Alice walked into the room and stepped in front of the girl. “Bonjour,” she replied.
“Vous êtes les amis de ma maman?” she asked.
“Oui nous sommes.” Alice told her.
She placed her hand into Alice’s, swinging it happily. “I can speak English.”
Unsure of why she was so trusting, Vera shook her head at Alice to not respond in English but their cover was broken when Reggie knelt down in front of the little girl and said, “Well then, it’s a jolly good job that we can too. Now, what’s your name?”
“Colette.”
“Well, Colette, I’m…”
Vera interrupted Reggie before he could do any more harm. “Colette, this is Christophe, Eduard, Claude, Celeste and I’m Véronique.” She felt it safer to give their fake names rather than giveaway who they really were. “What were you doing outside, with the flowerpot?”
“I play games. My mama gives me a piece of paper and I place it inside the flowerpot and then I take the one that is left inside it and give it to mama.”
Vera knelt down next to Reggie. Her smile warming and her eyes filled with friendliness, she asked, “And do you know who is leaving you these messages?”
The girl shook her head.
“Perhaps Colette would be kind enough to let us read the piece of paper in her pocket?” Alice contributed.
Colette placed her hand into her coat pocket and pulled out the folded paper. She handed it to Vera, who unfolded it and read it.
British troops are heading north, to the coast.
Will take escaped prisoners to safety.
She handed it to Sergeant Webb. “Do you think they’ve left already?”
He read the message. “There may be a chance that we could catch up with them. Everyone, get your stuff together, we’ve got a heck of a walk ahead of us.”
“Colette, you’ve been extremely helpful to us. Thank you. Now let’s fold this note back up and put it back into your pocket. Now, make sure that no one has followed you and be careful,” Vera told her.
“Oui, I will. Adieu.” She let go of Alice’s hand and skipped out of the house and down the path.
“Leave no evidence behind,” Sergeant Webb told everyone.
•••
Keeping out of sight within the safety of the trees and fields, they trekked north. Luftwaffe planes flew overhead, on route to England for their next bombing raid.
“Stay under the trees,” Sergeant Webb called out.
Vera pulled Alice close to the tree trunk, pressing herself up against her. Ensuring that none of the others were looking at them, she brushed her cheek against Alice’s. A playful smile crossed her face.
“You’ll get us shot by our own men, if you display these affections,” Alice whispered.
“Every time I’ve been on a mission, I’ve always felt as though it would be my last but this one is different. You’ve given me reason to believe that we’ll make it home.”
Alice lowered her head. “Do you think that we can hold some sort of ceremony for George, and of course, Antoine and Mariette?”
“Of course. They died saving us. They deserve a medal.”
“Okay, let’s move out, they’ve gone,” Sergeant Webb called.
•••
They’d been walking for hours, avoiding any contact with locals by walking through uncultivated fields.
“Vera, I’m tired,” Alice complained.
“Hang in there, we can’t be far behind them now,” she told her.
It was at that moment that a vehicle drove along a narrow lane to the left of the field. Close behind it was another and another. Frightened for their safety, they all crouched down in the tall grass, waiting to see just who was driving by them.
British troops were driving through, heading north in a procession of personnel carriers, heavy tanks, armoured cars and lorries.
Realising that they had caught up with their own troops, Sergeant Webb stood up and gratefully flagged them down.
Being spotted by one of the drivers, the troops came to a stop. Soldiers on top of the armoured car, held their rifles pointed in the direction of the yelling people.
“It’s okay, we’re British,” Sergeant Webb called to them as he approached.
“Stay right where you are,” an Officer instructed them. He stepped out of the lorry and instructed three of his men to jump down and accompany him into the field. “If you are all British, then why are these two men dressed in German uniforms?”
“We have proof that we’re British. I’m Sergeant Timothy Webb and these two men are British airmen, John Staples and Reggie Brown. They were shot down in a dogfight close to Lille and we were sent to rescue them, so that they could get back into fighting for our country. They had no choice in wearing these uniforms, it was this, or wear their own uniforms,” Sergeant Webb informed them.
The officer glared at the two men. “Staples and Brown, you say?” he turned to one of the soldiers. “Find out.”
The soldier marched back to the lorry, to transmit a message. Shortly after, he returned. “Sir, it was confirmed that two British pilots were lost over Lille five months ago. Their names, John Staples and Reginald Brown, Sir.”
“Very well. We’ll accommodate you and take you all to safety. Long live the King.”
•••
Feeling relieved that they were under the protection of the army, they all sat in the back of the personnel carrier, along with many soldiers. Alice and Vera sat next to each other. “It won’t be long before we’re back in England. Do you think that you’ll find yourself back on another mission? I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t, it’s not something that just anyone can do. There was a mission that I was assigned to not so long ago. Even though it wasn’t my first kill, it certainly affected me differently than the others.” Vera told her.
Alice sighed heavily. “I honestly don’t know. I think I might need time to think about it, once we’re on homeland. Why did the mission affect you differently?”
“She was my first female kill. As soon as I received the details about her, I just knew that it was going to be difficult for me.”
“Are you allowed to say why you had to kill her?”
“She was a traitor. Not only to the ally’s but she had spent a few weeks training at the camp, meaning that she knew all about us. Alice, this may be hard for you to take in but she was the reason why your brother was killed. She betrayed him and it was just a matter of time before she would have informed the enemy of our whereabouts. She placed her hand on top of Alice’s. “You did yourself proud, Alice Bennet. And whatever you decide to do, I’ll back your decision all the way.”
“You killed the person responsible for my brother’s death?”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad it was you.” She rested her cheek on Vera’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Knowing that her first mission had been a success, and that the British airmen were on their way back to fight again, Alice felt extremely proud of herself. She knew that she had it in her to do it all again if she had to, and with Vera at her side, she knew that her decision would be swayed quite easily…
Until the next secret mission…
Other Published Works:
A Wartime Love
Captain Caiterina O’Creagh
Captain Caiterina O’Creagh and Elizabeth Bromley
A Victorian Romance
The Memoirs of Ivie Smith
The Submissive Scullery Maid
Ruby Tipped Globes
The Dark Cully’s Mistress
Stop in the Name of Love
Chasing Yesterday
Tell Me What To Do
Lesbian in Question
Paige Bleu Series
Loving the Pink Kiss
Pink Crush
Pink Seduction
Touching Gloves
She’s on the Ball
Sex, Ropes and Chains, Safe Word Series
Vampire Changeling
Erotic Spirits
&nb
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Silent Killing Page 11