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to all as Big Mike. The three of us made up General Eisenhower’s Office of Special Investigations, which pretty well described what we did. We handled low crimes in high places, crimes that needed to be solved and kept on the QT while we did it. On most of these dates, we were working on one case or another.
    I ticked off the dates, thinking it’d be a snap to get Kaz or Big Mike in here to straighten things out. Except that we all worked for Colonel Harding, and he was the one pulling the strings, I was damn sure of that much.
    â€œMr. Chapman,” Scott began, strolling in front of the witness like he was an old country lawyer, “what is your occupation?”
    â€œI was a soldier in the last war,” Archie said, peering at Scott from under bushy eyebrows. “That was my last regular job. Killing Germans.”
    â€œSince then, how have you supported yourself?”
    â€œOh, a variety of ways,” Archie said, shrugging. “Lately mostly buying materials from you lot. Fellows like Captain Boyle here, they don’t mind doing business with me.”
    â€œBlack market business, correct?”
    â€œThat’s the term, boy.”
    â€œWhich is illegal in Great Britain. So you are a criminal, correct?”
    â€œIf I were, wouldn’t it be me on trial, and in an English court?”
    â€œYou may well be soon, Mr. Chapman,” Scott said. Somehow I doubted it. “Doing black market business must require that you are not always honest with the authorities, I’d imagine.”
    â€œOh, and you’re an expert, are you? Done some deals yourself, then?” There was a ripple of laughter in the room, cut short by Colonel Beaumont’s threatening stare.
    â€œAsk a specific question, Lieutenant,” Beaumont said.
    â€œMr. Chapman, have you lied to the English authorities at any point during the past six months?”
    â€œLied?” Archie did his chin rub again, but this time I think he was stumped. It would be hard for anyone to believe he’d been honest for that long. “Yes, I’ve shaved a bit off the truth on occasion. For business purposes.”
    â€œVery well,” Scott said, giving an approving nod. “We’ve established you lie to your fellow Englishmen. How about Americans? Have you lied to any Americans during the same period?”
    â€œI like Americans,” Archie said with a toothy grin. “You Yanks have brought so many good things to England, I could never lie to one of you.”
    Scott stood close to Archie, leaning over the witness chair. “So you are a liar, just not in this case?”
    â€œBe careful, boy,” Archie said, years of fog, gin, and cigarettes coarsening his low, vicious growl. “I might take offense.”
    â€œNo more questions,” Scott said.
    â€œDo you have any other witnesses, Major Thompson?” Beaumont said. He didn’t. No reason to waste time when the deck was stacked in your favor. Beaumont then told Scott it was his turn. I’d scrawled out Big Mike’s name and duty station along with Kaz’s information. He asked the court to make both of them available as defense witnesses and asked for an adjournment while they were brought in.
    â€œI’m afraid that’s impossible,” Beaumont said. “I am advised these two men are on an assignment with a top-secret classification. They are unavailable for testimony.”
    â€œBut sir,” Scott began, “how—”
    â€œI am not going to repeat myself, Lieutenant,” Beaumont said. “Proceed.”
    â€œI’m going to call you as a witness,” Scott whispered as he sat next to me. “We have to do something.”
    â€œNo, we don’t,” I said. “Whatever happens next has already been decided. Let’s get it over with. I’m not going to testify. We’re done.”

Chapter Three
    It didn’t take long. Ten minutes later, Beaumont called