The Case of the Bug on the Run Read Online Free PDF Page B

was—wouldn’t know we were investigating. On the other hand, if we took the transmitter off, the spy would see us doing it. And then he (or she?) would do his best to hide his tracks.
    Mr. Morgan nodded thoughtfully. “Good point,” he said.
    â€œThank you,” I said.
    There was more discussion. But Granny’s vote was the one that counted. When she said we should try my plan, I—for once—felt smart.
    â€œAll right then, it’s decided,” said Mr. Morgan. “But please remember this. You kids must be very careful what you say in front of the bug. Because we have no idea who it is that’s listening, a single slipup could endanger not only you and your family but the entire United States of America.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
    Before he and Mr. Webb left, Mr. Morgan asked us to do one more thing—take a look at our cockroach and see if we could spot the transmitter.
    â€œWhat does a transmitter even look like?” Tessa asked.
    Mr. Morgan said, “It will be the part of the bug that doesn’t look like a bug.”
    I scratched my head. Was that supposed to be helpful?
    Granny told us to meet her and Nate for breakfast in the Family Kitchen in ten minutes. I should bring my notebook so we could get right to work detecting.
    But first Tessa and I went to wash up and take a good look at our cockroach.
    The two of us had been in our room about five seconds when I realized that life with a bugged bug was not going to be easy.
    Challenge No. 1: How do you look for a transmitter without looking like you’re looking for a transmitter?
    Finally, I said, “Oh, Tessa. I am so worried about our cockroach, James Madison!”
    I tried very hard to sound exactly normal, but Tessa squinted like I was acting weird.
    â€œI mean”—I nodded at the tank—“didn’t James Madison appear a teeny bit sick this morning? He might have a case of the sniffles. We had better look at him very closely to make sure he is healthy.”
    Tessa said, “I don’t think cockroaches get sniffles.”
    Now I was exasperated. “Tessa, would you for gosh sake get with the program?”
    â€œWhat are you talking—Oh!” Tessa finally caught on and tried to sound exactly normal, too. “Yes, Cameron. You are so correct. We had better look at James Madison closely. Also, you should get a tissue in case we have to wipe his nose.”
    I got a tissue. Then the two of us knelt by the tank and stared. James Madison stared back. I thought of how some spying stranger was probably staring at us on a video screen, his version of Bug TV.
    I couldn’t help it. I crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue.
    Then I got serious. Was there anything different about our cockroach today? Maybe the government sensing device was wrong. Maybe there had never been a new signal.
    But wait! Now that I looked harder, I did seesomething: James Madison used to have two horns on his head, and now there was a third one—right between the others. Could it be a camera lens? Also, there was a narrow black band like a belt around his middle. Maybe attached to the band was a microphone? Maybe the microphone was painted cockroach orange?
    I tried to imagine how the bad guy had attached the tiny equipment to Tessa’s and my bug. Tiny belt buckles? Tiny Velcro? Tiny laces?
    I knew Tessa had seen the same things I saw. I knew she was dying to point them out. But instead she said, “I have looked and looked but do not see a trace of cockroach snot, Cameron. Do you?”
    â€œNot a trace,” I said. “He looks exactly as healthy as he did yesterday before he went on the run.”
    â€œPhew!” Tessa wiped imaginary sweat from her forehead. “I am so relieved! Now, dear sister, shall we go and have a lovely breakfast with our grandmother and cousin?”
    On our way to breakfast, we took a quick detour to the window above the North Portico. Only a few