Chapter 4

“Jean Paul, how much longer do you need to stay in Rouen? We need you here, there is much to do. Now that you resolved the latest projects, Jeannette sent me the report, there should be nothing keeping you. I have a nice place here in Paris for you. There is enough room for you. Giselle, Michelle, Kimber and as many more babies as they all might have. It is an old estate outside Paris, the ladies will love it and some of the villagers nearby take care of it in exchange for using the land to grow things.”

“Marcel, why do I have the feeling you are having me watched. You know more that is going on than even I do.”

“Mon Ami, I just anticipate. Besides it is time to move and the girls will need each other when the babies come. Kimber wants to move with you and you will have plenty of room for her; although I do not think finding space for her will be much of a problem. Your offices here in Paris are ready. Bridget and Monique whom you have met are thrilled. So many people do not believe them when they say you are real. I’ll expect you next week. Tell Giselle and Michelle their new offices are ready here too. Hurry, we have much to do.”

“Jawohl Mein Kommandant. If we were going to be doing this we might as well change everything. We who are about to die should get a raise.”

“We will Mon Ami, we will. It takes time. That raise is something we will discuss when you arrive. I will send you instruction where to go to the offices. Jeannette will arrange people to move whatever you want but your new home here has most everything already.

Bridget and Monique work for you now and are already working with her to find you some staff for the two new locations you will need to open. It should not be a problem in Paris though; a lot more people are out of work. I think I did tell you there will be two new projects?”

“Those pictures you sent. They show our men. The Legion at war and what happens to them. Giselle will put 2 and 2 together and come up with 6 if Michelle has not already guessed why I was there.”

“Yes, it was only a small risk. Besides as far as any know Pierre needed you in Rouen. Your going there was for no other reason than to manage the project.”

“Obviously you are not married nor have many women around you. They will know Marcel.”

“Careful Mon Ami, you are becoming too much like a Frenchman.”

“Damn Marcel. You are not French, are you?”

“I need to hang up now, I hear another line ringing. Next week Mon Ami.”

Now I really needed to speak with Michelle. I realized both Giselle and Kimber deserved to hear some things from me too.

All this was happening too quickly. Then I thought more about it and realized why Marcel and I hit it off so easily. We were quite a bit alike. Unless I missed my guess, he was once in the Legion. If I really believed that then the statement that he was not French was probably true. Something happened, recently too, to make him leave the FFL in favour of private business.