Читать книгу The Avenger - Emile C. Tepperman - Страница 7

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DICK led the inspector out of the room, down a corridor, then up a short half flight of stairs. He rapped lightly at a door, and an elderly, high-pitched voice said, "Come in, please."

The Avenger pushed open the door, and they entered.

Cruikshank stared at the single occupant of the tastefully furnished guest room. It was a little old lady, with gray hair neatly combed and her wrinkled face alight with eagerness. She put down her knitting and stretched forth a hand to Dick.

"Mr. Benson!" she exclaimed, almost pathetically. "Have...have you any word of my Laura?"

Dick went over to the chair and touched her hair lightly.

"Not yet, Mrs. Trent," he said in a voice that was surprisingly gentle. "But I hope to have something definite—tonight."

There were tears in Mrs. Trent's eyes. She tried to take Dick's hand and kiss it, but he withdrew it gently.

"I wanted you to meet Inspector Cruikshank," Dick said.

The old lady peered at him through her spectacles. "We've met before," she said dryly.

Cruikshank was embarrassed. "Why...er...yes. I believe Mrs. Trent came to see me yesterday, about her daughter who had disappeared."

"She didn't just disappear!" Mrs. Trent snapped. "She was taken. Taken by those devils who work for Gregorio Ruiz. I told the inspector the whole story—how Laura came home that night from work. She's a waitress in a restaurant, and she works till 9:30. She walks home along the River Drive, and she saw the boat out in the river, and she saw how they lifted the poor man up in the boat. He was tied and gagged, and he had something heavy around his feet. They threw him overboard, and he sank!

"It was raining hard that night, and Laura was hurrying, but she was so shocked she stopped in the rain, unable to move. Then there was a flash of lightning, and she saw the face of one of the men in the boat. The men saw her at the same time, and they turned the boat toward shore. Laura ran all the way home. She told me what she had seen, and I said she should go to the police."

Old Mrs. Trent stopped, and ran a finger under her glasses, to wipe away the tears. Then she went on: "But Laura never got to the station house. Those men must have followed her home, and waited outside for her. She didn't come back. Those men must have taken her away!"

Inspector Cruikshank coughed. He looked shame-facedly at The Avenger. "Mrs. Trent told me the story. We dragged the river at the spot she mentioned, but we didn't find any body. So we didn't believe her story. We merely filed Laura Trent's name with the missing-persons bureau."

"I know," The Avenger said. "But wasn't that the night that Lou Marconi disappeared? He was the bookmaker who was trying to buck Gregorio Ruiz."

"Yes, that's right. But just the same, we didn't find the body."

"Isn't it possible that those men dived for the body, after they learned that Laura had seen them, and brought it up and dropped it somewhere else?"

"Of course it's possible," Cruikshank admitted. "But what can we do about it? If we arrested Ruiz on a charge like that, he'd be out in ten minutes, And he'd sue the city for false arrest!"

"Maybe you can't do anything about it, Cruikshank," The Avenger said softly. "But I intend to do something! I'm going to see if I can save Laura Trent"—he lowered his voice so that even the inspector barely heard him—"if it isn't too late!"

He took Cruikshank by the arm and led him out of that room, nodding to Mrs. Trent as he closed the door behind them.

In the corridor, his grip tightened on the inspector's arm. "I'm keeping that old lady here," he said tightly. "It's the only place in the city where she'll be safe from Ruiz. And, in case you're interested, that's the reason why Ruiz was so burned up when he heard I was out after him. He guesses where Mrs. Trent is. And he guesses what she's told me."

Cruikshank looked at him queerly. "You think it was Ruiz himself whom Laura Trent saw in that boat?"

The Avenger nodded.

"Ruiz's ace killer, Barney Dorset, was in jail. I happen to know that two of his other top killers were in Chicago on a little job. He had Jasper and Degnan and Lithro, of course, but he wouldn't trust them alone on a piece of business like that. So it's quite likely that he supervised it in person."

The inspector's eyes were very thoughtful.

"Jove! If that's true, Benson, you're on the track of something!"

The Avenger said quietly, "And do you still want me to turn Barney Dorset over to you?"

Cruikshank avoided his gaze. "Er...suppose you forget that I've seen you, Benson. Let's just imagine that I didn't find you in. And the best of luck to you!"

The hands of the two men met in a tight grip. Then Inspector Cruikshank turned and hurried out.

The Avenger went swiftly to his office on the top floor. Smitty and Nellie were already there, waiting for him.

"I've got Dorset nice and cozy in the yellow room," Smitty chuckled. "He came to, but he's as jittery as a Jap in a Chinese laundry. I think we can make that baby talk!"

"What about Mrs. Trent?" Nellie asked. "Is she all right?"

The Avenger nodded. "I promised her that we'd have some word about her daughter tonight."

He picked up a phone from the battery of instruments on his desk, consulted a notebook, and dialed a number.

Smitty and Nellie watched him tensely.

"I hope this works!" Nellie said fervently, and added: "For Mrs. Trent's sake!" Dressed in feminine clothing, with her blond hair falling to her shoulders, Nellie Gray reminded one of a dainty and fragile Dresden doll, which one might hesitate to touch for fear of shattering it. But many a hardened criminal had discovered, to his sorrow, that Nellie's looks were entirely deceiving, when it came to a good fight.

The Avenger got his connection. "Hello," he said. "I want to talk to Arnie Jasper."

In a moment, he was talking to one of the three men who had been present in Gregorio Ruiz's terrace apartment, earlier that evening.

"Jasper," he said coldly, "this is Richard Benson. No, don't say anything. You needn't deny that you're connected with Ruiz. I want you to deliver a message to him. Tell him that I'm ready to make a trade with him. Understand? If he wants to do business, have him call me immediately, at Lakeside 7-7777. Good-by!"

And he hung up.

The three of them waited tensely, for perhaps four minutes. Then the phone rang.

"Ah!" said Smitty.

Nellie Gray's eyes were shining. "Then Laura Trent is still alive!" she whispered. "Otherwise Ruiz would not have anything to trade for Barney Dorset!"

The Avenger picked up the phone slowly.

"Benson? This is Gregorio Ruiz. You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes," said The Avenger. "I believe you have something I want. On the other hand, I have something you want. I suggest we make a trade."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Ruiz said carefully. "But I'm interested. Just what do you mean?"

The Avenger's voice was stern. "Let's not beat around the bush, Ruiz. I'd like very much to keep Dorset. I can make him talk and get enough out of him to finish you. But I'm willing to give up that chance, to save the life of Laura Trent. If she's still alive, we can trade. If she's dead—Heaven help you!"

There was a moment's silence. Then Ruiz's voice, low but clear. "I'll trade, Benson. Where can we discuss the details?"

"Anywhere you say."

"I'll meet you at the information booth in Grand Central Station in fifteen minutes. That's the best place to talk. There are no walls to listen. I'll bring one man with me, and you bring one man. I want your word that you won't attempt anything against my personal safety during our talk."

"You have my word," Benson said coldly.

"Good. And I give you my word that—"

"You don't have to give me your word, Ruiz. It's no good. I'll take care of myself!"

"All right then," the other snapped. "I'll meet you in fifteen minutes!"

Dick Benson hung up. He looked at his two friends. "Well," he said, "we have still to find out if Laura is alive. Ruiz may be lying. He may have killed her already. But we'll find out soon enough. Come on, Smitty!"

Nellie saw them to the elevator. Smitty chucked her under the chin, "Hold the fort, baby. And don't make eyes at that Barney Dorset. He's a killer-diller!"

"Get going, you big lug!" Nellie told him. "And don't take any wooden slugs!"

Smitty chuckled. "Not me. Or lead ones, either!"

Nellie watched through the nickel-steel slats of the Venetian blinds at the top-floor windows while they got into one of the cars parked at the curb. Then she went to the teletype machine to get the latest police releases on the search for Barney Dorset.

But she had hardly been there five minutes, before a red panel light showed that she had a visitor.

Frowning, Nellie switched on the small television unit, which threw on a screen a picture of the downstairs vestibule.

There was a dark-haired girl standing there, a girl about nineteen or twenty, dressed in a cheap blue coat. She seemed quite nervous and agitated and kept looking around as if afraid she was being followed.

Nellie swiftly pressed the button which opened the door. She was alone now in the building, for The Avenger's other assistants were away on various missions, and she had the full responsibility of the place upon her slim shoulders.

She watched the screen, and saw the dark-haired girl enter. Immediately, Nellie pressed the button which closed and locked the front door. Then she pressed a switch which transferred the image on the screen from the outside of the building, to the interior. Now, she could watch the dark-haired girl in the vestibule. Nellie placed her mouth to a speaking arrangement, and said, "Come upstairs, miss."

She watched the visitor step into the waiting elevator; then she pressed another button which opened the office door, admitting the visitor.

The girl entered, and looked around the strangely equipped room in a shy and frightened manner.

"What can I do for you?" Nellie asked in a kindly tone.

The girl's dark eyes met those of Nellie. She advanced a timid step into the room.

"My n-name is Dora Hayes," she said. "I...I want to s-see Richard Benson."

"I'm sorry," said Nellie, "but Mr. Benson isn't in. Perhaps I can help you? I'm Nellie Gray, his assistant."

"I...I have something to tell him. It...it's about Laura Trent." Instantly, Nellie was alert. "What about Laura Trent?"

"I think I know where to find her. I shouldn't be doing this. It...it's as much as my life is worth. But Laura is my friend. We worked in the same restaurant."

Nellie took her by the arm and led her to a chair. "Now, tell me all about it."

Dora Hayes looked up at her pathetically. "If The Avenger were only here! There's no time to lose. I overheard two men talking. They were just starting to have dinner in the restaurant, and they didn't know I was clearing the booth behind them. One of them mentioned Laura's name. He told the other to order some sandwiches to take out, because the Trent girl would starve if they didn't send food down to her at least once a day. The other one laughed. He wondered why they didn't let her starve to death, and the first one said maybe they'd need her alive. And then when I brought the water to their table, they told me to make up two ham sandwiches to take out."

Nellie was watching the girl closely as she talked. "Do you know either of those two men?"

"One of them comes in regularly. His name is Arnie Jasper. He runs a numbers racket, I think. They're still in the restaurant. I asked another girl to take my place and hurried over here, because I knew that The Avenger had been looking for information about Laura Trent."

Nellie Gray made her mind up swiftly.

"Wait here, miss!" she said.

She hurried out of the room, and got an extra automatic. She put it in a special silk holster, which was strapped around her thigh. She had a gun in her bag, but she was not overlooking the possibility that this might be a trap of some kind. And if she should find herself in a tight spot, deprived of her purse, she could always get at this extra gun. She went into the next room, and looked through a peephole at Dora Hayes. The girl was sitting exactly where Nellie had left her, her hands clasping and unclasping nervously.

Satisfied, Nellie came back into the room.

"Let's go, Dora!" she said.

"What...what are you going to do?"

"I'll get a car, and we'll go right over there. In the absence of The Avenger, I'll handle this—"

"Please!" said Dora Hayes. "Let's not use one of The Avenger's cars. I don't ever want to be seen in one of them. If it's ever known that I tipped off The Avenger, my life won't be worth a cent!"

"All right," Nellie conceded. "We'll take a cab."

She hustled Dora Hayes downstairs, and they hurried up Bleek Street to the corner. They found a taxicab cruising down the street, and just as they were getting into it, Dora Hayes dropped her purse.

"Come on," said Nellie. "Hurry!" And she stepped into the cab first.

The moment she was inside, she realized she had stepped into a trap. For she saw Dora Hayes spring up and slam the door shut.

Nellie reached out for the door handle, and found there was none. She was locked in. At the same time, a sickeningly sweet smell began to pervade the interior of the taxi. Nellie's senses began to reel. She struggled forward, in a vain endeavor to slide open the connecting window at the front. She saw the face of the cab driver, grinning sardonically in at her. Then every thing swam before her eyes, and she collapsed!