86. Fatherhood

Chapter 5

Actor held the door for Teresa to get into the Packard before walking around to the driver's door. The fog had turned back to a light drizzle of cold rain. He was glad he had turned up his collar before stepping out into it. Teresa just did not seem to be the umbrella type. She loved the rain.

As he climbed behind the wheel he was just in time to see the woman spit something into her palm with a grimace.

"What is that?" Actor asked.

The girl held up a familiar looking piece of spring steel. "I don't know how Casino can stand that in his mouth. I swear my tongue is full of holes."

Actor had to laugh. "Why didn't you slip a lock pick in your purse? You have an entire set."

Terry shrugged. "I didn't know what we would run into, and I didn't want it found in my purse if things went sour."

Actor chuckled again. "Ah, Teresa, this was not a mission."

"Sure felt like one," replied the woman.

"Are we still going to The Shoulder of Mutton?" asked the Italian, starting the engine.

"What," teased Teresa, "you don't want to thank Angela for helping?"

"Will she still come?" asked Actor, not at all certain.

"If you're paying for lunch," said Teresa impishly, "she'll be there."

Actor shook his head and pulled away from the curb. "All women want is my money," he lamented dramatically.

"And your body and your brains," added Teresa.

"I doubt it is for my 'brains'," he remarked drolly.

"I don't know," said the woman innocently. "I like your brains . . . and your body. And you have given me such good investment advice I don't need of your money."

Actor was not going to touch that. The woman was incorrigible. He turned onto the road headed for Bletchley Village.

"You think the Germans will bomb London tonight?" asked Teresa, hopefully.

"In this weather I doubt it," he replied.

The rain was still coming down when Actor found a parking spot a half block from the pub. He pulled to the curb and looked at Teresa.

"This is a little far from Bletchley Park itself, isn't it?" he asked.

"That was the idea," replied Teresa. "They had transportation for us to get here if we wanted to go. Otherwise, some of the people had their own cars. They didn't exactly want us to go out drinking in the neighborhood. Though there are a couple of little pubs we could walk to.

Actor watched her. Something was bothering her. She frowned and looked at him.

"Vittorio, could you let me take care of us in there?" she broached. "I'm vetted, you're not."

Under different circumstances, he would have objected, but he had anticipated something like this. There was the tiniest bit of rankle to her being in charge. It passed quickly. Actor knew if they were anywhere else, she would have deferred to him.

"I am still paying," he said firmly.

Teresa smiled in relief and affection. "Of course."

They got out of the car and met on the sidewalk. Actor escorted her toward the pub.

"I didn't figure you needed to get wetter getting me out of the car," said the woman. "I'm surprised you didn't bring Neville Chamberlain's umbrella."

"You wouldn't have used it," replied the con man. "And it would have brought unwelcome attention if I had used it and you walked in the rain."

Teresa chuckled as they turned up the short walk to the dark double door entrance of the cream colored, stuccoed two story pub. Actor held the door for her. They entered the main room with its light chattering of people having lunch and libation. Teresa patted Actor's arm and motioned him to wait.

He watched her go up to the bar and lean forward to speak quietly to the bartender. He nodded and said something back. Teresa gestured toward the taps and spoke again. The bartender nodded. She walked back to him and looked up.

"There's a small private room in the back. The people just left and they're cleaning it now," she said. "He'll send Angela to us."

Actor allowed the woman to lead the way to the private room. It had been cleaned and new place settings were laid out. The Italian made a point to seat Teresa. He could tell by the tiny smile on her face the gesture was not lost on the woman.

They had not been sitting long when a waitress entered carrying a tray with two pint glasses of ale. She smiled and set one in front of each of them, asking if they needed menus.

"Yes, please," said Actor. "There is another lady coming. We will need three."

"I will have them here in a minute, Sir," said the waitress.

When she had left, Actor looked at Teresa. "And what am I drinking?" he asked.

"You didn't have it last time," said the woman. "This is their local ale on tap. It's better than what we have at the Fox."

Actor took a sip and his eyebrows rose. "And much better than the Doves."

"Thought you'd like it," said Teresa smugly.

The waitress came back with the menus and Angela in tow. The menus were handed to Actor and Teresa stood to receive a hug from the younger girl. Actor began to get up to seat the girl but stopped at the cautious expression on her face when she got a better look at him. Her hand came up to prevent him from getting up further.

"I'm sorry," Angela said to Actor. Looking back at Teresa, she asked, "Can I have a word with you in private?"

Actor's eyes darted between the two women. Terry nodded and motioned the other woman to go out. "It's okay," was mouthed to him. The two disappeared down a hall to the right. Perhaps he should have stayed at the bar and allowed the two women to eat alone. This was a bit awkward.

GGG

The two went out a back door into the area where the staff parked. They walked out of hearing of the building and faced each other. Their voices remained low. The rain had temporarily ceased.

"Terry, your Major Richards told me the papers that had been stolen belonged to Victor Borghese. That man is Victor Borghese. He's the man you were here with before and you tapped to me he didn't have clearance." The girl was understandably wary. "Does he now?"

"Not exactly," replied Terry. "Okay, it's like this. He is part of my brother's special forces group. You know when BP is overloaded some of the raw data goes to Allied Command and Major Richards. From there it is sent to us for analysis. Victor has a much better grasp on analyzing than me or my brother. Major Richards is aware of what he does, and so is Command. They appreciate his view of it and overlook he isn't vetted. There are some things in his past that prevent them from giving him official clearance at this time. It doesn't stop them from letting him do the work for them."

Angela's face screwed up as she thought about it. "Major Richards contacted me at your request. You know how compartmentalized we are. I gave the information to my superior and then it went where it needed to go from there."

"It was . . . straightened out," said Terry. "I warn you though, it will end up in court. Be happy that place is as compartmentalized as it is. You won't have any trouble."

"So it's okay to talk to you in front of him?" asked Angela.

Terry nodded. "You can talk to him too."

"Okay," said the girl.

GGG

Actor looked up from the menu when the two women returned. Angela looked at him and gave rueful smile.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Borghese," she said. "I have to be careful."

Unfortunately, Actor understood that, especially in his case. "Will you have lunch with us, Miss Parker?" he asked pleasantly.

"Yes, thank you," she smiled.

Actor got up and held the chair for the young woman. He estimated her to be Christine Garrison's age or a bit younger.

"Thank you, Sir," said Angela.

"You may call me Victor," said Actor moving on to seat Teresa.

"And you may call me Angela," the girl said back.

He took his seat and glanced around the table. Neither of the women had touched their menus. The waitress returned with a glass of ale for Angela.

"What would you ladies like to order?" asked the waitress.

The two women smiled at each other. Terry looked up and said, "We'll have the pork belly and the mashed cauliflower if you have it."

Actor turned his head to stare at Teresa. Pork belly?

"Would you like puddings with that?"

Both women looked up with bright smiles. "You're serving puddings for lunch?" asked Teresa.

"It's a special today," explained the waitress.

Terry's smile widened, "Puddings by all means."

Actor was a tad discomforted at the thought. Pork belly and pudding? The crazy woman would be throwing up all the way home. He ordered the boiled beef with gravy.

Teresa interrupted. "Can you get him a pudding with that too?"

"I'm sure we can," said the waitress. She turned and left.

Actor turned back to Teresa. "Pork belly and pudding? The pudding is a dessert correct?"

Terry stared at him now, while Angela tried to stifle a giggle.

"It's part of the meal," said the English girl.

Teresa grinned. "You've never had it, have you?"

"I can't say I have ever had pudding with my meal," Actor said indignantly.

"Finally," chortled Teresa. "I've found something you've never eaten." She patted his forearm on the table. "It's not American pudding. It's Yorkshire pudding. It's kind of like a popover. Yours will probably be made with the drippings from you beef."

Angela with loosening up with the exchange. "Have you had pork belly?"

"I certainly hope not," replied the con man.

"Uncured bacon," said Teresa.

That did not help, thought Actor. He decided to change the subject and smiled at Angela.

"I wish to thank you for your assistance in this matter of the stolen papers," he said.

Angela smiled at him. "As I told Terry, I only passed it on to my supervisor and he took it from there. I don't have any idea what it was about or who did what. But I am pleased if everything worked out fine for you, Victor."

"I do not believe we will be having any more problems," said the Italian.

And there seemed to be no problems after that, even with the pork belly which did not look too particularly unappetizing. It was roasted and had too much fat in it for the Italian's taste. Not that he tasted it. The Yorkshire pudding, on the other hand, was delightful.

Actor found the rest of their luncheon together to be pleasant. All too soon, Angela needed to return to BP, as the women called the place of the girl's employment. And it was time for he and Teresa to head for the Mansion. Of course they would reach London at dusk. Actor had to admit an overnight in London would have been welcome, but he knew it was not to be. Maybe some other time.

6