the moment we cannot spare another trained man to go with her. It only needs one experienced person. You simply go to ... well, to be with her.'
I see,' said Ormerod slowly. The wonder of it was still stunning him. 'You don't want to risk anyone good. But it's all right if it's me.'
'You're what they call "expendable",' Clarke nodded with sad honesty. 'This idea has been buzzing around in the trade for some time, ever since Dunkirk, but nobody wanted to sacrifice ... well, spare, two agents. And the girl is absolutely ideal. She comes from Normandy and she's fanatically French. She hates the Hun. Come to think of it she's not all that keen on us either. But she's a woman for all that. She needs a travelling companion.' He tried to beam encouragingly. 'And you wanted to go to France. Now's your chance.'
Clark took a file from the drawer of his desk. 'You're a good pistol shot, I see,' he said, looking at a sheet of paper from the file. 'You impressed the small arms instructor at Woolwich when you did your army training. And physically you seem to be in excellent condition. You have a policeman's mind, train-
35
ing and outlook. And your record with the force is quite outstanding. All plusses, Ormerod, all plusses. How's your French?'
Ormerod was now regarding him with new horror. The whole business seemed to be cut and dried, running out of control. 'French? Well... not very good. Merci, bonjour, 'allo Mademoiselle. That's about the extent of it.'
The Brigadier smiled encouragingly. 'Well that's all right. After all the French are on our side. They'll be the only ones who'll notice. It's the Germans v/e must worry about and most of them won't speak French. Not the ordinary private soldier anyway. And if you ever get to officer level then the game's up with you anyway, so it won't matter either way. You don't speak German, I suppose?'
As though he was walking through a dream Ormerod said: I played football for the Metropolitan Police against the Berlin Police before the war and we had a return match in Germany. I tried to learn a bit of German for that. But it's mostly football like "goal" and "off-side" and "foul" ...'
'It might just come in useful, said Clark with frankly bogus optimism. 'Anyway we've settled that you're going, Ormerod.' It was not even a half question.
'Have we?' mumbled Ormerod. 'Well I suppose that's it then, isn't it. Right now I can't say I'm looking forward to it. I just wanted to catch a bloke that's done a crime, not take on the Master Race.'
Clark regarded him with professional seriousness. I want to tell you that you will be doing your country a great service. Churchill himself is right behind this, you'll be glad to hear.'
'Oh I am,' said Ormerod flatly. 'Ever so glad.'
'He has said that he wants to "set Europe alight". You could be the first match.'
Ormerod sighed woefully. 'Well it looks as though I'm going,' he said.'When is it?'
'Can't tell you. Sorry, it's a secret. Anyway we don't know. But within a few weeks. You'll have a concentrated training course, small arms, explosives, all the usual stuff, and of course we'll have you taken off police duties right away.'
36
'Right,' nodded Ormerod. 'I'm glad I don't have to do it in my spare time. What can I tell my wife?'
'Ah yes, your wife. Well I'm afraid you can't tell her the truth. Now what can we do? Can you go on some sort of police training course? We could arrange for everybody to be told that.'
'Yes, I could go on a police course,' said Ormerod dully. 'That should be all right.'
'You haven't any children have you?' said Clark looking at the file. 'It says "no" here.'
'It's right,' answered Ormerod. 'I've only been married a year. No time yet.'
'And you are ... er thirty-five.'
'Yes.'
Clark took a celluloid card from the desk and ran his finger down a column of figures. 'If anything happens to you, your wife will get quite a decent pension.' He looked up brightly.
'Oh good. That's a relief anyway,' said Ormerod. 'I'm
I see,' said Ormerod slowly. The wonder of it was still stunning him. 'You don't want to risk anyone good. But it's all right if it's me.'
'You're what they call "expendable",' Clarke nodded with sad honesty. 'This idea has been buzzing around in the trade for some time, ever since Dunkirk, but nobody wanted to sacrifice ... well, spare, two agents. And the girl is absolutely ideal. She comes from Normandy and she's fanatically French. She hates the Hun. Come to think of it she's not all that keen on us either. But she's a woman for all that. She needs a travelling companion.' He tried to beam encouragingly. 'And you wanted to go to France. Now's your chance.'
Clark took a file from the drawer of his desk. 'You're a good pistol shot, I see,' he said, looking at a sheet of paper from the file. 'You impressed the small arms instructor at Woolwich when you did your army training. And physically you seem to be in excellent condition. You have a policeman's mind, train-
35
ing and outlook. And your record with the force is quite outstanding. All plusses, Ormerod, all plusses. How's your French?'
Ormerod was now regarding him with new horror. The whole business seemed to be cut and dried, running out of control. 'French? Well... not very good. Merci, bonjour, 'allo Mademoiselle. That's about the extent of it.'
The Brigadier smiled encouragingly. 'Well that's all right. After all the French are on our side. They'll be the only ones who'll notice. It's the Germans v/e must worry about and most of them won't speak French. Not the ordinary private soldier anyway. And if you ever get to officer level then the game's up with you anyway, so it won't matter either way. You don't speak German, I suppose?'
As though he was walking through a dream Ormerod said: I played football for the Metropolitan Police against the Berlin Police before the war and we had a return match in Germany. I tried to learn a bit of German for that. But it's mostly football like "goal" and "off-side" and "foul" ...'
'It might just come in useful, said Clark with frankly bogus optimism. 'Anyway we've settled that you're going, Ormerod.' It was not even a half question.
'Have we?' mumbled Ormerod. 'Well I suppose that's it then, isn't it. Right now I can't say I'm looking forward to it. I just wanted to catch a bloke that's done a crime, not take on the Master Race.'
Clark regarded him with professional seriousness. I want to tell you that you will be doing your country a great service. Churchill himself is right behind this, you'll be glad to hear.'
'Oh I am,' said Ormerod flatly. 'Ever so glad.'
'He has said that he wants to "set Europe alight". You could be the first match.'
Ormerod sighed woefully. 'Well it looks as though I'm going,' he said.'When is it?'
'Can't tell you. Sorry, it's a secret. Anyway we don't know. But within a few weeks. You'll have a concentrated training course, small arms, explosives, all the usual stuff, and of course we'll have you taken off police duties right away.'
36
'Right,' nodded Ormerod. 'I'm glad I don't have to do it in my spare time. What can I tell my wife?'
'Ah yes, your wife. Well I'm afraid you can't tell her the truth. Now what can we do? Can you go on some sort of police training course? We could arrange for everybody to be told that.'
'Yes, I could go on a police course,' said Ormerod dully. 'That should be all right.'
'You haven't any children have you?' said Clark looking at the file. 'It says "no" here.'
'It's right,' answered Ormerod. 'I've only been married a year. No time yet.'
'And you are ... er thirty-five.'
'Yes.'
Clark took a celluloid card from the desk and ran his finger down a column of figures. 'If anything happens to you, your wife will get quite a decent pension.' He looked up brightly.
'Oh good. That's a relief anyway,' said Ormerod. 'I'm
Similar Books
Invasion of the Boy Snatchers
Lisi Harrison
Cats in Cahoots (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 18)
Patricia Fry
Beneath a Winter Moon
Shawson M Hebert
Kit Black
Monica Danetiu-Pana
He's a Rebel
Mark Ribowsky
Power on Her Own
Judith Cutler
Maire
Linda Windsor
Salvage
MJ Kobernus
Seven Wicked Nights
Courtney Milan