Chapter 150

"Look Sylvie, we have to make this look convincing. We want whoever is bugging you to think I'm an old boyfriend," He said it quietly over his beer.

"Exactly how far to you think I am going to carry this charade?" I asked.

"That depends on how bad you want to know who is bugging you. Believe me I don't want to be here. I have better things to do with my time, don't I?" he said.

"Look that cockney accent is going to wear thin in about an hour. I have heard you speak with hardly any accent at all. If you could manage, let's try not to get on my last working nerve," I said.

"So, I guess this mean we won't be swapping spit in private," he asked.

"Exactly right," I said finishing my beer and ordering another. I figure I was going to have to dance with the prick. Just to add to the cover. "The things I had done for Swamp Dog," I said in disgust. I expected that I had done my last job for them. But if I was being bugged they needed to know, It could well be about them.

While we drank and I dulled my disgust reaction, I noticed that the Brit was slightly OCD. Before he returned his glass to the table, he used the napkin provided with the beer to wipe the table top dry. Over and over he did it to the point of driving me insane.

I finally had enough beer to dance on the tiny dance floor. The amount of beer I consumed left me perched on the edge of DUI. After we dance several time with me glued to him I said, "Brit, we have a problem,"

"Oh really, we surely can't make him or her disappear," he said quite seriously.

"If anyone is going to disappear, it would be you," I said to correct his thinking.

"Or you," he did smile. "So what is the problem?"

"I used to be a deputy sheriff in this county. I made an enemy or two." I said before he cut me off.

"How could that be old girl?" he asked laughing at his attempt at humor.

"Never mind that, I am not going to drive after having this much beer. I am on the verge of drunk driving. I figure since you probably weight twice what I do, you are still quite sober. So the question is can you drive a car, and if so can you stay on the right side of the road."

"Give me your keys, I am both sober and know my right from my left," he said.

I gave him my car keys from the pocket of the cargo pants. I was very careful not to put the keys in the same pocket as the one containing the, 38. It was okay to have keys in the pocket with the box openers though.

He paid the bill and herded me into the parking lot. I pointed out the old blue Toyota. "Well I see you don't waste your compensation on shiny new automobiles," he said with a laugh.

"It only gets worse," I said as we crawled into the car.

I didn't even notice how he drove since it was only a short distance to my apartment. "When you pull into the drive, stay to the right as far as you can and still be on the pavement." I demanded.

He parked the car then said, "Nice old house,"

"Yes it is, but I don't live there. I live in the maid's apartment over the garage," I said to correct his thinking. He followed me up the stairs, then into the small apartment.

I looked it over complete then said aloud, "Well it is the right size for you." Then he laughed. He brought his folding suitcase up the stairs with him. It was the kind that bulged on both sides. In the Air Force we called them B4 bags. I have no idea why. I had seen him move it from his company SUV.

From that bag he removed an instrument of some kind. He ran it along the walls. He stopped at the light switch. He held his finger to his lips demanding silence. Funny how all that good, alcohol induced, lightheartedness disappeared. The Brit was all business, and I fell right into it as well.

Both the light switch in the main room and the kitchen had microphone. They would be the easiest place to hide a microphone for sure.

"Damn Brit you spilled that ashtray. The smell of ashes will drive me crazy." I said that as I got the small vacuum cleaner. I set it under the light switch in the living room and turned it on. Then went to the other side of the room to talk.

"Every room except the bathroom is bugged." He said. "I don't think it's a law enforcement agency. It pretty obvious where they were hidden. The CIA would have done better. This is one of your Radio Shack buggings. One of those husband and wife things, You got anybody pissed at you?"

I just looked at him. "Okay anybody pissed enough to do this?" he asked.

"The Sheriff's Department might use something like this. They don't exactly rate state of the art technology," I said. "There are probably some moonshiners who aren't happy with me. They might want to know my plans,"

"What is a moonshiner?" he asked.

"People in the Illegal Liquor business. It's make from corn distilled by the light of the moon," I said.

"And you are making this liquor?" he asked.

"No, that vacuum has been on too long." I said going over and turning it off.

"You about ready for bed," he asked. He had me and he knew it. Then he pulled me too him and forced me to kiss him. While he held me he whispered. Let's leave them in place and act for them for a couple of days. At least till we know which one it is."

I nodded, Hell I had screwed a lot of guys for a lot poorer reason. I undress with the light on then, turned it off before he undressed. I did that just in case they were watching the place as well. When the lights were off, I took the back rest cushions from the sofa and pulled extra covers from the storage boxes, which was the frame of my sofa bed. I was sure he had slept on worse, so I didn't feel sorry for him. When he saw what I had done, he smile and went immediately to sleep in his clothes.