89. Getting Rid of That Bug
Chapter 5
Garrison looked around at the opulent surroundings of Actor's room. He admitted his room next door was almost as nice. He hadn't seen anything this fancy since the old days in the family bordello; something he hoped Actor did not know about. Rich brocade drapes, plush carpet, antique furnishings, a sideboard with a myriad of crystal decanters filled with every liqueur imaginable. And humidors of cigars and cigarillos.
The aroma of one of those cigars waft past his nostrils. His eyes traced the wispy pale white smoke back to its source. Its source was in dressing gown over silk pajamas, lounging in an overstuffed club chair, an appreciative smile on the handsome face, cheroot in one hand and balloon of dark amber liquor in the other.
"You've gone on ahead to get safe houses before. Why were they never like this?"
"Really, Warden," the man admonished. He gestured with a sweep of cigar around the room. "This would be totally wasted on those clods. Why do you think I left them down the street?"
Arrogance was not an unusual thing with Europe's greatest confidence man
"So would the girls be," Actor added. He tilted his head to gaze appraisingly at Garrison. His voice softened. "What has it been . . . almost a year now?"
Garrison stiffened as his good mood was made suddenly wary.
"Almost a year since you lost Jenny?" Actor continued. "And in that time, you have not made any overnight trips to London."
"I don't want to discuss that. Mind your own business, Actor!" Craig snapped.
"Oh, but I am minding my own business. And what better time? Just you and me. No interruptions." The two men locked eyes. "You are becoming as military as our good Major Schaeffer was. And the teamwork suffers for it."
"I don't see how," scoffed Craig.
"No, you don't," returned Actor. "You have become the regular army no-nonsense officer you were when you first started this group. You rarely laugh anymore. You are not as indulgent with some of our 'antics' as you were. We will still follow you, but you need to get on with your life. You have alienated Teresa. Are you blaming her for being raped?"
"No." Garrison wavered between anger with the con man and understanding. Still . . . "So, you bring me to a whore house and expect me to get on with my life by getting laid?"
"Actor shrugged philosophically. "Sex is a great tension reliever." He took it a step farther. "Would she want you to become a monk?"
"Actor . . ."
"If that is what it takes to get rid of the bug up your culo, it is a small price for peace."
Before Craig could respond to that, the door opened, and Madam Felice swept in. She looked at the Italian's feet crossed atop the coffee table and shook her head. With a smile, Actor lowered his legs, and the woman sat straddling his lap.
"I have some free time now, Darling, and it's been so long since you shared my bed," purred the woman. "I think your friend will be all right until you get back." She looked at Garrison. "I can't say it won't be a long time until he returns. He's so delightfully particular to details."
Scheisse. That was more information than Craig wanted to know. "I'm fine," he said, hoping to get rid of them quickly.
Felice climbed gracefully from Actor's lap, giving him a view of her décolletage in the process to remind him of the pleasures awaiting him beneath the robe. The wicked grin crossing his face told her he remembered.
He rose and picked up the balloon of liquor he had set on the side table when she had lowered herself atop him. He glanced at Garrison.
"Remember what I said," he admonished gently.
Garrison did not answer. As soon as the door closed behind the two, Craig's head leaned back against the top of the upholstered chair. It had almost been a good mission this time. A simple break in and open a safe had yielded more information than expected. He had the microfilm tucked inside the lining of his jacket. A disgustingly large sum of money was in the bottom of his kit. But, Casino had been injured, and that wasn't the safecracker's fault.
Actor was right about him, and Craig knew it. It was close to a year since losing Jenny, his lover and his wife. He would never forgive himself for not stopping the degradation and eventual murder of the woman before his eyes.
And then there was Terry. Practically the same thing had happened. She had been tortured and raped trying to save their sister from that fate, and he could do nothing about it. Craig had heard you tend to take things out against the ones you love because it is safe. Well, he had been taking it out against the girl all right. Taking it out to the point, though she had warned him about it before that mission, she left and did not come back. Oh, she met the guys in one of the pubs, but if he showed up, she left without a word to him. He was surprised she had made dinner for them before they left on this mission. Actor could be very persuasive in getting her to do things for them.
The guys stuck with him, but the camaraderie between them and himself had deteriorated badly. How was he going to amend that? He didn't know. Actor seemed to be the most inclined to remain the friend and second in command to him. Maybe he could talk to the Italian when they got back to England. Goniff did not joke and cut up when he was in the vicinity. Chief was back to his sullen, loner self. Casino just looked at him with derision.
Craig tried to relax. It was midafternoon, and they weren't leaving until midnight the next night when a fishing boat would take them out to a sub. Suddenly, he was tired, so very tired. He closed his eyes to take a little nap, knowing it would be hours probably until Actor returned. As soon as he closed his eyes, he was wide awake. It was going to be a long couple of hours.
His mind wandered to what Actor had said to him before the woman had enticed him away. Terry had said the same thing to him a little more than a month ago. A sister could say things like that. He had not expected it from one of his men. Granted Actor was a little more than just one of his men. He was more like an older brother that Craig had never had.
Maybe the con man was right. As it became closer to the anniversary of Jenny's death, he had become more restless and perhaps unconsciously more irritable. The missions were not much worse than they had been. There were always circumstances that ruined their plans and the men had to improvise or just plain get out to save their skins. Was he really taking his irritability out on the men like Actor and Terry said? Garrison leaned his head back against the chair and thought about it.
After a bit of soul-searching, Craig straightened in the chair. He took a sip of the whiskey on the side table, lit a cheroot and took a puff on it. He savored the cigar he very rarely had a chance to smoke. He had to admit, Actor had good taste in brothels. It had surprised him when the confidence man had chosen this and the one the other men were in, as their safe houses. The confidence man was obviously very familiar with both places. Somehow, Garrison could not see the suave man paying for sexual favors. But, judging by the expression on the madame's face, he wasn't paying for it.
There was a light tap at the door and it opened to reveal a woman with long blonde wavy tresses. She was wearing a silk robe that did not make it down to her knees. She looked at him curiously.
"Actor?" she asked.
"Uh, no," replied Garrison in French. "He left with Madame Felice."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized prettily. "I was told by one of the ladies to visit with him." She stepped closer to him. "My name is Celine."
Garrison was curious. "They call me Warden."
The woman looked to be about his middle sister's age or a couple years older. A little old for a prostitute, but then there was a war on, and things were different now. Her eyebrows came almost together. "You are alone? Are you waiting for someone?"
Craig shook his head.
Celine gave a delicate shrug. "I have an hour of free time. May I join you?"
"I . . ." Garrison smiled, "I would enjoy the company."
The blonde girl sat in the seat Actor had vacated and gave her attention to Garrison. "May I ask, why are you alone?"
Craig wasn't sure how to answer that. "We are in Marseilles until tomorrow night and Actor wanted to visit here. He seems to be a friend of Madame Felice."
Celine studied his face. "Are you sad?" she asked quietly.
"About Actor and Madame Felice? No." He deliberately misinterpreted her question.
"No, in general," said the girl. "There is something sad about you. Are you missing someone?"
Craig found himself cautiously opening up to her. "I suppose you could say that."
"A lover. A girlfriend?"
Craig hesitated. "My wife. She died a year ago. The Germans killed her."
The look of horror on the girl's face was genuine. "It is unfortunately a common thing now days. Did you see it?" At his nod, she continued. "To see it being done. How terrible!" She held his gaze. "Would you like to tell me about her? Would it help or make it worse?"
If this young woman was pulling a con, she was better at it than Actor. Craig found himself opening up to her like he had never been able to do with his family or the con man.
GGG
Sated, Actor and Felice lay side-by-side propped up against the headboard, sharing a cigarette. The sheet had been pulled up to their waists, leaving the full twin peaks on the woman beside him for his pleasure in viewing.
"Who is she?" asked Felice, quietly.
"Who?" asked Actor, not understanding.
"There has to be a 'she'," persisted the madame. "Oh your technique is marvelous, as usual. But there is something lacking in your demeanor. Not much, just a little. That usually says another woman."
"I don't know what you are talking about," denied Actor. "There is no other woman." Dammit, had he allowed the unfamiliar feeling of cheating on Teresa to show through?
"It's all right, Darling," continued Felice with a small smile. "I am happy for you."
GGG
There was no tap at the door, it simply opened, and Actor walked in. It was his room after all. He spotted the clothing on the chairs and his eyes shot to the bed. His eyebrows rose at the sight of the two people laying together, bedcovers down to Garrison's waist and a woman's mid-back. Garrison grinned.
"Celine, this is Actor," he said to his bed partner.
She turned her head over her shoulder and eyed the tall man. "Hello," she said. Uninterested, she turned back to Garrison and laid her head on his shoulder.
"Please, excuse me," said the con man with a delighted smile. "I will return at a more opportune time."
He let himself out of the room and closed the door quietly. He should be angry the young woman had basically brushed him off in favor of Garrison. Instead, he was amused at the relaxed and happy smile on the officer's face. He went to the room next door that was Garrison's, and now his until they left to meet the sub.
Nothing was said that evening, when Garrison let himself into what had been his room, about the change in sleeping arrangements and the bed partners of both men. Actor was sitting in a chair, smoking his pipe and reading a French newspaper he had acquired somewhere. He motioned Garrison to have a seat in the other chair.
"I took the liberty of calling Avril and checked on our other three," Actor said. "They seem to be happy with the arrangements."
"Let's hope it stays that way," said Garrison, sitting down and lighting a cigarette. "Where are we eating tonight?"
Actor lay the paper in his lap and looked at the officer. At least he seemed more relaxed.
"I said I would call when we are ready. They will bring something up, so we do not have to go through the main room and risk the Germans."
The two men ate together in the room and had an after dinner libation.
"So tell me, Actor," said Garrison casually. "You made these arrangements. Did you pay for them?"
"As a matter of fact," replied Actor with a smile, "I did. Truthfully, I do not mind your company, but I have had enough of, as Teresa calls them, Mutt and Jeff. I think it is worth the money to keep them happy . . . elsewhere. Now, if you wish to reimburse me from that stack of money that was stuffed into your shirt, I would not be adverse to accepting a donation to the cause."
Garrison laughed. "You mean before Casino and Goniff get hold of it and divide it amongst themselves?"
"Something like that," grinned the Italian.
"I suppose I can divide out half of it," said Craig. He eyed the con man, and his eyebrows came together. "All right. Did you pay Celine to come to my room?"
"No, Warden," said Actor with a touch of indignation. "And she came to 'my' room if I might remind you of that, seeing as you borrowed 'my' bed." He took a sip of brandy. "I assumed you requested some companionship and paid for it yourself."
"No," admitted the officer. "She said she was told to come up and see you."
"Lieutenant, I am shocked," said Actor dramatically. "You take my room, and my bed, and my woman. Tck, tck."
Garrison gave the wide fake grin he was capable of. "Yes, I did."
Actor continued the banter. "You are picking up bad habits."
The wide grin turned to a face of pure innocence. "I learned from you." The grin returned with the raised eyebrow that was aimed at him. "Would you like your room back?"
"No, thank you, Warden," said the con man. "I would rather keep your – unused – room."
GGG
Both men turned in before midnight, an early hour for them. Their restful sleep was interrupted by a loud bang outside. Both men came wide awake, grabbing their pistols that were under their pillows. There were no air raid sirens, so both climbed out of their respective beds and cautiously peeked out behind their blackout curtains. Or they tried to. Another bang was followed by the sky lighting up and ended in the sudden onslaught of heavy rain hitting their windows on that side of the building, as though someone had thrown a large bucket of water against them. The thunder and lightning grew louder and more frequent. At least there would be no bombing raids this night. Both men returned to bed and hoped the storm would pass through quickly, or at least less noisily.
A couple blocks away, the other three men were experiencing somewhat the same thing. Unlike the two leaders, their beds were being shared with soft, warm bodies. Casino carefully moved his aching arm with the sutures but was loathe to move the other arm that held one of those soft, warm bodies tight against him. Funny the Warden had allowed Actor to divide them up. He didn't like to split them up. 'Course maybe the Warden wanted to get away from them. This sure wasn't the type of place he figured the straight-laced officer would be comfortable in. Sure bet that Actor had he and Garrison locked up in some fancy-smancy hotel with a bunch of bigwig Krauts. They could speak the lingo and get away with it. Then there was the money. Okay, Casino thought it made sense to take the money and leave the papers, but it was odd the Warden had kept the money to himself. It wasn't like him to take any of the money they pulled from safes. Well, one of those bums was paying for this place. A cat house didn't usually send girls up for free, feed the men and get a doctor to stitch his arm.
A loud crack of thunder made the woman next to him jump and look around. Casino moved his sore arm carefully and guided her head back down to his shoulder, giving her shoulder a brief light pat. Man, this storm better be long gone by tomorrow night.
GGG
Morning did not bring any relief from the cold, windy downpour. The streets were flooded. If anyone had to be out in it, they ran tucked into themselves. Umbrellas were of no use in the wind. Each room had a fireplace with a fire in an attempt to ward off some of the dampness and chill. The girls had left before dawn, not that anybody could see dawn through the gloom.
Casino and Goniff met in the hall and let themselves into Chief's room. The Indian gave them a look of disgust at not knocking. Casino helped himself to a chair and lounged in it at an angle.
"You think 'e did?" asked Goniff cheeky grin.
"'Course he did," answered Casino. He eyed the younger man. "You don't have a problem cheatin' on Chris?"
Chief didn't look at him. "Ain't cheatin' if I ain't sleepin' with Chris."
"She might not see it that way," added the safecracker.
Now the scout looked at him. "If you're plannin' on telling her, you remember if you do, you won't be good to any woman."
"I think you 'it a nerve," remarked Goniff with a wider cheeky grin.
They ate the breakfast that was delivered with relish. It was real food and not rations. Not a bit of Spam anywhere. After that, they managed to borrow a couple decks of cards from Avril and did what they usually did at the Mansion, solitaire and poker.
GGG
Actor joined Garrison in his room for a similar breakfast as the other men had devoured. And not a bit of Spam in sight.
"If this continues," pointed out Actor, "the fishing boats will not be able to go out."
"I was thinking that," said Garrison. "We'll wait until this afternoon, see how bad it is, and try to contact the Resistance."
"Felice can do that for us," Actor said. "She is very good at communicating over the phone about mundane things and getting information out and in."
Craig relaxed back in the big, upholstered chair, strangely to him, relaxed and comfortable. He decided to try to find out more about his confidence man and friend.
Turning to Actor, who had taken the other chair, he broached, "You never struck me as the bordello type. How did you meet Madame Felice?"
Actor was comfortable enough with the officer to open up to him. "I am not. I usually do not need a bordello to take care of my needs. I can find my own companions, for free. No, it was one of those rare occasions I got caught with, not a wife, but definitely a very close girlfriend. Her companion was out for the night with friends. Things would have been managed if she hadn't screamed at an appropriate moment, not knowing her man was downstairs. We heard boots stomping up the stairs. I was able to get my pants on, but that was all before he and his friends burst into the room. There were four of them. One had a cosh. The next thing I was aware of was being face down in the alley with a woman trying to assess if I were drunk. When I rolled over, she saw that I was injured. For whatever reason, she got help and brought me into the house she was using at that time. She tended to me until I was healed. We became friends and then lovers."
"How old were you?" asked Garrison.
Actor shrugged, "I don't remember. Twenty-two or twenty-three."
Garrison shook his head. "And the one who screamed?"
"Forty something." Garrison laughed and Actor took fake umbrage. "Many women that age and older appreciate a young, handsome and virile man."
"Felice is older than you," pointed out Garrison.
"She is fifty if that is what you are asking." Actor grinned wickedly. "And she is still very active."
Craig couldn't believe he was having this conversation with Actor. Still, he was enjoying the openness between the two of them. Maybe now was the time to ask him the question that was bothering.
"Actor," he began. The con man looked at him questioningly at the hesitation. Garrison continued. "How do I apologize to all of you for the way I have been?"
The Italian took a couple puffs on his pipe before he formulated an answer. "You don't. Just don't give us quite as much grief as you have been for the past couple months. That's all that is necessary."
"And Terry?"
Actor shook his head. "That, Warden, is your problem. I am not about to step into that mess. I assume you two have been like this for years."
"Pretty much," admitted Garrison.
"All I am going to say is she has enough grief regarding Jaeger and Von Steuben without you adding to it." Actor rose from his chair. "End of discussion. I am going to talk with Felice. I will have her contact the Resistance after lunch." He glanced at the water running down the outside of the window in a sheet. "I don't think this is going to let up soon."
9
