The Iron Storm by CW Browning (classic literature books TXT) 📕

searching again, and trying to be more thorough about it this time.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you get any kind of look at him? Anything that will help track him down?”

“No, unfortunately not, sir. He’s a fairly tall man, and he was wearing a dark colored overcoat. Not much help, I’m afraid.”

“No.”

“There might be one thing, though,” he said after a second. “It’s still dark, so I can’t see properly, but when the sun rises, I’ll look around the terrace and the lawn to the trees. Perhaps he dropped something, or left a track or footprint of some sort.”

“Well, it’s a long shot, but let me know what you find,” Bill said, glancing at his watch. “Have you mentioned any of this to Mrs. Ainsworth?”

“Not yet, sir. I’ve only told Thomas.”

“Let’s keep it that way for the moment. No need to alarm Madeleine needlessly.”

“Yes, sir. Shall I come down to London to make my report?”

“No. You stay there, and I’ll send another man down to help you. If our intruder comes back, he’ll be more careful. Two of you can share the load and take shifts.”

“What will you tell Mrs. Ainsworth? She needed a gardener, but I don’t see that she needs anyone else at present.”

“I’ll take care of that. You just continue to keep an eye on everything. Is there anyone in particular you’d like to have with you there indefinitely?” he added humorously.

“Oh I don’t mind, sir,” Rex replied with a short laugh. “As long as they don’t mind dogs and crotchety old Aunties, I think anyone will do. Perhaps Walters would be a good fit. He’s good with horses, isn’t he?”

“That’s a splendid suggestion. I’ll get on the phone to him as soon as I get to Broadway. Thank you for calling.”

“I thought you’d want to know without delay, sir.”

“And you were right. I’ll send Walters down in the next few days. Hang on until then, will you?”

“Of course, sir.”

Bill hung up the receiver and stared blindly at his reflection in the mirror above the little table. So Henry was still looking for the treasure Robert had hidden before his fateful trip to Poland. For him to risk another trip out to Ainsworth, it must be getting dire that he locate it...whatever it was. It had been risky enough going out there once, but now he’d tried again.

What on earth had Robert found in those weeks before his death?

It was a question he’d asked himself countless times over the past six months, and he was no closer to an answer now than he had been at the start of this. Evelyn had solved the puzzle box, but it hadn’t got them any closer to finding what Robert had hidden. A clue, she’d said. That was what had been in the box. A clue. An address.

Bill turned away and went over to the closet to get his overcoat and hat. She hadn’t told him anything other than that the address was in Switzerland, and she wanted to go alone. He’d agreed, but he admitted now that it hadn’t been such a priority for him to arrange the trip. And then Hitler went and invaded Belgium while she was still there, and he completely forgot all about it.

He pulled on his coat and took his hat from the shelf above the row of outerwear. It had to be a priority now. She would have to go as soon as she returned from France. There could be no doubt that the spy in London was anxious to find the missing information, and they had to find it first.

Bill opened the front door and stepped out onto the top step of his London home, setting his hat on his head in the gray, predawn light. Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out his gloves and began pulling them on, watching the milkman’s truck turn into the top of the street. Getting Evelyn into Switzerland would be tricky. The Germans were advancing rapidly, and the Luftwaffe was gaining control of the skies over Belgium. Soon they would also be over France. If Evelyn was going to fly into Switzerland safely, she would have to do it as soon as possible. He didn’t know how much longer the skies over France would be safe. And, once she was there, she would have to get back again.

He finished pulling on his gloves and started down the shallow steps. As he reached the pavement, a shiny black Vauxhall pulled up to the curb. The driver jumped out and ran around to open the back door for him, nodding with a small smile.

“Good morning, sir,” he said cheerfully.

“Good morning, Jones,” Bill replied, nodding in greeting. “Right on time. Thank you very much.”

“Of course, sir.”

Bill settled into the back of the car and the driver closed the door, moving back around to get behind the wheel. Directing his attention out the window, Bill sat back against the leather seat and exhaled silently. Yes. He would have to get Evelyn in and out of Switzerland without delay. Thankfully she was on her way to Paris now. Once she reached the city and contacted him, he’d arrange for a flight from Paris to London. They didn’t have time for her to mess around with a water crossing from Calais.

If the Germans continued at the pace they were going, they didn’t have time for much of anything at all.

Evelyn finished securing the straps on her suitcase and looked around the small attic room. Her purse lay on the bed next to the case, and there was nothing left to do but carry her suitcase downstairs and leave.

She would miss Josephine, she realized with a shock. She didn’t know the woman well, but somehow they had become like sisters in the short time they’d spent together. They had always got along well, but now Evelyn felt as if there was an invisible bond between them. They were on a par with each other now, fighting the same fight, and somehow that