mg.dictatorofcrime-第9章

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　　Among　the　assorted　speedboats　Margo　saw　one　of　somewhat　larger　build；　yet　with　the　trim　lines　of　a　racer。
　　ing　up　the　bay；　the　boat　was　tooting　for　a　drawbridge　to　open；　and　Margo　identified　the　shrill；　whistly　blast　that　carried　across　the　water。
　　〃There's　another；〃　stated　Margo。　〃That　makes　eleven。〃
　　Lamont　Cranston　didn't　even　glance　up　from　his　newspaper　as　he　inquired　absently：
　　〃Eleven　what？〃
　　〃Eleven　of　the　mosquito　ships；〃　returned　Margo；　a　bit　petulantly。　〃I've　been　counting　them；　all　afternoon；　as　you　asked。　Or　didn't　you？〃
　　Cranston's　usually　immobile　lips　flickered　with　a　smile。
　　〃Sorry；　Margo；〃　he　said。　〃I　did　ask　you　to　count　the　mosquito　fleet。
　　Seven；　you　say？〃
　　〃Eleven；〃　corrected　Margo。　〃There　should　be　one　more。　Go　back　to　your　reading。　I'll　watch　for　it。〃
　　Cranston　gave　the　newspaper　a　flourish。
　　〃A　great　deal　here　about　the　Durez　murder；〃　he　declared。　〃The　police　are　quite　positive　that　a　former　con　man　named　Murk　Wessel　maneuvered　it。　The　only　trouble　is；　they　can't　prove　it。〃
　　Margo　nodded；　still　a　trifle　annoyed。　She　had　heard　so　much　talk　concerning　Murk　Wessel。　The　police　had　two　reasons　for　suspecting　him　to　be　the　master　of　the　murder　ring。　First；　all　the　dead　crooks　found　on　the　battle　round　at　the　Equator　had　been　former　cronies　of　Murk。　Again；　Murk　himself　had　been　seen　in　Miami　the　morning　before　the　crime。
　　There　was　also　talk　of　a　mysterious　Mr。　Brown　who　had　reserved　a　suite　at　the　Hotel　Equator；　thanks　to　the　connivance　of　an　employee　who　had　been　slain　while　helping　crooks　get　away　with　Durez's　millions。
　　Very　obviously；　Mr。　Brown　was　none　other　than　Murk　Wessel；　for　the　mysterious　guest　had　disappeared　at　the　time　of　the　robbery。　At　least；　the　police　regarded　it　as　obvious；　but　that　didn't　mean　it　would　stand　in　a　court　of　law。
　　Murk　Wessel　would　have　to　be　found　first。　Once　found；　whatever　alibi　he　gave　would　have　to　be　shattered。　Even　then；　the　evidence　against　him　would　be　largely　circumstantial。　So　far；　the　police　were　still　occupied　with　the　preliminary　work…that　of　locating　the　man　they　wanted。
　　〃I've　not　only　heard　of　Murk　Wessel；〃　mused　Cranston；　〃I've　met　him；　Margo。　Two　or　three　times；　and　he　was　always　using　an　alias。　I　don't　think　the　chap　liked　me。　I　knew　too　much　about　him。〃
　　〃Why　didn't　you　have　him　arrested？〃
　　Margo　put　the　question　tartly；　hoping　that　Cranston　would　catch　the　deeper　inference。　As　The　Shadow；　Cranston　didn't　usually　meet　known　criminals　three　times。　Once　was　the　usual　rule；　at　which　time　he　generally　terminated　their　careers　without　having　to　call　in　the　law。
　　Therefore；　Margo's　question　really　veiled　another。　She　was　asking　The　Shadow　why　he　hadn't　been　up　to　his　usual　form；　in　Murk's　case。
　　〃Murk　was　a　con　man；　then；〃　observed　Cranston。　〃You　know　how　those　fellows　usually　operate。　They　choose　dupes　who　are　quite　as　greedy　as　themselves。　They　show　the　suckers　how　to　make　some　easy　money；　and　then　trim　them。〃
　　〃Is　that　why　you　let　Murk　go？〃
　　〃Yes。　As　an　object　lesson　to　the　dupes；　whose　money　I　saved。　It　would　not　have　been　just　for　Murk　to　pay　a　penalty；　while　they　went　scot…free。　I　had　Murk　listed；　and　was　waiting　for　him　to　try　to　trim　an　honest　man。〃
　　〃Meanwhile　Murk　turned　murderer。〃
　　〃Something　that　couldn't　be　anticipated；　Margo。　Con　men　of　his　type　seldom　go　in　for　violence。　Besides〃…Cranston's　eyes　steadied　upon　Margo…〃I'm　not　so　sure　that　he　would　have　gone　in　for　murder　in　this　case；　had　the　Durez　crowd　been　an　honest　lot。〃
　　
　　
　　MARGO　tried　to　catch　the　meaning　in　those　eyes：　whether　or　not　Cranston　might　be　expressing　an　actual　opinion。　He　was　certainly　basing　his　statement　on　Margo's　own　testimony；　regarding　Jose　Durez；　which　she　had　learned　through　Colin　Nayre。
　　In　substance；　Nayre　had　said　that　Durez　planned　a　new　revolution　in　Centralba；　at　the　cost　of　many　lives。　It　might　be　fortunate；　therefore；　that　Durez　and　his　fellow　conspirators　had　died。
　　Unless　their　revolt　could　have　broken　the　regime　of　Luis　Castenago　and　restored　Francisco　Peridor　to　the　presidency　of　a　true　republic。　Such　a　result　would　seem　worthwhile；　at　any　sacrifice！
　　Debating　the　question　for　about　the　fortieth　time；　Margo　returned　her　attention　to　the　bay。　She　kept　watching　for　another　mosquito　boat　that　didn't　appear。　Reports　said　that　twelve　left　Miami；　the　night　before；　to　scour　the　coast　for　Murk　Wessel　and　his　batch　of　murderers。
　　Capable　of　sixty　miles　an　hour；　those　ships　would　certainly　have　headed　off　an　average　craft。　Their　failure　to　find　Murk　signified　that　he　must　have　e　ashore　and　continued　the　getaway　by　land。
　　In　fact；　the　roof…garden　radio　was　introducing　a　news　mentator；　who　supported　that　probability。
　　〃The　search　for　Murk　Wessel　has　bee　nation…wide；〃　declared　the　mentator；　〃but　nowhere　is　it　being　handled　more　thoroughly　than　in　New　York。
　　The　Manhattan　police　have　heard　from　several　unnamed　sources；　supposed　to　be　underworld　informants；　that　Murk　Wessel　was　seen　in　the　big　city　shortly　after　noon　today。
　　〃How　he　arrived　from　Miami；　whether　by　plane；　train；　or　automobile；　is　not　the　important　question。　The　police　are　trying　to　learn　whether　he　is　hiding　out；　or　trying　to　create　an　alibi。　Murk　is　alleged　to　have　many　friends　in　crimedom。
　　How　far　their　testimony　can　be　trusted；　is　doubtful。　If　Murk　seeks　an　alibi　in　this　case　of　wholesale　murder；　it　will　have　to　be　a　strong　one。〃
　　Margo　leaned　toward　Cranston。
　　〃Do　you　think　Murk's　alibi；　whatever　it　is；　could　possibly　stand？〃
　　〃It　might；〃　returned　Cranston；　without　a　smile。　〃The　police　believe　a　great　deal；　Margo。　Last　night；　I　understand；　an　officer　at　Miami　Beach　actually　believed　a　young　lady　who　said　she　was　going　for　a　swim　in　the　Equator　pool。〃
　　The　brunette　gave　her　head　a　slight　toss　at　hearing　Cranston's　reference　to　her　unusual　adventure。　Cranston's　eyes　were　almost　smiling；　even　though　his　lips　weren't。　Margo　couldn't　keep　up　the　pretense　of　being　angry。
　　〃I　did　take　a　swim；　later；〃　she　said。　〃What's　more；　I　found　out　facts　you　wanted　to　know。　Perhaps；　though；　you'd　have　preferred　for　me　to　go　to　the　Isle　of　Pines。〃
　　〃Not　at　all；〃　assured　Cranston。　〃If　you　had；　you　wouldn't　be　here　to　count　the　mosquito　boats　for　me。　How　many　were　there？　Ah；　yes；　eleven。〃
　　Before　Margo　could　think　of　a　retort；　the　announcer's　voice　came　on　again；　stating　that　the　last　of　the　mosquito　fleet　had　reported　in　at　the　Miami　Yacht　Basin；　with　no　report　of　a　lurking　boat　along　the　coast。　This　was　proof　conclusive　that　Murk　Wessel　must　have　continued　his　flight　by　land；　which；　in　turn；　backed　the　report　that　the　suspected　murderer　had　reached　New　York。
　　〃Yet　the　Isle　of　Pines　is　very　pleasant；〃　Cranston　remarked。　〃You　would　have　enjoyed　it；　Margo。　I'd　have　done　better　to　count　those　mosquito　boats　myself。　I　don't　think　I　would　have　missed　one。　There　were　twelve；　Margo；　not　just　eleven。〃
　　
　　
　　THIS　time；　Margo　was　angry　at　herself。　How　she'd　missed　sight　of　one　ship；　was　a　riddle。　They'd　all　gone　through　the　drawbridge；　which　had　to　rise　when　each　approached。
　　She　expected　Cranston　to　chide　her　further；　but　he　didn't。　His　understanding　of　Margo's　real　emotions　was　quite　as　keen　as　his　recognition　of　her　pretending　moods。　His　casual　way　of　changing　the　subject　softened　Margo's　hurt。
　　〃About　Nayre…〃　Cranston　reflected。　〃Did　he　say　why　he　was　going　back　to　Centralba？〃
　　Margo　shook　her　head。
　　〃They're　still　looking　for　him；〃　Cranston　continued；　〃although　they're　trying　to　find　Murk　first。　From　the　standpoint　of　circumstantial　evidence；　it　looks　quite　bad　for　Nayre；　having　Brady　all　set　to　fly　him　away　from　Miami。〃
　　〃But　Brady　hadn't　expected　Nayre　so　soon…〃
　　〃A　good　point；　Margo；　especially　because　Brady　thought　you　were　a　friend　of　Nayre's。　Let's　take　Nayre　at　his　word。　He　wanted　to　get　away　from　the　Durez　crowd　before　they　dragged　him　into　business　he　didn't　like。　They　were　powerful；　and　he　knew　it　might　be　troublesome；　giving　them　the　slip。　So　he　had　his　friend　Brady　ready。〃
　　Margo　nodded　earnestly。　She　liked　the　theory。　However；　the　most　important　point　remained　unexplained。
　　〃Why　should　Nayre　go　back　to　Cen