Read Online Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller - Free Book Online
Authors: Kirsten Miller
Ads: Link
apparatus you see before youâa short-range bugging device.â
Luz picked up the baby monitor and held it up for everyone to see.
âMrs. Gonzalez likes to talkâ
a lot
. From what I had observed, when she wasnât destroying other peopleâs gardens, she was usually sitting on her big butt in her kitchen, gossiping with her friends. I knew that if I could hide my bug inside her kitchen, Iâd hear her bragging about what sheâd done to my motherâs flowers.
âSo I started hanging around with Mrs. Gonzalezâs daughter, Rosie. Nobody else will talk to her since she always got her fingers in her nose. After a few days, I invited myself over to Rosieâs house for some
arroz con leche
. While I was there, I planted my device under her kitchen sink. Then all I had to do was tune my scanner to the right frequency and wait for Mrs. Gonzalez to confess her crimes.â
âLuz!â the horrified Scout leader broke in. âYou canât bug peopleâs homes! Are you aware that youâve committed a felony? The Girl Scouts do not condone illegal activities!â
âThe Girl Scouts,â replied Luz, filled with righteous indignation, âbelieve in truth, justice, and the American way. Which part of that did I violate? In my opinion, nothing could be less American than destroying other peopleâs gardens.â
Kiki leaned over to me.
âWe have our first recruit,â she whispered, reaching into her backpack and pulling out a golden envelope with Luzâs name inscribed on the front.
âRecruit?â I asked.
HOW TO KNOW IF SOMEONEâS EAVESDROPPING
So you think that the very personal conversation you just had with your friend Petunia will always stay between the two of you? How can you be sure that there wasnât a third person quietly listening in as you spilled your deepest, darkest secrets?
There are countless ways to eavesdrop on other peopleâs conversations, and many donât cost much more than the average taco platter. Fortunately, spying on other people tends to be illegal in most countries. But if your foe is desperate to listen, breaking the law may not be her biggest concern. That doesnât mean you have to make it easy for her. Learn to be wary of the following tools:
Stethoscopes
A devious criminal can use an ordinary stethoscope to listen to conversations through walls and doors. However, unless your enemies happen to be members of the medical community, they may find it difficult to get their hands on one. Unfortunately, a reasonable alternative can be crafted from a funnel (or the top of a plastic soda bottle) and some rubber tubing.
Voice-Activated Tape Recorders
The shelves of your local office supply store are stacked high with cheap versions of this low-tech spying device. Some can be as small as a box of matches and are easy to hide in a pocket, a handbag, or a bra.
Cordless Phones
Always think twice before spilling your secrets over a cordless phone. If itâs not digital, anyone with a police scanner can listen in. (In fact, many sick individuals stay up-to-date on the latest gossip by eavesdropping on their neighborsâ conversations.)
Baby Monitors
Some of the best âbuggingâ devices available, these cheerful-looking contraptions can be used for evil purposes. If youâre sitting within range, a baby monitor will broadcast whatever you say over the airwaves, where your conversations can be picked up by police scanners or other baby monitors.
Conference Calling
Say someone wants to listen in on a conversation between you and a friend. If they have conference (or three-way) calling, they can place a call to your phone and wait for you to answer. Once you say hello, they can simply speed dial your friendâs number. You may both assume that the other person placed the call, and the sneaky third person can sit back and quietly listen to the conversation.
CHAPTER FIVE
The Bank
Luz picked up the baby monitor and held it up for everyone to see.
âMrs. Gonzalez likes to talkâ
a lot
. From what I had observed, when she wasnât destroying other peopleâs gardens, she was usually sitting on her big butt in her kitchen, gossiping with her friends. I knew that if I could hide my bug inside her kitchen, Iâd hear her bragging about what sheâd done to my motherâs flowers.
âSo I started hanging around with Mrs. Gonzalezâs daughter, Rosie. Nobody else will talk to her since she always got her fingers in her nose. After a few days, I invited myself over to Rosieâs house for some
arroz con leche
. While I was there, I planted my device under her kitchen sink. Then all I had to do was tune my scanner to the right frequency and wait for Mrs. Gonzalez to confess her crimes.â
âLuz!â the horrified Scout leader broke in. âYou canât bug peopleâs homes! Are you aware that youâve committed a felony? The Girl Scouts do not condone illegal activities!â
âThe Girl Scouts,â replied Luz, filled with righteous indignation, âbelieve in truth, justice, and the American way. Which part of that did I violate? In my opinion, nothing could be less American than destroying other peopleâs gardens.â
Kiki leaned over to me.
âWe have our first recruit,â she whispered, reaching into her backpack and pulling out a golden envelope with Luzâs name inscribed on the front.
âRecruit?â I asked.
HOW TO KNOW IF SOMEONEâS EAVESDROPPING
So you think that the very personal conversation you just had with your friend Petunia will always stay between the two of you? How can you be sure that there wasnât a third person quietly listening in as you spilled your deepest, darkest secrets?
There are countless ways to eavesdrop on other peopleâs conversations, and many donât cost much more than the average taco platter. Fortunately, spying on other people tends to be illegal in most countries. But if your foe is desperate to listen, breaking the law may not be her biggest concern. That doesnât mean you have to make it easy for her. Learn to be wary of the following tools:
Stethoscopes
A devious criminal can use an ordinary stethoscope to listen to conversations through walls and doors. However, unless your enemies happen to be members of the medical community, they may find it difficult to get their hands on one. Unfortunately, a reasonable alternative can be crafted from a funnel (or the top of a plastic soda bottle) and some rubber tubing.
Voice-Activated Tape Recorders
The shelves of your local office supply store are stacked high with cheap versions of this low-tech spying device. Some can be as small as a box of matches and are easy to hide in a pocket, a handbag, or a bra.
Cordless Phones
Always think twice before spilling your secrets over a cordless phone. If itâs not digital, anyone with a police scanner can listen in. (In fact, many sick individuals stay up-to-date on the latest gossip by eavesdropping on their neighborsâ conversations.)
Baby Monitors
Some of the best âbuggingâ devices available, these cheerful-looking contraptions can be used for evil purposes. If youâre sitting within range, a baby monitor will broadcast whatever you say over the airwaves, where your conversations can be picked up by police scanners or other baby monitors.
Conference Calling
Say someone wants to listen in on a conversation between you and a friend. If they have conference (or three-way) calling, they can place a call to your phone and wait for you to answer. Once you say hello, they can simply speed dial your friendâs number. You may both assume that the other person placed the call, and the sneaky third person can sit back and quietly listen to the conversation.
CHAPTER FIVE
The Bank
Similar Books
