Free The Secret (The Scinegue Series Book 1) by S.R. Booth

computer.” He considered the rumors he had heard of an insider sending out coded messages. “Let me know immediately if they use any of those ‘code breaker’ sites.
    “Also, be sure the house is under constant surveillance, we want it wired just as soon as possible. That woman has to go out sometime,” he declared with a trace of annoyance. Privately he wished he could just have her removed from the situation, but he knew that would cause more problems than he was ready to deal with just yet.
    “Yes, sir. I will keep you updated on everything, sir.” Mr. Douglas slipped back out of the doorway. Closing the office door securely behind him he wiped a hand over his sweating brow.
    Whew! I don’t know why that is always so stressful , he thought with his eyes focused on the floor as he hurried down the hall back to the monitoring room where he was stationed. Mr. Bryant has never been anything but nice to me but just knowing what he is capable of ... his thoughts trailed off, and he shivered visibly.
    “Oomph!”
    He jerked his head up as his shoulder collided with a coworker walking towards him. “Oh, hi. Sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
    “Not a problem. I must not have been paying much attention either. You don’t look so great.” The other man inspected him, taking in his sweaty brow and pasty complexion. “You have another run in with Bryant?” he asked with narrowed eyes and a knowing nod.
    Douglas looked around guiltily, straightening his hunched shoulders and wiping his brow again. “No, of course not.” He swallowed hard. “I was just updating him on a situation that we have under surveillance.” He paused and met the other man’s eyes, dropping his charade. “Man, is it really that obvious?” he asked with a discouraged shake of his head.
    “Probably not to anyone else, we’ve just known each other a long time. So,” he continued in a nonchalant voice, “anything interesting going on in surveillance?”
    “No. Just keeping eyes on a potential candidate. No big deal.”
    The other man nodded and started back down the hall before turning with a grin. “I guess somebody won’t be getting much sleep tonight.”
    “Why?” Douglas asked, startled.
    Grin firmly in place as if only teasing and not fishing, the man replied, “Someone will probably be going through phone records all night, right?” He continued backing down the hall as if he wasn’t keenly interested in what Douglas’s reply would be.
    “Oh,” Douglas let out a sigh of relief, “no, we just have eyes on the house and computer so far. You know we’ve had a few odd coded messages show up at other locations recently. We’re just keeping an eye out for anything strange.”
    “That shouldn’t be too bad then. See you around.” The man turned and hurried down the hall, his grin replaced by a look of purpose. He hadn’t learned as much as he hoped, but he would have to be more careful with his messages. At least it didn’t sound like they had any suspicions toward him so far.
    Mr. Douglas entered the darkened security room, much calmer than he had been, and spoke briskly to the two other men sitting before the multiple monitors, each with headphones on and notepads at hand. “Mr. Bryant was pleased that we were able to access the Roth’s computer so promptly and wants it monitored at all times. If there’s any sign of a code being entered, he wants to know about it immediately.” Both men nodded, never taking their eyes off the screens they were watching, not out of disrespect but out of knowing important things could happen in a split second.
    Douglas then phoned the surveillance team on the Roth’s case from his cell phone. “Mr. Bryant would like the wires in place as soon as possible. Do you think it could be done tonight while they are sleeping? Yes, I understand. It is worth the risk, I believe.” He hung up knowing they would soon be able to hear—and hopefully see—everything going on in the