Luciano’s Luck. Jack Higgins

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СКАЧАТЬ scholar by nature, educated at Leeds Grammar School until thirteen and then Winchester. From there he had absconded in 1917, joining the Army under a false age, serving the last eighteen months of the First World War as an infantry private on the Western Front.

      Afterwards came Cambridge and a brilliant academic career which had included spells at Harvard as visiting Professor of Greek Archaeology, the University of Florence and then a return to Cambridge as a Fellow of Trinity and Claverhouse Professor of Ancient History at thirty-five.

      Just after Munich, he had been approached by British Intelligence and had worked with Master-man at MI5, helping to destroy the German spy network in England. He then moved to Special Operations Executive, eventually transferring to Cairo to take responsibility for the Italian section. Sicily had come later, had never really been on the cards at all.

      And it was beginning to show; in the weariness in the grey eyes, the flecks of silver in the dark hair. He flicked what remained of his cigarette out into the garden.

      ‘Careful, Harry,’ he said softly. ‘Next thing, you’ll be starting to feel sorry for yourself.’

      There was a movement behind him and he glanced up as Captain Cusak appeared.

      ‘Major Carter, General Eisenhower will see you now, sir.’

      The room was as ornate and Moorish in its furnishing as was the rest of the villa. The only signs that it was the nerve centre of the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander for the North African Theatre were to be found in the maps of the Mediterranean pinned to one wall and the three trestle tables covered with more maps, which had been placed by the terrace windows to serve as a desk.

      Eisenhower was standing outside on the terrace as they went in, smoking a cigarette, wearing boots and riding breeches for he rode most afternoons. He turned and walked in briskly, his face illuminated by that famous and inimitable smile.

      ‘Coffee, George,’ he said to Cusak. ‘Or maybe Major Carter would prefer tea?’

      ‘No, coffee would be fine, sir.’

      Cusak went out and Eisenhower indicated a chair and opened a file on his desk.

      ‘And just how does a man with your background get by as a Sicilian peasant?’

      ‘Oh, you can thank the University Dramatic Society for that, General. There was a wild moment there when I was tempted to turn professional.’

      ‘You were that good.’

      ‘I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t, sir,’ Carter said calmly.

      ‘When SOE sent you out to Cairo to take charge of the Italian section I don’t think they envisaged your personal invasion of Sicily on…’ here he glanced again at the file, ‘…three separate occasions?’

      ‘I know, sir,’ Carter said. ‘But we didn’t really have any choice. When it came to Sicily, there wasn’t anyone else who knew the language or the people as well. I did a lot of work on archaeological digs there during the thirties.’

      ‘And now you’re going in again. Don’t you think you’re getting a little old for this sort of thing?’

      Eisenhower pushed a document across the desk and Carter picked it up. It was a typical SOE operation order in sparse, no-nonsense Civil Service English.

      OPERATION INSTRUCTION NO. 592

      For Major Harry Carter

      Operation: Swordarm

      Field Name: FORTUNATO

      Name on Papers: Giovanni Ciccio

      1 INFORMATION

      We have discussed with you the possibility of your returning to Sicily to finalize the mission you were originally given when you left for that island in February of this year; namely, to co-ordinate the organization of resistance groups in the general area of the Cammarata so that the maximum co-operation is available to Allied troops in the event of invasion. You have made it quite clear that in your view, nothing prevents you from returning to the same area to carry out this task.

      2 METHOD

      From Maison Blanche you will proceed to Sicily in a Halifax of 138 (Special Duties) Squadron and will land by parachute at a point 10 kilometres west of Bellona where you will be received by elements of the local resistance movement. You have been given a cover story and papers in the name of Giovanni Ciccio which will enable you to live a normal life in the field.

      INTERCOMMUNICATIONS

      Your channel of communication with the resistance movement in the Palermo area will be through the Contessa di Bellona who is at the present time in residence at her villa outside that town.

      Your channel of communication with HQ will be by W/T radio transmission handled by Vito Barbera, coordinator, Bellona area.

      WEAPONS

      At your discretion, but only those you consider essential for hand-to-hand combat.

      CONCLUSION

      You are aware of the importance of this mission and nothing must take precedence over it. We anticipate completion in two weeks. Your return will be by submarine pick-up and details of this will be transmitted by radio in field-code at the appropriate time.

      NOW DESTROY . . . NOW DESTROY . . . NOW DESTROY . . .

      Carter took a cigarette lighter from his pocket, flicked it with his thumb and touched the flame to the corner of the document. When it was well alight, he crossed to the empty fireplace and dropped it into the grate.

      ‘Even you shouldn’t have that, General.’

      The door opened and Cusak returned with coffee on a brass Arabic tray. ‘Thanks, George, I’ll take care of it,’ Eisenhower said.

      He poured the coffee himself and lit another cigarette. ‘I’d say it’s a reasonable assumption that you know more about what’s happening over there at the moment than anyone else in North Africa. So let’s talk.’

      What would you like to know, General?’

      ‘I’d like you to explain the Mafia to me.’

      ‘You have a file on the Mafia connection, presumably?’

      ‘Yes.’

      Carter lit a cigarette himself without thinking. ‘Mafia began as a kind of secret society during a period of real oppression. In those days it was the only weapon the peasant had, his only means of justice.’

      ‘Go on.’

      ‘You have to understand the landscape, sir. It’s another world. Sterile, barren, where the struggle is not so much for a living as for survival. A world where the key word is omerta which means manliness, honour, and never, never seek official help. If you have a problem, you go to the capo.’

      ‘The capo?’ Eisenhower frowned.

      ‘Capo means boss, chief, put it how you like. СКАЧАТЬ