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

unfortunate for you.” Asp held out the box, offering them a cigarette, then closed it and put it down when they both shook their heads. “I can’t imagine anything more unsettling than being in a country while it’s being invaded.”

He lit his cigarette and went over to the fireplace to toss the match into the empty hearth. Evelyn glanced at Jens behind his back to find his face pale and his lips pressed together. She touched his hand, willing him to relax. The man looked like he was about to be forced down the plank into shark-infested water.

“I heard the most interesting thing this morning,” Asp said conversationally, turning back to them. “They say that someone stole plans for several munitions factories in Stuttgart a week ago. The plans were smuggled out of Germany and into Holland, where they were then carried by a courier to Antwerp.”

“Oh?” Jens found his voice. “What happened to them?”

“That’s the interesting part. They were passed on to another courier, a woman by all accounts, who then took them to Brussels.” Asp slid his gaze to Evelyn’s face. “The SS is very eager to get them back, and have sent officers looking for her.”

“Goodness!” Evelyn murmured, her eyes wide. “How frightening!”

Something like a smile graced his thin lips and Asp nodded in agreement.

“Yes. I can’t think of anything worse than having the Gestapo after me.” He sucked on his cigarette and blew the smoke up to the ceiling, his eyes never leaving her face. “I’m told they don’t know what she looks like, but they have the name she was using in Brussels.”

“I can’t imagine that will get them very far,” Jens said. “If they don’t know what she looks like, how can they find her, really? Anyway, she’s probably passed the package on by now if she’s a courier. When was this?”

“A few days ago. You’re probably right. If she was simply a courier, then she would no longer have the package.” Asp considered the glowing tip of his cigarette. “They think she is trying to get the plans to the British. If she is, and she isn’t a simple courier as they think, then she would have fled Brussels when the Germans invaded. I’d imagine she’d try to get to Paris, where she can contact the British.”

“Couldn’t she do that from anywhere in France?” Evelyn couldn’t help herself. “Why would it have to be Paris?”

“Perhaps it doesn’t.” He looked up suddenly and pinned her with a piercing gaze. “Perhaps she’s simply from Paris.”

“This is all fascinating, but I confess I don’t know why you’re telling us,” she said with a smile, pleased when her voice came out steady and calm.

“I haven’t told you the most interesting part,” Asp said with an answering smile that made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “My source told me that the woman’s name is Marie.”

Evelyn licked her suddenly dry lips. “And why is that interesting?”

“Well, my dear, I would have thought it was obvious. Jens called you Marie just now.”

“I didn’t,” Jens protested. “Well, I mean, I did, but that’s because she reminds me of my cousin Marie.”

Asp smiled indulgently at him. “Of course she does.”

Evelyn felt her limbs begin to tremble, but she ignored the feeling as the bi-product of fear, something Sifu had long told her was nothing but an overabundance of adrenaline, fed by her own imagination. Strange how even in the face of an enemy who had obviously put two and two together, thanks to Jens’ blunder, she was thinking of random teachings from her martial arts teacher years before.

“If the SS is so intent on finding this woman, then I wonder why you’re telling us all of this,” she said, meeting his gaze coolly. “Surely it only puts you in danger to be passing on this information.”

“I’m only in danger if I am caught,” he pointed out with a smile. “I think you’re both misunderstanding me, so let me be very blunt. I believe you are Marie Fournier, the woman who is carrying stolen plans from Belgium to give to a British agent here in France.”

Jens sucked in his breath and looked from Asp to Evelyn, then back again. “Fournier? That’s the woman’s name?”

“Yes.”

Jens looked at Evelyn. “But...that’s impossible! Isn’t it? You’re not her, are you?”

“No, of course not,” she said quickly. “Do I look like someone who would be carrying stolen plans across Europe?”

Jens shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. “No, but I don’t think I look like someone who would be carrying stolen, decoded messages across Europe either.”

Asp watched them with interest, his eyes narrowed. “How fascinating! Did you really not know?” he asked Jens. Turning to Evelyn, he inclined his head slightly. “I commend you, mademoiselle.”

“There is no need to, I assure you.”

“Why don’t you let me help?” he asked, throwing his cigarette butt into the hearth. “Give me the package and I’ll ensure that it gets to an agent who works with MI6. I know a man in Paris who has been in contact with them. He will know how to get it to them quickly.”

“Even if she had it, which I don’t believe that she does, why would you do that?” Jens demanded. “Why would you risk it?”

“For the same reason that I risk passing on the information that you’ve been sending me,” Asp replied with a shrug. “According to the man I spoke with this morning, the SS have sent one of their senior officers to find you. He is already in France. It will be only a matter of time before he finds you. If that happens before you’ve been able to pass it along...”

He let his voice trail off and shrugged again. Evelyn felt her spine stiffen and a flash of anger went through her. The man had seen an opportunity, and was going to do everything he could to get the package back himself. It would be quite a feather in his cap to