The Oslo Affair (Shadows of War, #2) CW Browning (sci fi books to read TXT) 📖

He waited until Rob was almost on top of Chris, then stuck his foot out in front of him. Rob went down and the other two pilots lost their balance and piled on top of him. Abandoning his empty glass on the bar, Miles held his hands up with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Chris grinned and threw the roll to him.

Grabbing it, Miles began running in the opposite direction as the others pulled themselves up from the pile and charged after him.

Chapter Seven

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Oslo, Norway

November 4, 1939

Evelyn looked up at the tall building before her and then moved towards the door on the ground floor. She was in a fairly quiet street, just a block from the busy Bygdøy Allé. Located in Olso’s West End, the area was quiet and exclusive, setting her nerves at ease. If nothing else went according to plan on her first visit to Norway, at least her temporary living quarters appeared to be in a neighborhood similar to what she was used to.

Before she reached the door, it opened and a stocky man of medium height stared at her from under bushy brows.

“Du er yngre enn jeg trodde du ville være. Og du er sen,” he said without ceremony, pinning her with a fierce look.

Evelyn swallowed. She had no idea what he was saying, or if he was even someone she had to be concerned about. She was just opening her mouth to ask if he spoke English or perhaps German when an older woman emerged from behind him, clucking in apparent disgust.

“La henne være i fred, Josef. Du vet at hun ikke skjønner norsk!” she rebuked him. Then, smiling at Evelyn, she wiped her hands on the apron covering her skirt and held out her hand. “Don’t mind my husband,” she said in halting English. “Welcome. You must be the journalist from London. Come in! We’ve been expecting you.”

The woman ushered her into the house, past her husband, and showed her into a small parlor.

“My name is Else and this is my husband, Josef,” she said, motioning to the man who followed them in. “We run this boarding house.”

“I’m Maggie Richardson,” Evelyn introduced herself. “I’m sorry I don’t speak Norwegian. Does your husband speak German? I’m quite fluent.”

“He does indeed, and he also speaks a little English. He was being contrary just now,” the woman told her, shooting her husband another reproachful look. “He means nothing by it. He’s been waiting for you and was surprised at how young you are, that is all.”

Evelyn wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so she nodded, smiled and offered the man a sheepish shrug.

“Never mind, dear. Is this your only luggage? Josef will take it up to your room. Come. We show you.”

Else turned to bustle out of the parlor and towards a flight of stairs across from the entranceway while Josef picked up Evelyn’s two bags and waited for her to follow his wife.

“How was your trip? You come by boat, yes?” the woman asked conversationally as she led the way up the old wooden stairs. Though aged, they were spotless and the walls were painted a bright and cheerful white.

“Yes. We hit a bit of a storm on the crossing, which set us behind a bit, but nothing serious.”

“Do you suffer from sea sickness?”

“No, thank goodness.”

“You’re very lucky. The North Sea can be very rough. I don’t mind it, but Josef gets ill.”

They reached the top of the stairs and Else led her down a wide hallway to a door on the left. She opened it and went inside.

“Here you are. I hope you find everything comfortable.”

Evelyn stepped into a large, well-appointed room with a four-poster bed and large bay window overlooking the street. One wall was dominated by a large hearth and she was grateful to see a fire blazing, casting heat and soft light into the room.

“Oh, it’s lovely!” she exclaimed, turning around and taking in the floral bedspread and cheerful wallpaper. A desk stood near the window, and a chair was placed near the fire. While the room was sparsely furnished, it was clean and welcoming.

Else glowed with pleasure.

“I’m glad you like it. We started the fire for you so you would be comfortable. Josef will keep wood in the bin and there are matches on the mantle.” She watched as Josef set the bags on the floor near the wardrobe. “You’ll want to freshen up, and so we leave you now. Come down when you are settled and I’ll give you directions around the city. It’s quite simple, and the tram will take you most places you need to go.”

“Thank you.”

Else nodded and gave a final smile before herding her husband out of the room. Once the door closed behind them, Evelyn removed her hat and tossed it onto the bed, undoing the buttons on her coat. Her gloves joined the hat and she took off the heavy, warm coat, draping it across the foot of the bed. She crossed the floor to stand before the roaring fire, holding her hands out to the warmth while she looked around the room.

She would be comfortable here, she decided. It was clean and overlooked the street. Else seemed nice and friendly, even if her husband was unusually quiet.

Yes. This would do nicely.

A man in a long dark coat looked up from his perusal of a selection of newspapers and glanced out the storefront window. A tram rolled by the small shop and he checked his watch before turning to pay for the newspaper in his hand. After a halting conversation with the young man behind the counter, he turned to leave with the paper tucked under his arm. Stepping into the street, he pulled on his gloves and turned the collar of his coat up against the brisk, cold blast of wind that howled down the street.

He turned to walk along the pavement, following the