mg.cityofcrime-第4节
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The room； itself； was magnificent。 Its walls were adorned with huge oil paintings； the windows were covered by expensive velvet draperies。 Lance conducted Borman and the others to a far door； he opened it； to show a small office with oak furniture and paneled walls to match。
〃My private office；〃 explained Lance。 〃The large room through which we came is simply an exclusive dining room for my more important guests。〃
〃It passes muster；〃 decided Borman。 Then； eyeing the office： 〃I suppose you are very careful in your bookkeeping； Gillick？〃
〃I am；〃 replied Lance； smoothly。 〃Perhaps you would like to see my books？〃
〃I would。〃
〃Step into the office； director。〃
Borman hesitated； then turned to the headquarters men； with an order：
〃Go back to the night club proper。 Take my table。 I'll join you there。〃
Thompson and Rhine departed； out through the door by which they had entered。 Lance Gillick ushered Kirk Borman into the oak…paneled office。 Closing the door； the night club proprietor grinned。 He pressed a wall panel； it slid open； to reveal a darkened passage。
〃Step in there； Kirk；〃 chuckled Lance。 〃Take a look through the back of the big painting on the far wall。〃
Smiling； Borman followed directions。 Looking through a peek hole； the director saw a quick transformation in progress。
Waiters were lifting the top of a huge buffet； as they rolled the bulky object forward； its sides fell away and it became a roulette table。 Small tables were pushed in line； their covers whipped away。 They produced the green board upon which players could place their bets。
Other waiters were bringing boxes loaded with playing chips； serving them to guests in return for credit slips。 The chips began to click； a waiter took charge of the wheel and it began its spin。 Director Borman stepped back into Lance Gillick's office。 Lance closed the panel。
〃They think it's hot；〃 laughed Lance。 〃As soon as you're ready to go out； they'll see the lights blink。 It will just be tables and drinks again； when you go through。 A great set…up； eh； Kirk？〃
KIRK BORMAN nodded。 Lance caught a troubled look on the director's face。
Quickly； Lance questioned：
〃Something went sour tonight？〃
Borman nodded。
〃What was it？〃 quizzed Lance。 〃Didn't they rub out Maclare？〃
〃Maclare made a clean…up；〃 answered Borman。 〃He and his squad bumped off more than half dozen of the mob。 About the same number went to the hospital。
Maclare hauled in pretty near twenty of the bunch that were in the Mississippi Hotel。〃
Lance glared sourly。 〃I can't figure why that outfit didn't get Maclare。
As soon as you gave me the tip…off； Kirk； I phoned Beezer Dorsch and told him to be on the job。 Beezer should have gotten Maclare。〃
〃Smart work； using Beezer；〃 mended Borman。 〃He's the one real mobster in town who's supposed to be at odds with you。〃
〃Sure！〃 Lance laughed as he spoke。 〃That covers me perfect； in case Beezer gets recognized！ Say； have you seen Maclare since the raid？〃
Borman smiled； then nodded。
〃I told him to blow in here tomorrow night；〃 informed the director。 〃When he and his squad find nothing； they'll owe you an apology； Lance。 Only； be ready to duck the roulette layout so deep that they'll never find it。〃
〃I won't run the gambling joint tomorrow；〃 stated Lance。 〃I'll tell the customers to stay away； on account of you being here tonight。 Maclare and his crew of flatfeet won't even find a gambling chip。 All the stuff will be out of the place。〃
Lance sat down at his desk； brought out a box of expensive cigars。 Borman helped himself to one of the perfectos。 Lance lighted up also。
〃Let's forget Maclare；〃 decided Borman。 〃There's something bigger to think about。 We've got to worry about Prescott Dunson。 If he runs for district attorney； we'll have a tough guy to deal with。〃
〃Then it's up to Stephen Ruthley；〃 decided Lance。 〃As the big reform champion of Westford； he can find fault with Dunson。 No one has even guessed that you and I are working together； that Mayor Marclot is also with us。 So how can they ever figure that Stephen Ruthley； the big philanthropist and reformer； is the man we all take orders from？〃
KIRK BORMAN shook his head。
〃A lot of reformers like Prescott Dunson；〃 he said。 〃Therefore； Ruthley can't move against him。 Ruthley has to put up a bigger front than the rest of us。 There's only one thing to do； Lance。 Bump Dunson！〃
〃My specialty〃 laughed Lance。 〃Tip me off to where Dunson is。 I'll do the rest。 Say； though〃…he stroked his chin ruefully…〃I wish I'd kept Trig Callister here。〃
〃Who is Trig Callister？〃
〃A bird who was here to see me last night。 He's a one…man arsenal； that guy。 Packs a couple of gats and knows how to use them。 I let Trig go back to New York。 I'll get hold of him again； though； before next week。〃
〃We won't have to rub out Dunson before then。 It will take a while to find him； too。 You're right； though； Kirk。 We've got to put Dunson on the spot。 With him out； there'll be no opposition to Louis Wilderton running for re…election。〃
Borman chuckled at Lance's reference to Wilderton； the man who was； at present； district attorney。
〃Wilderton is a babe in the woods；〃 laughed the police director。 〃Any smart lawyer can tangle him into knots。 But Wilderton means well。〃
〃It also makes it easy for us；〃 concluded Borman。 〃Wilderton is under Ruthley's thumb。 es running to him for an opinion on everything。 Like a kid visiting a department store Santa Claus； around Christmas time。〃
With this ment； Borman arose； as indication that he was ready to leave。
Lance reached beneath his desk and pressed a hidden button； to blink the lights in the gaming room。 Rising； he walked to the door with Borman； and stopped there for a few moments。
〃Wait until they've had time to cover the wheel；〃 reminded Lance。 〃Then put on your act when we go through the room。 Don't forget about Prescott Dunson。 Tip me off when you've located him。〃
〃I'll have every copper in town on the lookout；〃 returned Borman。 〃When I give the order； I'll state that it's for Dunson's own protection。〃
IN his office； the big…shot gambler grinned； as he took a long puff from his perfecto。 Leagued with Mayor Elvin Marclot and Police Director Borman； Lance had little to fear from the law。 Moreover； he knew that he could rely upon a leader more powerful than either of those two； namely； Stephen Ruthley； Westford's champion of reform。
The future looked rosy to Lance Gillick； despite the fact that crooks had failed tonight in their effort to slay Lieutenant James Maclare。
Lance Gillick had not yet learned that The Shadow's hand had been responsible for crime's failure。
CHAPTER IV
INTO THE SNARE
TWENTY…FOUR hours had passed since Westford had been stirred by the law's bat with crime。 Lieutenant James Maclare had been heroized for his raid on the Mississippi Hotel。 Westford's chief newspaper； the Daily Banner； had been loud in its acclaim。 A great quiet had settled upon the city； as an aftermath to Maclare's exploit。
The newspaper headlines were of huge interest to a man in shirt sleeves； who sat in an easy chair； surrounded by the quiet of a modest parlor。 The house which contained this room was a small suburban home in one of Westford's residential districts； but the man； himself； looked out of place in such an ordinary room。
His bulky frame； his huge； bulging forehead； denoted him as a man of action。 His bushy eyebrows； with flashing eyes beneath； showed that he was tired of seclusion。 This man was Prescott Dunson； long known as a challenger among political circles。
Across from Dunson sat a weary…faced； middle…aged woman； busy with her knitting。 She looked up as she heard Dunson grumble aloud。 She shook her head and sighed。 Dunson mopped his huge forehead and smiled indulgently。
〃It's too bad； Martha；〃 he declared； in a booming tone； 〃that you had to marry a man who went in for politics； particularly in this rotten town。 But I am determined to go through with what I started。 I intend to be the next district attorney of this county。 And Westford is nearly all the county。〃
〃Is it worth the risk； Prescott？〃 inquired the woman。
〃Yes！ Westford is in the hands of rogues！〃 boomed Dunson。 〃Mayor Marclot is a smug pretender！ Director Borman is a traitor； in league with criminals！ I can prove those facts； Martha！ And I have a suspicion there's a big…shot above them all！〃
Dunson's wife stared； amazed。
〃As for Louis Wilderton；〃 added Dunson； 〃he is a know…nothing。 A puppet； acting as district attorney。 What chance is there for justice； while he holds office？〃
〃I can't believe all that； Prescott；〃 protested Mrs。 Dunson。 〃It sounds incredible！ If I won't believe it； how can others？ They will say that you are a fanatic； they will laugh at your assertions。〃
Dunson thrust a big hand into his coat pocket； drew out a folded letter and held it aloft in his right band。
〃This came from a man who knows the truth；〃 he announced。 〃A man whom I have never met； but who told me enough in his previous letters。 He signs himself Theo D。 Shaw； he has not only promised me more facts； he has offered to take me to a place of absolute security。 With his aid； I can lift the lid。 I
