Exodus - Leon Uris [28]
Mark whistled under his breath. Like most American correspondents he had sympathy for the refugee’s plight. Mark would get the story, Ben Canaan would get the propaganda value. Was the story going to be big enough for him to become involved? There was no way he could seek instructions or talk it over. He alone had to evaluate and make the decision. Ari had thrown him just enough to whet his appetite. To question the Palestinian further could open the door to involvement. Mark looked at Kitty. She seemed completely puzzled by the whole thing.
“How are you going to get three hundred children from Caraolos to Kyrenia?”
“Do I take that to understand you are coming in?”
“Take it to understand I want to know. It doesn’t commit me to a thing. If I decide against it you have my word that anything said will not leave this room.”
“Good enough,” Ari said. He balanced himself on the edge of the dresser and explained his escape plan step by step. Mark frowned. It was daring, audacious, even fantastic. Yet—there was an admirable simplicity about it. For his part, Mark had to write a report and smuggle it out of Cyprus to the ANS Paris or London bureau. By some prearranged signal the report would be published at the exact moment the escape was taking place. Ari finished and Mark digested the plan for many moments.
He lit a cigarette, paced the room, and fired a dozen questions at Ari. Ari seemed to have considered all the angles. Yes, there was a possibility of a sensational series of stories. Now Mark tried to weigh the odds of Ari’s wild scheme. There was no better than a fifty-fifty chance of success. Mark took into account the fact that Ari was an extremely clever man and he knew the British thinking on Cyprus. He also knew that Ari had the kind of people working with him who would be most likely to pull such a thing off.
“Count me in,” Mark said.
“Good,” Ari said, “I thought you’d see the possibilities.” He turned to Kitty. “Mrs. Fremont, about a week ago you were offered a job working in the children’s compound. Have you considered it?”
“I decided not to take it.”
“Would you reconsider it now ... say, to help Parker?”
“Just what do you have in mind for Kitty?” Mark asked.
“All of the teachers, nurses, and welfare people coming in from the outside are Jews,” Ari said, “and we must go under the assumption they are suspect by the British.”
“Suspect of what?”
“Co-operation with the Mossad. You are a Christian, Mrs. Fremont. We feel that someone of your background and religion could move about more freely.”
“In other words, you want to use Kitty as a courier.”
“More or less. We manufacture quite a few papers inside the camp that are needed outside.”
Mark said, “I think I’d better tell you that I’m not too popular with the British. Sutherland’s aide was sitting on my lap the minute I landed. I don’t think this will affect me, but if Kitty goes to work at Caraolos it would be a cinch they’d suspect her of working with me.”
“On the contrary. They would be dead certain you would not send her to work at Caraolos.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right,” Ari said. “Let us assume that the worst happens. Let us say Mrs. Fremont gets caught with forged papers. Absolutely nothing will happen to her except some embarrassment, an escort, and a free ticket away from Cyprus.”
“Just a moment,” Kitty said. “I’ve listened to you two divide me up. I am very sorry that I had to hear any of what went on here tonight. I am not going to work at Caraolos, Mr. Ben Canaan, and I am not getting mixed up in this scheme of yours.”
Ari looked quickly to Mark, who merely shrugged. “She’s a big girl.”
“I thought you were a friend of Parker’s.”
“I am,” Kitty said, “and I understand his interest.”
“I don’t understand your lack of it, Mrs. Fremont. This is the end of 1946. In