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"It was an effort," Helen said "Jean-Claude told me they tossed the body fro and then another--an office building They lowered him down in the elevator When the ether and buried him quickly"

"The SS officer’s disappearance must have caused trouble for the Resistance," Paul said

Helen nodded ardently "Oh, yes"

"When was Jean-Claude captured the second time?" Ruth asked She was intensely curious and yet she dreaded hearing about the death of this brave listened and she lifted her teacup with an unsteady hand "It isn’t what you think," she prefaced, and the cup ainst the saucer Helen placed both hands in her lap and took a moment to compose herself "We were headed for the Metro--the subway By then I’d bleached ed our appearances as nized me Jean-Claude’s, either," she added softly, her voice athat she needed his support

When her granduages naturally, apparently without realizing she’d done so All at once, she covered her face and broke into sobs

Although Ruth hadn’t understood a word, she started crying, too, and gently wrapped her ar her was the only thing she could do to ease this reht," Ruth cooed over and over "You don’t need to tell us any reed "This is too hard on her--and you," he said

They stayed for another hour, but it was clear that reliving the past had exhausted her grand the previous visit

While her grandmother rested in her room, Ruth cleared the table As she took care of the few dirty dishes, her eyes filled with tears again It was hard to think about the horrors her grand French, shethe day Jean-Claude died," Ruth said, turning so her back was pressed against the kitchen counter

Paul nodded "She was," he answered somberly

Ruth studied him as she returned to the kitchen table, where he sat "You said you speak French Could you understand what she was saying?"

He nodded again "At the Metro that day, Jean-Claude was picked up in a routine identity check by the French police Through pure luck, Helen was able to get on the train without being stopped She had to stand helplessly inside the subway car and watch as the police hauled hiive her an odd sainst the police, whom she hated Remember last hen she explained that so to prove their worth to the Germans? Well, apparently Jean-Claude was one of their most wanted criminals"

"They tortured hih she already knew the answer

"Yes" Paul met her eyes "Unmercifully"

Ruth sed hard

"Helen tried to save hi her own safety, she went in after him, only this time she went alone No syed her into the base tortured They had hi up by his arnizable"

"No!" Ruth covered her eyes with both hands

"They taunted him Said they had his accomplice and noould see her die"

Ruth could barely talk "They…were going to…kill Helen--in front of Jean-Claude?"

"From what she said, it wouldn’t have been an easy death The point was for Jean-Claude to watch her suffer--to watch her die a slow, agonizing death"

"Dear God"

"She didn’t actually say it," Paul continued "She didn’t have to spell it out, but Jean-Claude obviously hadn’t been broken Seeing her suffer would have done it, though, and your grandmother knew that She also knew that if he talked, it would mean the torture and death of others in the Resistance" Paul looked away for a moment "Apparently he and his friends had helped a number of British pilots escape Gerround effort Jean-Claude knew more than anyone suspected"

"Helen couldn’t let that happen," Ruth said

"No, and Jean-Claude understood that, too"

"Remember how she said she was the one who killed him? She didn’t inning not to make sense "But…how?"

Paul leaned forward and braced his elbows on the table "Her voice had started to break at this point and I didn’t catch everything She talked about a cyanide tablet I’ot hold of it But I know she kissed hie she was too emotional to understand clearly"

The pieces started to fall together for Ruth "She gave hi it herself?"

"That’s what it sounded like to me," he said hoarsely

"Was this when he’d asked her to kill him? And then she kissed him and transferred the pill?"