piece of shiny copper on a hinge. Lee flipped the copper shield down so that it covered the alarm panel. He reached his hand underneath the copper plate and hit some buttons on the panel and the beeping sound stopped.
He looked over at Faith, who was watching him closely.
“Van Eck radiation. You probably wouldn’t understand.”
She hiked her eyebrows. “You’re probably right.”
Next to the alarm panel was a small video screen built into the wall. On the screen Faith could see the front stoop of the building. It was obviously the video link to the surveillance camera outside.
Lee locked the front door and then put his hand on it. “It’s steel, set in a special metal frame I built myself. It doesn’t matter how strong the lock is. What usually gives is the frame. A lousy two-by-four if you’re lucky. A crook’s Christmas present handed out by the building industry. I’ve also got pick-proof window locks, outside motion detectors, piggyback cellular on the alarm system’s phone link. We’ll be okay.”
“I take it you’re somewhat security-minded?” she said.
“No, I’m paranoid.”
Faith heard something approaching from down the hall. She flinched, but relaxed when she saw Lee smile and move toward the sound. A second later an old German shepherd wandered around the corner. Lee squatted and played with the big dog, who rolled over on his back. Lee accommodated the animal with a belly rub.
“Hey, Max, how you doing, boy?” Lee patted Max’s head and the dog affectionately licked his owner’s hand.
“Now, this thing is the best security device ever invented. Don’t have to worry about electrical outages, batteries going dead or somebody turning his loyalties.”
“So your plan is that we stay here?”
Lee looked up at her. “You want something to eat or drink? We might as well work on this over a full stomach.”
“Hot tea would be nice. I couldn’t really look at food right now.”
A few minutes later they were sitting at the kitchen table. Faith sipped on herbal tea while Lee worked on a cup of coffee. Max dozed under the table.
“We have a problem,” Lee began. “When I went in the cottage I tripped something. So I’m on the videotape.”
Faith looked stricken. “My God, they could be on their way here right now.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing.” Lee looked at her sharply.
“And why is that?”
“I’m not into helping criminals.”
“So you think I’m a criminal?”
“Are you?”
Faith fingered her teacup. “I was working with the FBI, not against them.”
“Okay, what were they doing with you?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Then I can’t help you. Come on, I’ll give you a ride to your place.” Lee started to rise from his chair.
She gripped his arm. “Wait, please wait.” The thought of being left alone just then was paralyzing.
He sat back down and waited expectantly.
“How much do I have to tell you before you’ll help me?”
“Depends on what sort of help you want. I’m not doing anything against the law.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to.”
“Then you’ve got no problem, other than somebody wanting to kill you.”
Faith took a nervous sip of her tea while Lee watched her.
“If they know who you are from the video, should we be just sitting here?” she asked.
“I messed with the tape. Ran my magnet over it.”
Faith looked at him, a glint of hope in her eyes. “You think you were able to erase it?”
“I can’t tell for sure. I’m not an expert in that stuff.”
“But at the very least it might take some time for them to reconstruct it?”
“That’s what I’m hoping. But we’re not exactly dealing with the Camp Fire girls here. The recording equipment also had a security system built in. Chances are if the police try to force the tape out, it might self-destruct. Personally, I’d give the forty-seven bucks I have in the bank if that did happen. I’m a man who likes his privacy. But you still need to fill me
He looked over at Faith, who was watching him closely.
“Van Eck radiation. You probably wouldn’t understand.”
She hiked her eyebrows. “You’re probably right.”
Next to the alarm panel was a small video screen built into the wall. On the screen Faith could see the front stoop of the building. It was obviously the video link to the surveillance camera outside.
Lee locked the front door and then put his hand on it. “It’s steel, set in a special metal frame I built myself. It doesn’t matter how strong the lock is. What usually gives is the frame. A lousy two-by-four if you’re lucky. A crook’s Christmas present handed out by the building industry. I’ve also got pick-proof window locks, outside motion detectors, piggyback cellular on the alarm system’s phone link. We’ll be okay.”
“I take it you’re somewhat security-minded?” she said.
“No, I’m paranoid.”
Faith heard something approaching from down the hall. She flinched, but relaxed when she saw Lee smile and move toward the sound. A second later an old German shepherd wandered around the corner. Lee squatted and played with the big dog, who rolled over on his back. Lee accommodated the animal with a belly rub.
“Hey, Max, how you doing, boy?” Lee patted Max’s head and the dog affectionately licked his owner’s hand.
“Now, this thing is the best security device ever invented. Don’t have to worry about electrical outages, batteries going dead or somebody turning his loyalties.”
“So your plan is that we stay here?”
Lee looked up at her. “You want something to eat or drink? We might as well work on this over a full stomach.”
“Hot tea would be nice. I couldn’t really look at food right now.”
A few minutes later they were sitting at the kitchen table. Faith sipped on herbal tea while Lee worked on a cup of coffee. Max dozed under the table.
“We have a problem,” Lee began. “When I went in the cottage I tripped something. So I’m on the videotape.”
Faith looked stricken. “My God, they could be on their way here right now.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing.” Lee looked at her sharply.
“And why is that?”
“I’m not into helping criminals.”
“So you think I’m a criminal?”
“Are you?”
Faith fingered her teacup. “I was working with the FBI, not against them.”
“Okay, what were they doing with you?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Then I can’t help you. Come on, I’ll give you a ride to your place.” Lee started to rise from his chair.
She gripped his arm. “Wait, please wait.” The thought of being left alone just then was paralyzing.
He sat back down and waited expectantly.
“How much do I have to tell you before you’ll help me?”
“Depends on what sort of help you want. I’m not doing anything against the law.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to.”
“Then you’ve got no problem, other than somebody wanting to kill you.”
Faith took a nervous sip of her tea while Lee watched her.
“If they know who you are from the video, should we be just sitting here?” she asked.
“I messed with the tape. Ran my magnet over it.”
Faith looked at him, a glint of hope in her eyes. “You think you were able to erase it?”
“I can’t tell for sure. I’m not an expert in that stuff.”
“But at the very least it might take some time for them to reconstruct it?”
“That’s what I’m hoping. But we’re not exactly dealing with the Camp Fire girls here. The recording equipment also had a security system built in. Chances are if the police try to force the tape out, it might self-destruct. Personally, I’d give the forty-seven bucks I have in the bank if that did happen. I’m a man who likes his privacy. But you still need to fill me
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