‘Would you like to check back?’ enquired Lomax, holding out his work sheet.
‘Oh, no — that’s OK’. The man flicked his hand. ‘Where would you like to start?’
‘I need to start at the switchboard, run some diagnostics there, then I’ll have to check a few handsets in the building’ replied Lomax.
‘OK I’ll take you to the switchboard first — follow me.’
Lomax carried some genuine testing equipment in his bag. Some three years previously he had taken a course in telephone system repairs and was feeling quietly confident. The course covered the basics, plus some theory, and Lomax was grateful that telephone technology hadn’t changed as rapidly as computers.
His escort showed him the main console. He waited quietly while Lomax unpacked his gear and began to check over the system. While pretending to make progress Lomax chose a few extension numbers at random and one in particular on the ground floor near the back entrance. He asked the escort to show him where they all were and spent five minutes at each one, leaving the one at the back entrance to last.
When the man brought him into the empty office to look at the final suspect handset, he asked to be excused, promising to return in five minutes. Lomax smiled. This was an opportunity not to be missed. He took out the top section of his tool box and fished around for a small rectangle of thin flexible plastic. Moving over to the window he tested the handle. It was locked as expected. He took out a thin pick and inserted it in the lock. It turned easily after a few tries. Gradually he opened the window, checking for electrical contacts. There were none. He opened the window fully and examined where the catch locked into the frame. Carefully he inserted a small plastic block into the casement recess and began to close the window.
‘Hey! What are you doing?’ The man had returned.
McIver took the phones off his head wearily and rubbed his ears where they were hurting.
For the best part of 24 hours the combined Anti Submarine Warfare group followed the standard search pattern established by long experience. The initial track was east at right angles to the anticipated path of the target. At the end of the leg the group turned south for half a mile before turning west and running the next search leg. They turned south for half a mile and repeated the procedure all over again. McIver wasn’t sure just how many box squares they had been round, but he was starting to feel dizzy with the effort.
Armstrong thrust a cup of steaming coffee in front of him. ‘It’s harder than you think’ he said.
McIver sighed. ‘If we carry on like this we’ll soon end up in the major shipping lanes.’
‘Well what do you suggest?’ asked Armstrong.
‘We could move further north — try and box him in off the coast of Nova Scotia.’
‘It can be busy there too — lots of fishing off the seaboard and they can screw up our sonar systems’ observed Armstrong.
‘I know Chris but I can’t think of any other strategy — for all I know that bloody sub could be lying low waiting for us to clear out before it continues on its way. If we do this right we might just surprise him by lying in wait further north.’
Armstrong thought about it for a few moments. ‘OK Jack it’s as good a plan as any other.’
Captain Armstrong called out orders to retrieve the helicopters and prepare the group to sail north at top speed.
‘I’ll map out a killing zone. I just hope to God he comes into it!’
Lomax turned slowly.
‘Just wanted a breather — its stifling hot in here.’
‘All the windows are locked — no one is allowed to open them’ the escort said testily.
‘Sorry — I didn’t know’ apologised Lomax. The man moved over to the window and reached up to test the handle. He waggled it a couple of times to confirm it was locked.
Meanwhile Lomax was undoing the leads to his meter and beginning to pack away the tools. ‘Well, I’m finished here’ he said. I traced the problem to some faulty wiring in this extension’. Lomax pointed to where the cable for the telephone point came out of the wall. The cabling there looked obviously new and there was a cable extension point neatly tucked in behind the voice socket.
The man muttered a curt ‘good’ and escorted Lomax to the reception area. He took Lomax’s card, signed his worksheet and promptly walked back into the office without saying a word.
‘Thank you’ said Lomax to the man’s back.
‘Oh, don’t worry about him’ said the receptionist. He’s always like that to tradesmen. But you should see him suck up to his boss — ugh, he makes my skin crawl!’
Lomax smiled and bid the receptionist goodbye.
As he left he pondered the situation. The cable extension was more than just a way of joining two wires together. If anyone thought to look beneath the plastic cover they would see a tiny printed circuit board. Its job was to sample any voice or data traffic that travelled over the wire.
Lomax reflected it was just possible that the circuit board could be discovered. Americans were particularly sensitive about illegal surveillance ever since 9/11. It was possible they would be charged under terrorism laws if they were found.
According to Lomax’s sources there was a strong possibility the authorities already knew there was an active mission from London. When Lomax arrived at the safe house he checked his computer screen to read the latest email from London.
Dear Larry,
Hope you are well. I’ve been away for a few days for a much needed break in Paris. Meanwhile HQ have been weighing up the pros and cons of opening a new store in the States. You’ll be glad to know that Peter and the guys still have great faith in your commercial acumen and are counting on you to provide our first income stream in this brand new market.
Peter wants you to know that there will be no expense spared in this venture. He has an experienced team that are just finishing off in Italy and he wants to know if you need their assistance.
Take care, whatever you decide.
Regards,
Paul
Lomax considered the message. The reference to HQ meant that decisions had been taken at the highest level — but what decision? The following sentence was a little ambiguous and had to be interpreted carefully. On the face of it London were getting the jitters over the mission and wanted to put more men onto it. Yet they seemed to want to listen to Lomax’s suggestions before making a final decision.
Lomax mulled over the situation. Pursuing the investigation might finally convince the Americans about the British interest. The cautious approach would be to pull out now. But Lomax knew it would be difficult to call off Sean. He knew from the files just how tenacious that bugger could be.
As the car breasted the rise Sean could see the first direct light of the sun amongst the trees. For the last half hour the road twisted through a large plantation of fir. He spotted the odd log cabin perched on the hillside and the map indicated the town of Lakesville nearby.
Lakesville turned out to be a combination of shops and houses serving a permanent collection of loggers and a more transient group of vacationers. The town was laid out around the main road but several side streets showed the town had more to offer than just shops and bars. Even though he felt exhausted Sean detected a true local spirit of community. A big logging truck halted in the main street to let an elderly man cross the road. Friends waved to each other across the street and a couple of women were engaged in animated conversation.
Sean parked the car right outside a hardware store. He was surprised at the old fashioned layout. Rubber boots, galvanised watering cans, garden implements, wooden posts and fencing wire hung from the ceiling, and a plastic vase of flowers sat on the wooden counter.