"Then the war is-?"

"Unfortunately, long from over," Donovan said. "And we have a lot of work yet to do until it is."

[FIVE].

Westminster Tower Park Lane at Aldford Street London, England 2020 14 May 1943 "No more jokes about my memory-the doctors said that's mostly over and done," Ann Chambers said playfully, one hand under the bedsheets, searching. "I've got a clean bill of health...and I'm beginning to remember why you drive me crazy."

Her hand found what it was looking for, wrapped around the prize...and gently but pointedly squeezed.

"Okay, okay," Canidy said. "No more jokes. And be easy with those. They only come in pairs-very, very delicate pairs."

Ann moved in closer to Canidy. She pressed her nose into his neck, kissed it, and practically purred.

After a long quiet moment, she glanced around the room and suddenly sat up.

"This place is absolutely amazing," she said.

She looked out the large picture windows of the twelfth-floor luxury apartment. The view overlooked Hyde Park.

Although it was now dark, she had spent the last few hours waiting for Canidy by sitting in the plush armchair at the window. She now clearly recalled the last rays of the sunset casting long shadows of the trees across the Serpentine, the park's long, curved picturesque pond.

"Thank Uncle Max," Canidy said.

"Who?"

"Stanley S. Fine, Esquire, on leave as vice president of legal affairs for Continental Motion Picture Studios, is the nephew of Mr. Max Liebermann, chairman of the board of Continental Motion Picture Studios."

"I think I knew that. I can't-"

"The studio," Canidy went on, "maintains this apartment for stars and executives-and very, very select friends of the family-who might be visiting London."

"I see," she said, rubbing his chest hairs.

When Stanley Fine had first arrived on duty in London, he had been temporarily housed in a shabby flat. The flat also had been a very long Underground ride away from the office. After a good deal of mental debate, he had put aside whatever pride had told him that he should take what he was given in the interest of the war. And he had made the luxurious Westminster Tower apartment his quarters.

His argument, at least to himself, was that he could walk the ten or so blocks to and from the office. This allowed him to spend more time on the job, in the interest of the war.

Now, of course, he was holed up in the OSS villa at Algiers.

"I'll remember to thank him," Ann said, sounding like the proper Southerner that she was.

"You realize, don't you, that the Dorchester Hotel is only two blocks from here? We could go down, sit in Stan's famous spot, where he held court. I believe it even has a brass plaque engraved with his name; if not, it should for all the money he and I have left there. Anyway, there was a pretty nice-sized crowd at the bar when I went by just a little while ago."

"I got a nice letter from Charity," Ann said, ignoring the suggestion and his ramblings.

Canidy could hear excitement in her tone.

"Really?" he said.

"She's preggers."

Whoa...oh, shit!

"Really!" he repeated, trying to make it sound excited. "Well, congrats to her. Does Doug know?"

What I really want to ask is: Does Douglass know what he's doing?

Well, hell, he is a big boy....

"He's already given her the engagement ring."

Canidy was silent. And he realized it was making for an awkward moment.

"What's on your mind, Dick?"

Her hand was making faster circles on his chest.

He looked her in the eyes and thought, I think I know what's on yours, baby. I think I know what's on yours, baby.

He said, "What's on yours, baby?"

Ann was quiet, looking out the window at the park, clearly searching for the right words.

She said, her voice chipper, "I think we should, too."

"I thought we had an understanding," Canidy heard himself automatically saying, "that it's the guy who's supposed to-"

His voice trailed off when he caught sight of the tear on her cheek.

He kissed it.

"Sorry I said that, Annie. You know I love you. Yes?" He paused, then went on: "No one has ever reached me the way that you do."

Her hand stopped making the circles.

"There's a 'but' coming," she said somewhat icily.

"Baby, if I were to ask for a hand in marriage, my heart tells me that there is absolutely no question it would be yours-"

"But..." she repeated.

"But my brain tells me that I'm just not ready. This is not the time. For us, for anyone. anyone."

Canidy saw more tears on Ann's cheeks.

He wiped them away as he went on: "It just would not be fair to you, Annie. Not with this war, not with my job."

Ann sniffled. She was quiet a long moment, then nodded gently.

"Maybe this damn war will end soon," he continued, "and then everything changes."

She cleared her throat.

"Then," she said, trying to sound strong, "I'll just have to settle for right here and right now."

He leaned over, wrapped his arms and legs around her, and gave her a long, soft kiss.

Then he whispered, "Why are we in this bed?"

"I...why, I forget," she said with a straight face.

And after a long moment, she giggled.

And then her hand was under the sheets again, searching...and finding what it was looking for.

AFTERWORD.

This book is a work of fiction based on actual events.

We may never know the exact depth of aid that Mafia boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano and his syndicate of ruthless wiseguys provided to fight the Axis in America and abroad.

What is is known is that on V-E day-the very day that victory was declared in Europe-Thomas Dewey, the former prosecutor who was then governor of the great state of New York signed for the release of Luciano from Great Meadow Prison. known is that on V-E day-the very day that victory was declared in Europe-Thomas Dewey, the former prosecutor who was then governor of the great state of New York signed for the release of Luciano from Great Meadow Prison.

It was May 8, 1945, and Luciano had served just shy of ten years of his thirty-to-fifty-year sentence. He would not have been eligible for parole until 1956.

Charlie Lucky was deported-aboard a cargo ship-from the United States of America. He died in Italy in 1962.

What also is known is that the Nazis did have chemical and biological weapons programs. And that President Roosevelt had nerve gas munitions manufactured with which to retaliate should the Germans use theirs.

Understanding such history allows us today-in the noise that is the daily media-to better understand the difficult decisions of who we fight, why we fight, and how we fight. It is never simple.

Every day around the world, the United States of America has warriors putting their lives at risk so that our freedoms are protected. We owe them our everlasting respect, gratitude, and, most of all, support.