The Secret Pianist by Andie Newton

Author:Andie Newton [Newton, Andie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008541989
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Guy ran up the stairs to the second floor because he didn’t have time for the lift, and threw open Smith’s door, again bypassing his secretary Daisy, who came running in after him, unable to stop him.

“The Heroines are decoys, aren’t they?”

Smith had stood up from his desk, looking stunned at first by his question, then motioned for Daisy to leave them alone.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Guy asked after Daisy left them.

Smith’s lips pinched. “Guy Burton, you’re a persistent fellow, I’ll have you know.” He pointed to a chair with his eyes. “You better sit for this,” he said, but Guy remained standing. “Go on. Sit.”

Guy finally sat down, but he wasn’t sure for how long he would stay seated. Smith owed him an explanation and he owed it now. “Sir, I deserve to know.”

“I think so too, dammit. I’ll tell you, and then deal with the consequences later if I have to.” He looked briefly at the floor. “The first drop was a mistake. The pilot was off course. Those pigeons were supposed to go to Belgium, you know this. Now the Germans are clued into the location of Boulogne-sur-Mer and The Heroines are on their list. We have our own intelligence that the Abwehr are searching for them in that vicinity.”

Guy moved to the edge of his seat.

“You’re right, Guy. The Heroines are our decoys,” he said, and Guy stood up and paced the carpet. “It was weighed which strategy had more value, whether to send more pigeons to that area, or let your heroines think we were sending them and hope they become emboldened. Your agents are ordinary people, as you admitted. They will make thoughtless mistakes. They will cause suspicion and be noticed, and the War Office is counting on it.”

“They’ll get caught,” Guy said.

“It is, I’m afraid, a risk they are willing to take.”

Guy swallowed. “Who ordered this, sir?”

“Who do you think?” Smith asked, and Guy’s eyes grew wide.

Churchill. Once Guy thought about it, he felt lightheaded and took his seat again. He was responsible for the pigeon service and his agents—he was the one who drafted the Radio Londres announcement. He was the one who led Gaby and her sisters into the fire.

“I feel sick,” Guy said, holding his stomach.

“Well, you look it too,” Smith said. “Sorry, Guy. This plan was presented to me. I wasn’t given a say. The War Office keeps their invasion plans close to their chests, as they should, but what I do know is that the build-up of Abwehr around Boulogne-sur-Mer is a good sign their plans are working, and the decoys fit nicely into this arrangement. They were an unforeseen surprise. An added distraction for the Germans.”

Guy got up to walk to the window, gazing at the people walking the pavement below.

“This is war,” Smith said. “And there’s nothing we can do about it.” He went back to his desk and shuffled his papers, as if it was just another day and he hadn’t delivered the blow of all blows to Guy Burton, but then he added one more.

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