Two Blackbirds by Garry Ryan

coloured soldier didn’t stop. Beck fired.”
    â€œThat’s it?”
    The MP s nodded.
    â€œCarry on.” The colonel turned and returned to the staff car.
    Sharon felt her rage detonate. “You!” She pointed at the colonel and ran to intercept him.
    The colonel stopped, turned, and glared.
    Sharon closed the gap to less than three feet. She read his nametag: WILSON . “Colonel Wilson! Edgar Washington was unarmed. He was shot and killed in cold blood. What are you going to do about it?”
    â€œWho the hell are you?” Wilson looked down his nose at her.
    â€œFlight Captain Lacey.” Sharon stepped closer so that there was only a foot between them.
    Colonel Wilson smiled at her. “Well, Flight Captain Lacey, this is what I’m gonna do. There’s a war on. It’s not gonna stop because some coloured boy got himself shot!” He turned his back to her and climbed into the Buick. The driver closed the door, and Sharon watched them drive away.

CHAPTER 15
    [SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1944]
    â€œAny news?” Ernie sat with his arms across his chest. A cup of coffee steamed on the table in front of him. He leaned back in a chair in a corner of the White Waltham dispersal hut.
    Sharon sat down across from him with her coffee and a sandwich wrapped in wax paper. “Some.”
    Ernie looked at the black under his fingernails and hid them under the table. Then he leaned forward, causing the front legs of his chair to hit the floor. He lifted the coffee cup to his lips, sipped, put the cup down, then hid his hand under the table.
    â€œMichael’s been working on it from his end, and I should hear from him later today. I’ve made a series of phone calls. I have to check with Mother to see if there were any other replies while I was away doing that delivery.” She lifted the folded triangles of wax paper and flipped the sandwich over.
    â€œOther replies?” Ernie took his left hand up from under the table for another sip.
    â€œSo far I’ve been told that the Americans are our allies, and since it involves their personnel, it’s their issue to deal with.” Sharon looked at the sandwich and wondered where her appetite had gone.
    â€œThere a Lacey here? I’ve got a replacement for you!” The American voice boomed off the walls, causing every head in the room to turn. An MP stood at the door. As he moved inside, Walter Coleman followed behind.
    Sharon stood up. “I’m Lacey.”
    The MP held out an envelope. “Colonel Wilson has sent you a replacement.”
    â€œWally?” Sharon waited for Walter to meet her gaze. “You okay with this?”
    Walter nodded, then looked sideways at the MP .
    â€œThank you, Sergeant.” Sharon reached out and took the envelope. “Join us for coffee, Wally?” She walked over, fetched a cup of coffee, and turned. “Are you hungry, Wally?” She ignored the stone faces of the MP and Lady Ginette.
    And for the first time in months, Sharon felt clarity. From now on, I’m going to run this place the way it needs to be run. I don’t care if there’s a war on. You bigoted bastards can go to hell!

CHAPTER 16
    [SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1944]
    â€œPriority delivery.” Mother handed Sharon the chit. “ 617 Squadron. They need another of those modified Lancasters.”
    Sharon looked at the piece of paper. “Lossiemouth?”
    â€œAlmost as far north in Scotland as you can go.” Mother smiled. “Think of it as a small vacation.”
    Sharon looked at the empty dispersal hut. “Everyone is off on a trip?”
    â€œOne of our busy days.” Mother smiled at his little joke. Every day had become a busy day.
    Half an hour later, Sharon found herself in the back seat of an elegant, lumbering de Havilland Rapide. The biplane always reminded her of a dragonfly. She sat and watched the walled fields and gentle hills amble by beneath as they