No Test for the Wicked: A Lexi Carmichael Mystery, Book Five Read Online Free PDF Page A

couple of weeks. I insisted they create stricter passwords—longer, and more complicated ones involving additional letters and special characters. I also required them to stay after school for a couple of training sessions on computer security.”
    “Bet that went over well.”
    “Yeah, as you can well imagine. We even put up numerous signs and posters around the school about network security and the illegality of hacking, which the students promptly stole or vandalized.”
    I winced. “Ouch.”
    “Yeah, so I’m going nowhere fast.”
    I thought for a moment, studying his school access badge, which hung around his neck. “How about the school’s security system? Is it tied in to the network?”
    Ron shook his head. “No. A separate company runs the system, which may actually be a blessing in this case. That’s all we’d need, the kids messing with the security system.”
    “Phone system?”
    “Separate, as well,” Bonnie said. “The school went massively over budget on a new phone system and we still haven’t figured it all out. It was part of the plan before I came on board.”
    “So you have three separate systems?”
    “Exactly. Crazy, I know.”
    “How long have you been headmistress?” I asked her.
    “Nearly two years. I came on just after we reopened.”
    I stood. “I think this might be more complicated than I expected. But still doable. If you’d show me the computer room now, Ron, I’d appreciate it.”
    “Sure. Come on, Lexi. I’ll have to get you a badge in the outer office first.”
    “Okay.”
    We walked out to the office and Marge signed out a badge to me. “Are the badges only for the front door?”
    “No. It can be programmed to open the restricted access areas. The Server Room and the Server Administrator’s office—two adjoining rooms we affectionately call Computer Central—is one. Others are the elevator, the teachers’ lounge and the planetarium.”
    “Whoa. Did you just say planetarium?”
    “Yes. We have one located on the roof. It’s pretty impressive. But the expensive equipment means students need a specially programmed badge to get in.”
    “Wow. Just wow.”
    “Wait until you see our computer setup.”
    “Can’t wait.”
    I hung the badge around my neck as we headed down the hallway with rows of lockers on either side. It was almost creepily silent.
    Ron led me to a stairwell. “Computer Central is on the third floor. It’s flanked on either side by the distance learning labs and the foreign language multimedia learning center.”
    “A multimedia foreign language center? Jeez. We had Latin class in a regular classroom with Mr. Dodd, if he was awake.”
    “I assure you, there’s nothing regular about this school.”
    “So I’m discovering.”
    We climbed the three flights of stairs and Ron led me into another hallway. We walked a bit farther before he stopped in front of a door with a keypad. He waved his badge and a green light flashed. He pushed down on the handle and opened the door.
    I stepped into a pretty sweet setup. The area consisted of two large rooms divided by a spectacular glass wall with a doorway but no door. Despite the recessed lighting, the area was dim. Neither room had a window. The interior location was meant to protect the equipment. Pipes could burst on an exterior wall and windows could leak or break and damage expensive computers, cables and electrical wiring. An interior positioning made the lab safer and more secure for the equipment and wiring.
    I whistled. “Nice. You got antistatic finishing on the floor?”
    “Of course. We also have an excellent fire suppression system and all the latest bells and whistles.” He swept out a hand toward a desk. “This is my station...well, at least for the three days a week I’m here.”
    I liked the setup. Convenient to have the system administrator’s office next to the Server Room. Some offices use separate rooms, as there are some IT employees who can’t stand working in an