"What's the matter?"
"Probably a roadblock. Looking for us."
"Oh, dear."
He looked at the center divider. It had a fence through it, so they couldn't double back. The roadblock appeared to be about a mile up the road.
He looked at his "aunt." "Any ideas?"
She shook her head. "I suppose shooting our way through is out."
"That only works in movies."
"We'd better pray for direction." They held hands and prayed for the Lord's guidance and protection. When they were finished, Bill got an idea.
"Is your makeup case where you can get at it?"
"Yes, but--"
"Get it."
"All right, but I don't see--"
"It's a long shot, but it's about the only one we've got."
She fished out of the back. "Here it is."
"Good. Use a whole bunch. Really overdo it. Really outrageous."
As she began to carry out his instructions, she said, "I feel silly. What are we trying to accomplish?"
"Since you're such a good actor, here's a real challenging role for you."
"I feel like a streetwalker."
Bill smiled. "Good. That's what you are."
She stopped and looked at him. "I beg your pardon!"
"Look. It's our only chance. Do it!" He saw they were getting closer to the police barricade.
"I say, I'm not--"
"Trust me!" He slapped the seat. "Get it done, quick!"
Molly resumed her costuming procedure. When she had finished, she said, "How do I look?"
"Like Goopy the clown. That's perfect. Now, unbutton your blouse."
"Bill!"
"Just a couple of buttons. Enough to show a little skin without being obvious."
She complied. "How's that?"
"Excellent. Now," He could see about four cars between them and the police. "Lean over here."
"What?"
"Lean over here. Hurry!"
She leaned over in the bucket seat toward him. To her shock, he caught her behind the head with his right hand and planted his lips firmly on hers. She thought the kiss would smother her, though she had to admit he was good at it. He came up for air with lipstick all over the lower half-of his face. She laughed at him. "I know, I know," he laughed back. "But that's the idea."
One car to go; now their turn. The officer spoke in English and Bill used his accent.
"I say, what's the meaning of this? I've got to get this bird back to Reims before my wife finds out I'm not on a business trip!" He pointed with his thumb at Molly. She twisted in the seat and crossed her legs, letting her top fall open a little. She smiled a brainless smile.
"Your pardon, Monsieur. We are looking for two fugitives."
"Well, I'm a fugitive, all right. If my wife finds out there's nowhere on earth I'll be safe from her wrath."
The policeman studied the car. "Your car matches the description of the vehicle, but the man was an American. Is the lady with you English?"
Bill acted indignant. "If she were, would I be taking her home to Reims? Name's Fifi. Doesn't speak a word of English and I don't speak French. But we communicate, if you understand my meaning." He gave two very large winks.
The officer reached in his inside coat pocket and drew out a handkerchief. "I can see that, Monsieur. You may wish to make use of this to make such things less obvious."
"Beg pardon?"
The man pointed to his mouth. Bill nodded. "Ah, yes. I understand." He wiped his face and returned the handkerchief.
Red streaks cut across it in all directions. "Thank you, old boy. Very kind of you. Seems like perhaps you've been in this predicament a time or two yourself, eh?"
The man turned red and didn't answer, but he took the cloth. Then he said, "Rest assured, Monsieur, we will only be a moment. Your car matches the description--"
"As do half the cars on the bloody continent, no doubt. What was the description? Little white car with two people inside?"
"Much more specific, Monsieur. And there was a partial license number which is similar to yours."
Bill fidgeted, trying to look angry. "I say, you. If my wife divorces me I'll see to it you pay. What's your name and rank, boy?"
"I am only doing my job, Monsieur. These people, they shot a man."
"Whom?"
"The constable at Avion."
"Is he dead?"
"No. But he was badly injured."
"By the shots?"
"Only one shot. No, it missed him. But it caused the auto accident that injured him."
"I thought you said they shot him."
"As well they might have, since the shot caused his injury."
Molly leaned over where the man could see her, looking bored. Bill noticed she was making motions as if she was chewing gum. She looked up at the policeman and asked a bored question in French.
This sparked a lively discussion in French between her and the officer. Molly acted angrier by the moment, until at last she swung back into her seat and exclaimed, "Cochon! "
The uniformed man looked at Bill. "I am sorry, Monsieur, but I must detain you. Not for you nor the--ah, lady, can I violate my orders."
Bill slapped the car into gear. "Well, I won't stand for it. This is absurd. Have a perfectly miserable day, sir!" He gunned the engine and sped away. The officer ran a few steps after them, then fired a shot. It missed.
Molly exhaled long and heavy. "May I breathe now?"
"Only if I can."
"Do you think he believed us?"
"I don't know. I hope so."
"May I wipe some of this greasepaint off now?"
Bill scratched his head. "I dunno. I kinda like it."
She laughed and swatted his left arm. Then she reached for a towel. She decided to wipe her face clean and start over. As she finished wiping she heard Bill say, "Nuts!"
"What is it?"
"He didn't buy it. Look." Up ahead at the junction lay a roadblock that cut off the path to Reims. Five or six men with rifles stood in front of the wooden barricades.
"Now what? Do you want to try and crash it?"
Bill shook his head. "I'm afraid of guns. Especially when they're pointed at me."
"What, then?"
"Only one thing to do." He raced the engine and pointed the car's nose at the barrier. At the last moment, as the men levelled their rifles, he cut the wheel hard right and shot down the ramp toward the Paris highway. By the time the policemen got a shot off the car was down behind a low hill.
"That was close."
"Indeed. I'm glad you're a mechanic for my car's sake."
He grinned and floored the accelerator to put some distance between them. Within minutes they came to an interchange that pointed to Arras. Bill whipped the car onto the exit ramp and turned toward the town.
"What are you doing?"
"Hopefully throwing them off a little. Find a place to hide, lay low for an hour or two." He yanked the wheel to the left and came to a stop behind a stand of trees. "Watch. Up there on the freeway."
Several police cars zipped by, sirens yowling. Then Bill slumped in the seat, rubbing his arm. "Now you can breathe."
They sat listening to an English-language news broadcast. What they heard sent chills through them. A voice with a French accent said, "Leaders of the European nations are meeting in Berlin to pursue their goal of unifying the world. Representatives from Spain to Czechoslovakia, including the British Isles, are seeking to form a coalition government. They believe that the removal of nations and nationalism will lead to an era of peace and abolish the temptation to go to war. Leaders of several middle eastern countries received invitations to the Summit, but declined."
Molly trembled and opened the car door. "I need to stretch my legs a bit."
They got out and strolled among the trees for a while. When she wasn't looking, Bill studied Molly's face. With or without her so-called "improvements," she was the most beautiful woman he had ever known . . .
She caught him looking at her. "Is something wrong?"
He suddenly felt very self-conscious. "No. I was just . . . thinking."
"What about?"
"Nothing in particular. Just . . . everything."
She laughed. "Everything is nothing. That makes perfect sense to me."
He laughed with her. "How about explaining it to me?"
She stopped laughing and walked toward him. He could see she was troubled. Her arms glided around his waist and her face pressed into his chest. Her muffled voice said, "Bill, I'm frightened."
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "I know. So am I."
"What will happen to us?"
"We'll keep going as long as we can and face each obstacle as it comes to us."
She sneered, "High-sounding words."
He gripped her shoulders and pulled her away from his body so he could look into her eyes. "Look! I'm not God, all right? I don't know the answer. I'm sorry I'm a failure. Why am I yelling at you?"
She looked down. "Because I deserved it. I'm sorry."
He held her close again. "I'm sorry, too. How about we go check the map and see how we get out of here?"
"All right." As she started to pull away he held her there for a second. But only for a second.
"It appears that taking this road east will intersect us with the motorway to Reims."
Bill scratched his head. "I'm not sure about the grammar, but it looks like you're right. Let's go."
They started east on the small highway. Molly drove because Bill's arm was flaring again. All at once she stopped and turned around.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going back to Arras and get some supplies to change that bandage."
"You don't need to--"
"It's been on there all day and needs to be changed. Don't argue."
"Yes, Mommy."
At Arras she went into a little shop and returned with a bag full of bandages, tape and assorted antiseptics. "Now, let me see that arm."
Bill held out the bad limb and looked away. He gasped at the sunset. "Look. Isn't that fabulous?"
She followed his eyes. "Yes, it is. Now, this doesn't appear too bad." She poured some peroxide into the wound while Bill tried not to scream. "It's not large, but it's deep. It will hurt for a few days."
"Guess my reflexes were off. Of course, I've never been in a knife fight before."
"Well, you shouldn't have gotten into this one. Frank was just trying to perturb me. There was no need to rush to my defense like that."
Bill leaned his head back and moaned as she applied the fresh bandage. "Some things are worth fighting for. I've gotta admit I never fought over a girl before."
She laughed. "I'm not a girl. I'm an old lady."
"Well, I never fought over my hump-backed, whitehaired old granny before, either."
"Thanks a lot."
"You said it, not me."
She leaned back from the completed patch job. "Is that how you think of me? As a girl?"
"Don't get all shook up. It's just an expression. But since you asked, I think of you as a woman. A lady. Not an old one, but a lady, and a terrific one, at that. I'd probably be like poor Vasily by now if it wasn't for you. You're really something special."
Molly smiled nervously. "All right. How much?"
"How much what?"
"The way you're pouring it on, you must be buttering me up to ask for a loan."
His laughter rode the evening air as they drove away. Bill leaned back and was about to fall asleep when Molly said, "Oh, no."
He sat up. "What is it?"
"They've blocked the road beyond the motorway."
Bill saw the car in the distance. "You've got good eyes. They must have doubled back when they didn't find us. I did tell that guy we were going to Reims. Big mistake number one."
"We might have made it had I not delayed us. Big mistake number two."
Bill groped for the map. "Forget it. They probably had the other end sealed off already. Turn onto the freeway. South."
She made the turn and accelerated up the ramp. Bill watched behind them for several miles. No one followed. He sighed and sat back. "Now what? They'll have all the other roads blocked, too."
Molly shrugged. 'I suppose we go to Paris. As I recall, it's lovely this time of year."