?’ i cannot say, sir. She never gives a time of return. She just shows up.’
Franz hung up. ‘Get me Colonel Weber,’ he told Eva.
But when she returned to say that Colonel Weber was in a meeting and would not be free for another hour, he said wearily, ‘All right. Send Monterre in. This had better be important.’ Monterre shuffled as he always did when in the presence of a German officer, and especially this German officer, after their last encounter. ‘Several weeks ago I reported that the British might be planning an attack on Dieppe, Herr Colonel.’ ‘Based upon some supposition of yours.’
‘With respect, Herr Colonel, my report was based upon the knowledge that Liane de Gruchy had visited Dieppe on the orders of British Intelligence.’
‘A woman who is supposed to be dead.’
‘A woman who, up until three weeks ago, was living near Limoges, where she was recruiting a new band of guerrillas to carry out an attack on forces of the Reich. And do you know who joined them three weeks ago? A British officer named James Barron, who is their control in London. He is also Liane de Gruchy’s lover.’
Liane de Gruchy’s lover! But of course a woman like Liane de Gruchy, however ambivalent her sexuality, would have a lover. A genuine lover, as opposed to the numerous men she had seduced over the past two years. Franz kept his voice even with an effort. ‘And you claim they are on their way to attack Dieppe?’
‘I would claim that it is too much of a coincidence that a woman as important to the Resistance as Liane de Gruchy should be sent on a mission to Dieppe and, having returned to Limoges, prepare her people for aggressive action, and then be joined by her British controller. These three things must be connected.’
Franz stroked his chin while subjecting him to one of his long stares. ‘You say they left Limoges three weeks ago. Why are you only reporting it now?’
‘Because they suspect me. I cannot go there when they are there, except very secretly. I last went there two weeks ago, when I learned about the Englishman and that they had left the previous week. Then I came here, but it takes time. Do you not think I deserve a reward?’
‘There will be no reward,’ Franz said. ‘You will be paid, as always, for this information. If you learn anything more, bring it in. I will give you the name of my successor.’
‘You are leaving Bordeaux, Herr Colonel?’
‘Yes,’ Franz said.
‘Well, Franz,’ Weber said into the telephone, ‘what is the trouble now?’
‘I thought you might be interested to know that I have been given a regiment and transferred to the Russian front. Did you know of this?’
‘No, I did not. But I congratulate you. Certainly on the regiment. It is long overdue. As for Russia, well, at least it is summer. And we appear to be doing well. You will be in at the finish.’
‘I would hope so. However, as I am to leave in the next week, I think it would be a good idea if Joanna and I were married before I go. Unfortunately, she does not seem to have returned. Why is this? You said she would be back in a fortnight, but it is now well over a month and I have not heard from her.’
‘I know. It is inconvenient.’
‘Are you not concerned?’
‘She has been late before. I am afraid, Franz, that Joanna is a woman who does things her own way and in her own time. I am surprised you have not already learned this.’
/> ‘So you are not worried.’
‘No, no. There has probably been some problem with shipping passages. I can understand how disappointed you are, but you know, a slight delay might not be a bad thing. It is always distressing when a couple gets married just before the husband leaves for the front … and then doesn’t come back.’
‘You are all heart, Oskar. Tell me, have you done anything about Dieppe?’
‘Why should I do anything about Dieppe? You mean because of that cock and bull story dreamed up by one of your informers? My dear fellow, I have far more important things to do.’
‘As you wish. I just thought that you should know that following my cock and bull story of a high-level member of the Resistance being sent to Dieppe, I have a report that they are preparing themselves for a considerable offensive movement within the occupied territory, a movement that is going to involve covering a considerable amount of ground. I have also learned that they have been joined by a British officer who is going to command their activities. Now, I am sure you will agree with me that there is no possibility the Resistance can consider a large-scale operation on their own. They must be expecting outside help. That can only come from the British, and it can only come from across the Channel. I leave you to draw your own conclusions. As I am in any event bound for Russia, I have put my conclusions in a memorandum, which I am forwarding to OKW. I have, of course, as 1 am duty bound to, reported the gist of my conversations with you on this matter. Good day to you, Oskar.’
Weber regarded the phone for several seconds. Sour grapes? But he kept coming back to the same story. And if he was submitting a report to OKW …
Weber picked up the phone again. ‘Get me Colonel Roess, in Paris.’
*
James and Liane lay on their stomachs on a grassy knoll, looking down on the shallow valley and the railway line. Having reached their destination, James was in uniform, while Liane wore her usual trousers, blouse and beret.
‘That runs straight into Dieppe,’ she said.
‘That’s our initial target.’
She turned her head. ‘I thought we were attacking Dieppe.’ ‘The Commandos and the Canadian brigade are doing that. Our business is to seal the port and prevent reinforcements getting in.’
Legacy of Hate Page 22