J. Janes - Sandman

All it said was that should any harm come to Nénette Micheline Vernet, her uncle and guardian would forfeit all interest in the family holdings.

He signed without a murmur. It would have to do, but could the child remain in the same house with him?

‘You will move to your club on the Champs-Élysées,’ said von Schaumburg. ‘You will bear the ridicule your associates will heap on you. You will have no further contact with your niece, who will remain here in her home. That is an order.’

They met in secret in the Bois near the Carrefour des Cascades overlooking the Lac Supérieur. Three days had passed, three days of rest, reports and healing of bruises that still caused St-Cyr to limp.

‘Jean-Louis, it’s good to see you.’

‘You also.’

He took her arm in his and it felt good to be here with her. Gabrielle Arcuri tossed her head to indicate the coming rain. He said, ‘It does not matter.’

‘Then walk with me to my place. I’m cold.’

‘Don’t prolong things, please.’

‘Very well. The message from London was received on the fifteenth at oh-one-fifty hours. When decoded it read, “No news of Henri-Claude Vernet and wife other than official view. Sorry. Better luck next time.”’

‘Then the child’s parents were really killed in the bombing. I had hoped … An industrialist like that, a brilliant designer, a maker of weapons at a time when they are needed.’

‘Ah, stop worrying. If it helps, I don’t think so. The official view is simply what they had to give us. The “better luck” tells me her parents are alive and well but that you cannot give her such information.’

‘Even though she needs it?’

‘A suggestion perhaps.’

‘Will you come with me?’

‘It’s a long walk. Let’s take a vélo-taxi .’

‘Those things are too easily followed. Besides, the Gestapo’s Watchers are often lazy. We can talk on the way and cut through the woods. The child will give us tea.’

‘And cakes?’

‘Yes, cakes.’

The child presented them with the crystal of clear quartz. ‘It is magic,’ she said seriously. You will need it, I’m afraid, for the cards, they are not good. A visitor is to come into your lives-both of you. This person will pit you against each other with terrible consequences. Please do not forget this. Remember to be true to each other.’

It was von Schaumburg’s chauffeur who caught up with them on the way back to hand St-Cyr a telex Heinrich Himmler had sent to Mueller, Head of the Gestapo in Berlin, who had then sent it on to Walter Boemelburg, Head of the same in France, and it was really for Hermann, who wouldn’t want it at all and was probably asleep in some freezing cinema while his Giselle and his Oona watched with rapt attention some tired rerun from the thirties.

MOST URGENT. REPEAT URGENT. IKPK HQ BERLIN REPORTS INTERNATIONAL SAFE-CRACKER GYPSY REPEAT GYPSY HAS REPORTEDLY SURFACED. LAST SEEN TOURS 1030 HOURS 14 JANUARY HEADING FOR PARIS. APPREHEND AT ONCE.

HEIL HITLER.

The IKPK … the International Criminal Police Commission thought to have ceased to exist at the outset of the war …

‘Gypsy …?’ blurted Gabrielle, sickened by the message. Jean-Louis, he could not know the Resistance had received a wireless message tacked on to that about the child’s parents. GYPSY … REPEAT GYPSY DROPPED TOURS NIGHT OF 13 JANUARY. PROVIDE EVERY ASSISTANCE. MOST URGENT. REPEAT URGENT. WILL HAVE EXPLOSIVES. GIVE FULL PRIORITY. CODE NAME ZEBRA.

‘Hold my hand,’ she said.

‘Of course.’

‘Please remove your mitten.’

‘It’s too cold. Here, put your hand in my coat pocket with mine. I’ve emptied it.’

Emptied it of all but the child’s crystal.