Page 20 of The Righteous
IT WAS THREE o’clock the next afternoon when Teddy walked into the room at the Treasury Department where Julia and Theresa were examining documents related to Theresa’s assignment.
He took a folder and placed it on the table.
“Here we are. One set for Miss Julia Powers, and one set for Miss Theresa Weissbach. I was thinking about joining you on the trip, but I had to decline.”
Theresa was surprised. “You were thinking about going to Hungary? Why?”
“For the same reasons that Julie expressed yesterday,” he answered.
“Julie felt that it was too dangerous for you to go alone. You’re a history professor, not a soldier, and not an intelligence agent.
When it comes time to transmit private messages on the wireless, or meet with partisans, or walk among the enemy, you’d be a rookie.
Julie and I aren’t exactly Mata Hari, but… ”
“That’s not funny,” Theresa said. “Mata Hari was a German spy in World War I, and she was executed. And I don’t like being called a rookie.”
“I apologize,” Teddy said. “I didn’t mean anything by it.
Carl is worried about you, justifiably, but your familiarity with Budapest’s Jewish community is useful to him.
He can keep an eye on you when you’re in the embassy.
On the other hand, you’re not useful to him, Julie.
You’ve never been to Hungary. He can’t promise to watch out for you. ”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Julia said. “I’m a seasoned intelligence agent, remember? I can use the wireless, the two-way, and I know Morse code.”
Teddy held his hand up like a stop sign. “I told Carl those very things. I told him how valuable you were in the field. I told him how many lives you saved, how well you performed for the OSS. I suggested that you would help protect Terri.”
Julia had her hands on her hips. “And what did Ambassador Lutz say to that?”
“He’s a vice consul, not an ambassador,” Teddy interjected, “but he still had a doubtful look in his eyes, and he looked at me and said, ‘I don’t think so.’ Then I asked him if it would change his mind if I went along and kept an eye on both of you.
I told him we were a great team. I still don’t think he was convinced, but when I said we were very close to Undersecretary Sumner Welles and other State Department officers, he changed his mind.
Not that he was intimidated; he just thought that our connections might be useful.
He agreed to let me go, but then I woke up.
I apologized and said, ‘What am I thinking? I have two children at home, and Sara’s pregnant.
I can’t go; I have to decline. But Theresa needs a backup, and Julia is just as valuable as I am.
And she’s volunteered to go.’ I said I would closely monitor your progress from Washington. ”
“I appreciate what you’ve done,” Julia said. “Of course, I know about your two kids, but I didn’t know about Sara. How far along is she?”
“Seven months.”
“Congratulations!”
“I can’t leave her.”
“No, you can’t, and we wouldn’t let you. Terri and I do not have husbands or children. We’re going.”
“Actually, Sara encouraged me to go. She’s worried about you, Julie.
She still considers you her best friend, just like you were in Holland.
Sara’s worried about you going to Budapest, and she thinks that I could take care of you.
If it weren’t for the kids, she’d be going too. But in the end, I had to decline.”
Julia walked over and gave Teddy a hug. “You’re a sweetheart,” she said. “I gotta leave now.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to Garfinckel’s Department Store.
I have some serious shopping to do before I leave, but first I have to call my mother, and that’s going to be tough.
She is not going to take this well. She was so relieved to see me when I returned from Amsterdam.
She said over and over that her prayers had been answered.
I don’t want to hurt her feelings. So, how do I tell her that I intend to fly back to Europe, into Hungary, an ally of Hitler’s? ”
“You don’t,” Theresa said. “You don’t have to go. Your mother is here, and she needs you. I have to go because my mother is not safe. She’s in danger. That’s the difference. You stay here, Julie. I can manage on my own. I have Carl’s protection.”
Julia shook her head. “He won’t always be there. He has responsibilities that take him other places. He has duties that take precedence over babysitting Theresa Weissbach, but I don’t. I will watch your back. You’ll need help over there. It’s too tough on your own. Ask Teddy, he’ll tell you.”
Teddy nodded. “She has a point. It won’t be easy, especially if you are depending on Carl. He’s a nice guy, but he’s very busy.”
“I never thought it would be easy, but Terri needs a companion. I just hope my mother understands. I’ll do the best I can to assure her of my safety.
Hopefully, we won’t be gone that long. If Terri can see her family and be assured of their safety, then we’ll come back.
If she isn’t safe, then we need to help them emigrate.
Either way, I shouldn’t be gone that long. ”