Death Echo

cousins,” she continued. “Much more modern Russian, with a solid whiff of breakaway Georgian when he’s angry.”
    â€œYou must have a really good ear.”
    â€œThat’s what every language instructor I ever had said.” She shrugged. “To me, it’s like breathing, only easier.”
    â€œMy team’s language tech was like that. Spooky.”
    â€œAs in CIA?”
    â€œAs in scary good,” he said.
    â€œThe CIA isn’t good?”
    â€œTheir political games killed every man on my forward recon team,” Mac said with a deadly lack of inflection. “Took me three months to get out of the hospital.” He bent over to secure the wind-lass chain. “The CIA are miserable shits.”
    â€œGuess that makes me a former miserable shit.”
    Mac went still, then straightened hard and fast. “You’re Agency?”
    â€œI was. I taught English as a second language in some really ugly places while I recruited and ran covert agents. I understand eight languages and am fluent in five. Or used to be. Hard to stay on top of your game when you’re not practicing daily.” She turned toward him and looked up, her expressionless face only inches from his chest. “Is that a problem for you?”
    â€œWere you ever in Afghanistan?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThen there’s no problem.”
    After she studied him for a few moments, she nodded. “Are we searching for bugs or contraband?”
    â€œBoth. If it’s a voice-activated bug any idiot would have found, it goes to the bottom. Otherwise we leave it until we figure out a believable, ‘accidental’ way to get rid it.”
    â€œConsidering the ambient noise level of those diesels,” she said, “plus the wind gusting and the water splashing and whatever that pump is that runs half the time—”
    â€œRefrigeration unit,” Mac cut in. “If it was the bilge pump, we’d be in deep water.”
    â€œWhat with one thing and another,” she continued, “I’d be surprised if any voice-activated bugs are aboard. Or if they are, they’re pretty much useless unless we’re right on top of them.”
    â€œGood point. I’m so used to the background sounds, I don’t notice them unless something goes wrong.”
    â€œIf I was the one in charge of this op,” Emma said, “I’d stick in a locator bug or three and let the chatter go.”
    â€œContraband aboard now?”
    â€œI’ll take money on either side of that bet.”
    â€œSo will I. C’mon. Let’s go treasure hunting.”
    He led the way to the engine hatch in the middle of the salon. When he opened it, residual heat from the diesels poured out. Blower noise tripled. He latched the hatch open.
    â€œWe’ll do forward quarters first,” he said against her ear. “Engine room is pretty warm right now.”
    â€œAnother reason not to put a voice-activated bug down there. Touchy electronics. Too hot? Too many vibrations? Paff.”
    â€œLocator bugs are a lot tougher.”
    â€œSince they often get stuck inside an engine compartment or under a vehicle chassis, they have to be.”
    Emma searched the obvious hiding places—clothes lockers, cabinets, drawers, under the mattress, inside the pillows, in the anchor locker—while Mac quickly, methodically searched the odd spaces only someone accustomed to boats would think of using. She watched in growing amazement while he unscrewed what looked like solid panels to reveal storage areas or wiring races in the walls and floor. Ceiling tiles shifted to reveal a small safe. Empty. Stairway treads opened to more storage beneath. There was another small safe in the floor of the head. Empty.
    The galley, pilot’s seat, storage lockers, chairs, cushions, second bedroom, and everything else inside were exactly what they appeared to be. Harmless.
    The outside deck storage areas were equally bare of contraband.Same for the flying bridge. The inflatable boat resting on its upper-deck chocks was as innocent as a baby’s smile.
    The water tank and the fuel tanks were next on the list.
    Emma’s stomach began thinking about breakfast. Coffee and a muffin didn’t get it done when she was working. Or maybe just being on the water made her appetite sit up and beg.
    Or it could be that searches were almost as boring as stakeouts. It made watching trees grow look