Murder Wheel by Norman A. Daniels

Author:Norman A. Daniels
Format: mobi
Publisher: Munsey's

CHAPTER III. SHAN!

CONLEY awoke to stare into darkness. He ached all over. His bones and muscles seemed stiffened unbearably. He was in some foul-smelling place. When he tried to rise, he found that he was strapped firmly to an old bed. There wasn't a ghost of a chance to wriggle out of the straps that held him. They were so tight that circulation was beginning to leave his extremities.

His mouth wasn't gagged and he gave vent to a loud yell. In answer a door opened and a yellow streak of light blinded him. Elkins stood framed in the doorway. There was a malicious smile on his face.

“Keep your damned mouth shut,” he snarled, “or I'll shut it for you. I hate cops, and I hate you worse than most of 'em. I didn't gag you because in a few minutes I'm going to enjoy hearing you holler your fool head off. What a cop you are! Follow a guy and then let him get the drop on you. Huh! Just like the rest of them. Your pal was a pipe. I didn't like to bash in his head though. I'd rather have taken him alive and listened to him yell just like you're going to do pretty damned soon.”

“So you killed Johnson?” Conley said slowly. “I'm going to take a personal interest in arresting you later on, Elkins. When I do, I hope you try to get away.”

“Listen, mug,” Elkins laughed harshly, “when Shan gets through with you, there won't be enough left to carry home. You know what happened to the others, don't you? Remember how they looked? Remember they didn't have any eyes? That's how you're going to look, copper. And I'll laugh louder, the more you yell. The other guys didn't yell much. I had to fix it so that they couldn't, but you're way out in the country now. There ain't a soul within a mile. You can holler your head off and maybe you won't do it! Wait until you see Shan!”

Conley suppressed a shudder. As far as he could see, he would meet Shan—whoever or whatever Shan could be. That he possessed murderous inclinations, Conley didn't doubt. He wondered if he'd soon look like those others who had been murdered. When the door closed, he began to work vainly on his bonds. Elkins was no fool; he knew how to strap a man down and keep him there. Things looked almost hopeless.

He lay still, summoning his strength. Suddenly the door opened again. This time a masked man stood in the doorway. The light was full in Conley's eyes and he could barely distinguish the form. This was the arch fiend, he sensed, rather than knew.

Could this be—Shan?

“Meet the boss,” Elkins laughed harshly. “He's sorry as hell, but he can't talk right now. You might recognize his voice and he don't want that to happen. Not that you'd ever be able to tell anybody, but he says it would give you satisfaction before you died. You'd know who the main guy is.

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