Trouble in Paradise (20 page)

“Then you will both be dead,” the man replied. “He is a professional who is prepared to die for the Fatherland. Are you prepared to die?”

“If I need to,” Jack said.

“Very gallant.”

“Louise, are you all right?” Jack asked.

“I’m fine now that you’re here.”

“Aahhh, so there is a connection,” the German said. “You are, as they say, her knight in shining armour, here to rescue the fair maiden. The true question is: are you prepared to have her die?”

He took the pistol and turned it toward Louise until it was right by her temple.

I saw Jack’s hold on the gun falter ever so slightly. Was he going to give him the gun? If he did that, there was no going back, no hope for either Louise or him!

The man moved forward. He was inching toward the rope strung across the path. I knew that and Jack knew that. Just a couple more feet and— He stopped, right beneath my feet. I had the pistol in my hand. I could take a shot— No, his head and Louise’s were too close together. I couldn’t be any surer of hitting him than Jack could, and I couldn’t risk shooting Louise.

“Okay, you win,” Jack said as he lowered the rifle.

I knew what he was doing. He was offering the rifle, trying to lure the man closer, hoping he’d trip over the rope.

“Get his rifle!” the man called out, and the guy on the ground started to get up.

There was only one thing left to do. I jumped from the tree, leading with my feet and knees, and aimed right for the man, and Louise!

Time seemed to stand still as I flew through the air. I could see everything so clearly … it was as if somebody had turned on a bright light. I saw the top of his head and his face—the expression of shock and surprise and fear— as he turned slightly around and looked up at the sound of tree branches springing back. And then he released Louise and turned completely around, raised and aimed his pistol in my direction, and there was a flash of light and an explosion!

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

IT
’
S OKAY
, I really don’t need a wheelchair,” I said.

“Whether or not you need it, you’re still going to use one,” the nurse said. “Regulations are regulations.”

“But—”

“Don’t argue with the nurse,” my father said. “Never argue with a woman, because you’re just going to lose in the end.”

“Spoken like a good husband,” she joked.

“The best,” my mother added as she squeezed his arm.

The nurse helped me off the bed and into the chair. I slumped into it awkwardly, feeling a little light-headed. Maybe I needed the chair more than I wanted to admit.

“Now, the arm is doing very well,” the nurse said. “And the gash to your head is healing nicely on the outside, but you’re still going to feel the effects of that blow for weeks to come. I always knew rugby was a dangerous game.”

The cover story was that I’d broken my arm and received a gash to the side of my head from the cleat of a rugby boot.

“It wasn’t even a game,” my father said. “He and his brother and a few other boys were just having a little scrimmage.”

“I’m thinking he’s played his last game,” my mother said.

“But we’ve thought that before and been wrong,” I said.

“Put your feet up,” the nurse said as she started to wheel me away. My mother and father followed behind. “I must admit, we were all more than a little worried about that head injury,” she said.

“His brother didn’t think there was much up there to damage,” my father joked.

“Where is Jack?” I asked.

“Waiting outside,” my mother said.

“Well, whatever he had up there got scrambled,” the nurse continued. “You certainly didn’t make a lot of sense the day you came in. A lot of rambling on about spies and enemy agents and guns.”

I still felt guilty for what I’d let slip in my semi-conscious state.

“Oh, you know how a boy’s imagination works,” my mother said.

“I only know from my brothers,” she replied. “I have a daughter.”

“I always wanted a daughter,” my mother said. “It would have been so wonderful to dress a little girl in pretty dresses and fix her hair and—”

“I’ll talk to Jack about that,” I said, and all three of them laughed.

“Instead I live in a house with three men who think everything is a joke … including a shot to the head.”

A shot! She shouldn’t have said that, because nobody was supposed to know about what really happened. Talking about guns was definitely off limits!

“Well, I guess from the other team’s point of view, it was a pretty good shot to the head,” my father agreed. “That kick almost separated him from his skull.”

That was a good explanation. As far as almost everybody knew, my injury was the result of an unfortunate rugby accident. The only people who knew the truth—that my arm was broken jumping down from a tree and landing on a Nazi agent, and that the bullet from his Luger grazed my head—were the people at the hotel, and one doctor and one nurse here at the hospital.

My father opened the front door and the nurse wheeled me outside. It was a beautiful, sunny day, warm, but not too warm, with not a cloud in the sky. Jack was sitting on a bench just by the door. He waved and walked over.

“How you feeling, kid?” he asked.

“I’ve been better. I’ve been worse. Wait till Mom tells you about the new clothes she’s going to buy you.”

Jack looked confused, and everybody else started laughing. He didn’t know what the laughter was about but was smart enough to know it was aimed at him.

“You try to keep your feet away from your brother’s head,” the nurse said. “He’ll need some gentle care for the next while.”

“I’ll take care of him,” Jack said. It sounded more like a threat than a promise.

“There’s our car,” my father said.

A big, black car with tinted windows was parked at the side of the hospital. It was really fancy. Fancier than anything I’d ever ridden in. Maybe fancier than anything I’d ever seen.

“Quite the snazzy ride,” the nurse said.

“On leave from the hotel,” my father answered. “I’ll take it from here.”

Before she could say a word, my father moved in behind my chair and wheeled me away from her.

“Thanks for everything,” my mother said. “You’ve all been wonderful. Thank you.”

“Here, give me your hand,” Jack said.

He eased me up from the chair and my mother opened the back door. I lowered myself in and— “Little Bill!” I exclaimed.

He was sitting in the back seat.

“So good to see you in your street clothes and not a hospital gown,” Little Bill said. He gestured to the seat opposite him and I settled into it.

Next my mother climbed in, followed by my father and then Jack. Jack sat beside me and my parents beside Little Bill.

“Driver,” Little Bill said, “please.”

The engine started and the car began to move.

“This is not the first time we’ve met after a hospital stay,” Little Bill said.

“But I hope it’s the last,” I replied.

After our first adventure at Camp X, I’d been knocked unconscious and woke up in a bed. That time I had to be told what had gone on. Not this time. I remembered everything. Me flying through the air; the searing, burning pain as the bullet grazed my skull; landing on the Nazi agent and knocking him forward; Jack taking all three men prisoner; Louise being frantic but free; help arriving; and finally, me being taken to the hospital to have my broken arm set and the wound on my head treated. The hardest part of the whole thing had been explaining it to our parents. Especially our mother.

“Louise sends her greetings,” Little Bill said.

“You’ve talked to her!” Jack exclaimed.

“I met with her and her parents. They asked me to convey their profound gratitude for what you boys did.”

“It was nothing,” Jack said.

“No time for false modesty. It was remarkable. Louise was very sad that she didn’t have an opportunity to say goodbye before she had to leave.”

I knew how upset Jack had been as well.

“Better she’s somewhere else, and safe,” Jack said.

“Yes, her safety is the primary concern,” Little Bill said. “And now she’s back with her family.”

“That is wonderful,” my mother added. “I know how much she missed her parents.”

“And they missed her,” Little Bill said.

“I still can’t believe that the Germans wanted to kidnap a young girl,” our mother said.

“She’s not just any girl. Kidnapping a member of the British royal family would have had enormous consequences. It would have been demoralizing to the entire country.” “

“I’m just so glad she’s safe,” Jack said. “Could you tell her how much I miss her?”

“You’ll have a chance to tell her yourself,” Little Bill said.

“She’s coming back to Bermuda?” Jack asked excitedly.

Little Bill shook his head. “I’m afraid not.” He paused. “But all of you will be seeing her, and her family. There has been a request made that your family travel to England to have an audience.”

“An audience?” I questioned.

“Yes, that’s what they call it when you meet with royalty,” Little Bill said. “You will all be meeting with her parents, and another of her relatives has requested that you find time in your schedule to meet with her, perhaps for tea.”

“A relative … you don’t mean the queen, do you?”

Little Bill smiled and nodded his head.

“The queen!” my mother exclaimed. “But I have nothing to wear!”

“I think a gown can be arranged,” Little Bill said. “But first things first. George, how are you feeling?”

“I feel okay,” I said. “Matter of fact, I almost feel ready for our next mission!”

Little Bill smiled. “The very answer I expected.”