Breaking the Code - Chapter 6
Numb3rs/Foyle's War crossover, set in WWII
Characters: Don, Alan & Charlie Eppes, Colby Granger, Larry Fleinhardt, Christopher Foyle, Samantha Stewart, Paul Milner
Rating: T for some violence and ethnic slurs
“There’s a telephone near the front door in the school, so any time you need a ride, just give me a call at the police station. It seems I spend all my time there these days, and I enjoy a drive on a pleasant spring day, you know,” Sam said, as they drove to the White Feather. “It doesn’t seem all that far by car, but I can assure you, the walk between the school and the White Feather is not one you’d care to make carrying your luggage. Though I do suppose, Captain, that being in the military, you’re accustomed to taking long hikes, aren’t you?”
Don chuckled. “Not recently. And, since it looks as if we’re going to be spending time together, please call me Don?”
“Oh, all right. Propriety be damned. You Yanks do tend to be more familiar a lot faster than we Brits. There was a young soldier who, the very first time he laid eyes on me, called me Sugar. I was dumbstruck. Sugar? My first thought was that his parents certainly did not teach him the basic rules of etiquette.”
“We do tend to be a little more forward,” Don said, grinning. “Do you find it annoying?”
“No, actually, I’ve grown accustomed to it.”
“That’s good,” Don caught sight of a movie theater as they drove past. “Would it be too forward of me to ask you to come see a movie with me tonight?”
Sam was startled into silence. Finally, when she could speak again, she said, “Apparently I’m not all that accustomed to it after all. What movie did you have in mind?”
“That theater we just passed is showing one of my all-time favorites, ‘Sullivan’s Travels.’ Have you seen it yet?”
“No, I haven’t. It just started here yesterday. I do enjoy Joel McCrea’s movies, though, and Veronica Lake is absolutely beautiful.”
“So is that a yes?”
“No, Captain … uh … Don. I believe we’d better wait a bit. We’ve only just meet. You don’t know me at all, and I certainly don’t know you. I mean, you could have a wife at home and just be looking for a quick fling with a naïve little English girl.”
In the back seat, Charlie leaned forward. “I can vouch for my brother, Sam. He does not have a wife at home. He doesn’t even have a girlfriend. In fact, I don’t think he’s had a date in what’s it been, Don? Four or five years?”
Don reached back and gave Charlie a playful punch. “Thanks a lot, Chuck. Very helpful.”
Sam giggled. “Thank you, Charlie. I’ll take that under advisement. Don, may I consider your offer and get back to you?”
“Of course,” Don gave her his most dazzling smile. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”
“And, speaking of where to find you, our destination is up ahead on the left.”
The Americans looked ahead at the beautiful white building with impressive columns, set back from the road and surrounded by a wrought iron fence. Charlie whistled. “Wow. I could get used to living in a place like that.”
Larry nodded. “After our living arrangements at Station X, I had despaired of ever sleeping in a comfortable bed again.”
Don grinned at Sam. “I think our boys like your boss’s choice of hotels. I don’t see many cars. Has it been requisitioned too?”
“No. With all the rationing, people don’t go off on holiday that much any more. But I think you’ll be more than comfortable in the White Feather. I thought it was a rather odd name for a hotel when DCS Foyle had me drive him here for an investigation a couple of years back.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the white feather was a sign of cowardice in the last war. In an attempt to get more men to enlist in the military, women were encouraged to present a white feather to every man they saw who wasn’t in uniform. It was supposed to shame them into enlisting.”
Larry asked, “Ah, Miss Stewart, what were you investigating in this hotel? Are we in any trouble?”
“No trouble at all, unless you believe in ghosts. The previous owner of the hotel murdered his wife here,” she said, as she pulled through the wrought iron gates and parked in the circle in front of the hotel. “But never fear. Mr. Foyle and Mr. Milner cracked the case, the murderer was hanged, and the son sold the hotel soon after. We’ve not been called here at all since the new people have been in charge.”
“Other than stopping by to investigate the current case,” Milner corrected, as he opened the car door.
“Well, that doesn’t really count. The poor girl wasn’t killed here, was she? Not like the despicable Mrs. Ellis.”
“Mrs. Ellis?” Larry asked. “I presume she was the murdered owner? What was so despicable about her?”
As Milner held the door for the professors, he said, “Perhaps in the interest of time, I’d better explain. Mrs. Ellis was involved in a pro-Nazi organization called the Friday Club. She really hoped the Nazis were on the verge of invading England. Her husband was upset at this, and had some other issues with his wife, so he shot her during a meeting of the Friday Club.”
The Americans gazed at the façade of the inn as Sam opened the boot of the car. “This Friday Club,” Don said, “they don’t meet here any more, do they?”
“Oh, no. They’ve made themselves scarce since the murder,” Milner assured them. “Though it’s possible that some of their sympathizers remain in the area.”
“Could those sympathizers be the Nazi spies Miss Levine was worried about?”
Milner closed the car door and lifted a bag from the boot. “It’s very likely. I was just beginning to investigate that possibility before you arrived. We do have the names of some sympathizers. Being this close to occupied France, we’re very concerned about Nazi sympathizers. If they’re British subjects, it’s rather difficult to move them out of the area. Not like the German immigrants.”
“I understand,” Don said. “We’ve had to put some Japanese and Germans in internment camps ourselves. But our government is interning US citizens of Japanese ancestry too.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” Sam said as she closed the boot. “Putting your own citizens in camps.”
“It isn’t,” Charlie said. “But we’re learning that those who object to what the government is doing are likely to find themselves in trouble.”
“Charlie,” Don said in a warning tone, “that’s just a rumor.”
“It’s more than a rumor. I’ve had friends who raised an objection to the internment camps and suddenly found themselves under investigation.”
Larry stepped between the brothers. “Whether it’s true or not, it has no bearing on our current situation.”
Charlie gave Don one last glare, then turned to Larry. “You’re right.” He hurried to catch up with Milner and Sam, who had started up the stairs toward the front door.
Don patted Larry on the shoulder. “Thanks, Larry. That’s been a bone of contention between me and my family for months now. Dad and Charlie just don’t see the need for security.”
“I don’t believe it’s the need for security that’s bothering them. I believe it’s the issue of imprisoning citizens without due process. But,” Larry raised his hands to forestall Don’s objection, “as I said, I don’t believe we need to get into this now. I believe it’s a matter of one’s point of view. Because of your job, you see it as a matter of security. Your father, on the other hand, if he lived in England, would most likely have been given more than one white feather during the last war.”
“True. You wouldn’t believe the issues that came up during my background check,” Don said with a chuckle. “I almost didn’t make it into the OSS.”
“Now that would have been a pity,” Larry said, as they walked up the stairs. Charlie waited for them at the top.
“What would have been a pity?” Charlie asked.
“If Don hadn’t gotten into the OSS,” Larry said. “If he weren’t in the OSS, it would have been a lot less likely that we would have had the opportunity to work with Alan Turing.”
“Now, that is true,” Charlie agreed. “Thanks,” he nodded at Milner, who held the door open for them. His eyes widened as he gazed around the lobby. “This looks more like a museum than a hotel.”
“It sure does,” Don whispered, as he looked at the marble busts and bronze sculptures on antique tables against the wall. “Be careful not to break anything, Chuck.”
Charlie rolled his eyes. “I’m not a kid, Donald.”
Bessie Weeks came from the back room and took her place at the reception desk. “Good evening, and welcome to the White Feather. Sergeant Milner, I presume these are the guests Mr. Foyle told me to expect.”
“They are. Mrs. Weeks, this is Captain Eppes, and Doctors Eppes and Fleinhardt.”
“Wonderful! I’ve arranged our three best rooms for you gentlemen. I just need to see your identity papers and we’ll be all set.”
As Don handed her his passport, he asked, “Do we pay you now, or when we leave?”
“Oh, no. You don’t worry about payment at all, Captain. DCS Foyle has made it clear that you are to be guests of the Hastings Police. I understand you’re here about the terrible murder of poor Miss Levine.”
“We are,” Don said. “Our government has asked us to provide whatever assistance Mr. Foyle requires.”
Bessie looked up from checking Larry and Charlie’s passports. “And we at the White Feather will do everything we can to help. I’ve already advised Miss Buonaroti that she’s welcome to remain here at no cost as long as she needs to stay in Hastings. Poor dear is very upset about all of this. Now, I just need you gentlemen to sign the registry,” she turned the book and handed Don a pen. “I’m afraid we’ve only just cleared up from dinner, but the cook could probably find something for you if you’re hungry.”
“Actually,” Charlie began.
“Don’t go to any trouble on our account,” Don interrupted. At Charlie’s disappointed expression, he added, “We’ll get something in town, thank you. The professors here are anxious to get to work. Aren’t you, Professor?”
“I … yes, of course. We’re very anxious to get to work, and we wouldn’t want to put the cook out in any way.” Charlie pulled out his pocket watch. “The pubs should be open.”
“All right, then,” Milner said. “We’ll let you get to it. Sam and I really should get back to the station.”
“Okay, we’ll see you tomorrow, then,” Don said, shaking hands with Milner. He winked at Sam, “Sam, you sure you don’t want to see that movie tonight?”
“Positive. But ask me again tomorrow,” Sam said as she turned toward the door. “Cheerio!”
“Cheerio,” Don said, giving her a wave.
“I’ll show you your rooms,” Bessie said, coming around from behind the desk. “I’m going to have to ask you to carry your own bags. We’re a bit shorthanded. The war and all that, you know.”
She led them to three adjacent rooms at the top of the stairs. As she was filling them in on the daily routine at the White Feather, Don studied the rooms. They looked secure enough, but he made a mental note to remind Charlie and Larry not to leave any secret documents lying around in their rooms. He could tell that a part of Charlie’s mind was already processing the coded message and in spite of his hunger, he was itching to get back to the school and get started on the deciphering. He thanked Mrs. Weeks when she had finished showing them the rooms and accepted his key from her. “You guys take a few minutes to unpack, then come on to my room and we’ll go over what we need to do.”
“What we need to do,” Charlie replied as he slipped his key into his pocket, “is get back to the school and get working on that code. Larry and I already think it’s more than a simple substitution cipher.”
“And we can’t wait to get down to work,” Larry added. “Each new cipher is a challenge, an unanswered question, and we do not have patience with unanswered questions.”
“Which is why you’re so good at what you do. Now, go unpack, and meet me back here. We’ll walk over to the school together and turn you loose on your unanswered question.”
Characters: Don, Alan & Charlie Eppes, Colby Granger, Larry Fleinhardt, Christopher Foyle, Samantha Stewart, Paul Milner
Rating: T for some violence and ethnic slurs
“There’s a telephone near the front door in the school, so any time you need a ride, just give me a call at the police station. It seems I spend all my time there these days, and I enjoy a drive on a pleasant spring day, you know,” Sam said, as they drove to the White Feather. “It doesn’t seem all that far by car, but I can assure you, the walk between the school and the White Feather is not one you’d care to make carrying your luggage. Though I do suppose, Captain, that being in the military, you’re accustomed to taking long hikes, aren’t you?”
Don chuckled. “Not recently. And, since it looks as if we’re going to be spending time together, please call me Don?”
“Oh, all right. Propriety be damned. You Yanks do tend to be more familiar a lot faster than we Brits. There was a young soldier who, the very first time he laid eyes on me, called me Sugar. I was dumbstruck. Sugar? My first thought was that his parents certainly did not teach him the basic rules of etiquette.”
“We do tend to be a little more forward,” Don said, grinning. “Do you find it annoying?”
“No, actually, I’ve grown accustomed to it.”
“That’s good,” Don caught sight of a movie theater as they drove past. “Would it be too forward of me to ask you to come see a movie with me tonight?”
Sam was startled into silence. Finally, when she could speak again, she said, “Apparently I’m not all that accustomed to it after all. What movie did you have in mind?”
“That theater we just passed is showing one of my all-time favorites, ‘Sullivan’s Travels.’ Have you seen it yet?”
“No, I haven’t. It just started here yesterday. I do enjoy Joel McCrea’s movies, though, and Veronica Lake is absolutely beautiful.”
“So is that a yes?”
“No, Captain … uh … Don. I believe we’d better wait a bit. We’ve only just meet. You don’t know me at all, and I certainly don’t know you. I mean, you could have a wife at home and just be looking for a quick fling with a naïve little English girl.”
In the back seat, Charlie leaned forward. “I can vouch for my brother, Sam. He does not have a wife at home. He doesn’t even have a girlfriend. In fact, I don’t think he’s had a date in what’s it been, Don? Four or five years?”
Don reached back and gave Charlie a playful punch. “Thanks a lot, Chuck. Very helpful.”
Sam giggled. “Thank you, Charlie. I’ll take that under advisement. Don, may I consider your offer and get back to you?”
“Of course,” Don gave her his most dazzling smile. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”
“And, speaking of where to find you, our destination is up ahead on the left.”
The Americans looked ahead at the beautiful white building with impressive columns, set back from the road and surrounded by a wrought iron fence. Charlie whistled. “Wow. I could get used to living in a place like that.”
Larry nodded. “After our living arrangements at Station X, I had despaired of ever sleeping in a comfortable bed again.”
Don grinned at Sam. “I think our boys like your boss’s choice of hotels. I don’t see many cars. Has it been requisitioned too?”
“No. With all the rationing, people don’t go off on holiday that much any more. But I think you’ll be more than comfortable in the White Feather. I thought it was a rather odd name for a hotel when DCS Foyle had me drive him here for an investigation a couple of years back.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the white feather was a sign of cowardice in the last war. In an attempt to get more men to enlist in the military, women were encouraged to present a white feather to every man they saw who wasn’t in uniform. It was supposed to shame them into enlisting.”
Larry asked, “Ah, Miss Stewart, what were you investigating in this hotel? Are we in any trouble?”
“No trouble at all, unless you believe in ghosts. The previous owner of the hotel murdered his wife here,” she said, as she pulled through the wrought iron gates and parked in the circle in front of the hotel. “But never fear. Mr. Foyle and Mr. Milner cracked the case, the murderer was hanged, and the son sold the hotel soon after. We’ve not been called here at all since the new people have been in charge.”
“Other than stopping by to investigate the current case,” Milner corrected, as he opened the car door.
“Well, that doesn’t really count. The poor girl wasn’t killed here, was she? Not like the despicable Mrs. Ellis.”
“Mrs. Ellis?” Larry asked. “I presume she was the murdered owner? What was so despicable about her?”
As Milner held the door for the professors, he said, “Perhaps in the interest of time, I’d better explain. Mrs. Ellis was involved in a pro-Nazi organization called the Friday Club. She really hoped the Nazis were on the verge of invading England. Her husband was upset at this, and had some other issues with his wife, so he shot her during a meeting of the Friday Club.”
The Americans gazed at the façade of the inn as Sam opened the boot of the car. “This Friday Club,” Don said, “they don’t meet here any more, do they?”
“Oh, no. They’ve made themselves scarce since the murder,” Milner assured them. “Though it’s possible that some of their sympathizers remain in the area.”
“Could those sympathizers be the Nazi spies Miss Levine was worried about?”
Milner closed the car door and lifted a bag from the boot. “It’s very likely. I was just beginning to investigate that possibility before you arrived. We do have the names of some sympathizers. Being this close to occupied France, we’re very concerned about Nazi sympathizers. If they’re British subjects, it’s rather difficult to move them out of the area. Not like the German immigrants.”
“I understand,” Don said. “We’ve had to put some Japanese and Germans in internment camps ourselves. But our government is interning US citizens of Japanese ancestry too.”
“That doesn’t seem fair,” Sam said as she closed the boot. “Putting your own citizens in camps.”
“It isn’t,” Charlie said. “But we’re learning that those who object to what the government is doing are likely to find themselves in trouble.”
“Charlie,” Don said in a warning tone, “that’s just a rumor.”
“It’s more than a rumor. I’ve had friends who raised an objection to the internment camps and suddenly found themselves under investigation.”
Larry stepped between the brothers. “Whether it’s true or not, it has no bearing on our current situation.”
Charlie gave Don one last glare, then turned to Larry. “You’re right.” He hurried to catch up with Milner and Sam, who had started up the stairs toward the front door.
Don patted Larry on the shoulder. “Thanks, Larry. That’s been a bone of contention between me and my family for months now. Dad and Charlie just don’t see the need for security.”
“I don’t believe it’s the need for security that’s bothering them. I believe it’s the issue of imprisoning citizens without due process. But,” Larry raised his hands to forestall Don’s objection, “as I said, I don’t believe we need to get into this now. I believe it’s a matter of one’s point of view. Because of your job, you see it as a matter of security. Your father, on the other hand, if he lived in England, would most likely have been given more than one white feather during the last war.”
“True. You wouldn’t believe the issues that came up during my background check,” Don said with a chuckle. “I almost didn’t make it into the OSS.”
“Now that would have been a pity,” Larry said, as they walked up the stairs. Charlie waited for them at the top.
“What would have been a pity?” Charlie asked.
“If Don hadn’t gotten into the OSS,” Larry said. “If he weren’t in the OSS, it would have been a lot less likely that we would have had the opportunity to work with Alan Turing.”
“Now, that is true,” Charlie agreed. “Thanks,” he nodded at Milner, who held the door open for them. His eyes widened as he gazed around the lobby. “This looks more like a museum than a hotel.”
“It sure does,” Don whispered, as he looked at the marble busts and bronze sculptures on antique tables against the wall. “Be careful not to break anything, Chuck.”
Charlie rolled his eyes. “I’m not a kid, Donald.”
Bessie Weeks came from the back room and took her place at the reception desk. “Good evening, and welcome to the White Feather. Sergeant Milner, I presume these are the guests Mr. Foyle told me to expect.”
“They are. Mrs. Weeks, this is Captain Eppes, and Doctors Eppes and Fleinhardt.”
“Wonderful! I’ve arranged our three best rooms for you gentlemen. I just need to see your identity papers and we’ll be all set.”
As Don handed her his passport, he asked, “Do we pay you now, or when we leave?”
“Oh, no. You don’t worry about payment at all, Captain. DCS Foyle has made it clear that you are to be guests of the Hastings Police. I understand you’re here about the terrible murder of poor Miss Levine.”
“We are,” Don said. “Our government has asked us to provide whatever assistance Mr. Foyle requires.”
Bessie looked up from checking Larry and Charlie’s passports. “And we at the White Feather will do everything we can to help. I’ve already advised Miss Buonaroti that she’s welcome to remain here at no cost as long as she needs to stay in Hastings. Poor dear is very upset about all of this. Now, I just need you gentlemen to sign the registry,” she turned the book and handed Don a pen. “I’m afraid we’ve only just cleared up from dinner, but the cook could probably find something for you if you’re hungry.”
“Actually,” Charlie began.
“Don’t go to any trouble on our account,” Don interrupted. At Charlie’s disappointed expression, he added, “We’ll get something in town, thank you. The professors here are anxious to get to work. Aren’t you, Professor?”
“I … yes, of course. We’re very anxious to get to work, and we wouldn’t want to put the cook out in any way.” Charlie pulled out his pocket watch. “The pubs should be open.”
“All right, then,” Milner said. “We’ll let you get to it. Sam and I really should get back to the station.”
“Okay, we’ll see you tomorrow, then,” Don said, shaking hands with Milner. He winked at Sam, “Sam, you sure you don’t want to see that movie tonight?”
“Positive. But ask me again tomorrow,” Sam said as she turned toward the door. “Cheerio!”
“Cheerio,” Don said, giving her a wave.
“I’ll show you your rooms,” Bessie said, coming around from behind the desk. “I’m going to have to ask you to carry your own bags. We’re a bit shorthanded. The war and all that, you know.”
She led them to three adjacent rooms at the top of the stairs. As she was filling them in on the daily routine at the White Feather, Don studied the rooms. They looked secure enough, but he made a mental note to remind Charlie and Larry not to leave any secret documents lying around in their rooms. He could tell that a part of Charlie’s mind was already processing the coded message and in spite of his hunger, he was itching to get back to the school and get started on the deciphering. He thanked Mrs. Weeks when she had finished showing them the rooms and accepted his key from her. “You guys take a few minutes to unpack, then come on to my room and we’ll go over what we need to do.”
“What we need to do,” Charlie replied as he slipped his key into his pocket, “is get back to the school and get working on that code. Larry and I already think it’s more than a simple substitution cipher.”
“And we can’t wait to get down to work,” Larry added. “Each new cipher is a challenge, an unanswered question, and we do not have patience with unanswered questions.”
“Which is why you’re so good at what you do. Now, go unpack, and meet me back here. We’ll walk over to the school together and turn you loose on your unanswered question.”