Susan chuckled, then wiped her eyes.

“Don’t you want to know what this says?” Clover asked. “These messages could help them break the code.”

“Yes, but I’m not about to give them my messages,” Susan said.

“Why?”

Susan recalled her and Bertie’s decision not to turn over Ollie’s messages to the RAF. Even after half a century, her grandfather’s words still echoed in her memories. Our military will get their intelligence. But they will not see what is meant for you.

“Ollie intended this to be read by me, not our government,” Susan said. “More than anything, I want to know what’s on that piece of paper. But my heart is telling me that I should do this on my own.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Clover asked.

“You were always rather good at crosswords,” Susan said, sliding the coded message to her. “Want to help me solve a puzzle?”

CHAPTER 58 - EPPING, ENGLAND

CHAPTER 58

EPPING, ENGLAND

The following weekend, Clover and the grandchildren stayed in Epping with Susan. During the day, mother and daughter played with Evie and Hugh, rounds of hide-and-seek and trips to Clacton-on-Sea to release pigeons. Hugh, a persistent child, had even persuaded his mother, squeamish about droppings and irrationally frightened of catching a case of the bird flu, to hold a pigeon.

Clover, her arms outstretched, squealed as the bird flapped its wings.

“You look like the queen holding a pile of poo,” Susan said.

The children giggled.

In the evening, after the children were read a story and tucked into bed, she and Clover worked on the message, although they spent more time talking. To Susan, Clover seemed genuinely interested, wanting to know more about Ollie, Bertie, and her role in the National Pigeon Service. Both nights, they stayed up late drinking tea and eating sweet-meal biscuits. And by Sunday evening, they’d gotten no further than where they’d started. But Susan had, for the first time in years, truly connected with her daughter. Despite not getting any closer to deciphering the code, she cherished her time with Clover and her grandchildren.

“Mother, what do you think about hiring a cryptanalyst?” Clover asked, as she placed her luggage into her car.

Susan scratched her head.

“A code breaker.” Clover buckled her children into their seats. “With the other letters, an expert might be able to decipher the message.” She stepped to her mother. “Of course, I’d make sure we had a confidentiality agreement in place.”

“I’ll think about it,” Susan said.

Clover nodded.

“I enjoyed our time together,” Susan said.

Clover smiled. “Me too.” She got behind the wheel and started the car.

As they drove away, Susan blew kisses to her grandchildren, then returned to the cottage. The silence was deafening. Alone, the pressure returned, as if she had been placed inside a hyperbaric chamber. Exhausted, she fell asleep in her chair.

CHAPTER 59 - EPPING, ENGLAND

CHAPTER 59

EPPING, ENGLAND