That was all. But I could feel a jumpiness in his fingers that had not been there before.

‘What happened? After she threw the grenade. Who was hurt?’

‘Two guests died.’

My heart stopped. ‘Who?’

‘Two men from the bank. No one you know.’

No one you know. Four words that pieced my world back together.

‘I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘For their families.’ Guilt soured my stomach. ‘If I hadn’t suggested this open day on the base, they would still be alive.’

‘No, that’s nonsense. It would have happened eventually. When the USAF got round to inviting locals over in an attempt to build bridges, Mademoiselle Caron would have done exactly the same. It seems she was hell-bent on causing mayhem from what I heard.’

‘Is she dead?’

‘Yes, she is.’

‘Was the mayor hurt?’

‘No, unfortunately.’

‘And Léon?’

There. The question was out.

‘Don’t look so worried. You can’t get rid of Léon so easily.’

‘He’s okay?’

‘He took a hit but not serious.’

I pushed myself to sit up straight and wanted to seize the words from his tongue. ‘How bad? Where is he? What happened to him?’

‘Calm down, you’ll only start bleeding again. Lie back. He’s doing okay, that’s what the ambulance men said when they brought you home. He’s in the military hospital at the air base. His back got a bit cut up, but he’ll survive.’ He stubbed out his cigarette and smiled at me. ‘Léon is made of solid steel, you should know that.’

I nodded, just once. Lights darted across my eyes, making André’s face sparkle. ‘Tell me what happened at the end.’

‘You don’t remember?’

‘I was hit from behind. Was it the blast from the grenade? It felt like a truck.’

The truck in Paris slammed into her mind . . . the strings of blood hurling themselves across the car.

‘No, no truck. It was Léon. It seems he threw himself over you to protect you, but the blast hit him so hard that he smacked you into the ground. Concussion and a broken nose, but you’ll live.’

The silence grew loud in the room while we both considered whether that last statement was true or not.

‘A hero,’ André muttered softly.

Was he happy for Léon? Proud of his friend? Or jealous? I couldn’t tell. He released my hand, folded his arms and looked serious.

‘Now,’ he said, ‘down to business. Let’s hear everything that occurred at the air base.’