Family of Spies, page 12
“Okay, so now we know Owl is a spy, or at least we think he is—” Ford began.
“And 13:50 could be military time, so 1:50 pm. The Mona Lisa could be—” Gavin was then interrupted by Ellie whose words tumbled out fast.
“The Mona Lisa has always hung at the Louvre, which is our next Great-Granddad stop. He wanted us to come here.”
“But what about the rest of the code?” Ford asked.
“Well, sun and moon could represent both day and night and the number two…” Ellie trailed off.
“The number two could mean two days and two nights. So, if we put it all together—”
“Owl was to meet Great-Granddad at 1:50 pm at the Louvre in two days!” Ford said, nearly yelling.
“Well done, Wizard,” Ellie said.
Ford grinned. “We are a pretty good team.”
Ellie pulled the Louvre postcard from her backpack. “Might as well be ready.”
They passed through an archway into a large open square. Tourists were everywhere and they needed to find someplace quiet.
“Let’s get away from everyone,” Ford said, leading them off to the side and closer to the building itself, where they could talk in private. When they were well out of earshot of any strangers, he pointed to the postcard. “Can you hold it up for me? I want to check something out.”
Ford held his hand an inch or so from the paper. A gust of wind fluttered it, pushing it closer to his fingertips. He yanked his hand back, narrowly avoiding making contact. Ellie held it firmly in two hands and Ford hovered once more. Déjà vu wafted from it. The paper shimmered. Ford squinted. He could barely make out a man standing by a corner of the building. It was like a transparent veil separated them. The man turned his face. Ford gasped. Great-Granddad came into focus and he looked alarmed. Something was definitely wrong. Great-Granddad disappeared.
“We need to go through that next archway,” Ford said, looking across the plaza. “Follow me.”
Ford’s feet fell heavily on the pavement as he darted through throngs of people to the next square. He slowed only a little as they approached the modern glass pyramid entrance. Ford wove through the wide queue waiting to get inside. Ellie kept up. Gavin was only a few steps behind. A sense of urgency mixed with dread quickened his pace until they reached the spot he had seen in his hazy vision.
“This is it?” Ellie asked.
Ford looked at the massive stone building and its tall arched window. “Yes.”
Gavin stood close to Ford and scanned the busy courtyard. “Better hurry. If someone is watching us, there is no way we will find them in this massive crowd.”
Ford’s heartbeat quickened. With the back of his hand, he wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. There were hundreds of people here. His voice trembled as he spoke. “It could be anyone. We need to be fast.”
Ellie passed Ford the postcard. The moment his fingers grasped the card, the square in front of them flickered and greyed. The pyramid faded into oblivion and the tourists milling around them blinked out of sight, first by ones, and then by twos, and finally large groups vanished altogether. Instead of families and tour groups marvelling at the sights, Nazi troops goose-stepped in formation on the other side of the plaza. Only a few civilians remained, and they walked with purpose, seemingly eager to be anywhere but here.
“Nazis are here too,” Ford said, searching for their great-grandfather. “I think I see him. At least I think it’s him. He’s got the same hat, the same coat…yup that’s him, but he’s got a limp and he’s walking a brown dog—I think it’s a Labrador Retriever.”
Had he hurt himself? And when did he get a dog? Maybe it was all part of his disguise.
“He’s coming straight this—”
Ford leaped to the side, only just clearing the way for his great-grandfather. Last thing Ford wanted was another soul collision.
His great-grandfather stood for a few moments, scanning the area. His foot tapped the ground. He whapped the handle of the dog leash against his thigh. “Come on, Owl. Where are you? It’s been two days,” he muttered and wobbled along to the side of the building. Ford followed.
They stopped under the shade of a large tree whose branches arched wide, touching the stone walls of the museum. Great-Granddad removed his fedora, smoothed his hair back, and eased his hat back in place.
“Jacques. Garde,” he said to the dog, who immediately stood still and alert. His ears perked forward, his tail ramrod straight. A low growl emanated from Jacques as he looked out to the open square.
“We were right about the letter. Owl was supposed to meet Great-Granddad here, but he is a no-show. Great-Granddad looks worried. Jacques—his dog—is protecting him.”
His great-grandfather crouched down, partially hidden from view by the large Labrador, and leaned against the building. He pulled out a jackknife and flipped the blade open. Pushing hard into the stone, he began carving a shape.
“He’s making a mark on the wall. It’s—” Ford squinted. “He’s carving some sort of dog, with pointy ears. No, wait. I think it’s a fox. Next to it is an owl and now he’s—”
Jacques growled louder. His great-grandfather stopped carving and peered around the dog’s shoulder. Walking very quickly towards them and shoulder-checking like he had a twitch was Wilhelm. Great-Granddad leapt to his feet. Jacques growled louder and lunged at the German. Wilhelm jumped to the side, Jacques leapt again and pinned him to the wall, snarling.
“Wilhelm’s here and I don’t think Jacques likes him,” Ford said. “They say dogs can sense things we can’t. I wonder what he knows about Wilhelm that we don’t know.”
“Non, Jacques. Couche,” Great-Granddad said, yanking on the leash. Jacques backed down, but a low growl remained.
Wilhelm stepped away from the wall and tipped his hat with a trembling hand. “Danke.” Wilhelm’s voice shook.
Great-Granddad looked over Wilhelm’s shoulder and grabbed his arm, pulling him further under the shade of the tree and out of sight.
“I have news for you and I need a favour. It’s of the utmost urgency.”
“Ja. What do you need?”
“I’m looking for one of my agents. He was supposed to meet us here. My intention was for you to get him underground, but—”
“Underground? Francis, how would I do this? Hiding your spies is not part of our agreement. That is a dangerous favour you are asking. Very dangerous.”
“I do realize the risk to you and the compensation would be generous. However, my agent has gone missing.”
Wilhelm’s gaze flicked to the ground and back up. “That is unfortunate.”
“Yes, it is. He may be in German custody. Has there been any talk of an American, late twenties, dark brown hair, fluent in French, German, and Italian?”
Wilhelm cleared his throat and shook his head. “Nein, nein. There has been no chatter. If I hear anything, I will tell you.”
Ford watched Wilhelm’s every move. So did the dog.
“Great-Granddad needs Wilhelm to find out anything he can about the whereabouts of Owl. He thinks the Nazis may have him. Wilhelm sounds nervous,” Ford said, his intuition telling him that Wilhelm was lying—or at least not telling Great-Granddad everything.
Jacques growled louder and bared his teeth. Wilhelm lurched back, his face pale. Great-Granddad pulled quickly on the leash. The dog settled.
“Listen, old chap, to thank you for your last package, I have some intelligence about an air strike—an air strike on Dresden. That is where your family is living, correct?”
Wilhelm nodded.
“You need to move them. Soon.”
“An air strike? On Dresden? Nein. It is a porcelain-making city. There is nothing of military importance there. It has never been bombed—not once.”
“Wilhelm, you must believe me. My information is solid.”
“It does not sound likely and how do I explain to my wife and to the authorities why I am making a second move in less than a year?”
“You are a master manipulator. Make something up. I have no reason to lie. Our agreement was that I help keep your family safe and reward you at the end of the war in exchange for information regarding any future strikes on Britain. Look how well you did providing me with the photos of the Nazi bombing maps. That saved British civilian lives.”
Wilhelm nodded. “And now you have changed this agreement. You want me to poke around German Intelligence to find your missing spy. I am a lowly clerk. It is extremely dangerous to mess with the SS. Extremely.”
Great-Granddad cocked his head, his eyes narrowed. “We are on the same side, aren’t we Wilhelm? I know we have this façade well-constructed, but ultimately, you are striving for an Allied win, are you not?”
“Ja, ja, of course,” Wilhelm stammered. “I was only thinking of my children. If my superiors found out…”
“Yes, I do understand, but I am sure you understand how important you are to me, to the whole war effort, in fact.” Great-Granddad pulled his trench coat sleeve back and looked at his watch. “You should go. You’ve been here too long already.”
“Farewell, Francis. And thank you for your warning. I will consider it.”
“Please do, Wilhelm.”
Wilhelm clicked his heels, his arm shot upwards, then he stopped abruptly, changing his obvious Nazi salute into a cough. The dog snarled again.
“Great-Granddad’s watching Wilhelm leave,” Ford said. “I just don’t trust that man.”
Great-Granddad stroked the dog’s back. Jacques’s growling ceased.
“So much just happened. I don’t know where to start. Great-Granddad tried to warn Wilhelm that his family was in danger, but Wilhelm didn’t seem to believe him. Now Wilhelm’s supposed to watch out for any signs of Owl.”
Great-Granddad dropped the dog leash. “Ici, Jacques. Garde,” he said and crouched down.
“He’s back to carving on the wall. He—”
Jacques growled, his ears jerked forward. Great-Granddad shot to his feet. Ford twisted to see two Nazi officers heading towards them. Ford stepped back further under the shade of the tree.
“Not enough time,” Great-Granddad said, jamming his knife into his pocket. “D’accord, Jacques. Piste. Vite,” he commanded the dog, letting go of the leash.
Jacques began barking and raced across the square, directly into the path of two Nazi officers.
“Let’s hope those Krauts fall for it,” Great-Granddad muttered and staggered out from under the tree’s shade, limping after Jacques.
Ford followed, relaying everything he saw. “He’s been spotted, but he’s not fleeing. In fact, I think he’s using the dog as some sort of diversion. Kind of like you did, Ellie, in the library parking lot.”
His great-grandfather chased after the dog, his gait more of a stumbling hop than a sprint. He called all sorts of French commands, but the dog completely ignored him and bounded between the two Germans. One of the officers reached for the dog’s leash, but Jacques was too fast. He barked, his tail wagging madly, and circled them.
“Jacques, Jacques,” Great-Granddad called louder, but the dog simply took off towards the front street.
“Je suis désolé,” Great-Granddad called to the officers, hobble-running in pursuit of the dog. The Nazis looked at each other and laughed, then turned and walked back toward the entranceway.
Ford followed his great-grandfather. “He totally fooled them. We’re chasing the dog out of the Louvre grounds. Now we’re rushing down the street.”
They continued to the end of the block. A woman in a telephone booth at the corner glanced out at the dog, a small smile flickered on her face, until her gaze rose to see Great-Granddad. Her smile vanished. She blanched. He shook his head ever so slightly and slowed to a walk. He passed her, his limp still present. Jacques now at his side.
Ford stopped and stared at the woman.
“There’s a lady. She’s beautiful. She looks familiar…” Ford gasped. “It’s the woman I saw in the vision from the general’s office. The one who’d been beaten. She’s here!”
As Great-Granddad turned the corner, the scene in front of Ford: the telephone booth, the woman, the street itself flickered, the colours dimmed. Ford spun around and the world around him grew fuzzy. As the past winked out, the glass pyramid and the Louvre rushed at him, as did Ellie, Gavin, and the masses of people in the square. He staggered to the side as he adjusted to being back in the real world.
Gavin grabbed his arm to steady him. He leaned into his brother, his body heavy.
“That was…” Ford said, searching for the right word.
“Intense?” Ellie asked.
“Yeah.” So many questions had been answered; Great-Granddad was definitely a spy master, Owl was definitely in danger, and the woman from the photo was definitely important. At the same time, new questions arose. With every step they took in pursuit of Great-Granddad, the more complex his mystery became.
Ellie looked at her phone. “You did great. I think I got everything down.”
“And no one was watching us. At least not that I could tell,” Gavin added.
Ford grabbed his stomach. “I need to eat something.”
Ellie laughed. “Of course you do.” She unzipped her bag. “I’m sure I have something in here. Will an apple do? It’s only slightly bruised.” She tossed it to Ford.
“Thanks,” Ford said, rubbing it off on his hoodie. He spun the fruit around searching for a dent-free side. He took a big bite, the cool, crisp sweetness exactly what his body needed. That and sleep. He closed his eyes and chewed. If only he could take a little nap.
“Let’s go see if Great-Granddad’s carving is still on the building,” Ellie said.
Ford’s eyes popped open. Right. Nap time could wait.
Gavin looked at his watch. “We still have twenty minutes before the parents get here.”
They made their way to where Ford had seen Great-Granddad waiting with Jacques. Ford crouched and examined the brickwork. His body sagged. “It’s gone.”
Ellie ran her fingers along the wall. “Nothing. It’s like it never happened.”
Ford stood, his legs wobbly, and glared at Ellie. “Are you still doubting me?”
“No, I believe you. I just really wanted to see it, to see physical proof of all of this.” She waved her arms around.
“You want proof? What about me? You’ve seen me go into these…trances. Isn’t that proof enough?” Sweat beaded around his hair line. He couldn’t believe that he had been more worried that Gavin wouldn’t believe him. What was Ellie’s problem?
“Yeah, it is. Really. And that’s not it. I just—you know—wanted to see what you see for myself…somehow. It’s hard not being in control, not knowing exactly what is going on. I’m pretty used to knowing…everything.” Ellie blushed. “That sounded really conceited, didn’t it?
Knots in his neck eased. “Yeah it did.” Ford laughed. “And welcome to my world. Being out of the loop isn’t always so easy.”
Ellie grinned. “Sorry, Cuz.” She lifted three fingers in the Girl Guide salute. “I promise to believe in Ford and all the unbelievable things he sees.”
Ford smiled. “Thanks. I think. Listen, our parents are going to be here soon. We need to talk about what we think happened to Owl, and who is this woman from the photo and why is she here in this vision, and where did Great-Granddad get the dog?”
“The dog part is the easiest to answer,” Gavin said. “Spies often used dogs as part of their infiltration into enemy territory. Not only were they used as guard dogs, but they helped the agents appear as if they belonged in the community. You know—just a regular Joe taking his dog for a daily walk.”
“How could you possible know that?” Ford asked, taking another chomp of his apple.
“I had trouble falling asleep last night, so I did a bit of research online. The gadgets they had back then were really impressive. Hidden compartments in the soles of their shoes, maps fitted into playing cards, pens with secret compartments, and instructions hidden in coded messages that allied-friendly radio stations would read over the airwaves.”
Gavin was like a walking textbook. “Professor, you truly are amazing.” Ford finished his apple and tossed the core in a trash can, wiping his sticky fingers on the sides of his jeans.
Ellie’s fingers hovered above her phone, ready to take more notes. “And what about Owl? Do we think he’s been captured?”
Ford stifled a yawn. “It sure looks that way.” Ford thought about Wilhelm’s reaction to his great-granddad’s questions. “I don’t think Great-Granddad trusts Wilhelm. I mean, he is an informant after all and how do we know he isn’t a double agent? How do we know for certain where his true allegiance lies?”
“Good point. The only thing we really know for sure about Wilhelm is that the safety of his wife and kids drives his every move,” said Gavin.
Ellie looked up from her phone. “And this woman that you saw. Why is she important?”
Ford’s stomach pinched, and it wasn’t from hunger. Instinct again. “All I know is she is important, otherwise I wouldn’t have seen her in two visions now. Do you think she’s a spy?”
Gavin nodded. “It is probable. Women played a larger role in the secret service than most people realize. They were some of the bravest operatives in the war.”
“I wonder—” Ellie began, but she was interrupted by a familiar voice.
“Oh, kid-oooooooos!” Mom sang to them.
Ford looked over Ellie’s shoulder. “Oh no.”
Gavin winced.
Ellie spun around. “You have got to be joking.”
Crossing the plaza were their parents, all four stuffed into a rickshaw. The man pulling them was drenched in sweat. He cringed when mom yodelled even louder. Aunt June snapped pictures in every direction, including one of the top of her head for some bizarre reason. Uncle Jim’s booming laugh bounced off the glass sides of the pyramid and echoed through the square. Dad just grinned. He looked as deranged as the rest of them. Tourists everywhere turned to stare at the freak show that was their family.
