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Chapters (117)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. The Cast of Characters
  6. CHAPTER ONE
  7. The Recruits
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. The Missions
  24. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  25. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  26. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  62. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  63. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  64. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  65. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  66. The Game
  67. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  68. CHAPTER SIXTY
  69. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  70. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  71. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  72. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  73. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  74. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  75. CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
  76. CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
  77. CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
  78. CHAPTER SEVENTY
  79. CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
  80. CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
  81. CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
  82. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
  83. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
  84. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
  85. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
  86. CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
  87. CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
  88. CHAPTER EIGHTY
  89. CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE
  90. CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO
  91. CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE
  92. CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
  93. HOME
  94. CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE
  95. CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX
  96. CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN
  97. CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT
  98. CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE
  99. CHAPTER NINETY
  100. CHAPTER NINETY-ONE
  101. CHAPTER NINETY-TWO
  102. CHAPTER NINETY-THREE
  103. CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
  104. CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE
  105. CHAPTER NINETY-SIX
  106. CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN
  107. CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHT
  108. CHAPTER NINETY-NINE
  109. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED
  110. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE
  111. Acknowledgments
  112. Discover More
  113. About the Author
  114. Reading Group Guide
  115. Discussion Questions
  116. A Conversation with Leila Meacham
  117. ALSO BY LEILA MEACHAM

Rattling the paper sack to show his feathered friends that it was empty, the man folded it and stowed it in a coat pocket—everything was worth saving these days—and sat back with crossed arms like a theatergoer waiting patiently for the play to begin. Meanwhile, Bucky considered his impressions of Dirk Drechsler. He understood that his assessment was needed to determine the type of cargo his father’s associates would be hauling. The route out of France to safe territory would be rough and treacherous, certainly not for the weakhearted or untrustworthy. Other people would be involved, indispensable, brave people risking their lives to return an American traitor back to his homeland. Bucky had no choice but to describe the man he’d observed Dirk Drechsler to be—indecisive, bumbling, easily misled, self-serving, desperate, but intuitive and perceptive.

“I wish I had more positive qualities to relate,” Bucky said when he had finished.

“Tell me one thing more,” the man said as he rose to leave. The flock, having pecked the ground clean, had abandoned him and taken off to the trees in a single flight. “Do you believe the man to be a danger to you if his demand is not fulfilled?”

Bucky hesitated. “He wouldn’t want to be, but…” He lifted his shoulders.

“But he is what he is, no?”

“Yes. That’s why he’s dangerous.”

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

That morning, Sister Mary Frances encountered Bridgette coming down the stairs on her way to the House of Boucher, and said, “Ma chère, may I have a word in private?” and with a swish of her habit headed to her office before Bridgette could answer.

“Of course, Mother,” Bridgette murmured. A command, then, not a request, she thought, and followed the black-robed figure down the hall to the dark-paneled chamber where even angels would take care to tread lightly. What in the world was up? She’d never seen the mother superior look so grim.

Inside the “castle keep,” as the nuns fearfully but affectionately referred to the mother superior’s office, its keeper turned to her. “Mademoiselle Dufor, I fear we have a problem.”

Bridgette’s heart sank. Uh-oh. Mademoiselle Dufor, not Mademoiselle Bernadette. That meant trouble. “Oh?”

“Yes. You’d best sit down.”

Bridgette sat. Sister Mary Frances spread the folds of her habit on the seat behind her desk, folded her hands on the surface, and addressed Bridgette in the tone that supported her exalted title and no-nonsense reputation. “I believe Achim Fleischer has found you out.”

“What? How?”