054 Deep Trouble by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: hbfiles
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“Oh, no, you don’t!” Joe jumped over Max Trepo’s table and knocked the skinny crook forward into one of his own men.

“Aaaugh!” The bodyguard screamed as Max’s stiletto plunged into his arm. Reflexively, he threw his boss backward. Max Trepo landed on his spine on a table five feet away.

Joe released his brother from the grip of Trepo’s other, stunned bodyguard and sent a flying karate kick to the guard’s stomach. He realized that the entire club was in an uproar now. The man whose table Max had landed on smashed a pitcher on the crook’s head.

“Not bad, Joe,” Frank muttered, keeping an eye on the bodyguard who sat nursing his knife wound nearby.

Joe nodded, waiting to catch his breath. The trio didn’t seem much of a threat anymore. The two bodyguards were on the floor, and Max sat moaning at a table as a waitress put ice on the knot on his head.

“Who’s that guy?” Joe asked his brother.

“Max Trepo. The crook the sergeant told us about. I mentioned Peter’s name, and he blew up.”

Gina retrieved the stiletto from under the table. “Uh-oh,” she said, glancing over Joe’s shoulder. “Here comes trouble.”

Joe turned to see the bouncer approaching them, red-faced. “Okay, everybody, into the back room,” he demanded, signaling the band to start playing again. He glared at Frank. “I knew you were trouble the minute I saw you. Now you’re going to have to deal with me.”

Gus ushered the Hardys, Gina, and Max into an office crammed full of cardboard boxes piled nearly to the ceiling.

“Max, one more stunt like this and you’re barred for good,” Gus fumed as the five of them crowded in. “We’re not going to get shut down again because of you.”

“They went after me first, I swear,” the skinny man said angrily. “I just defended myself.”

“All I said was that Peter Duvall sent me,” Frank retorted.

“Yeah, that’s all,” Max said sulkily. “It just so happens I talked to Peter tonight. And he told me some guys were going to come after me. That’s why I was on the lookout for you.”

“Peter called you tonight?” Gina asked.

“Ain’t that what I said, lady?”

“When was the last time you saw him?” Joe demanded.

Max eyed him suspiciously. “What business is it of yours?”

“All right, all right, that’s enough,” Gus said. “All I need’s another fight in here. You folks get out of here. And I don’t want any more trouble. Is that clear?”

This time Gus ushered them out the club’s back exit. Joe watched Max readjust his sports jacket in an effort to regain his dignity. Then Max led the way out of the alley, toward a black car with tinted windows where they could see his bodyguards waiting.

“Wait, Mr. Trepo,” Gina called after him. Before Joe could stop her, she had caught him by the arm.

“Yeah?” he growled, slowing only slightly.

“Please.” Gina tried to make eye contact with Trepo, but he wouldn’t look at her. “I wanted to give this back to you.” She held out the stiletto.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.