mg.dictatorofcrime-第2章
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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； but to manage it； he would have to swing outward； into plain sight； should anyone else stare upward。 The police by the cab might miss sight of him； they were close to the wall and still talking to the driver。 But Margo's friend by the hedge had a perfect angle from which he could spot The Shadow。 Margo's own stare up to the balcony certainly wasn't helping matters。 If she kept it up a few moments longer； the cop would probably wonder what she was looking at。
The one thing to do was get her mind off The Shadow； and carry the officer's attention； too。 So Margo tossed away the cigarette； kicked off her slippers； and tightened the bathing cap。
She walked to the springboard； stepped to the far end of it and poised； preparing for a swan dive。 Her eyes raised and automatically she saw the lighted windows； where Durez and his friends were entertaining their guests。
She even caught the sound of their rising voices。
Then！
Margo never took the swan dive。 She was frozen where she was by the sudden thing that occurred in the rooms above。 Light and gaiety ended together。 With a single blink； the windows were blotted with an absolute darkness that seemed； by its very pall； to smother the babble which ceased as the blackness came！
With that blot that foretold immediate crime； Margo lost her last chance to spot The Shadow； as he swung out to pull himself up over the balcony rail！
CHAPTER III
DEATH GOES RAMPANT
THE last moment of light in the third…floor suite showed a scene that could not be viewed from below…one which presaged the horror that was to be when the illumination ended。
On tables and chairs in the center of the room were the coffers that had e from the armored truck； open for inspection by the bankers。 The smaller coffers were by far the heavier； for they contained gold； in coin。 Gold from the treasury of Centralba； stored up through years： governmental proceeds from such modities as oil； bananas； and mahogany。
The for
