mg.dictatorofcrime-第5章
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。 Still on his feet； the foolhardy colonel flung himself right into the closing doors； blocking The Shadow's aim pletely。
Guns ripped； but not The Shadow's。 They were revolvers belonging to Murk and his lieutenants。 They riddled Durez； flaying his dead body out from the doors； which promptly slammed。
Yet； in that last moment when Durez sagged away； The Shadow poked a shot between the three…inch space； to find one of Murk's lieutenants straight through the heart。
Speeding along the hallway； The Shadow found a stairway and started down。
Things had been happening in instants； upstairs； so rapidly that the police from outside were just getting into the hotel。 The Shadow passed them like a streak of light； as he saw the rear stairway to the garage。 A few of the police followed him。 Others dashed upstairs。
IN the garage； Murk and his one remaining lieutenant jumped into the rear door of the armored truck。 There was a driver at the wheel； and they were telling him to get started。
No one had been worrying about the truck while it was empty； hence crooks had taken it over easily。 The driver had to do what they told him； and the coffers were all on board； but one detail was forgotten： the garage door wasn't open。
Purposely； Murk had left that to the final moment； so the police wouldn't expect the ing flight。 But The Shadow wasn't allowing the final moment。 He was aiming for the rear door of the truck as Murk dived inside。
Hurdling the coffers； Murk flattened beyond them； they stopped The Shadow's shots。 The driver； responding to the menace of guns； spurted the truck right through the garage door； which smashed apart like pasteboard。
An ordinary car wouldn't have had the weight to acplish that little feat； but the truck was as heavy as a fair…sized army tank。 All that The Shadow gained was a nice wide exit through which he could dash on foot。
As he came out； he saw the taxicab that had brought him from the airport。
The driver； stiffened at the wheel； didn't know what to do。 The Shadow sprang into the cab and told him。
THINGS were happening elsewhere。 Up in the room where the battle began； one man was fighting off a pair。 The one man was Colin Nayre； and he was struggling with the two policemen who had been in the fray from the start。
They had quite the wrong idea regarding Nayre。 They thought that his chance opening of the connecting door had been intentional； and they wanted to hold him to account for it。 After all； Nayre didn't quite belong to the Durez faction…a point which the bankers were shouting aloud。 He'd been ruled out of the business conference by Durez。 Maybe he'd sold out； the way the two private detectives had。
Only The Shadow could have testified in Nayre's behalf； and The Shadow was gone。 So Nayre； thinking that The Shadow perhaps had fled from a misunderstood situation； decided that a quick out was his course； too。 Flinging the two officers aside； he dived for the balcony just as other members of the Beach force came plunging into the room。
All during the cannonading on the third floor； Margo Lane had undergone a flood of reactions。 First； she had stood petrified on the diving board； then； knowing that The Shadow must be in the thick of things； Margo had wondered what she could do。
She had hesitated； worrying about the police outside； particularly the guardian of the hedge； until she realized that the battle must have attracted them。
Dashing from the shore end of the spring board； Margo reached the hedge and pushed through it； to her car。 The keys were in the lock； where she had left them just to show the too…suspicious cop that she trusted him。
All the while； Margo was darting looks up to the balcony； expecting to see The Shadow e out by the route which he had used for entry。 She only hoped that his exit wouldn't be a tumble。
A terrific crash distracted her。 It was the armored truck； smashing out through the garage door。 Margo didn't see The Shadow follow； for she was looking upward again。 Not sighting The Shadow made her magnify his plight； and she started the roadster； feeling positive that he would arrive in crippled condition and need someone to drive him away。
She realized； then； that she should have stopped to pick up her robe and slippers； but it was too late to get them。 So Margo promised by getting rid of the bathing cap； so she could shake her hair loose。
The roadster's seat was deep； and anyone noticing her head and shoulders would think that she was wearing an evening gown and driving home from a party； instead of being a fugitive direct from the Equator swimming pool。
As Margo wheeled the roadster about； she saw a figure vault the balcony； run and drop to the roof of the garage； but it wasn't The Shadow。 She recognized Nayre； and he didn't stop with the garage roof。 Instead； he leaped across it and jumped to the ground； just ahead of shots that police began to fire from the balcony。
Taking it for granted that revolution had broken out amid the Durez faction itself； Margo thought that the police pursuit of Nayre was quite legitimate。 Though she had liked his looks when she first saw him； that wasn't going to help him； at present。
Nayre； it happened； had a way of helping himself。 He saw Margo at the moment she forgot him。
A cab was starting away。 It was the cab in which The Shadow had arrived。
Remembering her former impression； Margo had an idea that The Shadow was in it and decided she ought to overtake the cab； to give him a chance to change vehicles。
On that inspiration； she pressed the accelerator； just too late to avoid taking on a passenger。
The passenger was Nayre。
He opened the door just as the roadster spurted； and before Margo could shift to the brake pedal； Nayre decided matters for her。 He still had his revolver； and he nudged Margo with it； telling her firmly：
〃Keep right ahead； as fast as you can go！〃
MARGO kept ahead。 She wanted to overtake the cab； but couldn't quite manage it。
Guns were popping off like firecrackers； somewhere back； and police cars were whining to the chase。 Up ahead； an armored truck was roaring off into the maze…like depths of Miami Beach； and the taxicab was heading after it； which Margo wanted to do； too； but Nayre decided otherwise。
In a tone as frigid as his gun muzzle； he ordered：
〃Turn right。 We're going north。〃
They turned right and went north at full speed； with Margo giving a last frantic glance toward the departing taxicab； hoping that The Shadow would see her。 He couldn't have； thought Margo； or the cab would have stopped and returned to follow her roadster。 Instead； the cab kept right ahead。
One reason that it kept ahead was because The Shadow did see Margo and the passenger in her car。 If there was any man who deserved a break for freedom； that man was Nayre。 Not only did The Shadow know； he was sure that Margo would understand； in due time。 But there were other men； who deserved no chance at all： Murk Wessel and his crew in the armored truck。
Since he was on their trail； The Shadow stayed with it。 His last word to Margo was a parting laugh that she was too far away to hear！
CHAPTER V
VANISHED CRIMINALS
THE chase through the streets of Miami Beach was unique in the annals of that city。 In a sense； it wasn't a pursuit。 It was a case of worriment。 Any attempt to overtake and crack an armored truck was out of the question。 The thing to do was keep the crooks on the go； until they gave up through weariness and exhaustion of their ammunition。
The Shadow set the style； and the police promptly copied it。 Attracted by the sounds of shots； one police car cut into the scene； to see a taxicab spurt toward the truck and swing into a zigzag。
A few shots from the cab window enticed a whole deluge from the truck； but the responding bullets didn't count； because the cab； by then； had veered into another street。
So the police car took a stab at it and found that it worked。 A few blocks more and the cab reappeared； giving an example to another police car that had rallied to the chase。 Soon； the truck was veering； too； its occup
