Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 316 by Maxwel l Grant

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

CHAPTER VII

SILENTLY, the macabre figure of that master manhunter prowled off toward the hall in which Royal had described the frightening event of the two men dressed in paper suits.

Shocking as a fire alarm came the clanging of a phone. It was next to The Shadow's elbow. He grabbed it, hoping that the sound hadn't awakened any of the myriad servants who staffed the big house.

Without saying anything, he waited. The phone barked, "I want Lamont Cranston!" It was Cardona.

"Speaking." The Shadow waited, listening. No sound from the house. The sound had gone unobserved...

but there must be extensions of this phone; his ears were alert for a click that might signal someone listening in.

"Listen... the thing's blown wide open. That little rabbity guy put the slug on me on the way downtown, and jumped out of the squad car."

"Get away?" The Shadow almost whispered.

"Clean as a whistle! He dodged in between some stalled trucks and, rabbit costume and all, eased away like a greased pig. But we'll get him! In that costume, how far can he get? I've got a city-wide call out for him."

"I see. I'll still see you later."

"Whoa! That's only half of it! Get this! The M.E. just finished the post, and—hold on to your hat—Ten Eyk's gut had enough nicotine in it to poison half the homicide squad!"

"So that even if he hadn't been decapitated, he'd have died..."

"Exactly! But this makes it a bit better... now we've got the poison to go on! You can't just go into a drug store and get a bottle of dangerous poison like that!

"We'll trace it, and when we do, we'll have him nailed to the cross!"

"Don't be too optimistic, Cardona."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Given about ten cheap cigars, I can show you how to get all the nicotine you'd need to..."

"Oh, say it ain't so! Lamont, you can't do this to me!"

"I'm sorry to be a Gloomy Gus, Joe, but check your toxicologist, and see if I'm not right!"

"Well, get down here as fast as you can."

"No, Joe. I think this thing isn't over yet. I'd better stick around the Ten Eyk house for awhile."

"Okay, if you see it that way. But take it easy. If that Marshall guy goes on the prod, he'll be tough to handle."

"Not too tough, I hope. See you." The Shadow gently put the phone to rest.

Even knowing who the killer was, as he did, didn't help in predicting the gambit of a fiendish killer. All he could do was be on the defensive. This was a role that sat ill on The Shadow's shoulders. Better by far to be on the offensive one's self...

Overhead, he heard a bare whisper of sound. Feet? No. A tiny rasp. A window being raised? Could it be one of the servants or...

Upstairs ran the figure that had been the nemesis to so many criminals. Through the long ante room off the top of the stairs, and then, tip toe...

He stood outside what he thought must be Mrs. Ten Eyk's room, and glued his ear to the door.

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