Shadows In Paris (Seagrove & Raven #2)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

L izzie and Jack were holed up in one of the dusty backrooms assigned to F Section at Baker Street. They ran through the codebook system Jack used with Hannah for radio messaging, and Lizzie remembered more about how it worked than she had given herself credit for.

‘Perhaps I’m ready, after all,’ she said, swishing her hair over her shoulders and appraising Jack with a bold stare.

Jack touched her cheek tenderly with his thumb and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. ‘Seagrove. I don’t underestimate you for one minute. What you did on your missions was incredible, but the thing is you were a courier then. This operation with Hannah has even deadlier stakes. It’s going to be more dangerous altogether.’

‘More dangerous than being a honey trap for a Nazi general?’ Lizzie said, her eyes widening in disbelief.

‘I need more coffee,’ Jack said. ‘Want some?’

She nodded, and he left the room before returning shortly after with two steaming mugs of weak brown liquid that passed as coffee .

Jack continued their conversation as if they hadn’t stopped speaking. ‘The situation with the general was dangerous, of course, but it was an unexpected complication. Courier missions are more straightforward—there’s a clear start and end game. Typically, you deliver or collect information and then get out of enemy territory as fast as you can and head for home.’

‘Yes, but what’s so much more dangerous about the new mission?’

‘Well, you’ll be in permanent danger, for one thing. Hannah has been running the Liberty Network for months now. You wouldn’t be able to just parachute in and leave a few days later. We’re talking deep undercover work, which requires a whole other level of skills and nerve. Her operation at German High Command could last weeks or even months, and if you’re covering for her, you’d need to stay there whilst she’s otherwise engaged.’

Jack sipped his coffee and lit a cigarette.

Lizzie saw the despair in his expression before he could hide it, and it tugged at her emotions.

In normal times, they would be planning their future together, not talking about how to outfox the Nazis and sabotage their killing machine.

‘I don’t like it, Lizzie. I don’t like it one bit. Won’t you change your mind whilst you still can? Let us find someone else who has lived in France.’

‘We’ve been over this before. If it was you, we both know you would go in a heartbeat.’

‘It’s different,’ he said.

‘How, because you’re a man and I’m a woman?’ Lizzie’s eyes blazed as she challenged him.

‘No, it’s nothing to do with that. Don’t forget I recruited you because we want women on board.’

‘That’s true,’ Lizzie said. ‘So what, then? ’

‘It’s just about your lack of experience, as I keep trying to explain to you.’ A hint of impatience entered his voice. He stood abruptly. ‘I’ve got a meeting to attend.’

‘Alright,’ Lizzie said stiffly. The air between them was frosty, which made Lizzie uncomfortable. But she was going on the mission even though he didn’t want her to, so she didn’t know what to say to make things right. ‘Shall I go back to Val’s office or wait for you here?’

Jack’s stern expression transformed into one of regret and diffused the tension in Lizzie’s chest. ‘Wait for me here, please. Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.’

Lizzie smiled at him. They rarely disagreed, but when they did, it was inevitably something to do with Jack trying to protect her. She couldn’t be angry at him for that. He was both her commanding officer and her love, and they already knew the two didn’t always blend harmoniously.

‘Work on these in the meantime and see what you can decipher.’ He pointed to the codebook and passed some more messages over for her to decipher.

Then she was alone with a jumble of letters, wondering what the future held for her in Paris. Nerves darted around her stomach as she tried to focus on cracking the coded messages.

When Jack returned, he looked even more troubled.

‘What is it?’ Lizzie asked.

‘It’s happening whether we like it or not, so all this discussion about whether you should or shouldn’t go is a moot point.’

‘Why, what did they say?’

‘I was overruled. The boss was there, and he and Val had already agreed you are the best agent for the job.’

His words evoked conflicting feelings in Lizzie. On the one hand, she was nervous about going on another mission, but on the other she couldn’t help being proud that they believed she could do a good job.

They had chosen her.

Hastily, she reminded herself; they only had a tiny pool from which to choose. There were new agents in training, but that didn’t mean they were mission ready. By some strange twist of fate, Lizzie was in the right place at the right time.

‘It will be fine,’ Lizzie said. ‘I will be fine. We have to believe that.’

Jack’s jaw hardened and she could see he was working to get a grip on his emotions.

‘You are right, of course. We have no choice now unless you reject the mission and you’ve made it clear you won’t do that,’ Jack said, a wistful note in his gravelly voice.

‘No, I don’t want to do that. I believe we were brought together for a reason and it’s not only about us loving each other.’ Lizzie paused and her eyes welled up.

Jack pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair as he held her tight. They didn’t move for several minutes, and the strong, steady beat of his heart tapped against her chest, comforting her. No words were needed.

They both knew what was at stake. In the short time they’d known each other, an unbreakable bond had been forged.

When they drew apart, Jack asked how she had got on with deciphering the codes.

She showed him what she had done. ‘It definitely makes more sense to me now. Thank you for taking me through it all again.’

‘I only wish I could do it in your place,’ he said, his dark eyes mournful.

‘Will I take a codebook or use Hannah’s?’ Lizzie asked, diverting Jack from the sadness of their imminent separation.

He shook his head as if to bring himself back to the moment. ‘We’ll have to decide. Taking another book is a risk in case it falls into the wrong hands, but it will restrict our communication if you only have one between you.’ Jack pursed his lips and stared into space. ‘Every message you send puts you at risk. Please, please always remember that.’

‘I guess we won’t be sending daily love missives back and forth, then,’ Lizzie said, smiling and shrugging her shoulders as if they were discussing something light and fun.

‘Every day you’re gone will seem like a year and I’ll be waiting to hear from you,’ he said. ‘But yes, we must put our feelings aside to keep you and the network safe. Only send a message when it’s absolutely vital. And I will do the same. I shall have to resist messaging you every day, even though my love-ravaged heart will be stricken in your absence.’

Lizzie laughed at his dramatic response. ‘So you’ll decipher my messages personally?’

‘I’ll make damn sure I do, even if I have to sleep in the cipher room!’

‘That gives me courage.’ Lizzie smiled. ‘It’ll be as if we’re writing to each other even though we can’t say much.’

Jack’s eyes shone as he looked at her. ‘You have such a powerful spirit, Seagrove. You and Hannah will make a formidable team. You already have all the courage you need. There’s no doubt about that.’

Lizzie took this as a compliment of the highest order. Hannah had achieved incredible feats in early acts of Resistance in Germany and France.

‘That means a lot. I promise I won’t let either of you down,’ she said, glowing.

‘Letting us down is not my concern.’

‘Then what is? Apart from my inexperience…’ Lizzie pr ompted, always curious to better understand how Jack’s mind worked.

‘I’m more concerned about us not letting you down. You in Paris with Hannah in the midst of a den of Nazis is going to be tough to stomach. I just wish there were some other way.’

‘But you agree this is for the best?’

‘That may be a bit of a stretch. Not sure I’d go so far as to say it’s for the best.’ He raised one eyebrow and smiled wryly. ‘But Hannah needs backup, and you are equipped to provide it, no matter how much I wish it were otherwise.’

‘Darling, you have trained me well,’ Lizzie said. ‘Please trust that we can do this. Together we can do this.’

The phone rang and Val asked Lizzie to come and help her with something in her office. Lizzie stood and ran her fingers through Jack’s glossy black hair.

He captured her hand and scattered a row of tender kisses onto her fingers. ‘Will I see you tonight?’

Lizzie eyes were full of regret. ‘I can’t tonight, darling. I promised to go to the pictures with Juliet and Evie. Ma might come too.’

‘Oh, that’s a fabulous idea.’

‘We’re doing our best to keep Juliet entertained. She gets so worried about Oliver,’ Lizzie said.

‘How lovely you are! Poor Juliet. It’s awful thinking of our loved ones battling the enemy in the skies. I try not to think too much about Henry, but it’s hard not to sometimes. My mother barely sleeps.’

Henry was Jack’s brother. It had been months since he had seen him, and Lizzie knew his mother worried a great deal about her son in the RAF. Just like her mother worried about Lizzie’s brother Archie who was fighting with the Royal Engineers.

‘It’s enough to drive us quite mad if we think too much about it. I try not to dwell on it, but a trip to the pictures is always a welcome distraction.’

‘Have a wonderful time and please take care,’ Jack said. ‘Get to the shelter if there’s a raid.’

‘I will,’ Lizzie promised, and they kissed one final time before they headed for the door.

Jack turned. ‘Tomorrow we’d better make plans for the logistics of the mission. We need to create a strong cover story for your family, for one thing.’

‘Shall I mention anything to them yet?’ Lizzie asked.

‘No, let’s get our story straight and you can lay the groundwork, then. We’ll run through it together.’

‘Did Val say when I need to go?’

Jack paused, and she heard him suck in his breath. ‘I believe it’s a full moon at the end of next week. We’ll pick the exact day and make our plan tomorrow.’

Lizzie let Jack’s hand go before they exited the room. Her palm felt cold without his touch.

‘I’ll see you in the morning. Seagrove?’ he said, stopping Lizzie in her tracks.

‘Raven?’ Her eyes were full of mischief.

‘You didn’t say what film you are going to see.’

‘You didn’t ask,’ she said, teasing him with a smile that lit up the whole corridor and took his breath away. ‘ Gone With The Wind .’

‘How apt. Have fun, my darling,’ he whispered close to her ear. ‘Tell me all about it in the morning.’