‘Isn’t that the ex-SS bastard’s name… the one in the Legion?’
“Knocke… who did she see?”
“Not recorded, General.”
The phone went uncomfortably quiet as Rossiter’s disappointment oozed down the line.
“Santa Maria… here it is, General. Logged request from the office of General Strong… seeking a doctor to attend meeting room 12 to check a heavily pregnant female visitor.”
“Bingo… that’s her pregnant… that’s why there’s flowers. An unexpected pregnant guest. Wouldn’t be anyone in uniform, so has to be her… Madame Knocke. Excellent work, Jed. Keep digging… anything you can come up with on Madame Knocke at all. Thank you and good night.”
“Buenas noches, General.”
Two telephone calls and a visit from a breathless clerk later, Rossiter had a new file to examine, the cover alone making seriously interesting reading.
’de Valois, Now KNOCKE [1-4-47]
Anne-Marie Claudette Armande,
Commandant,
Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage [SDECE]
Codename – COQUELICOT
Bodyguard – assassin – analyst
DOB – 2-18-1919
Major Involvements
a Attached SOE – Failed Assassination of FldMshl ROMMEL [Top Secret]
b Soviet assault on Chateau Kœnigsbourg.
c Assassination of JOAN OF ARC [Top Secret]
d Assassination of MONTELIMAR [Top Secret]
e Suspected assassination of CASTLE [Top Secret]
f Suspected assassination of MOUNTAIN LION [Top Secret]
g Assassination of TRISTRAN [Top Secret]
h Suspected assassination of MONUMENT [Top Secret]
j Suspected assassination of CALENDAR [Top secret]
k Part of mutiny within Legion Camerone – lGENERAL MOLYNEUX.
a File linked Eur-Int-X-E-3048
b File linked Eur-F-Gen-292891-Koenigsbourg
c Files linked Eur-Int-X-E2-4444 / Eur-Int-X-E5-616
d File linked Eur-Int-X-E1-38119
e Files linked Eur-Int-X-E2-4444/ Eur-Int-X-E4-307
f File linked Eur-Int-X-E2-4488
g Files linked Eur-X-E1-38188/ Eur-D-Mil-SS-13772
h Files linked Eur-X-E5-0017/ Spec-X-Most Secret-500
j File linked Eur-X-E5-0018/ Spec-X-Most Secret-500
k Files linked Eur-X-F-Gen-301104- Camerone Mutiny.
l File linked Eur-F-Nil-Leg- 2021.
Additions- Married Ernst-August Knocke m January 4th 1947
m File linked Eur-D-Mil-SS-19725
Category 1
‘Jesus but she’s one serious woman! Category one as well. Not one to get on the wrong side of.’
Rossiter consumed the file as quickly as he could whilst he waited for the car that would take him to Brize Norton.
When he got to the record of the events of March 13th he almost choked.
The pieces slotted into place.
What was reported as a possible robbery was anything but, and it was clear that the woman had been targeted by…
‘…who?’
His mind dropped into a lower gear and accelerated forward, dragging information from its recesses and marrying bits and pieces together into an idea that almost overwhelmed him.
Before he stepped on his aircraft, Rossiter lodged an urgent call to the head of the SDECE.
“Ribiere.”
“Bonjour, Henri.”
“Bonjour, Sam. I take it this is not a social call eh?”
The gruff Frenchman was still recovering from a near-fatal car accident, but was at his desk as much as possible, and still as keen as ever to deal with the enemies of France.
“No, you’re right, Henri. I can’t say too much for now, but your secretary, Madame Coquelicot, I think there’s an issue with her, and she needs more personal supervision. I’m not happy with her version of events.”
Henri-Alexis Ribiere, hero of the Resistance, understood exactly what Rossiter was saying, especially as the Coquelicot file was still on his desk.
“Yes, I’ve looked at this matter only today. I’ll do as you ask, of course. Will I see you soon?”
“This very evening, if you are free for dinner, Henri.”
“But of course, mon ami. I shall make a reservation at a new establishment I’ve recently found… say, for eight?”
“I think that’ll be just fine, Henri. I’ll be coming into Orly. See you shortly.”
The door opened and an RAF Flight Lieutenant stuck his head round.
“Apologies, General, but your flights been called again.”
“Gotta go now, Henri. See ya later.”
He replaced the handset and nodded at the RAF officer.
“Change of plan though.”
“In what way, Sir?”
“Paris, not Frankfurt. We’re flying to Paris.”
“Well I’m afraid that won’t be poss…”
“Oh yes it will be. Trust me, Flight Lieutenant.”
Rossiter’s plane touched down at Orly airfield and he was immediately whisked away by a car arranged by Ribiere.
Thirty minutes later the two senior men were sat in a quiet corner of ‘Au pied du cochon’ chewing over the possibility that Anne-Marie had been targeted for her meeting with Strong, which opened up concerns over the nature of the air crash that claimed the lives of so many senior men.
The two men discussed theories, and played Devil’s Advocate with each other, but each time they came round to one unpalatable possibility.
Somehow, undeniably, the Germans were involved.
1109 hrs, Wednesday, 19th March, 1947, House of Madame Fleriot, La Vigie, Nogent L’Abbesse, near Reims, France.
Normally, a light aircraft touching down in the fields near the house would have drawn inquisitive eyes, but the Auster was expected, so the security group were relatively relaxed about its presence, or as relaxed as men who expected belligerent armed men to descend upon them at any moment can be.
Rossiter exchanged handshakes with the head of the SDECE guards and was escorted to the main house and formally ushered through to the conservatory, where he found Madame Fleriot and Anne-Marie enjoying tea.
In the garden, the two girls were playing with more SDECE agents, one of whom had sisters their age, and the other who was old enough to be their grandfather.
“Madame Fleriot, Madame Knocke, thank you for seeing me at such short notice.”
“Our pleasure, Général Rossiter, Please, sit. Tea?”
“Thank you.”
Jerome needed no bidding and provided the necessary refreshment in rapid time, before leaving quickly to watch the young agent in the kitchen produce his latest culinary masterpiece.
“So, how may I be of assistance, Général?”
“Thank you, May I say that I’ve heard of your narrow escape, and I hope that you are both well?”
The question was awkwardly put, given that both women carried the marks of their recent encounter quite openly.
Armande Fleriot, her arm in a sling and a dressing on the side of her head, looked her normal magnificent self, save for the addition of bandages, whereas the heavily pregnant Anne-Marie looked battered completely, although, Rossiter deduced, more by the demands of her pregnancy than recent events.
He reminded himself that both of these ladies had undertaken their previous trades in ways that would make grown men shiver.