Human Rites by JJ Marsh

Author:JJ Marsh [Marsh, JJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Prewett Bielmann Ltd.
Published: 2018-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

“It was an inside job.”

Judging by the number of empty cups, Tomas had been in the office for some time. Cables snaked across the desk to two laptops and a third device which looked like something from a Bond movie. He didn’t even look up when she entered the room but delivered his evaluation directly at his screen.

A thought crossed Beatrice’s mind. If she had set Tomas onto the connections between Holger Waldmann and a nunnery in Rosenheim, she need not have wasted last night chasing one dead-end after another in front of her screen. But she shook off her personal preoccupations and focused on work.

“Good morning to you too. There was no ‘job’, inside or out. What do you mean?”

“The security guards tipped off the thieves minutes after the conversation with Herr Walter. Look at the timeline. Incoming call from the boss advising extra security at sixteen ten. Outgoing call from same mobile at sixteen twenty-three. The number dialled is located in The Hague. Three more text messages from that number that afternoon and evening. The metadata shows us this Dutch number is the kingpin.”

“Was soll denn das werden? Was fällt dir ein?”

Beatrice and Tomas both jumped as Stein’s voice whipcracked around the room.

A rapid-fire exchange in German ensued with Stein repeatedly indicating the Bond box. Tomas’s body language gave the impression of defensiveness but without apology. Stein repeated the word ‘knee’ three times with all the conviction of the final word. She watched the exchange like a tennis match, mildly entertained and admiring the sparks off Stein.

Tomas jerked his head towards Beatrice. “Was meint die Chefin?”

Stein’s expression turned volcanic. “DI Stubbs, I’m sorry about this. I needed to say something to Tomas regarding his unauthorised use of police equipment.”

Tomas protested. “It is authorised. The Munich force has clearance to use the FlyTrap for specific purposes. And I am permitted to use the data. This meets all the official...”

“Halt die Klappe! This surveillance equipment is still restricted under European law. Our policy is to use this only in cases of terrorist activity, human trafficking and drug smuggling. Art theft does not qualify.”

“That’s not for you to say! DI Stubbs is in charge of this investigation.”

Beatrice held up her hands in surrender. “I have no jurisdiction here and in any case, I feel under-informed. Can one of you tell me what the problem is? Tomas, explain this box of tricks.”

“The FlyTrap. You don’t know it? This is an IMSI device which captures data from mobile phones. It intercepts mobile traffic by imitating a base station. You can listen in to conversations and read all SMS data, in fact anything going out of or coming into a mobile. This technology is controversial, especially since Snowden, because you don’t need a warrant. This is why Herr Stein is uncomfortable.”

Beatrice exhaled, relieved she was not as far out of the techno-loop as she imagined. “Yes, I’m familiar with the technology. We just call it by a different name.”

“So you know that it

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