The Shadow - 128 - The Shadow's Rival by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1937-05-31T22:00:00+00:00

Finally, he shook his head and laid the list aside.

As Seard started to speak, he paused. He tilted his head intently. He asked:

“Did you hear it, inspector?”

“Hear what?” queried Joe. “Where?”

“That slight scraping sound. Listen!”

Both harkened. There was no repetition until Seard had asked Joe to bring other papers from the desk. Just as Cardona returned to the fireplace, Seard remarked:

“There it was again! Odd that I cannot just locate it.”

He stroked his pointed chin with thumb and fingers until they came together at the tip. Cardona remarked that the noise might indicate a visit from Creep. Seard smiled at Joe’s anxiety.

“Let Creep come,” said Seard. “I shall not worry. He may be due to-night; but whatever his new design, he will not be ready with it quite this early.”

RECEIVING the papers that Cardona had brought from the desk, Seard looked for a name and found it. He spoke significantly.

“We must find this man: Homer Lane.”

Cardona wondered why Seard had suddenly chosen the ex-head waiter. Seard explained.

“I had supposed,” he declared, “that you could jog the memories of Devoort’s staff. Instead, they have given you only a few names of the chief patrons at the Rickshaw Club. The key may lie in such names. Only Lane can supply them.”

With that, Seard put away the papers with an air of finality. He had come to the same conclusion as The Shadow.

“If Lane took that dough,” remarked Cardona, “he’ll be as tough to locate as Blackey Brenby.”

“Agreed,” returned Seard. “But I do not credit Lane with the robbery. I merely believe that he can name the right man. Probably, without knowing that the person is the crook who outwitted the racket ring.”

Cardona arose to go. Seard leaned in his chair, to listen for new sounds.

One came, but there was nothing mysterious about it. The sound was a sudden ring of Seard’s telephone bell.

Seard reached for his cane, to walk across the room. To save him the trouble, Cardona answered the call.

It was for Joe. From headquarters. It brought exciting news, that Joe relayed to Seard the moment the call was finished.

“Lane’s in town!” exclaimed Cardona. “He just called headquarters!

Instead

of holding him on the wire, those clucks let him go. They told him to call again, though, in five minutes. So I told them to give Lane this number.”

“Very good!” approved Seard. He studied the facts on Lane. “Hm-m-m. The fellow was quite badly injured in that auto smash. He must have recuperated quite rapidly. So he was out of town. Let us see - what could that mean -“

Seard was still musing when the phone bell rang again. Cardona grabbed the

telephone from its cradle. He nodded, to indicate that Lane was on the wire.

“Hello… Yes, this is Inspector Cardona… Certainly, Lane, I’ll be glad to talk to you. No, no. We aren’t looking for you. Don’t be worried. We won’t pinch you…”

Joe covered the mouthpiece; spoke quickly to Seard.

“He’s jittery about something. Afraid we’ll grab him if he comes to headquarters.”

“Find out where he is,” suggested Seard.

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