Regan O'Reilly, PI Goes to War: Regan O'Reilly, #4

By Margaret Lake

November, 1942 - Regan is sent by the OSS to join the underground in a France struggling to survive under German occupation. She is assigned to gather information on the infamous wolf packs; U-boats that travel in groups to hunt down and sink Allied warships. But she begins to suspect that her French contacts may be working against her.

When Regan's mission takes an unexpected turn, her only thought is to return to the man she left behind and her only fear is that she might not make it out of France alive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jobree Publishing
• Release date: Jan 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9781498922920

Margaret Lake

Margaret Lake was born in New Jersey, but moved to Florida in her early teens and has lived there ever since. Reading has been her favorite activity since she was ten years old. Even after purchasing a Kindle, she still had seven large bookcases filled with paper books. It took years for her to part with the majority of them. Her other passion is history, especially English History, dating from when she first read "Katherine" by Anya Seton. When the inspiration came to write her first novel, she naturally gravitated to the Wars of the Roses because of that book. Her favorite author is Susan Howatch, her favorite book is "Outlander" and her favorite series is Harry Potter. She led a Harry Potter book club at the elementary school and helped with the chess club at both the elementary and high schools. Margaret rescued a nine-year old Jack Russell Terrier named Angelo who passed at the age of 15 on December 3, 2017. Now she has Mikey, a teeny-tiny two year old chihuahua mix (actually 50% chihuahua, 25% miniature poodle, 12.5% maltese and 12.5% terrier according to his DNA), adopted from the Humane Society on March 7, 2018. Mikey has gone a long way toward filling the empty space in her heart left by the loss of Angelo.

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DESCRIPTION

November, 1942 - Regan is sent by the OSS to join the underground in a France struggling to survive under German occupation. She is assigned to gather information on the infamous wolf packs; U-boats that travel in groups to hunt down and sink Allied warships. But she begins to suspect that her French contacts may be working against her.

When Regan's mission takes an unexpected turn, her only thought is to return to the man she left behind and her only fear is that she might not make it out of France alive.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Description

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Contact

Copyright

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Chapter One

November, 1942

––––––––

Four months after that last horrible meeting with Mark, Regan was boarding a ship for England. She'd tried. She'd really tried her best to compromise with him, but he hadn't listened to a word she'd said. He'd just been cold and unfeeling and walked out of her life without a backward glance.

If she were really honest with herself, she'd been the one who'd pushed him away time and time again, but he'd never let her get away. Now she guessed she had pushed him one time too many.

As a result, Regan had done what she'd really wanted to do in the first place. She'd called Washington that very day and volunteered for the OSS.

She and Dorothy Williams were among the first women to volunteer, and they would be sharing a cabin with two other women who had also completed their training.

Regan had been given a week's leave before the ship sailed, and she'd spent it with her family in Boston. Regan hadn't wanted any of them to come see her off. It would be hard enough to say good-bye without a thousand other people looking on.

Regan carried her one suitcase on board, watching out for Dorothy and the others while looking for their cabin. The four women had grown close during their training, and Regan looked forward to a relaxing voyage where their biggest worry would be seasickness.

Regan pushed through the crowd on her level, counting cabin numbers as she went. Hers would be on the right and should be the next one in line.

Regan stiffened as she approached her cabin. A very familiar figure straightened up from where he'd been leaning against the door. His arms were crossed and he looked as if he would stop her going inside if she tried.

Mark, she said wearily. What are you doing here?

I needed to see you before you left.

He uncrossed his arms and stepped towards her to grip her shoulders. He looked down at her, his gaze intense, but with what emotion, Regan didn't know.

I didn't push you into this, did I, Regan? he asked grimly.

I don't do anything because of you, Mark. I tried that once and you rejected me. Rather emphatically, if I remember correctly.

I know, and I'm sorry. That's one of the reasons I'm here, he told her. Can we find a place to talk?

Regan glanced around the crowded, noisy corridor, and shrugged her shoulders.

We can try the cabin. I don't know if the other women are here yet.

Regan shouldered Mark aside, not bothering to be polite. She had to laugh when she stepped into the cabin. There were two bunk beds placed on opposite walls with a four-drawer chest in between, a washstand in the corner, and nothing else. At least there was a porthole above the bureau so the tiny room wouldn't be completely gloomy.

She put her suitcase on one of the upper bunks and turned to face Mark.

I guess the government doesn't go for first-class accommodations.

Regan ..., Mark began, seizing her shoulders once again.

He seemed to fill the small cabin with his presence. It was a strange feeling. She'd seen him worried, upset, laughing, loving, passionate, but this was a side of Mark she didn't know existed. This angry Mark was not to her liking at all.

Don't touch me, Mark, Regan commanded him. She'd learned a lot in the past weeks, and knew she could break his hold and his arm in seconds.

All right, he sighed, releasing her.

There was nowhere to sit but the beds. Regan sat on one and Mark faced her, sitting on the other.

What did you want to talk about, Mark? Regan felt calmer now that he wasn't touching her anymore. She couldn't think straight when he touched her.

I'm sorry. Sorry I spoke to you the way I did the last time we met.

You went to all the trouble to find out where I was and came all the way down here just to say you're sorry?

No. That was just for openers, he grinned weakly.

How did you find out when I would be sailing?

Eddie McIntyre. You wrote to his sister.

I see. Clever of you.

I'm not always a jerk.

"No, not always," she told him, her lips twitching.

Thanks a lot, he grinned back at her. At least she'd relaxed some.

So, what comes next?

Okay, after the apology comes the speech I rehearsed all the way down here.

A speech? Regan raised her eyebrows at him.

Yes, but now that I'm looking at you, I seem to have forgotten most of it.

Please, Mark. I don't need any pretty speeches right now.

Understood. I'll just stick to the facts. He took a deep breath and blew it out. I love you. Patrick loves you. Hell, even Mitzi loves you.

Mitzi. That's how we met, Regan smiled again at the memory of the boy and the dog she'd helped rescue.

Sorry. I'm not trying to be sentimental and I didn't come here to do that. I just have one more thing to say and then I'll leave.

Regan noticed that Mark's hands were fisted on his knees and he took another deep breath, fighting to stay calm. He opened his fists, flexing them to relieve the stiffness, and laid his hands flat on his knees.

I don't know how you feel about me, Regan. The thing is, I don't think you know yourself. You're going into a very dangerous situation, and I don't want you distracted in any way from your mission.

Mark paused to take another deep breath and let it out. Regan was looking steadily at him with her gorgeous deep blue eyes and it was difficult not to grab her again.

"I just want to say that when you come back, I'll be there. If you want to get in touch with me, even if it's just to say, ‘hello, I'm back, good-bye’, that's fine. Whatever you want, whatever time you need, it's okay with me."

Regan's eyes grew misty as this wonderful man laid his heart at her feet. Her own heart was having a hard time beating steadily. He'd made it clear from the beginning that he wanted her the way she was, and she'd been afraid to accept that. When she finally did decide to take a chance, he'd been too hurt to understand what she was saying. He'd made one fumble and she'd thrown away the game. Now he was looking at her with those puppy-dog eyes that she couldn't resist.

Mark, I think we've been at cross-purposes for a while, but I want to make a couple of things clear. Now it was her turn to take a deep breath and let it out. I didn't join the OSS because of you. I joined in spite of you.

Mark stiffened at her words, and she hastened to correct her mistake.

I don't mean to spite you. I mean I wanted to stay with you and I had to put those feelings aside so I could do what my country has called me to do. Do you get what I'm saying? I really feel that this is what I'm meant to do."

Mark merely nodded, afraid to break the moment. He was beginning to feel some hope.

You see, I do know how I feel about you. I just didn't know what to do about it for a very long time.

And now you know? he whispered.

Yes, but I'm off to fight a war, and now is not the time. Regan threw up her hands, helplessly. She wanted to pace, but she couldn't do so without tripping over Mark in the confined space.

No, now is not the time, Mark agreed. But you do love me, right? he grinned.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, she grinned back.

Mark took her hand and playfully tapped his fist on her chin.

You little romantic, you! he laughed.

They were both laughing, and Mark thought it might be okay if he gave her a little peck on the cheek but the light went out of her eyes almost as quickly as it had come.

What is it, Regan, honey?

I might not come back, Mark. Or if I do, I might be crippled or not know who I am. Wars change people, Mark. What if I'm not the same woman who went away?

Then we'll deal with it when you come back. Now he leaned forward and took both her hands in his. Look, honey, nobody can predict the future. Something might happen to end the war before you get to France, or you might get the Medal of Honor for wiping out the entire German High Command. Anything can happen. You can't be thinking about any of those things and especially you can't be thinking about us back home.

He shook her hands to make sure she was listening.

You concentrate on two things. Your mission and surviving. That's the last order I'll ever give you, Miss O'Reilly.

Regan let out the breath she didn't know she was holding.

Yes, sir. Thanks for the pep talk. I needed it.

Feeling better?

"Yes. I was beginning to think I'd lost all feeling. The training camp can do that to you. But