Family of Spies, page 13
“They have gone insane,” Ellie said. “For real this time.”
Ford pulled his sweatshirt hood over his head, wishing for one of his great-grandfather’s disguises. They still had to tour the museum.
“I thought you said for parents, they were pretty cool,” Gavin said to Ford.
“You forgot the nerdy part, and I think they just tipped the balance far, far, far to the nerdy side.”
Chapter 23
Ford stumbled across his dark room to his bed. Even though his parents seemed suspicious when he said he was too tired for dessert, he didn’t care. Great-Granddad’s memories had exhausted him and he had hardly made it through the Louvre. By the time they finished dinner, he could barely see straight, let alone chat for hours over chocolate eclairs. He climbed under the thick duvet, too drained to change out of his jeans and sweatshirt. With his covers up to his chin, he curled onto his side. The moment his eyes closed, he was out.
¶
He whipped open his leather case, shoving papers inside, clearing every last item from the desk.
Mustn’t leave anything behind. Nothing can link me to this hotel.
He strode to the chest of drawers and scooped out his extra shirt and trousers, jamming them on top of his papers. He pushed down hard and the briefcase lock clicked into place. He checked his watch. She’s late.
Switching off the desk light, he stepped to the window and pulled the curtain back a mere inch to look down to the nearly empty street. He removed a small, round mirror from his suit pocket and angled it out the window, catching a sliver of light from the lamppost below. Quickly he yanked his hand back, only allowing the curtain to remain open a crack. Peering out he waited for ten… twenty… thirty seconds. Nothing.
Where are you, Scout?
He stepped away from the window and a shadow crossed his face. He released a long-held breath. His hand trembled as he looked at his watch again.
Get it together, man. Next meeting point—tomorrow. Plan B, engaged.
Picking up his briefcase, he slipped silently to the door. He paused and looked back to the window.
Scout. Be safe.
¶
Ford’s eyes flashed open. He lurched upright, his scalp drenched in sweat.
Where am I?
Morning light streamed through his curtains and fell onto his backpack that hung on his bedpost. Right. Paris. He lay back on his pillow.
Another dream of his great-grandfather. Why was Great-Granddad so worried? More importantly, who was Scout?
Chapter 24
“I had another dream last night,” Ford said to Ellie and Gavin as they stepped off the bus. He pulled them away from their parents who stood gaping at the long row of fountains that ran all the way from the street up to the large Palais de Chaillot building itself. “This time Great-Granddad was waiting in a dingy hotel room for someone to meet him. Her name was Scout and she never showed up.”
“Do you think she was another spy?” Gavin asked.
“I think so and something about this dream made me think of the one I had when we first arrived in Paris. The one where Nazis were chasing me. In that dream, Great-Granddad said, ‘Thanks, Scout’ when a light flashed from a window. Pretty sure that flash of light was a message for him. I think he was referring to the Scout from last night’s dream—Scout is a person, another spy, and that’s her code name, like Owl.”
“I need to add your dream to my notes.” Ellie whipped her phone out of her back pocket. “Is Great-Granddad’s code name Francis—I mean his code name was Francis? This flipping between the past and present is confusing.”
Gavin smiled. “Quantum physics sounds simple, but as scientists explore the theory in greater detail, its complexity only grows.”
Ford laughed. “I was just going to say that.”
Gavin blushed. “Too much info again?”
“Never. What would we do without you, Professor? As Mme. Bellerose said, we’re all vital to the success of Mission Great-Granddad Mystery,” Ford said.
“The early bird catches the worm,” Dad said, walking up behind them with Uncle Jim in tow. “And misses all the tourists at the Palais de Chaillot.”
Ford’s breath caught in his throat. Had Dad overheard them? He looked at Gavin, whose eyes were wide.
“Are you kids ready for some fun?” Uncle Jim asked, passing them each a bottle of water and a chocolate bar.
Ellie laughed. “Always, Dad.”
Gavin shook his head at Ford. Ford exhaled. Their secret was safe.
Aunt June and Mom hurried over.
“Family fun time be-giiiiiins,” Mom trilled.
Aunt June pointed to the far end of the long fountain. “Let’s gather at the top of that terrace. With the water cannons and the Eiffel Tower in the background, we’ll have a perfect family photo.”
“And after that, I say we take a ride on the carousel. It will be just like when we were kids,” Mom added.
“This way,” Gavin whispered to Ford and Ellie, leading them out of earshot of their parents, who poured over a Paris map.
Gavin tapped his chocolate bar on his leg. Ford could tell he was nervous. “How is Ford going to see Great-Granddad’s memories if we’re with our parents all day? They won’t just ignore him when he trances out.”
“I’ve been thinking about that since we left the apartment this morning. Sometimes hiding in plain sight is the best option,” Ellie said.
“What do you mean?” Ford asked.
“I was—” Ellie began, but was interrupted by Mom.
“Come along kid-oooooooos!” she called, linking arms with Dad and Aunt June, who grabbed Uncle Jim before he could scoot out of reach. They strolled in a line, taking up the entire width of the paved walkway.
“Just trust me,” Ellie said, as they followed their parents toward the terrace.
The moment they reached the large stone staircase, the water guns began spraying water in high cascading arcs across the fountain. Misty spray freckled their faces.
“Just look at that,” Gavin said, turning to take in the display. “You know, the fountain was constructed for the Universal Exposition in 1937. In fact, there are fifty-six water cannons, with—”
“You guys,” Ford interrupted Gavin’s history lesson. He pointed to the park that ran along the side of the water feature. “I have this feeling we’re being followed.”
Ellie followed Ford’s gaze. “Do you see someone in the trees?”
He squinted and cupped his hand above his eyes to block the sun. He scanned the area then shook his head. “No, but I know someone is there. I can feel it.”
“Your instincts?” Ellie asked.
Ford nodded as Gavin stepped in front of him. Gavin’s hands balled into tight fists. History professor, walking textbook, now bodyguard. Gavin kept surprising Ford.
“Hey, kids,” Dad called from the top of the stairs. “Your mothers are getting impatient. Time to hustle.”
They raced up the stairs and when they reached the top, Ford’s eyes darted back to the trees. He paused. Did someone just duck under those bushes?
“Come along Ford,” Mom called.
Ford drew his gaze away, as Aunt June ushered him over to where everyone was waiting, her small tripod already set up. “How lucky are we. The Eiffel Tower across the Seine as a background—talk about a dream location for a family photo. Everyone move in close. Once I say ‘cheese,’ I’ll have five seconds to get into position. Remember to keep smiling until you hear the click. One, two, three and…cheese!” She hurried over, squeezing in next to Ellie and Uncle Jim.
With the click, Ford craned his neck to search the park.
“What’s up, Fordie? You seem distracted,” Dad asked, looking him straight in the eye. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. Great actually. Loving Paris…” he said. Dad’s gaze didn’t waver. Heat rose up Ford’s neck and inched across his face. Did Dad suspect something?
Keep it calm, Ford. Think like a spy. Think like Great-Granddad.
“…everything is très bon. J’adore fromage et croissants!”
I love cheese and croissants?! How spy-like. Just stop talking.
Dad chuckled. “Très bon, indeed. Listen, I’ve been watching you and Gavin…” he paused. Ford held his breath. Had Dad seen something? Dad pointed at Gavin and Ellie. They posed for Aunt June as if they were holding the distant Eiffel Tower in their hands. She snapped pictures lightning fast. “…and I have to say, I like what I see.”
“Oh. Thanks.” Ford exhaled. Close call. If Dad was watching them so intently, they needed to be way more careful.
“I know it’s sappy, but having a brother, someone you can rely on, is a really special thing. If Uncle Tom were still alive…”
Dad’s words trailed off and his eyes welled with tears as they always did when he spoke about his deceased older brother. Ford shuffled his feet. He never knew what to say when Dad got this way.
“Anyway, what I meant to say was look after each other. Enjoy every moment you have together, because you never know what the future holds.”
“I will—we will. Don’t worry, Dad. Gavin and I, we’re good.” Better than good actually.
Dad smiled and gave Ford’s shoulder a squeeze. “Très bon. So very très bon.”
Chapter 25
Uncle Jim and Dad bought tickets from the booth, while Aunt June and Mom scrambled on board the carousel, giggling like two eight-year-olds instead of two forty-eight-year-olds.
“This way,” Ellie said, leading them to the other side of the ride. She pointed to a row of three white horses with flaring nostrils and golden reins. Ellie climbed onto the horse closest to the centre column.
Ford sat on the middle one next to her and left the horse on the outside edge for Gavin.
“Ford, as soon as the parents get settled, you need to get into your next Great-Granddad memory. Pronto,” Ellie said.
Ford took a swig from his water bottle and stuffed it back in his bag. He rubbed his hands on his jeans then gripped the pole. “Even with that huge column in the middle of the carousel, I’m worried they’ll still see me.” His words tumbled out much faster than usual. “There are mirrors all over this thing. And Dad is so excited that Gavin and I are getting along better that he is watching our every move.”
“And that’s why Gavin and I are going to imitate you. If they ask us afterwards what we were doing, we’ll tell them we were playing a mimicking game. We’ll explain that when one of us does something strange, the others have to repeat it”—Ellie thought for a moment—“without laughing. Hah! They would totally buy it.”
“Good plan, Ellie,” Gavin said. “You know, the art of telling a good lie is keeping as close to the truth as possible. I saw that in a—”
“Wait. Don’t tell me,” Ford interrupted. “You saw it in a late-night documentary?”
Gavin shifted on his horse, his cheeks turning pink. “Well, yes.”
Ford laughed. “I gotta say, Gavin. I am beginning to feel more and more thankful for your documentary obsession.”
Gavin cocked his head. “Really?”
“Yeah, I’m not joking. I know I said it before, but you are full of super useful information. Having you with us is like having our own personal Google.”
“Hey, you two. The ride has started,” Ellie said, as the carousel begin to spin, the frayed black-and-white photo in her hand. “Time for Ford to tap into the past.”
“Wait!” Gavin said. “What if Ford flaps around too much and falls off his horse? Shouldn’t we strap him in, somehow?”
“Good point. Ford, take off your sweatshirt and wrap it around your middle, then tie the arms around the pole. That should work.”
Ford quickly tied himself to the carousel. His horse slowly bobbed up and down as he reached for the copy of Great-Granddad’s snapshot of the Palais de Chaillot.
The moment he grasped the photo, everything faded. The day grew darker, night descended. The carousel and its bright lights and tinny music winked out. It was like someone was playing a movie in fast forward. A bench solidified in front of Ford and 200 metres beyond that the fountain, its water cannons stilled for the evening. He looked around. Pairs of German soldiers patrolled the sidewalks throughout the garden, stopping pedestrians as they walked along. A young couple, bundled in winter coats with a baby in a pram, presented their papers. They looked nervous to Ford as they watched one of the soldiers lift up blankets and search the stroller. The baby began to cry. One of the soldiers smiled and bent low, his face hidden by the top of the pram. The mother’s eyes grew wide, she moved towards the man, but her husband grabbed her arm and restrained her. Within moments they were given their papers back and the couple moved quickly away.
“It’s night and I’m standing by the fountain. The place is heavily patrolled by Germans,” Ford said to Ellie and Gavin as he looked up toward the terrace. The vast building loomed in the dark. “Great-Granddad is coming this way with Jacques the Spy Dog.”
Great-Granddad sat down on the bench. Jacques sat at attention by his feet. Within seconds, a blonde woman in a navy-blue dress and a small, matching blue hat approached from the opposite direction. She kept her head down, her face hidden. She sat down on the bench, leaving a few feet between her and their great-grandfather. The woman glanced at him, then looked away.
Ford gasped. “It’s the woman from the Louvre!”
“Scout. You missed our last rendezvous,” Great-Granddad said, his voice gruff but quiet. “I was—concerned.”
“Yes, I know, but I had good reason,” she replied. “I thought I was being followed that night.”
“Followed? Then you shouldn’t have come here. You should have left Paris immediately.”
She shook her head and smiled. “Don’t worry. I lost them and anyway, do you truly believe I would leave you in the lurch? You’d be lost without me.”
“Taking care of me is not part of your mission. You are to infiltrate German intelligence, gather information on who their informants are, identify German spies that can be turned, find weaknesses that we can exploit, and then you are to be extracted—by me, Mission Controller. If your cover is blown, you are to follow procedure: leave me a message at one of our dead drops and hightail it back to Britain. Or, if that is impossible, Switzerland.”
“I know the proper proto—”
“And furthermore, we cannot risk losing another spy network like we did in ’43. Losing that number of operatives nearly decimated us.”
“Fox, no one wants losses like we took with the discovery of the Physician network. Losing over 600 agents was a crippling hit, but we are purposely small, just the four of us, so we remain in good contact with each other.”
Scout stood and walked casually behind the bench to stand right beside Ford. He inched away, not wanting their arms to touch. She stared into the trees.
Ford cleared his throat, eager to bring Gavin and Ellie up to speed. “First of all, the woman from the Louvre is Scout and they are arguing back and forth about their mission. Great-Granddad wants her to be more careful, and she says there are four agents in their network, so they are safe. That also means there is another spy still out there. Oh! And she called him Fox, not Francis. Maybe he has two aliases.” Ford spoke said quickly, not wanting to miss any of their conversation.
Great-Granddad turned slightly, but didn’t look at Scout. “Yes, but no matter our number, things don’t always go according to plan, do they? Think of Jean Moulin’s capture last year. If the leader of the French Resistance can be arrested, tortured, and murdered, we are all at high risk. Paris is crawling with German secret service.” He sounded frustrated to Ford. “We have to take utmost care and caution, which is why we have rules and proced—”
“Fox, I can’t leave. I heard something when I was at the Moulin Rouge theatre with General Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel. They’ve captured an American and they are holding him in an old Paris hotel that they are using as a prison,” she stared at her hands, her fingers intertwined in front of her. “The description fit Owl.”
Great-Granddad’s eyes darted her way, his jaw clenched. “Then you must leave. If he has been captured, we must assume our cover—”
“I won’t go. Not yet. I’m too close. The general is only here for four more nights and he’s staying at the Raphael Hotel. I’m meeting him there tomorrow and it’s right next door to the German headquarters. Who knows what I can find out?”
“You are walking into the lion’s den.”
“Aren’t we all? Isn’t that we’re doing here?”
“Scout—Morah—please. “
“I can’t, please don’t ask me to abort our mission. You sent me in specifically to find out if von Stülpnagel is part of a plot to overthrow Hitler and I am close. Very close. There has to be a reason his name keeps surfacing. If there really is some truth to that, think of how we can use that. Fox, I took the same pledge as you, to place duty and country before my life. Don’t scold me like Nanny,” she said and poked him in the bicep.
He choked out a bitter laugh. “I won’t send you to bed without dinner, but I will pull rank, if need be.”
“No, you won’t,” she said, with a sad smile. “Not you.”
He didn’t answer straight away, instead he stared at the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower.
“Okay, they don’t agree at all on Scout sticking with the mission, but she has made contact with that German General Von what’s-his-name.”
