Assumed Identity

7

A microphone-transmitter required something to receive its broadcast. Depending on the strength of the transmitter, the receiver might be as far away as a mile. But practical considerations-static-producing electrical equipment in the area, for example-usually required that the receiver be much closer to the source. As well, it was useful for the person monitoring the reception to maintain visual surveillance on the target area. Thus the odds were, Buchanan concluded, that the receiver was in the neighborhood-possibly in a building, although in this respectable single-family-dwelling area it would have been difficult for a surveillance team to take over a house-more likely in a vehicle of some sort. But there weren’t any other cars parked on the street in this block. Buchanan had noticed that when he’d arrived, and he checked again as he crossed the lawn toward his rented car.

He turned to glare at Pedro Mendez, who continued to stand on his front porch, scowling at Buchanan.

Damned good, Pedro, Buchanan thought. You missed your calling. You could have been an actor.

Pretending to be furious, Buchanan spun toward his Taurus. As he rounded it to unlock the driver’s side, he glanced both ways along the street, and there it was, some kind of vehicle parked two blocks away. He hadn’t noticed it before because the vehicle, small down there, was in shadows between widely spaced streetlights. The only reason he noticed it now was that the headlights of an approaching car exposed it.

I think it’s time to pay somebody a visit, Buchanan thought as he started the Taurus, turned on its lights, and drove away. The headlights of the approaching car came up behind him, aggravating his headache.

Somebody wants to find Juana badly enough that they bug the house. But they still can’t be sure Juana didn’t get a message to her parents in a way that the microphones couldn’t detect, so whoever wants to find Juana becomes impatient and sends somebody around to the house to pretend they know Juana and ask where she is. No success. They send somebody else. Nothing. So they send yet another. .

Does that make sense? Buchanan wondered. They must have realized that three old friends coming around in two weeks would make Juana’s parents suspicious. Then why would-?

Yes, Buchanan thought. If Juana is in touch with her parents, whoever is after her wants her to know that her parents are being watched. They want to make Juana nervous about her parents. They want to threaten her by implying a threat against her parents. They hope that’ll force her to come out of hiding.

And now that I showed up, now that the surveillance unit knows there’s a wild card, they might get nervous enough to stop being patient and have a long, forceful chat with Juana’s parents. I have to let Pedro and Anita know they’re in danger.

And what about me? Buchanan thought as he steered around a corner. Whoever’s after Juana will want to talk to a stranger who suddenly shows up and asks the same questions they did.

Buchanan steered around another corner.

The headlights behind him kept following.

My, my, Buchanan thought.