Free Justifiable Homicide: A Political Thriller (Robert Paige Thrillers Book 1) by Robert W. McGee Page A

down because he said it provides aid and comfort to the enemy. They’re also trying to find out who posted it.”
    “What enemy, Robert? Who is the enemy?”
    “It’s difficult to find one. I’m beginning to think the government poses more of a threat than the terrorists.”
    “I am thinking so too, Robert, but what can anyone do about it?”
    “I don’t know. Whenever some politician goes on TV to talk about national security, they all say the same thing: we need more funding, we need stricter laws, we need more surveillance cameras. It doesn’t matter whether they’re Democrats or Republicans.”
    “Robert, the condo board started putting more cameras in my building. Jason told me they got a federal grant to pay for it.”
    “Yeah, I read that there is a lot of government money for cameras. Did you notice there are now a lot of cameras all up and down Biscayne Boulevard?”
    “Yes, and a lot of other streets too. The camera takes a photo whenever the light turns red. Hitler and Stalin could only dream of such a thing. I heard a news report a few weeks ago about somebody shooting out a few of them around 70 th and Biscayne. I only heard it once, though. I wonder if the police pressured the TV station not to report it.”
    “I wouldn’t doubt it. They’re probably afraid of copycats. A lot of people don’t like those cameras. I’ve read on the Internet that the government is putting pressure on the media not to report things that touch on national security.”
    Sveta stopped fumbling with her salad. “What do cameras on Biscayne Boulevard have to do with national security?”
    “Nothing. That’s the point. If the government can pressure radio and TV stations not to report on a few vandalized cameras, there’s no telling what else they can do.”
    “They sound paranoid. People used to think like that in Russia too. You always had to be careful what you said or did. Before you know it, they’ll be installing cameras inside our homes.”
    “They’ve already started to do that. A few months ago, one of the local newscasters reported on an incident at a local high school. The high school had issued computers to its students, paid for with a federal grant. The computers had cameras. The vice principal used to monitor them from home in the evening. Mostly they were just conversations between students talking about whatever teenagers talk about, but once in a while a student would leave the computer on when they undressed at night. On more than one occasion, he observed a student masturbating, mostly guys, but a few girls too.”
    “Robert, I’ve often wondered about that. Do guys masturbate a lot? I had a friend in Moscow who said her brother did it all the time. They lived in a two-room apartment that had thin walls and she could hear him doing it practically every day.”
    “Yes, it’s not that unusual. It’s almost part of their daily routine.”
    “Robert, did you masturbate a lot when you were a teenager?”
    “Sveta, you’re embarrassing me.”
    “I’m sorry, Robert, I was just curious.”
    “Actually, I got more sex when I was in the tenth grade than I do now, but I never had a partner in those days.”
    “That’s because you’re too busy, Robert. I would give you more if you weren’t so busy.”
    “I’ll keep that in mind.”
    Michelle approached the table. “Have you decided what to order?”
    Sveta ordered first. “Yes, I’ll have the linguine alla marinara.”
    “Sir, what would you like?”
    “I’ll have the chicken parmigiana.”
    “Thank you.” She turned and left.
    The noise from the packed restaurant made it difficult to carry on a conversation, so they spent most of their time eating. Paige’s chicken parmigiana was good, but not as good as what they served at Trattoria Il Migliori in North Miami Beach. Not as large either. He could get three meals out of the Il Migliori parm. But the Olive Garden salads were larger and tastier, so it was a trade-off foodwise.
    As