Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 284 by Maxwel l Grant

Author:Maxwel,l Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

CHAPTER XII

INSPECTOR CARDONA strode across the lighted floor of Blauder's Jewelry Store and turned to a silent audience. Cardona was completing what he termed a reconstruction of the case, a process that Commissioner Weston invariably approved.

How much the others approved it, Cardona didn't know, and to some extent he didn't care.

As usual, Lamont Cranston wore a masklike expression that showed no favors

either way. Cardona wasn't bothered, because he liked people to be inscrutable;

in fact, though he didn't know it, Joe had gained much of his own manner from Cranston. As for Margo Lane, she always seemed interested in a summary of crime.

It was sometimes tough-going with Clyde Burke. He was like all reporters, hard to please. So Cardona wrote him off as doubtful and took a look at the other two men present. One was Winslow Stamford who had come here with the commissioner and his long face had a skeptical expression that rather annoyed Cardona. The other was Ron Meldor, a bad bargain to begin with, and likely to prove even worse.

Arms folded, Meldor was leaning back with his chin high, his eyes looking downward. The pose took away his usual gaunt appearance and actually made him look imposing, though Cardona didn't care to admit it. Like Stamford, Meldor seemed to have the attitude that he expected no results from Cardona's summary,

but there was a certain difference in the comparative attitudes of the two.

Whereas Stamford was merely a skeptic, Meldor was a pronounced critic.

Stamford would keep his opinions to himself; Meldor would broadcast them to an eager and opinionated public. Hence of the two, Cardona disliked Meldor the more. Still, there was nothing to do but proceed with the summary of crime.

"The Mask came in from the roof," began Joe, with an upward gesture.

"That's plain enough, because we found a trap-door jimmied upstairs. He came down here and opened the safe; then somebody interrupted him."

Staring straight at Meldor as he spoke, Cardona saw a look of query in the

commentator's eyes. Joe waited for the question and it came. Meldor simply asked:

"Are you sure?"

"Look around if you don't believe me," retorted Cardona. "What's that show-case doing busted? Why was the padlock knocked off the door of the sidewalk elevator out front? A burglar wouldn't have to find two ways into a place, would he?"

"He might have made it look that way," observed Meldor, "just to confuse you, inspector, if you aren't confused already."

"I suppose The Mask got confused," snapped Cardona. "That's why he started

breaking show-cases and shooting at himself. What was he doing, seeing things in

the shadows?"

Cardona shouldn't have used that final phrase. It brought a cutting sneer from Meldor.

"Why not just say The Shadow?" queried Meldor. "That's what I'm going to say in tomorrow's broadcast, inspector. The Shadow turned to crime and is at it

again - alone."

"Alone?" demanded Cardona. "Then what do you make of all this mess? If The

Shadow came here - and maybe he did - it was because he was after The Mask."

"Or wanted it to look as though he met The Mask," supplied Meldor.

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