The Vichy Treasury (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Series) by Conor Bender

Author:Conor Bender [Bender, Conor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2023-07-20T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

POACHERS

20 Miles West of Thies, French West Africa March 5, 1941

“ Christ, will these jerks hurry!” Gavin quaked. He got up into a low crouch next to Tamsir and massaged his knees. He planted a hand on a small boulder for balance as he wiggled his legs to regain feeling in his feet.

Baobacar watched him stretch and shook his head. “You need to learn to be patient.”

“Oh, do I?” Gavin exploded, not amused.“Maybe you should learn to keep your mouth shut. It's your fault we're out here.” He picked up one of the small pebbles that decorated the hilly rock outcrop they were hiding among and tossed it at Baobacar.

Baobacar ducked the pebble and grabbed a handful of his own and returned fire.“How is it mine?”

“You're the one who told me to go see the Gaspard girl.”

“Yes, and we now have a good opportunity to get the money we need to repay David. So, you're welcome.”

“Stealing some gold from a German convoy isn't what I'd call a good opportunity.”

“Enough, both of you!” Tamsir barked, shoving Gavin off-balance with one hand, and kicking Baobacar simultaneously while still lying on the ground.“This is an opportunity that benefits us, so stop complaining!”

Gavin glared at Tamsir but didn't argue.“I just don't think this is a very good plan.”

“It's better than your idea of stealing horses and riding up next to a moving truck and trying to hijack it.”

“Hey! That was a solid plan.”

“Maybe, if we could afford horses.”

“I just don't understand why Valerie wants a single gold bar. It makes no sense. Why not steal a whole truck? We'd be rich!”

“No, we wouldn't. Are you crazy?” Tamsir said flatly.“We'd never be able to sell them. Not without attracting the wrong type of attention. We'd be better off making a house with all those gold bars than trying to fence them.”

“Two poor fishermen and an American misfit with a wealth beyond their reach. If that doesn't attract problems, I don't know what does,” Baobacar mumbled.

“Besides, this plan is far safer,” Tamsir continued sagely.“The wagon we stuck in the road will stop the convoy, and the dust from the convoy will be blinding. We'll be able to sneak into the last truck as they move the wagon.”

Gavin held his tongue. He hated it when Tamsir was right. After Gavin had approached Valerie at the café, they had met again a few days later and Valerie had told him everything. She had told him that the Nazis had found out where the gold was, and how they had forced the governorgeneral into handing over the Belgian and Polish treasury gold. They had done their best to stall moving the gold, but that had only lasted a few weeks.

Now, with no excuses left, they were moving the gold by train to Thies and then on to Dakar by truck. And unless something could be done, the Germans would have all the gold soon. Gavin didn't need to be an academic to understand the gravity of the situation, and immediately wondered how to get more out of this deal.

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.