Malice Read Free

laughed.
    Boges typed in some commands and on cue, his screen immediately filled. The camera was activated and there we were, or rather a bird’s eye view of us, all grouped around my desk.
    â€˜There’s nothing wrong with that,’ Cal said, pointing to us all on the screen and waving to himself.
    â€˜It’s not my camera I’m worried about. It’s something else. Switch off your phones, will you? All of you.’
    We did as he asked and a few moments later, Boges shook his head. ‘It’s not your phones either. I’m picking up interference that shouldn’t be here, right at the end of the FM band.’
    â€˜So what does that mean?’ Ryan asked.
    â€˜Boges, explain!’ I demanded.
    Boges thought for a moment, then said, ‘It means there’s some other activity going on here.’
    There followed a long pause until Cal looked across at me as comprehension dawned. Ryan got it too.
    â€˜You’ve picked up another signal,’ I said, ‘haven’t you? Something was already here and it showed up on your screen.’
    â€˜Winter,’ said Boges gravely, ‘this is bad news. Someone’s bugged your study.’
    For a few seconds, none of us could move or speak. Intruders who chewed gum, threatening newspaper clippings and now someone bugging my house. I couldn’t believe it.
What was going on?
    â€˜We already know that someone’s gotten into your place and searched around,’ Boges continued. ‘But it looks like they’ve also planted a bug, or you’ve brought something into your study that’s hiding it.’
    â€˜Like what?’ I asked.
    â€˜Could be anything—a clock, radio, lamp, calculator, a pen … ’
    â€˜No. I haven’t got anything new …’ Then I remembered something. ‘There was a free giftthat came with a catalogue I got last week. It’s here somewhere. It’s a really neat pen … there it is, next to the pile of folders. Hey, what are you doing, Boges?’
    Instead of picking up the pen, Boges had swung round, grabbed my little radio from the bookshelf, tuned it to FM, switched it to Mono and turned up the volume. An unearthly squeal filled the room as he approached the desk where the pen lay.
    â€˜What the hell is that?’ Ryan yelled.
    â€˜Commonly called a “squealer”,’ said Boges. ‘Otherwise known as feedback detection, or loop detection. Watch this.’ As he moved the FM radio closer to the black pen on my desk, the squealing sound became more high-pitched.
    â€˜That pen?’ I asked, incredulous.
    Boges nodded, bringing the little radio right in close to the pen. The squealing became unbearable in pitch. ‘That’s your bug. Take a closer look.’
    I lifted the pen out of its stand. It seemed like a normal pen with a screw-off lid … until I looked really closely. ‘Boges! Turn that radio down. It’s deafening!’
    â€˜Sorry!’ Boges grimaced. ‘But take a look at the top of the lid.’
    â€˜It’s tiny! It’s like a little bead. It’s even smaller than the one I wore around my neck at Sligo’s dinner! I can’t believe it! It’s been sitting right here on my desk, watching everything I did. That means they’ve seen you installing your camera, Boges. The whole thing’s been a waste of time. They know we’re onto them!’
    â€˜I don’t think so,’ Boges said. ‘This kind of bug looks like an audio transmitter. I doubt it’s got the capacity to do visual surveillance as well. In any case, I’m going to check every room now.’ Boges took the radio and his notebook with him. As he left, the squealing sound faded.
    9:44 pm
    We waited, looking from one to the other nervously. Boges finally came back shaking his head. ‘I’m not picking up anything anywhere else in the house. So it’s just this bug in your