Shadow 123 - Washington Crime 04-01-37, The by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant [Grant, Maxwell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Street and Smith
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THE agents brought out books in clusters, until the bookcase was bare. They knew that only a faked volume could hold so bulky a document as the National Emergency Code; so their search was a rapid one.

Marquette, meanwhile, had ransacked the desk, ending his search with the finding of the metal security box.

“This could hold something,” decided Marquette, tapping the box. “Before we crack it, though, let’s make sure that everything else is jake. What about that bookcase? Is it solid?”

Operatives were tapping the framework of the bookshelves. All were thin; concealed compartments were impossible. Marquette was about to tell them to tap the back boards of the bookcase, when he saw that there were none. The shelves were merely slabs of wood, behind them, the papered wall of the living room.

Marquette reached between the shelves and rapped the wall. His knuckles struck solid plaster. He repeated the action with each section of the open bookcase, passing the upright wall supports between the three divisions. Everything was solid. Vic told the operatives to replace the books.

Examining the security box, Marquette saw that it had a good lock. He did not care to break it open if he could avoid it; for he had taken pains not to injure any of Bryland’s belongings. Marquette remembered some odd keys that had been in one of the desk drawers. Perhaps Bryland had inadvertently left a duplicate key to the metal box.

Trying the keys, Marquette found one that fitted.

The lid of the box came open. Vic brought out batches of papers. The NEC was not among them; but the operatives noted a sudden expression of discovery that came upon Vic’s face. They clustered close; Vic waved them aside while he began to read the letters that Nina had addressed to Bryland.

Slowly, Marquette’s face soured; then, reluctantly, Vic grinned. He hurried to his fellow operatives.

“The joke’s on me, boys,” declared Marquette. “Here’s the reason why that Valencita gal was anxious to get hold of Bryland. She had a crush on the guy, about a year ago. The dates on these letters show when it was.

“There’s plenty of chili con carne in these letters. Those Spanish dames can handle a wicked pen when they get started. No wonder Nina was anxious to talk to Bryland! If these letters ever got to her fiance Marthess, the engagement would be off!”

Marquette glanced through the letters again; folded them and replaced them in the box.

“Bryland isn’t a shake-down artist,” he decided. “He wouldn’t have left a loose key around, if he figured those letters were valuable. Souvenirs is all he kept them for. He has some notes from other girls along with them, including a few from Martha Leeth.

“They’re dishwater, though, compared to what Nina can write! Well, from what I heard said at the Apollo Club, it appears that Bryland will be big-hearted and give the senorita’s letters back to her. Whether he does or not isn’t our business. We hit the wrong trail; that’s all -“

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.