It's A Safe Bet
By WildClover27
Chapter 1
Terry walked casually down the stairs, grip in hand. She was wearing shoes with a stout heel and a flowered afternoon dress. Nylons encased her legs Her hair was done up in a big roll in front and the wavy tresses pulled back and held in a loose pale green bow at the nape of her neck. Powder, rouge and lipstick had been applied to her face. The grip was set by the front door and the girl walked toward the office.
Casino noticed her first. He got up from the table and intercepted her to circle and pointedly look her up and down.
"What are you all dressed up for?" he asked.
It got the attention of the other three cons . . . and Craig.
The lieutenant rose from his desk and walked to his doorway, giving his sister a more restrained up and down perusal.
"That's not how you usually dress to tend bar," he remarked.
Terry smiled cheekily. "That's because I'm not tending bar. I'm attending bar."
"Attending," repeated Garrison suspiciously.
Chief grinned at her from his window seat. "Got a date?"
"As a matter of fact . . ." The girl's grin widened. "In London. Oh, and don't wait up for me. I'll be back tomorrow night."
She didn't dare look at Actor, not sure of the response, if any, she would get from him. And not about to question why it would matter to her. Craig's reaction was predictable.
"Teresa Marie Garrison!"
Terry's grin disappeared to be replaced with a pinched mouth glare. "Craig William Garrison, I am twenty-five years old. I don't have to answer to you for who I see, where I see them, or for how long I'm gone as long as there isn't a mission. And I checked. There isn't one. However, seeing as you are my concerned brother, I will explain this time. I'm taking the train to London. I am meeting up with Royce at the base and we are going to dinner and dancing. Then he returns to the base. He only has an evening pass. Then I am spending some time with our sister. So if something comes up, call Crystal."
With that, she turned on her heels and walked deliberately to the door. Now she really dared not look at Actor or any of the other men. If she had, she would have seen the back of the Stars and Stripes instead of the Italian, a look of disgust on Casino's face, and grins on Chief and Goniff.
"Have fun, Love," the pickpocket couldn't resist.
"I intend to."
GGGGG
The next morning, Terry and Chris, clad in pajamas, were having breakfast at the table. Tinker, Dirk and Kelly were 'visiting their aunt' so it was safe to walk around the flat in their nightwear.
"So how was it?" asked Chris around a bite of toast.
Terry shrugged and took a sip of ersatz coffee. "It was good."
"But?" Chris was tuned into her sister's mood.
"I don't know." Terry shook her head. "He's fun. He swings good. Maybe not quite as good as Casino. And I guess I'm just too used to dancing the slow ones with Actor." She gave an unladylike snort. "I need to get away from those guys for awhile."
Crystal laughed. "So, you have all day. You're in London. Why don't you play tourist for the day? I hear there's some kind of minor showing at the art museum."
"You want to come along?" asked Terry.
"I wish," replied the younger girl. "No, today is grocery shopping day. You know all those queues at every shop, especially the butcher's. It'll take me most of the day, and then I have laundry to do before the boys get back. I hate having my underwear draped over the radiator when there are men in the house."
So that was how Terry found herself wandering around the exhibits, alone, at the National Gallery. Terry moved with the other patrons around the displays of modern art. It didn't really interest her like the old masters did. Maybe with Actor interpreting . . . but then she wasn't sure that he liked the modern stuff anymore than she did. Besides, the whole point of today was to get away from the guys and have a little time to herself.
"Teresa?" The voice was feminine and cultured and familiar.
Terry turned, eyebrows rising in surprise to see Elizabeth smiling at her. She returned the smile and walked back to the woman. The Englishwoman was dressed in a mid-calf length dark blue woolen dress with a fur against the cool air in the unheated museum. She had, accessorized on her arm, a tall young blond wealthy-looking mustachioed man. The woman sure knew how to pick them.
Elizabeth held her hands out and Terry took them in hers leaning in to exchange brushed kisses on each other's cheeks.
"Darling, I thought that was you. How nice to see you again. Are you alone?" she glanced around with a frown.
"It's nice to see you again too, Elizabeth," said Terry. "Yes, I'm alone this time."
"Oh, that's a shame, Dear." The woman smiled mischievously. "I'd like you to meet my friend, Jonathan Moresby. Jonathan, this is Teresa . . . My goodness, Darling, I've forgotten your last name."
Terry laughed, not believing that for a minute, and turned to the handsome man who couldn't be much older than her. "Garrison," she said, holding a hand out.
Jonathan took her fingers in his and gave a small bow. "A pleasure, Miss Garrison."
"A pleasure to meet you too, Sir," replied Terry.
Elizabeth linked her arm with Terry's and guided the girl across the room toward a painting. "Now what do you think of this one?"
Terry eyed the garish eyeball that looked out from a background of angles and bright primary colors. "Not much I'm afraid. I prefer the old masters and the Renaissance period."
"Ah, but this type of art invites the observer to become involved," said Elizabeth. "The bold colors and sharp angles define the boundaries of convention. The eye represents an inquisitive mind straining to break free of that convention."
Terry's head cocked a little to the side as she tried to see anything more than a child's attempt with tempura paint. What she did see was why Actor was attracted to the older woman, besides her class and elegance. Elizabeth was a copy of him; same inquisitive mind delving into art to see beyond the simple beauty of something to the core and meaning of it. An ability Terry despaired of ever hoping to achieve to any great extent.
Elizabeth tucked her arm though Terry's. "Come, there is a very pleasant tea room just down the hall."
The two women walked down the hall to the tea room, trailed by the tall blond Englishman. Elizabeth chose a table in a far corner. Moresby seated both ladies. Elizabeth reached up for the young man's hand.
"Jonathan, could you be a dear and get us each afternoon tea? Earl Grey if they have it," she asked with just the right touch of helplessness.
"Of course, Elizabeth," he replied and went to do as she asked.
Terry could not help but smile. The woman had Actor's charm and manipulation. The girl's eyes followed the trim figure of the man walking away.
"No uniform?" Terry asked.
Elizabeth laughed. "Oh never. I believe he is involved with Intelligence. Old family ties. His father pulled in favors to get him posted somewhere reasonably safe and not anywhere near the front lines."
"Nice looking anyway," Terry complimented Elizabeth on her choice of companion.
"Yes," agreed the older woman. "Too malleable though. He just doesn't have Vittorio's spine. Or his expertise. Too young."
Terry couldn't contain a quiet chuckle. Elizabeth's eyes sparkled at her.
"And how is dear Vittorio?" she asked.
"Just fine," replied Terry.
"You've ruined him I'm afraid," sighed the older woman.
Terry looked at her in surprise. "Ruined him? How could I have ruined him?"
The last time I was with Vittorio, his lovemaking was a bit . . . inattentive.
Terry's eyebrows shot up. "And how does that have anything to do with me? Elizabeth, we are not sleeping together. I don't see how I could have an effect on his . . . uh . . .attentiveness."
"When a man like Vittorio becomes inattentive during lovemaking, it is because of another woman."
"Well, I am not that other woman," denied Terry in frustration.
"So you have not partaken of his favors yet, My Dear?"
"No," denied Terry. "I told you, we do not have that kind of relationship." It was not because they hadn't tried, they just kept getting interrupted. That wasn't anything the older woman needed to know.
"Now Teresa, you really must experience his lovemaking at least once." Elizabeth gave a little frown. "Though it does tend to color your appreciation of other men."
"I'm sure it does." Terry was hard pressed not to laugh.
With the young man gone and the secluded space they were in, Terry became emboldened by the accusation. "So may I ask something rather personal, Elizabeth?"
"Of course," the woman smiled.
Terry was still a bit hesitant. "If I were considering it, which I am not, how . . . would one go about . . . pleasuring . . . someone like Vittorio?"
Elizabeth laughed, "Oh, Darling, that is easy. You needn't worry about that. Vittorio pleasures himself."
"I beg your pardon?" gasped Terry.
Elizabeth was getting great enjoyment from the young woman's reaction. "No, Dear, not like that." Terry took a breath in relief. "Vittorio gets his pleasure from pleasing the woman. Believe me, by the time he has you ready for him, he is ready for you."
Terry almost wished she had not asked. The conspiratorial look on Elizabeth's face put the younger woman at ease. "And Mr. Moresby?" the girl couldn't help but ask.
Elizabeth gave a ladylike snort. "That one is still in training. Sometimes it amuses me to be the teacher." The older woman glanced to see how long her friend would be at the counter and turned her attention back to Terry. "And how is your dear brother?
"Craig's fine too," replied Terry.
"I'm sure that one doesn't need training either."
Terry had just taken a sip of water and did choke on it. She remembered the offer of a liaison had been made that long ago evening at the Savoy, but didn't think Craig would actually take Elizabeth up on it. Surely her brother would not want to go where Actor had already been, so to speak. Would he? Besides he seemed to have a girlfriend already. Terry managed to pull herself together, under the twinkling eyes of Elizabeth, as Moresby returned with a laden tea tray. Luckily, the rest of the tea was without any further surprises.
GGGGG
It was dark when Terry parked beside the Packard. She pulled her grip out behind her and bounded up the steps. Glancing around the common room, she swore none of them had moved since she had left.
"It's about time you got back," Craig called out grumpily from his office.
"Why?" asked Terry.
"We have a mission. I tried calling your sister, but she couldn't get hold of you."
"So when do we leave?" asked Terry wearily.
"In an hour," replied Garrison. "I hope you ate."
"Did you?" asked the girl.
"I made 'em me potato surprise for dinner," Goniff answered first.
"I ate," said Terry. Tea and cucumber finger sandwiches would have to do. There was no telling what the surprise was in the Cockney's potatoes.
"So how was your date?" asked Casino with his usual attitude indicating he didn't think much of it.
"Very nice," replied Terry.
She glanced around the room. She had the attention of Casino, Chief and Goniff. Actor was puffing on his pipe and reading his book, ignoring her.
"If yuh wanna dance, I can take yuh dancin'," said Casino. "And you don't hafta go clear to London."
Terry looked at the safecracker's smart aleck grin. "Yeah, but you can't take me to dinner."
"Why not?" demanded Casino.
"Because none of you are dating my sister!" came a firm voice from Garrison's office.
"Betcha I dance better than he does," teased Casino, ignoring the Warden.
Terry chuckled and walked up behind the man and squeezed his shoulders. "Okay, I admit, you swing with a bit more style than Royce does."
"Told yuh." Casino had seen Royce dancing with Terry at the Fox and though the man knew the steps, he just didn't seem to have the flair he should have.
Terry gave him a quick peck on the temple and walked back toward Garrison's office.
Casino never knew when to quit. "Yeah, well you need more than those slow, quiet ones to dance with, Babe."
Terry did not turn around, but heard the quiet humph from the vicinity of the Italian. Men, she thought. Speaking of . . . She stopped in the doorway to her brother's office.
"You and I need to have a talk, Brother Dear," she said.
Garrison looked up at her tone. "About?"
"I ran into one of your little friends in London."
Craig frowned. "Lt. Johnson?"
"Not that kind of friend." Terry flicked her eyes in the direction of the Italian.
Garrison's face turned into the one he wore playing poker with the Gallagher brothers.
Terry leaned a little forward and mouthed, "Does he know?"
"There is nothing to know," replied Craig in a quiet enough voice it didn't carry beyond his office to the men.
Terry shook her head and gave him the benefit of the doubt that he had not been with Elizabeth. "Okay, what do I need to pack?"
"Evening gown," said Garrison, getting back to business.
"Where we going?"
"Germany."
"Lieber Gott!" said Terry dramatically. "Noch mal?"
"Noch mal," was the response.
Terry headed for the stairs and was treated to Casino's familiar griping.
"You just watch. The Allies'll drop a bomb on our heads."
"Halt dein Mund," Terry threw over her shoulder as she bounded up the stairs with her grip.
"Wot'd she say?"
"Shut up," replied a cultured voice smugly.
GGGGG
General Ardmann adjusted the right sleeve of his formal tunic and glanced at his companion in their box overlooking the orchestra and stage. She was elegant in a long green brocade dress. A fox fur protected bare shoulders from the cool air in the opera house. Pearls graced her slender neck and ear lobes beneath carefully coiffed auburn hair. The general smiled inwardly in approval.
The young woman gazed in seeming boredom at the scores of formally dressed people rapidly filling the opera house who had come to attend the Wagner opera, 'Lohengrin'. A field marshal and his entourage filled the box directly across from them. Below were assorted wealthy patrons and a large contingent of officers from all branches of Hitler's military. There were enough medaled men present that a few well placed bombs or a direct hit from an Allied air raid over Berlin could have devastating results for the Reich. Still these people acted as though there was no war going on.
Beside her, Hans was in a low, but casual, conversation with General Brandt about the merits of Wagner. Both men were of relatively equal rank, though Brandt was Abwehr and Hans was Waffen SS. General Brandt's wife, seated on the other side of him, studiously avoided the young woman after she had been introduced as Ardmann's companion. Elsbeth was used to being snubbed. It went with being the expensively well-kept mistress of an officer.
The house lights flickered, indicating the imminent beginning of the production. People took their seats and the rumble of many voices in conversation lowered and ceased as the formally dressed conductor walked onto the front of the orchestra pit. The house lights dimmed out, the man at the podium was highlighted, the applause turned into a hushed silence, and the orchestra began to play the quiet opening to the overture. Elsbeth settled back in her chair. It would be a long hour. She did not have the appreciation for opera that Hans had, but she tried hard to learn about it to please him. Still, it would only be an hour. They would leave at the first interval, as long as Hans was assured that General Brant would be staying for the remainder of the performance. By then, the other members of their team should have fulfilled their part of the mission.
GGGGG
The slight, wiry blond man carefully cut a small square pane of glass from the window in front of him. His two teammates, hidden behind a bush, watched cautiously as he slipped his small hand through the hole and unlatched the window. He eased it open a scant inch and felt around for any wires that might indicate an alarm system. Finding none, he eased the window open further and checked again. Satisfied there was no alarm attached, he opened the window all the way and gestured with a flourish of his hand for the other two to enter.
Casino shook his head at the man's theatrics, causing the obstinate curl of dark hair to fall onto his forehead. Goniff was getting as bad as Actor with the overacting. The safecracker watched as Garrison peeked inside to make sure it was clear. Apparently it was because the lieutenant gestured, less dramatically, for Casino to enter. Casino hitched a leg over the sill and eased inside the room. He glanced around quickly for any guards before darting across the hall and into a recessed doorway. He beckoned the other two men inside. Garrison went next, pausing beside the window. Goniff followed and darted across the hall to scrunch down between two cabinets. The lieutenant pulled the window almost shut before moving stealthily down the hall to his right.
The general's office was an inside room at the end of the hall. Silently, Garrison turned the doorknob and pushed the door slowly in. A look inside told him the room was empty. Now he beckoned to his men and went inside. Garrison waited in the center of the room while Goniff took a post watching at the door that was closed to a slit.
Casino's eyes swept the room and settled on a painting that would be the right size to cover a wall safe. A delicate finger sweeping of the edges of the painting did not turn up any wiring. The painting swung out sideways to reveal the safe. It had a fairly simple combination lock. A grin came to the master safecracker's face. He turned to his boss.
"Hey, Warden," he whispered.
Casino pointed first at Garrison and then at the safe. The officer shook his head and pointed to his watch indicating there was not time for an amateur to attempt to crack the safe. Casino grinned and shook his head before jerking it telling Garrison to come over.
Somewhat reluctantly the officer approached.
"We got time," whispered Casino. "If yuh take too long, I'll push yuh outta the way and do it myself."
Craig hesitated only a second. He wanted to try his hand at the real thing. Casino had been teaching him on his office wall safe and he was getting pretty good at it. However, there was a tension in this situation that was lacking at the Mansion. Casino stepped back and allowed him to move up next to the safe.
Garrison flexed his fingers and gingerly took the dial between his thumb and middle finger. He carefully turned the dial until he felt the first tumbler drop. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Craig slowly turned the dial in the opposite direction and . . . felt nothing as he completed an entire circle. Stifling a curse, he spun the dial and started over. The first tumbler was fine, the second could not be felt, at least by him. He shot a frustrated look at Casino and shook his head, backing away. Garrison did not want to waste precious time fiddling with the thing.
Casino took his place. The cracksman had the safe open in less than 30 seconds. It made Garrison feel like an inept child. As he reached into the now open safe to retrieve the papers inside, Casino leaned into him and whispered in his ear.
"The second tumbler was touchy, the third one was a snap. You'd'a had it if you kept on a little longer."
Craig shook his head. "Couldn't take the time," he whispered.
Garrison took the papers to the desk, swapped out the light bulb on the desk lamp, and pulled the microfilm camera from his pocket. Casino laid out one page at a time while the lieutenant snapped pictures of each. The papers were then returned to the open safe by the cracksman while the officer changed the bulb back and placed his bulb and the camera into separate pockets of his jacket. Craig stood and watched Casino close the safe, wipe it for prints, and swing the painting back in place, wiping it for prints also.
The three men made their way out the same way they had come in. No alarms went off. No guards caught them.
GGGGG
The first act of the opera went by too fast for Actor and too slow for Terry. Despite the inner tension from the situation they were in, the confidence man was thoroughly enjoying the music and singing. It had been a long, long time since he last had the opportunity to experience firsthand such an excellently staged production. This theater was not up to the near perfect standards of La Scala, but the acoustics were by no means poor. Terry, on the other hand, could not wait for it to be over. She might tease Actor into singing a few lines for her once in awhile when they were alone and could not be overheard, but that was because she loved the deep, rich timbre of his baritone singing voice. Finally, the curtain closed and the house lights came on.
Actor escorted Teresa down to the lobby where there were refreshments available. He continued a conversation with Gen. Brandt about the irritating resistance of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto to the attempted destruction by the Reich. The general, of course, knew more than he was letting on. Part of his reticence was due to the sensitivity of the information and part due to the dislike of the Abwehr for the Waffen SS. Actor sincerely hoped the lieutenant was accessing the information the general was hinting at.
About twenty minutes into the interval, a young dark-haired corporal moved through the crowd and approached Actor. He remained silent, flashed a straight-armed salute, and held out a note to the man. Terry watched with feigned interest as the tall man opened and perused the 'note.' Shaking his head, he crumpled the paper into his pocket and gestured for the corporal to leave.
With an expression of genuine regret, Actor spoke to Teresa in German, apologizing for ruining her evening, but some urgent business had arisen that he must take care of immediately. Terry smiled and replied that she understood. Actor bid a good night to Gen. Brandt and escorted Teresa out of the door through which the corporal had entered.
GGGGG
The five men and one woman were seated in a row on the metal bench that ran along the fuselage of the British plane that had picked them up in a field close to the border between France and Germany. Garrison rested his head back against the cold curved metal wall and mulled over in his mind what he would put in his report. His sister was tucked up shoulder to shoulder with him for warmth. The other side of her was tucked up against Actor for the same reason. Chief came next, followed by Casino with Goniff on the end.
"Now this is what I call a good mission. 'Nuffin' went wrong."
"Shut up!" four voices shouted in near unison.
"You're going to jinx us," complained Terry.
"Yeah, yuh dumb Limey," added Casino. "We ain't home yet."
Garrison swallowed a smile. His sister was picking up the superstitions of the cons. Though he had to admit, even he was afraid to label a mission as 'good' until they were back in the relative safety of the mansion.
"How did you enjoy the opera?" Actor asked the young woman beside him.
"The male tenors and baritones were okay," replied the girl. "And that basso wasn't so bad. I still think those high soprano women sound like cats with their tails caught in a door."
Craig could just picture his second's eyes rolling at that remark. "Face it, Actor," he said. "You are never going to teach her to appreciate opera."
"You may be correct in that, Warden," admitted the con man ruefully. "And I thought Elsa was delightful."
"You would, she was a blond. Now gentlemen," Terry wiggled between the two male shoulders. "I like some opera, when it's men singing. I just don't like screeching women."
Garrison and Actor bent their heads forward to exchange a look.
"Like I said, lost cause."
"I am afraid you are right."
Terry shrugged. "So next time we go to a concert playing Vivaldi."
Actor's eyebrow rose at that. "I am sure the Warden can arrange that for our next mission."
"Right." Casino had been listening to the conversation. "And Hitler's gonna hand Germany over to Eisenhower on a platter."
"You have no faith in my brother," lamented Terry. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against Craig's shoulder in an attempt at sleep in the buffeting airplane.
"Your brother has no faith that he can arrange something like that," Craig said to her.
GGG
The next afternoon found the men in Garrison's office, lounging around the conference table. Terry entered the room and set a bowl on the table of freshly picked strawberries from the garden patch she had found and freed of weeds. As she straightened, her hands flashed out and walloped Actor's and Goniff's booted feet that were crossed atop the shiny wood. Goniff grumbled as he lowered his feet. Actor glared at her before slowly lowering his. Chief's feet went to the floor before the woman could reach him. Garrison studiously ignored the byplay while Casino chuckled and reached for a strawberry. The girl took her usual seat beside the confidence man, exchanging a glare with him that was tempered by both the twitching corner of her mouth and a tiny shake of his head.
"Okay," started Garrison, "transport in?"
"Gotta hand it to yuh, Warden," said Casino. "Driving in tuh Berlin in a general's car was pretty classy."
"What would you know about class?" asked Actor, taking a small handful of strawberries.
"Listen you . . . " Casino started to rise.
"Enough!"
The safecracker sank back in his chair under Garrison's no-nonsense glare. Actor ignored the volatile man and calmly placed a strawberry in his mouth.
Garrison threw the ball into Actor's court. "How was the interaction with General Brandt?"
"The good general knew much more than he was letting on. I hope you were able to get that information from the safe." He sighed. "It was a pity we could not have stayed for the rest of the performance."
"The first act was way too long," interjected Terry.
Actor despaired of ever teaching the young woman an appreciation of fine opera.
"You have more input?" Craig asked his sister, hoping not.
"Nope," she replied. "I wasn't doing anything useful. I was just his mistress . . . again."
Now Goniff piped up. ""Ey, Warden. For a big shot general, 'is security weren't nuthin' to write 'ome about."
"Yeah," added Casino. "One guard, no wires. What's the matter with those people?"
Garrison shrugged his eyebrows. "If you were living in Berlin, would you be concerned with an Allied break in?"
"They must notta heard about us," the safecracker retorted cockily.
"Good thing," muttered Chief.
"Those people are crazy," said Terry, reaching for more fruit. "At the opera, they all acted like there wasn't a war on."
"Hitler still has them convinced the Reich is invincible," explained Actor, "even with the bombings." He turned his attention to the lieutenant. "The information you obtained. Did it contain information on the plans for Poland after the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto?"
"Let's just say G-2 is finding the information very useful." Garrison moved on. "Transport out?"
"We didn't get to spend enough time in Switzerland," bemoaned Terry. "I didn't get to see anything except snow on the mountains."
Her brother shook her head. "Maybe after the war you can go for a vacation."
Terry turned a teasing grin toward Actor. "Will you take me to Switzerland?"
"No."
That got snorts or laughter from the other men. Terry gave him a disgusted look.
Goniff grinned at her. "Now, Terry Love, remember you're 'just 'is mistress'. He won't take you to Switzerland. 'E's got too many Swiss birds in that little black book o' 'is."
"He's got half of Europe in that little black book of his," lamented the woman.
Actor gave her a cautioning look. He remembered she had seen all the names in his little black book. She needn't be spreading any of that information around. To the men, he smiled haughtily.
"Yeah, and he don't share 'em very often either," groused Casino.
The smile turned snooty at the safecracker. "The women I am acquainted with do not meet your low standards."