Prologue

Note: The novel itself is written first person, from Rafael's perspective. However, I've written a short scene set shortly before the novel, to awaken curiosity and do some foreshadowing. Also, here's an idea of what Clara Thomas looks like.

Prologue

Clara Thomas was almost finished packing when the phone rang. “Good morning,” she said.

“So glad I caught you, Clara. You’re being sent to America on a case, aren’t you?”

“Sir Lynn! Do you need any errands taken care of while I’m there.”

There was a chuckle on the other end of the phone. “No need to be so formal. I’m your brother, after all, or married to your sister, which amounts to the same thing. Lynn will do just fine. I just called to give you a little advice. I know Interpol needs to recruit more people. Trying to rebuild such an organization is a major task. Well… they’ll have given you some files of people they’d like you to interview as possible options. Somewhere on that list there will be a Major Rafael Jones. Near the middle if they’ve just done it alphabetically, but near the top if they’ve had the sense to prioritize them. I think you should read his file first thing. I think he could be a serious asset.”

“To Interpol?”

“To them, yes. Maybe in other ways, too. He has a great deal of potential. I know one of his godmothers.”

“Is that all you’re going to tell me?”

“All I can right now. I’d have to meet him for myself to have a better idea. But as far as Interpol goes, he’s very fluent in two languages, passable in four more. He has a reputation for getting along with very nearly everyone-- he makes friends easily, and given that Interpol is all about local cooperation, you could use that. Law enforcement has been his career and he has already worked with an international team. He’s ideal for Interpol’s needs.”

“But you’re also interested in him.”

“On hunch, my dear, but my hunches are usually reliable.”

“I’m intrigued. Major Jones, you said.”

“Rafael, if there’s more than one.”

“Shall I call you after I’ve made contact?”

“That’s an excellent idea. I’d like to get your impression of him.”

“Until then. Give Susan my love.”

“I certainly will, and all of mine, too. Safe travels.”

With the call over, Clara went to the window and took a moment to look over the city she was in. Just a few years ago, it seemed like war was everywhere and nothing was safe. Now she could turn her head and look toward England, her homeland, and know that ships were plying across the waters once more. She was soon boarding an aeroplane for America, one laden with passengers, not combatants or weapons. The world was at peace, but her own heart… she didn’t think she’d ever be as lucky as Susan, to find someone who was as real and kind as Sir Lynn Fox. He might be more than a decade older than his wife, but what was that when people were perfect for each other, as they were?

Work was better than love, if you didn’t have the right one. It gave you stability, purpose, and things to be interested in. Right now, she was interested in getting the file on Rafael Jones to find out what made him important enough for Lynn to take an interest in.

Writing in a different time period.

The internet makes doing basic research so much easier for many things.

I was going to use the phrase "coloring inside the lines" and then had to ask myself-- would a guy in his 30's in the 40's use that phrase? When were coloring books invented? They seem like something that's just been around forever. Well, it only took about a minute to do the research to find out they'd been around about 100 years by then, so yes, it was fine to use.

Likewise, I needed to see if a fire-axe back then fit my mental image of one... even though I don't describe it in detail, there was a possibility I would use it on the cover. Another question I had was if a passport problem would legitimately be used to delay someone leaving the country.

Back before the internet, I'd have needed to look for very, very specific history books for images of fire axes, an encyclopedia for the coloring book history, and as for the passport issue, I'd probably need to look into procedural handbooks from the New York-New Jersey Port Authority from 1948. Finding those sources would all have been difficult.

There's something wonderful about having so much information at our fingertips.

Updating

     The word count is past 42,000, and the main draft may be finished by the end of the month. I call it the main draft rather than first or rough, because I'm one of the weird, rare writers who works to polish their prose from the start and edits throughout the initial writing, so that the final product is very close to the original finished draft. I'm not saying this is superior; actually, I think this insistence on having my language just so before I put down a sentence is why I could never finish writing more than a short story on my own before this. On the other hand, I do want beta readers to help me with cultural aspects (Rafael is part Latino) and other details, such as making sure I didn't mess up the proper terminology for shipboard life, military work, firearms and equipment, and such. It's one thing to do a little online research, but the people who delve deeply are worth listening to-- I respect readers too much to disregard correct usage.