By eight o’clock in the evening, the neon lights of Paris were struggling against the wartime blackout, but The Paramount Ballroom remained a sanctuary of golden light and jazz. Today, Julian Vance had skipped his usual routine of picking up Elodie from the Sorbonne. Instead, he adjusted his cufflinks and entered the ballroom alongside Vivienne.
Julian moved to the mahogany bar near the entrance, ordering a whiskey. He sipped it slowly, his eyes seemingly fixed on the amber liquid, while his peripheral vision mapped every soul in the room.
> (Edith: "Sir, the operative who followed you from the cinema has entered the ballroom. He is currently positioned near the coat check.")
>
Julian’s brow twitched. The surveillance had moved inside before the target had even arrived.
This me
