Eagle Day - Robert Muchamore Page 0,63

by any chance?’

‘Probably,’ Henderson said. ‘I mean, how often do your Kübelwagens get urinated into?’

‘Good point,’ Ohlsen said cheerfully. ‘Ghunsonn’s a pompous prat. Never would have made any kind of rank if he hadn’t married the daughter of a well-connected general. I’ll put a call in to the duty commander.’

‘Sir, that’s ,’ Henderson said, gushing with genuine relief. ‘I owe you a great deal and I assure you that I’ll be thrashing those boys to within an inch of their lives when they get home.’wonderful

‘Good,’ Ohlsen said. ‘I’ve got a call to make, so you’d better hang up. You stay by that phone and I’ll let you know if there’s a hitch.’

*

The translator exited the interview room, leaving Luc and Vivien crying. Maxine felt horrible, knowing that Marc and PT faced a much less serious fate, but it was still a shock when Vivien turned on her.

‘My Dumont has never been in trouble before he met your two,’ she snapped.

Maxine knew Vivien was hurting and ignored the jab. ‘Let’s try to stay calm, eh?’

‘Oh, that’s so easy for to say,’ Vivien screamed. ‘You’ll have your boys back in a few days, but my Dumont will be dead.’you

‘I’m so sorry,’ Maxine said. ‘I know this is horrible. I wish I could say something that would help.’

‘It was your two who put Dumont up to it,’ Vivien said. ‘Like that first night when you arrived at my house. Straight away those two little devils of yours had him sneaking the wine and my Dumont was up being sick all night afterwards.’

Maxine was irked, but stayed calm. ‘I don’t think that’s entirely fair.’

This innocuous remark pushed Vivien over the edge. She broke free of her husband’s grasp and lunged for Maxine’s neck.

‘Prostitute!’ Vivien screamed, as Maxine thumped back against the wall.

Vivien carried more weight, but Maxine was half her age. Maxine felt pity, but had to defend herself from the attack. She reached out and ripped her long nails down Vivien’s cheek.

‘Bitch!’ Vivien shouted, as her husband tried to prise the women apart. ‘Your brats killed my Dumie. As good as murdered him.’

‘Calm down,’ Luc said, as he pulled Vivien away from Maxine, but she instantly turned on her husband.

‘So now you take her side, you old bastard?’ Vivien wailed, as she thumped on Luc’s chest.

Maxine realised her best option was to leave the room but as she grabbed the door, Henderson pushed it inwards, hitting Maxine in the face and knocking her back within hair-pulling distance of Vivien.

Henderson bundled into the fray as Vivien wound Maxine’s long hair around her hand and pulled with all her might.

Maxine screamed so loud that nobody heard Henderson shouting, ‘It’s going to be OK, I’ve sorted it.’

*

Marc shuddered as the cell door came open and an Unteroffizier

11 walked into the room. He had bright red hair, but after three hours of beatings Marc found himself judging fist and boot size before anything else.

‘Can you walk?’ the Unteroffizier asked. ‘I can,’ Marc said, using German because the Unteroffizier’s French was terrible. ‘The other two won’t get far. Where are we going, anyway?’

‘Out,’ the Unteroffizier said, as he moved across to help PT stand up. ‘Your parents are waiting in the reception area, I believe.’

Marc was elated, but didn’t let it show in case it was a trap.

‘I thought …’ Marc began, but the German cut him dead.

‘Release papers are posted.’

PT could just about walk, but the German had to call one of his colleagues and the pair dragged Dumont down the hallway to a lift. The Germans shoved him into the lift and when it reached the ground-floor lobby Luc and Henderson rushed over to pick him up.

At the same moment, Major Ghunsonn came out of an office and went berserk.

‘Who are you?’ he shouted. ‘Who authorised the release papers? Where in the name of Christ is my custody officer?’

Once Dumont was on his feet his parents supported him. Henderson gave PT his arm and Maxine gave Marc a quick hug. But as they reached the former hotel’s entrance, Major Ghunsonn sent two armed men to block their path.

‘Somebody tell me what is going on,’ Ghunsonn demanded, as a worried-looking officer presented three sets of release papers. ‘Oberst Ohlsen! What has this got to do with that bald cretin?’

Ghunsonn stormed over to Henderson and pointed at Marc. ‘Your boy said that you’re a wealthy family. How much did you bribe Ohlsen?’

Henderson spoke in his politest German. ‘That’s a very serious accusation to make about a senior officer