Topaz by Leon Uris

Author:Leon Uris
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction.Historical, Mystery, War, Suspense & Thriller
ISBN: 9781453225813
Publisher: Open Road
Published: 1967-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

5

JACQUES GRANVILLE ENTERED NICOLE’S apartment drenched from the driving rain. He had found no parking space closer than two blocks away.

“Poor dear,” Nicole said taking his coat. She hung it over the heater in the entry to dry.

Jacques rubbed his icy hands together, shook his head like a dripping dog, and made straight for the liquor cabinet in the living room.

“I’m glad Michele phoned so I could talk her out of driving back from Dieppe tonight.”

“Ahhhh,” Jacques said as the cognac hit the spot. “Well, I’m a bachelor. Paulette left for Normandy early this morning ... in a huff I’m afraid. Now that I’ve got you all to myself why don’t you let me take you out to dinner?”

“I have a better idea. Let’s not go out in the mess. I’ll cook something here.”

“Beautiful.” Jacques phoned his office to give his whereabouts, then unlaced his shoes. His socks were soaked.

“You’re half drowned,” Nicole said. “Trot on back to André’s room. Raid his closet and make yourself comfortable.”

When Jacques entered the kitchen, Nicole was aproned and flitting about in preparation to assault the oven. She approved of the baggy velour shirt, old trousers, and André’s slippers.

“Nothing serious with you and Paulette?”

“Frankly, we’re heading for the rocks.”

“Not again, Jacques.”

“It’s a talent with me,” he berated himself. He sat up to the kitchen table, poured a glass of wine. Nicole opened the refrigerator and studied.

“You can have a choice of ... ummm ... let’s see ... lamb, but that will take a while, or sweetbreads or, yes, I have some scallops.”

“Surprise me.” He picked up a magazine on the table whose cover was adorned by the lord and master, Pierre La Croix. After a quick thumb-through he set it aside. “How’d you get on with Guy de Crécy?”

“Oh, fine. Charming man. Shame about his wife. Pour me a little wine.”

He set her glass next to her at the sink where she peeled potatoes. She finished her chore, wiped her hands on her apron, brushed back some fallen strands of hair and saluted with her wineglass.

Jacques became rather grim. “I wanted to see you because I’m worried about André.”

“So am I,” Nicole said.

“Nicole. I’m going to confide in you and tell you some things I shouldn’t be speaking about, but I trust you implicitly.”

“Don’t worry, my dear. I’ve been married to an intelligence man for a long, long time.”

“You know, of course, André has been in Cuba.”

“Sometimes he tells me where he is going. Other times he doesn’t. In this case it wasn’t hard to figure out.”

“Against a lot of opposition he took it upon himself to do a job primarily for the Americans,” Jacques said. “His report has arrived at SDECE. We conclude he found evidence of Soviet offensive missiles.”

“That’s frightening.”

“An understatement. If it’s true, the Americans are going to have to act and act soon. God knows what it can lead to. But André’s part. He is a French official. By his action he may have put France into a precarious position, involving us against our will.

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