mg.dictatorofcrime-第2部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　Its　pilot　was　Lamont　Cranston。
　　Margo's　message　was　given　to　him　while　his　bags　were　being　put　into　a　cab。
　　Cranston　stopped　the　process；　he　opened　one　bag；　inside　the　cab；　then　closed　it。
　　He　asked　an　attendant　to　keep　the　bags　at　the　airport。　Then　Cranston　was　in　the　cab；　and　away。
　　The　attendant　stood　watching　the　departing　cab。　He'd　never　seen　anyone　who　impressed　him　quite　like　Cranston。　Calm　of　manner；　with　an　immobile　face　that　had　a　hawkish　expression；　Cranston　had　shown　no　signs　of　hurry；　yet　had　left　with　surprising　speed。　The　attendant　wondered　just　what　Cranston　had　taken　from　the　bag。
　　He'd　have　known；　had　not　the　cab　sped　away　so　rapidly　on　its　long　trip　from　the　municipal　airport　over　to　Miami　Beach。　In　the　rear　seat；　Lamont　Cranston　was　undergoing　a　rapid　transformation。　He　was　sliding　his　arms　into　a　black　cloak　and　clamping　a　slouch　hat　on　his　head。　A　pair　of　automatics；　unwrapped　from　the　cloak；　went　into　holsters　under　his　coat。
　　Amid　the　thickening　darkness；　the　cab's　passenger　had　vanished；　which　meant　that　he　had　merged　with　the　gloom　within　the　cab　itself；　for　he　was　still　there。　A　laugh；　too　low　to　be　heard　by　the　driver；　came　whispered　from　unseen　lips。
　　Lamont　Cranston　had　bee　The　Shadow！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　II　
　　　CRIME　PREARRANGED　
　　SEATED　by　an　unlighted　window　in　the　exclusive　Hotel　Equator；　a　bulky　man　with　hard　eyes　and　square　jaw　was　watching　the　procession　that　arrived　outside。
　　The　bulky　man　was　Murk　Wessel；　ace　of　con　men；　and　quite　as　much　a　leader　as　was　Jose　Durez；　head　of　the　recent　opposition　faction　in　Centralba。
　　Murk　had　stooges；　too；　a　pair　of　them；　right　here　in　the　room　with　him。
　　There　were　more　planted　throughout　the　hotel；　guised　as　bellboys　and　servants。
　　When　Murk　Wessel　went　after　anything；　he　did　it　in　a　big　way。　When　he　went　after　something　as　big　as　ten　million　dollars；　he　did　it　in　a　still　bigger　way。
　　The　same　cars　that　left　the　Clipper　base　were　in　the　procession　that　arrived　at　the　Hotel　Equator；　even　to　the　armored　truck。　The　police；　however；　were　wearing　blue；　and　there　were　less　of　them。　They　represented　the　Force　of　Miami　Beach；　and　they　had　taken　over　duty　from　the　Miami　police　at　a　halfway　point　on　the　causeway　across　Biscayne　Bay。
　　Murk　watched　Durez　alight　and　gained　a　good　look　at　him；　because　the　hotel　entrance　caught　the　glow　from　a　brightly　illuminated　swimming　pool　beyond　a　hedge。　The　pool　lay　toward　the　beach；　where　rows　of　cabanas　awaited　bathers；　whether　they　chose　pool　or　surf。　For　the　ocean　came　next；　and　across　it；　an　early　moon　was　promising　one　of　the　beautiful　nights　that　made　the　Miamis　famous。
　　Pool；　ocean；　and　moon　meant　nothing　to　Murk。　He　watched　the　armored　truck　pull　into　the　garage　at　the　rear　of　the　hotel；　until　its　contents　had　been　removed。　He　counted　the　police　who　carried　the　coffers　inside；　and　decided　there　were　too　many　of　them…for　the　present。
　　From　the　window；　Murk　noted　two　men　who　looked　like　bankers；　and　were。
　　They　went　upstairs　with　the　Durez　party；　and　so　did　two　others；　who　couldn't　have　been　mistaken　for　anything　other　than　private　detectives。
　　Waiting　patiently；　Murk　counted　the　police　who　came　out。　He　accounted　for　all　of　the　escort　except　two。　The　fact　that　some　of　the　cops　remained　around　outside；　didn't　trouble　Murk　in　the　least。
　　〃Ten　minutes　more；〃　said　Murk　to　the　men　who　waited　with　him。　〃Pass　the　word　along　to　the　boys　and　we'll　all　be　set。　Time　the　garage　job　right　to　the　minute　we　pull　ours　upstairs。〃
　　One　of　the　lieutenants　spoke。
　　〃What　about　the　private　dicks；　Murk？〃
　　〃They're　fixed；〃　returned　Murk。　〃They　know　what　they're　supposed　to　do。
　　They've　got　it　easy。〃
　　〃I　don't　trust　them　guys；〃　put　in　Murk's　other　lieutenant。　〃The　way　I　figure　it；　a　guy　wouldn't　be　in　their　racket　unless　he　was　a　double…crosser　to　start　with。〃
　　〃Which　means　they'll　sell　for　the　biggest　price；〃　assured　Murk；　〃and　nobody's　able　to　talk　bigger　dough　than　I　am。　Not　when　I'm　figuring　on　taking　over　ten　million　bucks！〃
　　The　very　size　of　the　amount　brought　cautious　whispers　from　the　lieutenants　as　they　started　from　the　room。　Murk　told　them　to　quit　acting　foolish；　that　this　job　was　just　the　same　as　any　other。　He　added　that　it　would　〃go　the　limit；〃
　　which　was　the　only　difference；　but　that　the　size　of　the　prize　made　it　worth　it；　to　which　the　other　men　agreed。
　　They　went　their　way；　and　Murk　struck　a　match　to　study　his　watch；　used　the　flame　to　light　a　cigarette。
　　
　　
　　OUTSIDE　the　hotel；　a　trim　roadster　with　lowered　top　pulled　up　beside　the　hedge。　Its　driver　was　an　attractive　girl　whose　looks　brought　approving　stares　from　the　police；　though　their　sense　of　duty　prevailed。　One　cop　sauntered　over。
　　Rather　pleasantly；　he　inquired：
　　〃You're　a　guest　here？〃
　　〃Why；　no；〃　the　girl　began　to　explain。　〃Only…〃
　　〃Sorry；　then。　You'll　have　to　move　along。　Nobody　but　guests　allowed　to　stop　here；　right　now。　Strict　orders。〃
　　〃But　I　have　a　privilege　card。〃
　　The　girl　showed　the　card；　and　the　officer　read　it。　He　checked　her　driver's　license；　to　make　sure　that　she　was　Margo　Lane；　whose　name　appeared　on　both　cards。
　　Margo　watched　him　read　the　back　of　the　privilege　card；　which　stated　that　it　applied　to　use　of　beach　and　swimming　pool。　She　reached　for　an　overnight　bag　behind　the　driver's　seat；　and　opened　it　as　the　policeman　raised　his　head。
　　〃I'm　going　for　a　swim　in　the　pool；〃　said　Margo。　〃I've　brought　my　bathing　things　along。　See？〃
　　The　officer　saw。　He　pared　Margo's　proportions　with　those　of　the　bathing　suit；　and　nodded。
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃But　I'll　be　watching　to　make　sure　you　take　that　swim。〃
　　Margo　was　fuming　as　she　went　through　the　lobby　of　the　Equator　and　out　by　the　front　veranda；　to　a　cabana。　He'd　be　watching；　that　cop　would。　What　he　needed　was　a　transfer　to　beach　duty；　so　he　could　see　all　the　bathing　beauties　he　wanted。　Right　now；　he　was　counting　upon　Margo　as　the　sole　attraction　in　that　line；　which　meant　he'd　have　an　eye　on　the　pool。
　　It　didn't　fit　with　Margo's　plans　at　all。　She　hadn't　intended　to　change　to　bathing　attire；　let　alone　be　under　surveillance。　Her　chances　of　learning　anything　more　about　the　Durez　crowd　had　gone　absolutely　nil；　and　any　opportunity　to　meet　up　with　Cranston　would　be　very　slight；　since　he　probably　wouldn't　e　anywhere　near　the　swimming　pool。
　　She　was　balking　at　the　whole　idea　when　she　reached　the　cabana；　until　she　convinced　herself　that　a　half　hour　in　a　swimming　pool　would　be　better　than　a　night　in　jail。　Stalling　a　cop　whose　mind　was　made　up　could　prove　bad　policy。
　　So　Margo　decided　to　hurry　through　with　the　swim。　She　got　out　of　her　clothes　and　into　the　bathing　suit　as　fast　as　she　could。　She　put　on　a　pair　of　bathing　slippers；　threw　a　light　robe　across　her　arm；　and　came　from　the　cabana　carrying　a　bathing　cap。　She　strolled　past　the　hedge；　to　make　sure　that　the　cop　was　still　there。　He　was；　lounging　by　the　largest　space　that　he　could　find。
　　Reaching　the　deep　end　of　the　pool；　Margo　sat　down　on　a　marble　bench；　laid　the　robe　aside；　and　nonchalantly　began　to　adjust　her　bathing　cap。　As　she　did；　she　looked　up　and　saw　above　the　hedge。　Her　gaze　was　riveted　by　third…floor　windows　at　the　rear　of　the　hotel；　above　an　extension　which　formed　a　garage。
　　Those　windows　were　lighted；　and　through　one　of　them　Margo　saw　Colonel　Jose　Durez　in　ardent　conversation　with　a　portly　American　who　looked　like　a　banker。
　　Other　faces　passed　the　next　window　and　Margo　recognized　members　of　the　Durez　party。　She'd　located　the　suite　where　they　were　staying；　and　had　also　learned　that　their　business；　as　mentioned　by　Durez；　had　begun！
　　
　　
　　MARGO　found　a　pack　of　cigarettes　in　the　pocket　of　her　robe　and　lighted　one　since　she　could　no　longer　stall　with　the　bathing　cap。　Her　idea；　now；　was　to　linger；　not　to　hurry；　and　she　found　plenty　of　chances　to　glance　up　toward　those　windows。　She　calculated　that　the　suite　went　the　whole　width　of　the　hotel；　because　the　rear　wing　was　paratively　narrow。
　　She　saw　the　edge　of　a　balcony；　jutting　at　the　rear；　and　remembered　that　it　went　the　whole　width；　which　supported　her　conclusion。　Moreover；　she　was　wondering　why　she　didn't　see　Colin　Nayre。　He　wasn't　among　those　who　moved　about；　so　she　surmised　that　he　was　in　another　room。
　　Durez　and　his　friends　were　drinking　Cuba　Libres　as　a　preliminary　to　business。　From　their　slow　sips　at　the　long　glasses；　they　weren't　in　any　hurry。
　　Margo　was　just　about　deciding　on　a　swim；　when　the　glare　of　headlights　cut　through　the　hedge；　illuminating　the　green　brush　and　the　officer　beyond　it。
　　Margo　saw　other　police　e　dashing　up；　as　the　lone　cop　called　to　them。　She　hurried　over　to　the　hedge。
　　The　lights　were　from　a　taxicab；　and　police　were　arguing　with　the　driver。
　　They　wanted　to　know　why　he'd　e　here；　and　what　his　hurry　was。　He　was　stuttering　something　about　a　passenger　for　the　Equator；　when　one　of　the　officers　yanked　open　the　door　and　said：
　　〃Oh；　yeah？〃
　　The　others　looked　in　the　back。　The　cab　was　empty。　They　didn't　appear　surprised；　but　the　driver　was。　He　couldn't　remember　where　his　passenger　had　dropped　off；　and　he　argued　that　he　hadn't　been　paid。
　　That　point　struck　home　to　Margo。　She　knew　The　Shadow's　way　of　dropping　out　of　cabs；　but　usually　he　fluttered　a　bill　into　the　front　seat；　to　cover　his　fare；　with　a　healthy　tip　besides。
　　This　new　wrinkle　would　only　mean　that　The　Shadow　hoped　to　hold　the　cab　for　later　use！
　　The　plan；　at　least；　was　working；　for　police　had　ordered　the　cabby　to　park　over　near　the　back　of　the　garage。　The　cop　who　guarded　the　hedge　was　returning；　so　Margo　had　to　scamper　back　to　her　bench。　As　she　reached　it；　she　took　a　quick　look　over　her　shoulder　and　caught　a　chance　glimpse　of　something　that　stirred　her　even　more。
　　A　figure　was　scaling　the　wall　of　the　garage。　It　had　just　rolled　to　the　roof；　away　from　view　of　the　police。　The　shape　appeared　again；　below　the　third…floor　balcony；　and　prepared　for　a　farther　climb。
　　A　faint　breeze　stirred　past　the　white　coquina　wall；　and　Margo　saw　a　slight　flutter　of　blackness　that　represented　the　folds　of　a　cloak。
　　The　climber　was　The　Shadow！
　　Boldly；　almost　openly；　he　was　trying　to　reach　the　darkness　of　the　balcony　above；　bu