Hogan frowned as he read the dispatch handed to him from Kinchloe. "Red Rose wants to meet one of us at Fleischler's shop during the day?"
Newkirk looked up from the gin game he was playing with Carter, "He's crackers, he is. How do we explain a healthy male doing shopping in the middle of the day? Seems like if you're breathing they're taking you up for some sort of service nowadays."
Hogan looked thoughtfully at Newkirk then smiled, "I think you've hit the nail right on head."
"Of course I have," Newkirk stopped as he looked at his Colonel's face and realization dawned. "Aw no, no Colonel. Please, anything but that!"
The rest of the men smiled as they caught on to what was about to happen.
Kinchloe got behind Newkirk, "Sorry old man, can we help it you're the best old lady we have?"
"Yes, just one look at you, I weep rivers of tears in remembrance of my own dear old grand-mère," joined in a smiling LeBeau.
Quickly making sure the teasing didn't go too far, Hogan stepped in and tried to cajole his unenthusiastic corporal.
"If there were anyone else…"
Newkirk knew that there wasn't. He, unfortunately, was the best of them all to portray an elderly hausfrau. His theatrical background and personal pride made sure of that. He had portrayed many grand dames in pantomimes back home and while his main talent was magic, he did have a fondness for his old ladies. Not that he would ever admit it, however.
"All right, I'll do it. But this information Red Rose is giving us better be bloody important!"
Hogan just grinned having again, won.
Liesl had come into the grocer's shop to pick up an order for Frau Frietag, one of the women who also resided in the building Liesl and her mother lived. She frequently ran errands for the women in her building for food, or money in exchange. Most of the women living there had fallen on hard times, due to widowhood or trusting in the wrong people; mostly men.
Herr Fleischler was tending to an old lady at the moment, so Liesl was idly looking around, especially at the confectionaries behind the glass counters. It had been a long time since she was able to afford such a luxury, she was mentally tallying up her errand money to see if she would have any left over after her expenses. She glanced over to Herr Fleischler and the old lady to see if they were done yet.
Newkirk had noticed when the young girl had come into the store, but didn't think anything of it at first. Apparently, Rose Red again had not shown up, but left a parcel for him to pick up. Herr Fleischler, an underground agent, was trying to tell Newkirk the package was safe to handle and he should take it with him, but talking in codewords and in German was making the exchange difficult and they were both getting exasperated. The girl was hampering the talk.
Finally, Newkirk had turned to the girl and said, "You shouldn't be here, out of school. It could be dangerous wandering about with the Gestapo around."
Right after he said it he could have kicked himself. Too late did he recognize the girl from the camp the other day. Unfortunately she seemed to recognize Newkirk also, for her eyes got large and she emitted a large gasp.
"What's wrong with you, Liesl?" asked Herr Fleischler.
Looking back between Fleischler and Newkirk, Liesl backed up towards the door and said, "I've forgotten Frau Frietag's money! I can't pay you right now. I have to go home and get it."
With that, she ran out the store and up the street. Newkirk rushed to the door to try and catch her, but a Gestapo officer and a woman were heading into the store at the time. "Careful Gnädige Frau, you might trip!"
Quickly, Newkirk recovered himself, while the officer put out an arm to help the "elderly" lady navigate the step down from the store. Newkirk, thanked the officer and while pretending to straighten "her" belongings looked up and down the street for the girl. She had disappeared.
Fleischler came up behind Newkirk and gave him the package. "You had forgotten this Gnädige Frau," and placed it into Newkirk's shopping basket.
The officer looked up the street where Liesl had run. "What's wrong with her?"
Fleischler, shrugged and commented, "Children, always in a hurry, you know. She had forgotten the money for the groceries she was buying."
The Gestapo officer seemed satisfied and, again nodding to Newkirk, escorted the woman he was with into the store. Newkirk again looked up the street hoping to find the girl, but no luck. He went up a bit looking to see if she might be hiding in one of the alleyways, but it was as if she had disappeared completely.
"Bloody Hell! Colonel's really going to love this mess we're in." With a sigh, Newkirk headed off to base.