mg.cityofcrime-第9节

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　KIRK　BORMAN　stroked　his　chin。　He　was　thinking　hard；　suddenly；　he　found　an　answer。　Reaching　into　his　pocket；　he　whipped　out　the　letter。
　〃I　have　it！〃　exclaimed　Borman。　〃This　letter　shows　that　Dunson　was　working　with　an　investigator　named　Shaw。　Chances　are　that　Shaw　knew　as　much　as　Dunson；　maybe　more。〃
　〃Therefore；〃　pronounced　Ruthley；　〃Shaw　must　be　eliminated。　Let　me　see　that　letter；　Kirk。〃
　Taking　the　letter；　Ruthley　noted　that　it　was　brief。　Scrawled　in　a　clumsy　hand；　it　simply　promised　new　revelations　that　would　be　as　startling　as　those　previously　given。　It　reminded　Dunson　to　destroy　all　correspondence　that　he　had　received　to　date。　Ruthley　pondered　over　the　scrawled　signature。
　〃Theo　D。　Shaw；〃　he　said；　aloud。　〃Where　can　the　fellow　be　found；　Kirk？〃
　〃Probably　at　the　Majestic　Hotel；〃　returned　Borman；　promptly。　〃That's　where　we　think　Dunson　was　headed　when　Beezer　overtook　him。〃
　Ruthley　turned　to　Beezer。
　〃Get　Shaw；〃　he　purred。　〃Take　good　men　with　you。　Let　yourself　be　seen。　As　for　you；　Kirk〃…Ruthley　swung　to　the　police　director…〃have　your　men　close　on　Beezer's　heels。　Afterward；　produce　this　letter　as　proof　that　Dunson　knew　Shaw。〃
　〃That　will　pin　it　on　me　right；〃　grunted　Beezer。　He　seemed　pleased　by　the　prospect。　〃When　I　dive　out；　they'll　think　I'm　on　the　lam　for　sure！〃
　
　
　STEPHEN　RUTHLEY　arose；　his　action　signified　that　the　conference　was　ended。
　Marclot　and　Borman　prepared　to　leave　by　the　front　door；　Lance　and　Beezer　were　ready　for　secret　departure。　It　was　Lance　who　voiced　an　afterthought。
　〃What　about　The　Shadow；　boss？〃　he　queried。　〃Beezer　is　sure　that　he　was　the　guy　who　mixed　in　the　last　two　jobs。〃
　〃We　can　attend　to　The　Shadow　later；〃　decided　Ruthley；　〃after　we　have　disposed　of　this　informant；　Shaw。〃
　The　decision　showed　that　Stephen　Ruthley　was　confident　that　new　murder　could　be　acplished　without　The　Shadow's　interference。　The　overlord　of　crime　felt　sure　that　the　lone　fighter　had　been　too　hard　pressed　to　rally　for　new　effort；　that　The　Shadow　would　not　expect　another　murderous　attempt　so　soon　after　Dunson's　death。
　Ruthley's　four　aces　shared　their　chief's　belief。　Though　they　knew　The　Shadow's　prowess；　they　could　not　credit　him　with　the　ability　to　be　everywhere　at　once。　Not　even　Beezer　Dorsch　would　grant　The　Shadow　that　much；　though　Beezer　himself　had　been　the　one　to　face　the　cloaked　fighter　in　actual　bat。
　Beezer's　leering　face　showed　that　he　did　not　expect　to　meet　The　Shadow　again　tonight。　The　murderer　anticipated　no　opposition　when　he　went　to　handle　the　investigator；　Shaw。　Nor　did　Ruthley　and　the　others；　they　were　lulled　by　Beezer's　confidence。
　Had　Stephen　Ruthley　and　his　lieutenants　given　more　careful　consideration　to　facts　that　they　held　in　hand；　they　might　have　foreseen　real　trouble　from　The　Shadow。
　
　
　CHAPTER　VIII　
　THE　TRAP　REVERSED　
　THERE　had　been　excitement　in　the　Majestic　Hotel　following　the　murder　of　Prescott　Dunson；　for　the　noise　of　gunfire；　plus　the　arrival　of　the　Flying　Squadron；　had　been　sufficient　to　create　high　alarm。　Later；　the　lobby　had　quieted；　but　all　about　were　little　groups　of　men　who　discussed　the　new　crime　that　had　occurred　in　Westford。
　The　consensus　of　opinion　showed　approval　for　the　police。　It　was　known　that　crooks　had　eluded　the　Flying　Squadron；　but　fully　a　dozen　persons　were　prepared　to　testify　that　the　law　had　reached　the　spot　within　five　minutes　after　Dunson's　death。　Speedy　flight　by　the　murderers　explained　the　get…away；　no　one　could　find　cause　to　blame　the　Flying　Squadron　for　failing　in　the　chase。
　One　guest　at　the　Majestic　Hotel　remained　apart　from　the　chatting　groups。
　He　was　a　tall；　haggard…faced　individual；　whose　eyes　were　restless；　and　who　frequently　took　on　a　listening　attitude　as　he　roamed　about　the　gaudy　lobby。　The　clerk　at　the　desk　recognized　him　as　a　man　named　Shaw。　He　looked　like　one　of　the　many　guests　who　had　e　down　from　their　rooms　to　learn　the　cause　of　the　fray。
　After　a　while；　Shaw　started　for　the　coffee　shop　that　adjoined　the　lobby。
　He　stopped　at　the　door；　hesitated；　then　headed　for　the　elevators。　The　clerk　did　not　see　Shaw　go　upstairs；　but　he　remembered　that　the　man　had　been　in　the　lobby。
　He　proved　this　later；　when　a　stranger　stopped　at　the　desk　and　inquired　gruffly：
　〃Where'll　I　find　Mr。　Shaw？　Theodore　D。　Shaw　is　the　guy's　full　name。〃
　〃He　was　here　in　the　lobby；　a　short　while　ago；〃　replied　the　clerk；　while　he　sorted　letters。　Then；　realizing　the　toughness　of　the　questioner's　tone；　the　clerk　asked：　〃Why　do　you　wish　to　see　Mr。　Shaw？〃
　As　he　asked　the　question；　the　clerk　looked　at　the　man　who　had　approached　the　desk。　He　saw　an　ugly；　scarred　face　that　one　who　observed　was　not　likely　to　forget。　The　clerk　was　looking　at　Beezer　Dorsch。
　〃I'll　tell　Shaw　what　I　want　to　see　him　about；〃　informed　Beezer。　〃Is　he　still　here　in　the　lobby？〃
　The　clerk　looked　about　and　shook　his　head。　Turning　toward　Beezer；　he　noted　that　the　scarred　man　was　acpanied　by　a　pair　of　rowdies　who　matched　him　for　toughness。　One　of　them　voiced　a　growl：
　〃Get　the　mug's　room　number；　Beezer。〃
　〃A　good　idea；〃　decided　Beezer。　〃Say；　you〃…he　glowered　at　the　clerk　…
　〃where'll　I　find　this　guy　Shaw？〃
　〃His　room　number　is　304；〃　began　the　clerk。　〃Only；　he　may　not　be　up　there…〃
　The　girl　at　the　switchboard　offered　an　interruption。　She　had　heard　the　mention　of　Shaw's　name；　but　had　turned　around　to　see　Beezer　and　the　others。　She　did　not　know　that　the　clerk　was　trying　to　stall。
　〃Mr。　Shaw　just　put　in　a　call；〃　stated　the　girl。　〃He　ordered　supper　served　in　his　room。〃
　〃That　means　he's　up　there；〃　grunted　Beezer。　〃All　right。　I'll　go　up　and　see　him。〃
　Followed　by　his　pals；　Beezer　strode　toward　the　elevator。　Hardly　had　the　door　closed　before　a　house　detective　approached　the　desk　and　inquired　of　the　clerk：
　〃Did　that　tough　guy　give　his　name？〃
　〃No；〃　replied　the　clerk；　〃only　one　of　the　men　with　him　called　him　'Beezer。'〃
　〃Then　he's　Beezer　Dorsch；　all　right！〃　decided　the　dick。　〃We　just　got　a　call　from　police　headquarters　to　flag　him　if　we　saw　him。　Where　did　he　go？〃
　〃To　Room　304；　to　see　a　man　named　Shaw。〃
　〃I'll　call　headquarters！〃
　
　
　DURING　this　interim；　Beezer　and　his　two　panions　had　reached　the　third　floor。　They　found　Room　304　near　the　inner　end　of　a　short　corridor。　Beezer　tried　the　door　cautiously；　to　discover　that　it　was　locked。　He　moved　his　panions　out　of　the　corridor。
　〃We　got　to　figure　some　way　of　getting　at　the　guy；〃　decided　Beezer。　〃Maybe　there's　a　way　of　reaching　a　window…〃
　〃Ps…s…s…t！〃　One　of　the　thugs　interrupted。　〃Scram；　Beezer！　There's　an　elevator　door　opening　up！〃
　Beezer　urged　his　panions　into　an　alcove。　They　saw　a　waiter　step　from　the　elevator；　bearing　a　tray。　The　attendant　went　to　the　door　of　304　and　knocked。　Beezer　saw　the　door　open；　he　spied　a　haggard　face　inside　the　lighted　room。　The　waiter　entered；　the　door　closed。
　〃I　spotted　Shaw；　all　right；〃　whispered　Beezer。　〃He's　a　sappy…looking　guy。
　He'll　be　soft。　Wait'll　the　waiter　leaves。〃
　Soon　the　waiter　reappeared；　he　stopped　in　the　hallway　to　nod；　as　he　listened　to　a　plaining　voice　from　the　room。
　〃I　told　you　to　bring　lemon　for　my　tea；〃　Shaw　was　objecting。　〃Not　cream。　Do　you　understand？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Very　well。　Return　at　once　and　bring　the　lemon。　The　door　will　be　unlocked。
　Knock；　however；　before　you　enter。〃
　〃Very　well；　sir。〃
　The　door　closed；　the　waiter　returned　to　the　elevator。　Beezer　grinned　and　pulled　a　revolver　from　his　hip　pocket。　He　whispered　instructions　to　his　thugs。
　〃Stick　close；〃　he　told　them。　〃Stay　outside　the　door。　I'll　handle　this　mug　alone；　if　I　want　you；　I'll　call　you。　Keep　an　eye　peeled　for　the　waiter；　or　anybody　else　that　shows　up。〃
　Creeping　forward；　Beezer　reached　the　door　of　304；　waited　until　his　followers　were　beside　him。　Imitating　the　waiter's　knock；　Beezer　rapped　upon　the　door。　He　heard　an　impatient　voice：
　〃Who　is　it？〃
　〃The　waiter；〃　replied　Beezer；　in　a　tone　less　gruff　than　usual。　〃Bringing　the　lemon　you　wanted。〃
　Beezer　grinned　as　he　gestured　with　his　revolver；　for　the　benefit　of　his　pals。　He　was　bringing　a　lemon；　all　right；　one　that　he　fancied　would　prove　more　sour　than　any　that　Shaw　had　ever　tasted。
　〃e　in；〃　called　the　voice　within　the　room。　〃Don't　stand　out　there　in　the　hall。〃
　Beezer　turned　the　knob　with　his　left　hand。　He　shouldered　through　the　doorway；　to　find　himself　in　a　short　passage　that　led　to　the　main　portion　of　the　room。　Shaw's　table　was　out　of　sight　beyond　the　corner；　Beezer　could　hear　the　clatter　of　dishes。　Carefully；　he　closed　the　door；　then　edged　forward。
　〃Where　are　you；　waiter？〃
　As　Shaw's　query　came　again；　Beezer　bounded　forward。　He　passed　the　projecting　corner；　swung　straight　for　the　spot　where　he　believed　that　the　victim　would　be　seated。　Stopping　short　as　he　gripped　his　leveled　gun；　Beezer　stared　at　a　table　by　the　wall。　He　saw　the　dishes　and　the　food　upon　them；　but　the　chair　behind　the　table　was　vacant。
　
　
　QUICKLY；　Beezer　looked　toward　the　deeper　corner　at　his　left；　it　was　toward　the　front　of　the　room；　a　spot　that　he　had　passed　as　he　hurried　into　Shaw's　field　of　vision。　As　he　turned；　Beezer　was　quicker　with　his　eyes　than　with　his　gun。　As　a　consequence；　he　was　forced　to　halt　before　he　had　a　chance　to　aim。
　Beezer　Dorsch　was　staring　squarely　into　the　rounded　mouth　o