Tears pricked her eyes.
“This is a good thing, Miss Harper.” Mr. Sims approached and clapped her on the shoulder.
“My brother is there,” she said through numb lips.
“And you should be damn proud of what he’s doing for the war effort.” Mr. Sims nodded. “My son is out there too. You don’t see me weeping.” He strode away, muttering in words he clearly meant to be audible. “This is why women should never be allowed to be part of government operations.”
He didn’t understand. No one did.
Suddenly in that moment of gripping fear and uncertainty for the person she loved most in the world, she needed someone to talk to. Someone whose heart was strung upon the same fickle thread of life and death, who had stakes in this war that were as sky-high as her own.
Peggy didn’t have any siblings, and her parents were both home in Ohio, safe. Mike was still doing his rounds to collect newspapers that morning.
Even Sarah didn’t know much about Daniel. Ava didn’t speak of him often, not when she feared her worry would seep into the conversation and Sarah already had enough concerns crowding her overflowing plate.
James.
He knew about Daniel, and how much her brother meant to her. And his own brother was in the war as well.
“I have to go.” Ava rushed to her desk and hastily snatched up the visas, shoving them in her purse as she left the room. Of anyone, James would understand.
Ava made her way to the British embassy, her thoughts reeling over Daniel. She clutched her purse as if it were a lifeline, the only thing keeping her centered in a world knocked off its axis.
Would it even be possible to find James?
She’d never been to the embassy before and had no idea if she could request him from the guard positioned out front. But as she hurried toward the high gate, a familiar face made his way toward her.
“Alfie,” she cried out.
He regarded her with a wide smile. “Did you hear? We’re finally going on the offensive in this war. I can’t chat now though, unfortunately. I have a meeting.” He looked at his watch and grimaced. “That started five minutes ago.”
“Will you tell James to come find me after?”
Alfie frowned as he patted at his pockets. “After what?” He snapped open his leather briefcase and rummaged about, his cheeks flushing beneath the guard’s impatient stare.
“After the meeting,” Ava replied.
“Oh, he’s not in the meeting with me.” Alfie flashed an apologetic look to the guard and plucked out a small wallet that he flicked through. “It’s only for ASLIB.”
Ava froze. “Isn’t James in the British Association of Special Libraries and Information Bureau with you?”
Alfie pulled a badge from his wallet and held it up triumphantly. His victory was short-lived, and he blinked rapidly as he turned to Ava, his reddened cheeks going pale. “I beg your pardon?”
“If James isn’t with ASLIB, what sector is he with?” Ava asked.
Alfie swallowed audibly. “Forgive me, but I… I’m very late, you see. I… I have to go.” With that, he clicked his briefcase shut, showed his badge to the guard, and scurried off.
What he divulged had clearly not been intentional.
Ava shifted her attention to the guard, her pulse thundering in her ears. “Please have James MacKinnon contact Ava Harper.” By some miracle, her voice managed to remain calm. “The matter is urgent.”
The wait to hear back from James was interminable. Ava paced her small apartment, worry building around her like snowballs rolling down a steep hill. First and foremost was Daniel and his safety surviving the beaches of Normandy. Then there was the need to obtain tickets for safe passage to New York for Sarah and Noah. And also, whatever it was that James did for the British government and why he had lied.