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“A Jewish family he knows from Austria.”
That draws Jacques’s attention to me. “Thought the Germans and Austrians all hate the Jews.”
“I guess not all do.”
I trust Jacques when it comes to the work we do for the local resistance circuit, but I don’t know what to expect when it comes to his hatred of and distrust for Johann. I can only hope he doesn’t turn his back on the family just to spite the captain.
“How do we know he won’t tell his Nazi friends we’re hiding them?” Heat flares in Jacques’s voice with enough intensity to burn down the vineyard and everything in a ten-mile radius. “Have you considered it might be a setup?”
I reverse a half step from the force of his words. In the short time I’ve been living in his house, I’ve rarely seen a show of temper from him. “You’re right. It could be a setup, but I don’t think it is. He has known about the cellar in the barn for a few weeks but hasn’t told anyone about it.”
Jacques grunts but doesn’t say anything. He takes another bite of the baguette with the ferocity of a tiger tearing the meat from a bone. I only hope he’s imagining the bone comes from a Nazi and not from me.
Désirée is standing on the grass, watching after a group of small children in the village park when I arrive. The children are running around, trying to forget their hunger. Trying to forget their fathers are missing because of the war.
I can feel the scorching gazes from a few women by the fountain, can hear their silent condemnations because Johann is billeted with me. To them, I’m a collaborator.
I walk towards Désirée as if I have not a care in the world and smile at the children as they run past me. It’s not a bright or happy smile. It’s just the slight upturn of my lips. That’s about all I can muster with the weight of what I am about to confess sitting on my shoulders. The smile is meant to bring a little comfort to the children. That, and to mask my nervousness at what I am about to ask Désirée.
I stop next to her and keep my eyes on the children. “I need your help,” I tell her, knowing we don’t have much time if we want to avoid drawing any attention. Attention from those who believe I am a collaborator, and attention from the German soldiers. “There’s a Jewish family hiding out in Jacques’s barn. We need to get them out of the country.”
A short and abrupt laugh rises from Désirée. “There are lots of Jewish families wanting to get out of Europe. The escape line is only for downed pilots and agents. It’s not for Jewish families wanting to escape to Britain.”
“Not even if the Jewish family is hiding in Jacques’s barn because a certain German soldier snuck them in there?” I turn my head to her, widening my smile while attempting to keep it looking natural.
Désirée’s eyes go round. “Ronan, please don’t pull on your sister’s plaits.” Her voice carries over the sound of the children playing. “Are you telling me there might be a tiny soul in Captain Schmidt, even though he’s one of them?” The volume of her voice drops, hidden under the nursery rhyme a pair of girls are chanting with little enthusiasm.
“It would seem that way.”
“It won’t make a difference when it comes to the escape line. Downed pilots and agents only.”
“Not even if the family’s presence puts us all at risk? If the SS finds them there, they’ll believe Jacques and I are responsible. It will put my mission in jeopardy.”
Désirée releases a weary sigh. “I’ll see what I can do. But I can’t make any promises.”
“I also need your help with something else. Major Müller had an impromptu meeting at Jacques’s farmhouse this morning.”
She curses under her breath, and I can see in her eyes she understands the desperation of my situation when it comes to Oskar’s family.
“I overheard details about one of their upcoming missions Baker Street needs to know about,” I say, keeping my eyes alert to our surroundings and whether we’re drawing any unwanted attention. “But it’s too tricky for me to go to Paris right now and relay the message to Allaire.”
“Our wireless operator can send it.”
“That will not work. We can’t hide his set in Jacques’s barn. Not with the family there. And now that Captain Schmidt knows about the hiding space, that option is no longer feasible.”
“Agreed. But for now, the operator has a temporary location. He should be able to send your message to London.” She tells me where to meet the cut-out tomorrow. The newly recruited member of the local resistance circuit will pass my message to the wireless operator.
“Give me three days,” Désirée says, her tone brisk yet soft, “and hopefully I’ll have some news about what we can do with your other situation.”
I give her a small nod of understanding.
A tiny flicker of hope sparks inside me. If we can get Oskar and his family to safety, it might go a long way in helping me gain Johann’s trust. That would benefit Baker Street when it comes to ending the war if it means gaining information to use against the enemy.
And the end of the war will bring me that much closer to seeing my sister again. To repairing things between us.
My reason to survive.
8
