Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 307 by Maxwel l Grant

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

CHAPTER X

IT was a curious circle that sat at the breakfast table. Toni, eyes sparkling, looked from bruised face to bruised face. She looked at the black

eyes, the blue marks on the men's chins, and then said to Alfie, "How'd you miss the Donnybrook?"

Alfie looked at the men and said, "I don't quite know. Cranston and I seem

to be the only ones that weren't involved in the fracas."

"I don't get it. I don't get any part of it." This was from Downs who was fingering the lump on the top of his head. "What went on anyhow?"

Cranston remained silent. Danny, fingering his bruise, said, "Your guess is as good as mine. Somebody went on a tear, that's all I know! Whoever it was,

even whaled the tar out of the chauffeur!"

"It hurt, and it still hurts," wailed Uncle Harry. "I've never been so frightened in my life! I was sound asleep and then, with the covers drawn up over me, someone hit me again and again!

"If anything else happens I think I shall have a nervous breakdown."

Eugenia looked all ready for one. Her raddled face, eyes blue-circled, double chins flaccid, was defeated and depressed looking.

"Take it easy, mother." Toni for some reason seemed quite chipper. "It'll all come out in the wash, now that the police are in charge. Of that I am sure!"

Donohue, coming into the room unheralded, wished he could be as sure. He was unshaven and his eyes were red rimmed. He had been up working all night and

he was cranky... feeling mean and ready to explode.

"I hope you're happy now that I've been raked over the coals. I don't know

what good you expected it to do, but I got my orders to handle you with kid gloves!" His high voice was irascible.

They all looked at Eugenia, who tried to look virtuous about the whole thing. "I see no reason why we should be ridden over rough shod! I just want you to be sure and stay in your place!"

"Lady, my place may be the back room of a pool parlor, but my job is to rid your house of a killer. Some people make a living by exterminating insects.

This happens to be my job and I try to perform it as well as is humanly possible!"

Cranston felt sorry for the homicide man. The case was not an easy one and

Eugenia's attitude was just making it that much harder.

Donohue, part of his grievance off his chest, had finally taken in the battered faces of the men. "What's been going on? My men reported some kind of a disturbance last night, but I had no idea there was a free-for-all! Who won?"

"It was a draw," said Danny and he smiled as he saw how surprised Donohue was. "Someone decided they didn't like the way we wear our faces, so we all got

a beating. But I've had worse in a carny when the 'Hey Rube' call went out."

Donohue scratched his pate. It was just one more bit that would have to be

put in place before he could get back to town, where he belonged, taking care of

hoodlums.

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