Brass Keys to Murder by L. Ron Hubbard

Author:L. Ron Hubbard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, adventure
Publisher: Galaxy Press

Steve’s face went white. . . .

“My God, Sally, it’s Jim!”

A thin trickle of water-diluted blood was running down Jim Craig’s side, from the knife wound under his left arm. Jim’s hard grin was gone, and in its place was a mask of frozen surprise.

Steve snapped to his feet, stared at the lights, then looked up at the side of the warehouse. “Quick, Sally! Get up that ladder! We’ll try to make it over the top to the other side!”

Sally darted for the rungs and went up. Steve looked down once more into his brother’s dead face. Then he followed.

A bellow came from the dock. “Hold it there! I’ll shoot!”

Steve went on up. Sally’s white face was just above him.

“It’s Steve Craig!” came from below.

A barrage of lead snapped spitefully at the warehouse side. Steve wavered for an instant, stopped. Something like a moan came from his throat. His hands caught at the eaves, and then Sally was pulling at his shoulders, helping him.

Steve struggled to his feet and raced up the ramp which led to the top of the sloping roof. Half sliding, half running, he went down the other side, Sally close on his heels.

Another ladder was there, and they scrambled down.

A string of barges lay between the two piers. Steve leaped to the first deck, reached up and aided Sally, and then sped away toward the far dock, going from barge to barge.

Up another ladder, and they were standing beside a second warehouse. But Steve did not slacken their pace. He made for the street, crossed it and dived into the shadows on the other side.

Not until then did he stop. He slumped against a brick wall. The exertion of lifting his head seemed too great for him.

“Steve, what’s wrong?” panted Sally.

“I . . . I just got out of breath a little.”

“Did they hit you?”

“Just a nick. Scraped my side. I can’t . . . can’t even feel it. Forget it. I’ll be all right in a moment.” He lifted his head and smiled reassuringly.

“This is Ship Street, Steve. Hadn’t we better go up to Andries’ place? They might search for us here.”

Steve squared his shoulders and took her arm. His steps were exaggerated in length, his course a little wobbly. In a moment they were knocking on the door to Number Ten.

Again the face at the window, again the sliding of heavy bolts on the other side of the door. Joel Andries blinked at them.

“What’s the matter?” he demanded.

Steve and Sally stepped inside. Steve fumbled for a chair and sat down. “Andries, my brother was murdered just now.”

“Murdered! Who did it?” His bright eyes prodded Steve’s face.

“I’m sure I don’t know, but I’ll have an idea very shortly. Andries, I received a note saying that I was to be at Barge Thirty between ten and midnight, and that I was to leave a ring of brass keys there.

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