Clandestine by J. Robert Janes Read Free Book Online

Vichy allow him to bring in good German police to oversee the whole 150,000 of the force, not just the 30,000 in Paris. Me, I happen to think they’re crazy but that the maréchal and those people he has with him in Vichy had better agree since there are bound to be further such incidents, and spring is coming, n’est-ce pas ?’
    Again the Allies and the invasion.
    Boots, oilskin, hat, satchel and specs were adjusted, a hand lifted in salute as Rocheleau deferentially came to lead him away.
    â€˜Joliot’s even wearing a two-franc Marianne, Louis, and the coins I’ve collected for you just aren’t the same.’
    Back in 1940, the wearing of all such badges and pins, political or not, had been forbidden, but lately the young especially had taken to making protest buttons of the discontinued small coinage of the Troisième République. ‘Théo’s six granddaughters know well enough that the head of Marianne and the cloth cap she wears are symbols of liberty. As one of the Occupier, Hermann, I expect you to say nothing beyond telling him that it brightens up such an atrocious suit.’
    â€˜ Ach , no one but an idiot would ever challenge a coroner lest he find one looking over him.’
    When they climbed into the back of the van, Hermann chose the bolted-down swivel chair she must have sat in and, opening the mégot tin, found the butts and matches dry. ‘Junos from home, Louis, makhorka too.’
    And taking out that last letter, dated 8 November 1942, from his Jurgen and Hans that had finally found its way to him two days ago, he read:
    Vati, only the captains get tobacco made from the leaves. The others get the really strong stuff from the stems and because their clothing is so heavy and their boots often lined with felt, the scent clings and, though we can’t hear them at night, we can smell them.
    â€˜Let’s try it, shall we?’ said Louis.
    â€˜We’d only choke, but it does tell us our firebox operator’s been around. There are also Lucky Strikes and Camels from downed American aircrew, and Woodbines and Wills Goldflake from RAF aircrew. Dropped, probably, by Wehrmacht and picked up in bars frequented by those same boys.’
    â€˜We’ll have to ask him.’
    â€˜If we ever find him, and we had better. Rocheleau’s a problem, Louis. When a coroner even hints at something, we’d better listen.’
    â€˜He’ll still have to pay the penalty, Hermann. We can’t have him stealing evidence that is badly needed.’
    â€˜Maybe a warning. At least let’s listen to him when he comes back.’
    â€˜Rocheleau will only lie and accuse us of having stolen things if confronted by that Kriminalrat colleague of yours from Hamburg.’
    â€˜Back off! His silence, even for a few days, might just give us the time we need. The bigger the issue, the lesser the other.’
    It was an old argument, but perhaps the importance of something else should be emphasized. ‘Although from 1910, your mégot­ tin is almost as if brand-new.’
    â€˜Bought from among the fleas of Saint-Ouen?’
    â€˜Hopefully it will lead us to the seller who can then lead us to the buyer.’
    â€˜There were also the keys to the van, and these.’
    Coins and the charred corners of ID photos.
    â€˜And this.’
    Singed at its edges, scorched on the underside, the poultice held a sachet between the two layers of cloth. ‘Laid against a ragged tear in the skin, Hermann. Cloves, thyme too, and lavender, camomile as well probably. A temporary attempt until medical assistance, since a good deal of pus was leaking and the wound must have been badly inflamed. The cloves would have been for the pain, the thyme for its antibacterial, the camomile to readily soothe the inflamation and the lavender to offer both its stimulation and calming due to such a pleasant aroma.’
    â€˜You should have been a herbalist