by Dan Walsh
That was fifteen minutes ago.
Sadly, he would miss Jack. Jack had waited as long as he dared, but he had to start his journey back to Middle Wallop an hour ago. Renée had thoroughly enjoyed the time they’d spent together. She was sure that at least part of that joy was just having several hours of in-depth, uninterrupted conversation with another adult. She and Elliot hadn’t spent that much time together in weeks.
But as she thought on it now, she realized…even though several of her dates with Elliot in her first week in England had lasted as long, they were always doing something, like going to the movies or shopping. Their conversations were always short and constantly interrupted by other things.
In just a few short hours with Jack, she already knew so much more about his life than she did about Elliot’s. From the little she did know of Elliot’s story, his upbringing seemed to be on the opposite end of life’s spectrum than Jack’s in every conceivable way.
Jack had lived the life of a pauper, Elliot the life of a prince.
Jack was able and willing to talk about most of his childhood experiences, his father’s physical handicaps and the special kind of friendship they had enjoyed right up until this terrible family secret had been exposed. It was clear, unlike the contempt Elliot felt for his grandfather, Jack loved his father dearly. This recent revelation had shaken Jack up, but he was convinced his father had only kept these things from him because he’d been forced to do so.
Jack had no idea why all these things had happened, or what had set them in motion, but he was determined to find the answers.
The last thing Jack and Renée had talked about before he left was just how much of his story she should share with Elliot, knowing she would see him way before Jack did. She felt Elliot should hear it all firsthand from Jack, not her. Jack agreed. Then there was this long pause, as if Jack was struggling about what he needed to say next.
The scene replayed in her mind now. As soon as Jack had said it, she wished he had not. But she also knew, considering the reality of their situation, he was right to ask this favor of her, and she had an obligation to fulfill it, though she hoped she never would.
“Renée, I really want to see Elliot. To meet him in person and share all of these things with him myself. And to hear everything he’d want to say to me. That’s how I hope this thing goes. But every time I take off in that plane, I have no idea whether I’ll get back to the base alive. And I have no idea when I’ll get to meet Elliot myself. So, I’m going to leave word with my friends at Middle Wallop, that if I die on one of these missions they will let you know. And if that day comes, will you share all these things with Elliot for me?”
Remembering it now, and the tender look in Jack’s eyes when he’d said these words, brought a tear to her eyes. She walked to the dresser and picked up a tissue. As she wiped her eyes, she prayed, “Please Lord, don’t let that happen. Protect Jack. Let him be able to say all these things to Elliot in person.”
A knock at the door.
She stood in front of the mirror, made a few adjustments then walked to the door. Peeking through the little hole, she saw it was Elliot. A deep inhale. She opened it. “Hi, Elliot. You look tired.”
He walked in, gave her a quick hug then walked past her. “I am. Dead tired. But after getting your message, I knew I had to come right over. Whatever it is, I’m sorry for making you wait so long to deliver it. And sorry again for not making our date at the Cross and Sword. And sorry for not even having the decency to call you and let you know I wouldn’t be coming. I suppose Corporal Edwards told you an emergency came up in Brighton. I didn’t have a choice. I had to leave immediately to take care of it.”
“That’s okay. Even before I called your office, I knew it would be something like that. Were you able to… get your situation sorted out?”
“Finally, yes I was. It was beginning to look like I would have to stay there for the night.” He walked over and sat in the upholstered chair.
“Would you like a glass of water?”
“Please.”
She handed it to him and sat on the sofa closest to where he was. “Did you get anything to eat?”
“Stopped on the drive here, got some fish and chips.”
“That’s what we ate.”
His expression instantly changed. “We? Were you with a friend? Someone from the store?”
“A friend, yes. But not someone from the store.” This wasn’t the way she intended to introduce this. Too late now. If she read his eyes right, he had just become a little concerned. Maybe even a little jealous. For just a moment, she wondered if he had good reason.
“Anyone I know?”
“Actually Elliot, the person I ate with is also the reason for my urgent message this afternoon. I’ve been with him since just after lunch until about an hour ago.”
“Him?”
She paused, took a deep breath.
“What is it? You seem a little tense.”
“That’s because of the news I’m about to share with you. It’s very big. I’m not sure how it will affect you. And I’m not exactly sure where to begin.”
He leaned forward on the chair. “This sounds pretty serious.”
“It is.”
“Is it someone from home, your home in France?”
“This really isn’t about me. It’s about you. I guess I should just say it. I’ve spent the last six or seven hours with your brother, Elliot.”
The tension on his face gave way to a smile, like he was relieved by what she just said. “I don’t have a brother, Renée. Don’t you remember? I was raised an only child. I don’t have any siblings, sister or brother.”
“Yes you do, Elliot. His name is Jack, Jack Turner.”
He was still smiling. Now he was shaking his head. “Renée, I don’t know who you spent the afternoon with, but it wasn’t with my brother. I don’t have one. And I can assure you, with the utmost certainty, that if I did our family would have never named him Jack.”
This wasn’t working. How could she make him take this seriously? “Elliot, please understand. You really do have a brother. I wasn’t with some kind of imposter, or someone playing pretend. I heard his whole story this afternoon. I believed everything I heard. I could share it with you, but we both felt it would be better for the two of you to meet, and for you to hear what he has to say in person.”
He sat back in his chair. “I can see that you are serious about this. I’m not trying to make light of it. But it doesn’t make any sense. If I had a brother, don’t you think my mother would have said something to me? Where would they have hidden him all these years? And why would he just show up suddenly, this afternoon?”
“I don’t know why your mother, or your grandfather, hid this information from you. Jack doesn’t know, either.”
“Jack —” Elliot said sternly. As if he was angry that she had inserted his name so casually in her explanation.
“Yes, Jack,” she said. “That’s his name, Elliot. You have a brother named Jack.”
“And what makes you so sure he’s my brother, Renée?”
“Because Elliot… Jack is your twin. In fact, he looks exactly like you. So much so, that when I saw him walk into the Cross and Sword this afternoon, I assumed it was you coming in late. I had already been there an hour. But then, he didn’t sit with me. He didn’t even look up at me, and I was sitting at our table. The one we always sit at. I had to get up and go over to him. I noticed he was wearing a different uniform and his hair was parted on the other side, but I just thought you were wearing some kind of disguise. Even when I got right up to his table, I still thought it was you. But the moment he spoke, it was clear he had no idea who I was. And he spoke with an American accent.”
“An American accent?” Elliot’s face now was utter confusion.
“As we talked, I found out he had come all this way from the US, even joined the RAF, just so he could be in England and find you. Our meeting there today was totally by chance. He had co
me there from the library on a lunch break. Do you know what he was doing?”
Elliot shook his head no.
“For the last two days, he had been looking through a directory filled with the names of English nobility, hoping to find some trace of you in there. He wasn’t even sure the two of you shared the same last name, or what your grandfather’s last name was. He had only discovered that you exist a few months ago. His father said he wasn’t allowed to share any of the details of what happened. If he wanted to know, Jack would have to come over here and find out the answers for himself.”
“Wait… did you say his father? Are you saying his father—my father is alive?”
31
The following morning, Elliot arrived at their office building on Baker Street ten minutes before his CO drove into the back parking lot. Lieutenant Colonel Browning always followed the same routine. Elliot knew he had to meet him there, before he got inside, or else he’d be forced to wait till the end of the day to see him. Elliot couldn’t sit on this that long. It was eating him up inside.
Last night, even though his body was completely exhausted, he’d hardly slept a wink. Tossed and turned the whole night. As much as he wanted to doubt the veracity of what Renée had said, he had no doubt that she believed the man she’d spent the better part of the day with was Jack Turner, Elliot’s twin brother. And the more Elliot thought about it, the more convinced he became that it might very well be true. Why would this American come all the way over here and spend all his free time trying to find him? Elliot knew how little free time RAF pilots had these days.
True, he could be a con man. But con men usually do their homework. And if he had, he’d have known the Bainbridge Estate, due to a host of unfortunate factors, was living through its final years. There was no great fortune left. Elliot wasn’t even sure it would survive the war. And what con man would have his face totally reconstructed to look like his intended target? Especially when there was no financial gain to be had?
No, whatever this was, Elliot did not believe Renée had been the unwitting victim of a con. He had to find out what was going on here. He had to see this man for himself. Before he left last night, he’d asked Renée a number of other questions, but she said she’d rather he get those answers from Jack, than her.
Eight minutes later, like clockwork, Lieutenant Colonel Browning’s staff car drove up and pulled into its unofficial parking space. His adjutant got out and opened the door for him. As he did, Elliot was standing right there and offered a full salute.
“Elliot, what are you doing here?” He returned the salute.
Elliot took a few steps back. “I need to see you, Colonel, on a matter of serious importance.”
“Seems like most of the things we talk about are of serious importance. Isn’t that our job? Couldn’t this have waited until I got inside?”
“Not really, sir. I know what your schedule looks like today. I wouldn’t get a chance to speak with you until 3:30, when I brief you on the results of my Brighton trip. But this couldn’t wait that long.”
Browning looked at Elliot’s face for a moment. “You don’t look so good, Major. Are you feeling well?”
“I’m just tired, sir. Didn’t sleep very well last night.”
Browning turned and said to his adjutant, “You can go in now, Sergeant. I’ll be in shortly.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Am I correct in assuming this urgent business is more of a personal nature?”
“Yes, it is. I’d like your permission to take off a day or two.”
“Starting when?”
“Starting right now, sir. Something’s come up, and I really need to get it squared away as soon as possible.”
“Elliot, you know our situation. Everything is teetering on a ledge. The Germans could invade at any moment. I can’t spare you for two days. What if everything breaks loose while you’re gone? All the operations you’re in charge of, who would handle them? There’s no one. Everything that needs to be done isn’t even written down. It’s all in your head.”
“I know that, Colonel. But I am current on all my priorities, and the situation you asked me to handle in Brighton yesterday is well in hand. I won’t be more than two hours away, and I’ll call you every two hours to check in.”
“Two hours,” Browning said. “This personal business doesn’t have anything to do with your grandfather? I don’t think I can support—”
“No, Colonel. It has nothing to do with him. I’d be driving two hours in a different direction.” Elliot knew why the Colonel had brought this up. Before the war, like many in the aristocracy, his grandfather had been a Hitler supporter. Many felt Hitler and the fascists were a far better alternative to the Communists, who had already demonstrated their hatred for the higher classes. His grandfather and many of his friends had shown their support publicly, although most had backed down once Hitler invaded Poland. But not Elliot’s grandfather. He became part of a minority in the aristocracy convinced Hitler would easily conquer England and urged the British government to sue for peace.
“All right, Major. If you must go, then go. But do as you said, call in at least every two hours.”
“I will, sir.”
“Can you tell me what this is about? Even a little? It’s not like you running off like this.”
“I’d prefer not to, sir. At least until I have checked everything out. There’s a possibility this is all some kind of bizarre misunderstanding. But I won’t know for sure, unless I investigate everything myself.”
“Okay, then. Guess I’ll see you back here in two days. Hope the Germans sit tight until then.”
“Thank you, Colonel.” He saluted and headed for his car.
Two hours later, Elliot pulled up to the guardhouse in front of Middle Wallop airfield.
The guard stepped up to the car, looked inside and saluted. “Pilot Officer Turner, I don’t understand, sir.”
“Are you blind, Corporal? You can’t tell the difference between a Pilot Officer’s insignia and that of a major? I’m not even wearing an RAF uniform.”
“No, sir. You’re not. And I’m sorry, sir. I do know the difference, but…I don’t understand. And your voice…”
“Would you just lift the gate, Corporal?”
“Yes, sir. Right away, sir.” He stepped back into the guardhouse. The gate opened.
“I assume that’s the headquarters building over there,” Elliot said.
“It is, sir.”
“Is Group Captain Reginald Gibson here today?”
“I believe he is, sir. He should be in the headquarters building.”
“Great, thank you.” The corporal saluted as Elliot drove past the gate. Well, Elliot thought, that was bizarre. But obviously, more evidence of what Renée had said about how much he and Jack Turner looked alike. And he’d learned that this fellow, Jack, was merely a Pilot Officer, the lowest ranking officer in the RAF. But then again, he would be, if he was one of the few Yankee pilots who had come over here to help them fight the Luftwaffe.
He pulled up to an empty place in front of the headquarters building. Once inside, he stepped up to a reception desk. Behind it, another corporal sat typing away. He noticed Elliot, instantly stopped, turned and saluted. Then like the guard at the gate, a startled expression came over his face. “I am not Pilot Officer Turner. I am Major Elliot Turner. Is Group Captain Gibson available? I need to speak with him. I’ll only need a few minutes of his time.”
“Uh, yes sir. He’s in. Let me see if he can see you now?” He picked up the phone and dialed two numbers. “Excuse me, sir. There’s a Major Elliot Turner out here to see you. He said he only needs a few minutes of your time. I think you’ll want to see him, sir. Why? It will become obvious, sir, as soon as you meet. Shall I send him in?” He hung up and looked at Elliot. “Group Captain Gibson will see you, sir. Just go in that door.” He pointed toward a door on the other side of his desk.
Elliot stepped inside. Captain Gibson was already looking
up. Two things immediately happened. Elliot saluted and the captain’s face registered instant shock and confusion.
Captain Gibson returned the salute. “Major Turner?”
“That’s me, sir.” In the pecking order of the RAF, Captain Gibson held the equivalent rank of a full Colonel. Two levels above Elliot.
“At ease, Major. Please, have a seat.”
“I’m sorry to come here unannounced, sir. But I believe there is a Pilot Officer stationed here named Jack Turner. If so, I wish to see him.”
“PO Turner is definitely here. He’s one of our best fighter pilots, to be exact. But, you do know he’s an American?”
“I’ve been told.”
“And clearly, he’s a relative of yours.”
“I’ve been told that, too.”
“Then you’ve never met? Is he some kind of distant cousin? Although, I find that hard to believe. The resemblance between you is astonishing. You look more like…”
“Like brothers?”
“Yes, but even more than that.”
“Supposedly, we are twins, sir.”
“Twins? Did you say supposedly? What does that mean?”
“It’s as you say, Captain, Officer Turner and I have never met. Apparently, he’s been trying to find me and yesterday, he left word with a mutual friend that he would like to meet. If you could spare him for a few hours, I would like to meet this man in person, and sort this matter out.”
“I find this quite amazing, Major. But yes, definitely, the two of you should meet. He’s only been here a short while, but I have developed a good deal of respect for Pilot Officer Turner. He has a bright future in the RAF. We have no missions scheduled for today and, unless Goering decides to launch his aerial invasion this afternoon, I suppose I could spare Turner for a few hours. If you’ll take a seat out in the reception area, I’ll send for him directly.”