Dawn of Hope by D. R. Bailey

Author:D. R. Bailey [Bailey, D. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-11T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

It was impossible to go the next day to search the hut due to the exigencies of fighting Jerry. A couple of days later, though, during a short break in flying due to the weather, Tomas and I made our way out to the hut I had seen from the air. I had managed to pinpoint the approximate location on a map, and it wasn’t too hard to find. It was actually only a short walk from the road. As we approached it, we both drew our sidearms in readiness.

The hut was painted white and made of stone. It had a tin roof, a door and small windows. It had possibly been a shepherd’s hut at one time and now seemed abandoned and unoccupied.

Nevertheless, we were tense as we neared the door, and used only hand signals. Tomas held his pistol at the ready, while I put my hand on the door handle. With a nod from him, I thrust it violently inwards, and Tomas rushed in first.

“It’s all right, Scottish, nobody is here,” he said.

Inside, the floor was beaten earth. There was a table and what looked like signs of recent occupation. In one corner were some discarded cigarette packets, empty tins of bully beef and a bottle of beer or two. There was a small table and a kicked over chair. It was as if someone had left in a hurry.

“Shall we get those?” Tomas said, indicating the food items. “Maybe we can get the fingerprints?”

“It’s an idea, but how are we going to get them from the pilots to match them? It would raise suspicions for sure, and Bentley won’t want that.”

“True, I suppose,” said Tomas wistfully, not wanting to give up on his plan quite so easily. The practicalities of it, though, defeated us both.

“How do we even know the spy was here? It could have been someone else — though God knows who or what for.”

“I suppose, Scottish, but look!”

I followed the direction he pointed to, the corner under the table. Something glinted, obscured a little by dirt. I reached down and picked it up.

“Well, I’ll be,” I said, looking at the object in my hand.

“That means it was a spy for sure!” said Tomas triumphantly.

It did indeed appear to be the case. The object in question was a small radio valve, most likely used in a portable radio. These were often disguised in other objects, like suitcases.

“I can’t imagine anyone other than a spy needing this, not in a hut in the middle of nowhere.”

“Yes, for sure. We know he was here and it was him you saw from the plane.”

“You are right, but he was too far away, so I couldn’t identify him,” I said, feeling disappointed.

The opportunity had slipped past me because I could not get near enough. Then I remembered the bullet hole and how mortified I would have been if it had hit Angelica.

“Don’t worry, it’s life.” Tomas clapped me on the shoulder.

“Yes, so near and yet so far.”

We searched the hut for further clues but found none.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.