89. Getting Rid of That Bug
Chapter 1
The faces of those at the conference table were tired and disheartened. This had been another mission that had failed. The man at the far end of the table looked around at his group and shook his head.
"All right, let's get this over with," said the Lieutenant shortly. "Transportation in?"
Even Goniff was too tired to make his usual cracks about planes, boats and submarines.
Chief finally spoke up. "No problems."
"Well I have problems from that point on," said Garrison irritably. "Casino, you took way too long trying to open that safe."
"I told you, Warden," objected Casino defensively. "The tumblers weren't workin' right. And what was I supposed to do with an air raid?"
"If you had managed to open that safe and quicker, we could have grabbed the papers before we had to get out of there," said Garrison.
The cracksman was about to open his mouth to argue, stopping when a hand swatting his thigh under the table by the woman sitting next to him reminded him he couldn't win this argument. The Warden wasn't going to listen to reason.
The officer turned his attention to the blond man sitting next to him. "Goniff, you had to drop that tray and draw attention to yourself?"
Now the Cockney went on the defensive. "I got elbowed. I couldn't grab onto the tray in time."
"You need to learn to pay attention to what's going on around you," said Garrison. "You could have blown the entire mission."
He moved on to Chief. "And what happened to you? You have never taken a wrong turn. Why this time."
"Yeah, Warden," spat the Indian. "I have never taken a wrong turn before. In case you didn't notice, there was a roadblock and a detour. I got us to the pickup, didn't I?"
"We almost didn't make it," countered the Lieutenant.
"We made it," said Chief sullenly.
Now Garrison looked at his sister. "And what were you doing? No useful information. Were you too busy eating?"
"As a matter of fact, neither Actor or I got anything to eat this trip," snarled Terry. "Nobody was talking. Not about what we went there to find out. Anytime I got close to a group, they shut up. I was just his," she aimed a thumb at the con man beside her, "pet whore." She snapped a look at the Italian and quickly added, "No offense to you, Actor." She turned back to her brother. "What did you want me to do? Ask them outright what their plans are for the new rocket?"
"I would have expected you to get something," Garrison said in disgust. His attention turned to the confidence man. "And what's your excuse? You didn't get anything either. What were you talking about? The weather?"
"My excuse," said the Italian derisively, "is the same as Teresa's. They were just not talking. Any of them."
"That never stopped you from prying information out of them before." Garrison glared at the older man.
"And what about you, Lieutenant," asked Terry with disgust of her own. "If you saw we were getting nowhere, why didn't you try? You just stood there like a piece of furniture."
"Teresa," came Actor's warning whisper.
"I was trying to figure out how to get us out of that fiasco," replied Garrison.
"Before or after the air raid siren went off?" She added without waiting for an answer. "Who bombed us by the way."
"Germany." Garrison glared at her. "We are done here. Terry, are you going to make dinner or do we have to sit up half the night waiting for you?"
Terry gave him that smile that should have warned him. "Oh, I'm going to make dinner. In my flat. I don't know what you're eating. Rations I guess." She started to get up.
"You leave, don't bother to come back," warned the Lieutenant. "I will get a replacement for you."
Terry chortled, standing up. "Good luck. You haven't been able to before. At least not anybody who was any good or would stay. Duchess doesn't count. That was your con of the Brass."
The girl turned and walked out of the office. She picked up her purse that was by the door and went out with a slam.
The next two missions went only marginally better, but they did not include Terry, and Actor could have used her. Supposedly following his orders, the woman did not return to the Mansion.
GGGG
After the second mission, the men held one of their little conferences in the upstairs common room. Chief watched the door in case the Warden decided to check on them. The others took seats around the game table.
Casino looked between Actor and Goniff. "Anybody heard from Terry yet?"
Actor gave him a disgruntled look. "If we had, do you think we would be eating Spam every day?"
Casino shrugged and put his elbow over the back of the chair. "Just because she isn't coming back doesn't mean you haven't heard from her."
"We 'ave not 'eard from her, Mate," said Goniff in exasperation.
Chief turned to look at them. "Hey, Actor, she isn't comin' to us, so why don't we go to her? Think you can talk the Warden into giving us the okay to go to the Fox?"
Goniff grinned at the scout. "Good idea, Chiefy!"
Casino picked up the thread. "Yeah. At least we got the papers this mission. That should put him in a little better mood."
"I would be willing to try," agreed Actor. "The worst he can do is say no, and, or throw us in the stockade."
Casino sobered. "You got any idea what bug he's got up his backside?"
The con man paused to light a cigarette. "Nothing that I would be willing to broach to him or ask."
They went back downstairs and to the kitchen. Chief went out with a basket and collected eggs before digging through the garden. He returned with a few potatoes that were a bit small, some peas and beans, and a smallish onion. He set it on the table.
"She's been here," he said. "The garden dirt is wet, and the rest of the yard isn't."
The men looked at the fare in the basket.
"Nothin' says we can't eat breakfast for supper," said Casino. "Without the pork and beans."
Actor poked his head in the refrigerator. "Ah, there is still some cheese in here." He straightened and closed the door. "Fried potatoes and onions and cheese omelets?"
"Works for me," said Chief, taking the vegetables out to wash them in the sink.
"Fine with me," agreed Goniff.
Casino eyed the taller man. "You cooking?"
"I suppose," replied Actor with a false tone of resignation. He really did not mind doing the cooking. At least things were cooked properly when he did it. "All right, Gentlemen. If someone would peel and slice the potatoes and chop the onion, I will attempt to talk the Lieutenant into allowing us an evening at the Fox."
With that incentive, the men retrieved sharp knives from the drawer and started dividing up the vegetables. Actor pushed through the swinging door and walked casually to the office, entering without knocking.
Garrison looked up at him. The con man said nothing until he was seated. "We have come up with an alternative for dinner tonight."
Garrison sent him a jaundiced eye. "We are not eating out at the Petit Lune," he said dryly.
"No," Actor shook his head. "Chief went out to the garden and brought in eggs, an onion and some potatoes."
"It's too soon for potatoes," said Garrison. "Terry comes back, and she'll skin you alive."
"Well, as it does not appear Teresa is coming back anytime soon, and the potatoes are being skinned as we speak, I would suggest we eat the evidence. Does breakfast appeal to you? Fried potatoes and onions. Cheese omelet?"
"No Spam?" asked the Lieutenant dubiously.
"Please, no!" returned Actor with exaggeration.
"Sounds good then," agreed Garrison.
Actor pulled a pack of Gauloises Bleu French cigarettes from his shirt pocket. He tipped one out and put it between his lips before tossing the pack onto the desk, in front of Garrison. He lit his with his silver lighter and slid that over too.
Craig was not about to pass up the offer of one of those and took a cigarette, lighting it, before sliding them back to the con man. He dipped his head in thanks.
Actor took a couple puffs and broached the other subject. "I have a proposition for you."
Garrison gave short snort. "I knew there was more."
"This won't be too painful," said Actor. He nodded to the note pad the officer had been writing on. "I will type up your report after dinner, if you might see your way to allowing us an evening off."
"You're not going to London," said Garrison sternly.
"No," agreed the con man. "We were thinking of Brandonshire. We have not been to the Fox for a couple months. They have better ale than the Doves."
Garrison eyed him. "Is she tending bar tonight?"
Actor shrugged. "Truthfully, Warden, we have no idea. None of us has heard from Teresa in weeks. She may have disappeared over to the Continent again." He added for enticement, "You are welcome to come with us." He already knew the answer to that.
"No thanks. Even if I were in the mood, it's too close to G-2."
It was the exact answer Actor had expected. "So may we go?" he asked as though it really didn't matter.
"Why not," said Craig. "You'd just go out the bars anyway."
"No. We'd rather have permission to take the Packard. It's a bit chilly to 'borrow' the jeep."
The two men looked at each and a small smile came to their faces. "Yes, you can go. But you're still typing this report before you leave."
"Of course, Warden. I told you I would."
Craig shook his head, but there was a tiny smile that had been missing lately. "Get out of here, Actor, and let me finish writing this up."
With a wider smile, the Italian rose, pocketed his cigarettes and lighter and walked out of the office. He returned to the kitchen and the questioning eyes of the three men.
"He agreed," said Actor. "After I type up his report to Allied Command. You gentlemen will owe me a drink for this."
GGGGG
The four men entered from behind the blackout drape and immediately looked to see who was working the bar. It was Kit. Actor told the others to find a table or booth and he would get the ale. They walked away and the con man ambled up to the bar and his usual stool. Kit came over and asked him what they were drinking. He ordered the house ale by the pitcher.
"Do you have any idea where she is?" asked Actor, knowing Kit would be aware of which who he was asking about.
"She's here," replied the red-head, getting glasses, a pitcher and a tray. "I'll get her in a minute."
"Basement?" asked Actor with a smile.
"Yeah."
The tall man stood and pulled money from his pocket, putting enough to cover the ale and a tip on the wooden bar in front of the woman. "I'll get her," he said.
Kit shrugged, pocketed the money, and picked up the tray with the now full pitcher on it. She watched Actor disappear behind the curtain to the back room, before heading out to the booth the men had chosen.
Madge had the earphones on, listening to the airwaves while Terry tapped out a message to one of the cells in coded morse code. She was just signing off when she heard the footsteps on the wooden stairs. She recognized the sound of Actor's stride and grinned. Nudging Madge's arm to alert her, Terry stood up.
Actor reached the bottom of the stairs and immediately noted the woman waiting for him.
"Buonasera, amoro mio," said Terry.
"Buonasera, My Love," replied Actor, holding his arms open. "Excuse us, Madge," he added to the radio operator.
Teresa moved into his embrace, and they exchanged a kiss. When they pulled back Teresa smiled up with affection at Actor. "Tell me you're alone."
"Alas, no," said the con man dramatically with a grin. "The other three are upstairs."
"Craig?"
"He's at the Mansion."
Terry frowned. "Any chance of him coming here after you?"
Actor shook his head. "No. He gave us the Packard. I bribed him sufficiently." He spotted the dubious raised eyebrow on Madge and gave her a wicked grin.
Terry noticed and turned around. "Don't worry," she said the woman. "Neither one of them swing that way."
"None o' my business," replied Madge, grinning back and knowing full well neither man did.
Actor kept his arms around Teresa. "Madge, could we borrow Teresa for a couple minutes?"
The operator chuckled. "You can 'ave her for a long as you like. She was down here 'elping me so she could get away from Kit."
"Well, in that case . . .," smiled Actor.
Terry winked at Madge in thanks. "If you need me, holler."
The operator laughed.
Actor turned Teresa around and nudged her in the direction of the stairs.
"Actor!"
Madge chuckled. That meant the Italian had pinched her bum again.
Upstairs, Terry looked around the inside of the pub.
"The back booth," said Actor.
They had just started across the dance floor when a slow song came up on the juke box. Actor gave a light tug on the woman's upper arm. Teresa automatically turned and moved into the dance with him.
"What's the matter, Actor," Teresa murmured. "Not getting enough practice in with all those con women that are replacing me."
"I am working solo," he murmured back.
"Mi dispiace," said the woman, placing her head against his chin.
"Yes, I can tell how sorry you are, Teresa."
At the booth, Chief, seated on the outside end of the seat spotted the tall man and the auburn-haired woman dancing. "Well, he didn't waste any time."
"He pick up a dame?" asked Casino in resignation.
"Just Terry."
The song ended and the two on the dance floor went over to the booth. Actor pulled a chair from an empty table around and sat in it, giving Teresa his spot on the booth bench seat.
"Hi Guys," she greeted. "How is everybody? No injuries?"
"Naw, the missions have been a little better," answered Casino, taking a sip of ale.
Terry smiled. "It's more of the add on missions my brother comes up with."
"'Ow about you, Love?" asked Goniff. "No injuries?"
"No injuries," said Terry, picking up the glass Casino had just set on the table and taking a good sip. "I've been sticking pretty close to home lately." She glanced around the table. "I've missed you guys," she said.
"We've missed your cookin'," said Chief.
Terry laughed. "Getting tired of Spam? What did you eat tonight?"
"Eggs and fried potatoes," said Casino without thinking.
"Where did you get the potatoes?" asked the woman ominously.
"Garden, where else?" Casino slid his glass of ale back to himself.
Terry's eyes narrowed. "You dug up my potatoes?"
"Just a couple," the safecracker replied.
"It's way too soon to be digging potatoes, you jerk! What were they, the size of marbles?"
There was dead silence at the table, but everybody except Casino was grinning.
The safecracker stared right back at her. "Naw, they were the size of chicken eggs."
"I'll chicken egg you," said Terry grumpily. "Leave my potatoes alone for at least another month. What happened to the ones I had in the pantry?"
"We ate 'em with Spam," said Chief. "You been out there while we're gone?"
Terry shrugged, Somebody has to water the garden, pull the weeds, and take care of the chickens."
Actor leaned back in his chair, cigarette between his fingers. "Wouldn't it be simpler for you to come back?"
"Actor, when you find out what's bugging Craig and straighten him out, I might consider coming back again. For now, no."
All she got in response was one of his slow deep sighs.
8
