The Shadow 103 The Crime Oracle by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant [Grant, Maxwell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1936-06-21T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XI. THE FINAL VISITOR

The moon was shining from directly overhead at the time the glow had first shown Hal Rydler sprawled upon his cot. It had advanced but little farther when its mellow light revealed another sight, outside of the windowless building.

A second automobile was coming to the gray-walled house. This car was a sedan. Its driver knew the route, for he followed the curving driveway without hesitation. Yet his course, though steady, was slow.

The driver was speaking to a man beside him.

“Keep watching back of us, Cliff. I’m uneasy!”

“There’s nobody tailing us, Squint.”

“I spotted glimmers in the rear-view mirror!”

“That was a couple of miles back. Before we hit the side road.”

“We can’t chance nothing, though. Keep an eye out, Cliff.”

“I’m watching, Squint.”

Leaning half around, Cliff dazed steadily back along the drive. He saw nothing; yet he knew that there was reason for Squint’s conjecture. A car had actually been on the sedan’s trail. Cliff had spied it at odd intervals. He had not mentioned that fact to Squint.

“Guess we’re O.K.,” decided Squint, as they took the final turn. “Lamp the house, Cliff. Screwy joint, ain’t it?”

“How do you get in the place?” queried Cliff. “Seems like there’s no door to it.”

“Here’s one. Opening for us.”

They had reached the entrance to the garage. The sliding door was on the move. Squint Proddock drove the car into the space beneath the house. The door slid shut; Havelock came over to meet the visitors.

The chauffeur recognized Squint. He asked no questions concerning the crook’s companion. He simply led the way to the automatic elevator and conducted the arrivals to the main floor. He took them to Caglio’s study. Squint knocked at the door; when it opened, he shouldered in with Cliff.

“Hello, prof,” greeted Squint, meeting Caglio inside the room. “Meet Cliff Marsland. A pal of mine.

Come to talk to The Head.”

“Ah!” Caglio’s eyes gleamed wisely. “He is to be the next?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Wait until we’ve talked to The Head. Cliff has some dope to spill.”

“But he has never yet spoken with Zovex -“

“I know that. I’ll start the speech - with Cliff here adding the details. There’s been trouble, prof.”

A STRAINED expression showed upon Caglio’s face. Without another word, the white-haired man led the way to the room at the back of the hall. The trio entered. Cliff stared, while Squint grinned.

“Looks goofy, don’t it?” queried the crook. “Wait’ll you see things working, Cliff. You’ll think different.

Say - there’s The Head on the table! Been consulting it, prof?”

“Yes.” Caglio nodded. “There was a visitor earlier this evening. One whom I did not expect. His name was Rydler.”

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.