“I did. I’m sure your grandmother will love the picture I found of the Arc de Triomphe. And an update as to how we’re all doing.”
Chaisley nodded as the trio came to a stop in front of the Eiffel Tower. The sight of it took Melanie’s breath away. As she described it to her friend, Rick shifted beside Chaisley and Melanie saw his gaze fixed on something in the distance. She tried to follow where he was looking but saw nothing.
“Are you ladies all right here for a bit? I need to run a quick errand before I forget.”
An errand? Now? Melanie’s brows drew together, and she opened her mouth to protest, but Chaisley spoke up first.
“Of course. We can walk the green and meet back in a half hour. By then we’ll probably need lunch.”
Rick smiled and pulled the keys from his pocket. “Perfect.” He strode away from them.
Melanie frowned. Where was he off to? And why was he still looking back and forth like someone was following him? He’d promised to tell them the truth, but she had the distinct impression he’d just broken that promise.
“Mel? Are you ready to walk?”
She looked at Chaisley. Wait. Had she not heard the discomfort in Rick’s voice? Or sensed how quickly his demeanor had changed? Melanie licked her lips and forced a smile. “I’m ready if you are.While we walk, let’s discuss which of your new pieces you want to debut at the Palais Garnier.”
Chaisley’s face lit up, and she began discussing her ideas. Melanie cast one last glance over her shoulder.
Rick was gone.
Well, when he got back, she would make sure he answered every question she had about what was happening.
And if he’d just broken his promise to them.
Thursday, September 29, 1938
Minister Chamberlain was still trying for peace. Rick shook his head. Why the world thought they could negotiate with a man like Hitler was beyond him. Mussolini and Count Ciano from Italy had joined the prime minister in Munich along with the French Premier Monsieur Daladier for meetings to discuss how to move forward and keep the world from another war.
Everyone knew Hitler had been rearming Germany—which was in clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles. He’d occupied the Rhineland and taken Austria. He wasn’t keeping it a secret that he wanted Czechoslovakia. Could these other leaders actually accomplish peace with such a man? Who said he wouldn’t defy another treaty?
Rick didn’t think peace was possible at this point. But after a coded phone call with his superiors back in England, Rick walked back to the flats where he was staying along with Melanie and Chaisley. They’d been able to secure an entire floor of apartments, which gave them a bit of security and privacy.
His shoulders felt weighed down. For several weeks, Melanie had pestered him in private about what he was up to. Reminded him that he’d promised to be honest with them. And he had been. Even assuring Melanie that it was his work and that was all he could share.
So he hadn’t told them everything. Surely they would understandthat being a spy for the British government meant he had to keep some secrets. It wasn’t like he could go blabbing about the plans in place to stop the Nazis.
But Melanie continued to be suspicious of him. Every time he left them. Not that he could blame her.
He hated negative thoughts. Pessimism. And yet, here he was, a cynic. Worried that Chaisley was thinking the worst of him. Dreading the outcome of these meetings.
Mr. Grand had put Section D in motion—which was the right thing to do—and Rick worked his part with others across the continent. Which meant the possibility that he would be pulled from his job as Chaisley’s driver grew into a bigger possibility every day. And where would that leave them?
The men he spoke with today seemed optimistic that all would be right with the world after these negotiations in Munich and they wouldn’t need to implement anything else.
Rick found that hard to believe. Although God was in the business of doing impossible things.
When the elevator reached the top floor, he pulled out the key to his flat.
“Rick!” Chaisley called from down the hall. “Come have dinner with us.”
His stomach rumbled and he smiled. “Dinner sounds great.” Maybe it would help him get rid of this mood. “Let me get cleaned up and I’ll be right there.”
When he walked back out of his flat a quarter of an hour later, the smells in the hallway made his mouth water.
He knocked on Chaisley’s door, and it opened almost immediately.
“Come on in.” Melanie pointed toward the table. “We ordered a veritable feast.”
