Shell Shocked (23 page)

“I don't understand,” Jack said.

“She agreed to make a phone call to another enemy agent, her contact. She informed him that she was on the
verge of being captured, but that in her last assignment, to take your family prisoner, she had been forced to shoot you both.”

“She was very convincing,” Bill said. “I supervised her while she made the phone call. If I hadn't known the truth, I would have sent flowers to your mother. That girl was an
excellent
liar—probably the result of being a diplomat's daughter.”

“So, the enemy will believe the newspaper story to be a cover-up, but they will also believe you to truly be dead. We assume that there will be no effort to find you,” Little Bill said.

“But why did she agree to do that?” I asked.

“I think, in part, because she came to realize that perhaps her cause was not just or right,” Little Bill said. “But more than that, I think she did it because she genuinely cares for Jack.”

Jack looked surprised, shocked, but pleased.

“She suggested the idea. She also gave away the name and location of the agent she contacted,” Little Bill said. “Once he's had time to pass on her message to others, we'll have him arrested. Her only motivation to do any of this was to provide for your safety. Perhaps to make up for what she did.”

“And what will happen to her?” Jack asked.

“She'll be held as a prisoner of war, in isolation, with no contact with anybody except the other young lady.”

“Juliette?” I asked.

“That's what you knew her as,” Bill said.

“And they will remain in custody until after the war ends,” Bill said.

“And then?” Jack asked.

“And then they will be returned to their families in Germany,” Little Bill said. “But enough about them. You must want to know where you are going to be relocated to so that you can, to all intents and purposes, remain dead.”

“I guess it has to be pretty far away,” I said.

“I wonder if placing you boys on the moon would keep you out of trouble,” Bill said.

“You're not going quite that far,” Little Bill said. “We've decided you're going to spend the remainder of this war safely away from here … far away.”

“How far?” I asked.

“I am afraid it is necessary for it to be
very
far,” Little Bill said. “But be assured it will be someplace where your entire past will remain unknown.”

“So … where are we going?” Jack asked.

Little Bill slowly shook his head. “The exact location is still being discussed. There are certain, shall we say, loose ends that need to be secured.”

“When will you know?” my mother said.

“Within days, and you will be there within a week of that decision being made.”

“Good. I need these boys to get settled in, get back to school. They've missed enough already,” my mother said.

“I'm so pleased that you all understand the need for our plan,” Little Bill said.

My mother's expression suddenly changed and she looked serious. “I was wondering how we're going to explain all of this to my husband. What should I say in my letter? I can't tell him any of what really happened, can I?”

“Not a word,” Little Bill said. “But in any event, I don't think there will be time for you to write any more letters.”

What did that mean? Why didn't we have time to write him any more letters?

“You'll have to tell him when you see him in person,” Little Bill said.

“But that could be years!” my mother cried.

“Not so long as all that, I would imagine.” He turned to Bill. “His plane is scheduled to land in Toronto within the hour.”

“Whose plane?” I asked.

“Your father's,” Little Bill said.

I couldn't believe my ears!

“But he might be a bit cranky,” Bill said. “I doubt he's slept for more than a few hours over the past two days. That flight across the Atlantic Ocean on its own is long and difficult, but he first had to fly in from Africa.”

“Africa ...” I could hardly believe he was saying what I thought he was saying. Was this really happening?

“My husband … the boys' father ...”

“Will be touching down at the Toronto airport in the next hour,” Little Bill said. “He will be accompanying you to your new location. That's where you will
all
live out the war … together … as a family.”

My mother burst into tears. I burst into tears. Jack burst into tears.

“How can we ever thank you?” my mother gasped as she once again hugged him.

“No, madam, that is where you are wrong,” he said. “The question is, how can
we
ever thank
you
? Your family has done more, risked more, than any one family could ever be asked.”

My mother threw an arm around me and another around Jack and we hugged and laughed and cried. Our father was coming home! We were all going to be together!

“I must look a mess!” my mother exclaimed. “Do I have a few minutes to change and put on some makeup? And I don't know what I can do with my hair! Please, excuse me.” My mother rushed from the room.

I should have been just plain happy, grateful, but there was something that was still troubling me.

“My father won't know anything about what's been going on, will he?” I asked.

“I am so sorry, boys,” Little Bill said, “but until at least the end of the war, and probably beyond that, your actions must remain secret. Even secret from your father.”

“But won't he have questions about why he was sent home?” Jack asked.

“An appropriate cover story has been arranged. And your father will be able to continue to make a contribution to the war effort, but in a different way. We will discuss that further in the car ride to the airport,” Bill said.

“As long as we're all together, nothing else matters!” Jack exclaimed.

“Well,” I said, “there is one more thing.” I paused. “I know that after today we probably won't see either of you again … ever.”

“‘Ever' is a long time,” Little Bill said. “But I suspect that you are correct, at least until the war is over.”

“But that's it,” I said. “I remember something you said to me once, about when you were serving in World War I and they tried to send you home. You said the war wasn't over so it wasn't over for you.” I paused. “The war isn't over … for any of us.”

Little Bill smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I believe that your service to your country is now at an end. But if you are ever needed again, I have no doubt ...” He let the sentence trail off.

“If you need us again,” I said, “you'll know where to find us.”

Jack nodded his head in agreement.

“And we'll be ready!”

“I know you will,” Little Bill said. “I know you will.”