mg.cyro-第6章
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〃It is a good one； Cardona。 Proceed with your inspection。 New clues may develop。〃
FORTY minutes later。 Joe Cardona was summarizing his findings。 He was standing by Rowden's desk； where he had placed torn letters and envelopes taken from the wastebasket。 missioner Barth and Northrup Lucaster were listening to the acting inspector's summary。
〃Roke Rowden was murdered；〃 declared Cardona。 〃He was slain by the man who had e here to aid him in his swindle scheme。 We have checked with the bank； regarding the key that was in Rowden's possession。 We know that he went to his safe…deposit vault and removed valuables just prior to his return here。
〃The switchboard operator and the elevator man both testify that Rowden returned about twenty minutes before I came to arrest him。 But they can furnish no clue to any visitor。 Rowden's pal must have e here earlier。
〃We have the name 'Cyro；' which Rowden managed to write before he died。
The job is to find Cyro。 The chances are that the killer left town。 The question is： Where did he go？ These letters on the desk were picked up by Rowden a couple of hours ago。 There are ten of them； all from different cities； and none of them look important。
〃We've got about as much chance of tracing the killer through one of these letters as we have of locating him by one of those time…tables over there in the alcove。 The man may have gone to any one of these ten cities。 Or he may have cut for anywhere on the map。〃
Wainwright Barth approached to examine the spread…out letters。 The missioner shook his head。 He walked around to the alcove and looked at the table drawer。 A mass of time…tables； spread in disarray。 Barth looked about to find Lucaster standing near。
〃Your false friend Rowden was ready for prompt departure；〃 announced Barth。 〃The way he mixed these timetables indicates that he was choosing some destination。〃
〃That surprises me；〃 replied The Shadow； retaining his crackly tone。 〃I should think that Rowden had already made his plans。 But this other man…the one who killed him…〃
〃That's a point；〃 put in Cardona。 〃Maybe Cyro dug into this table drawer。
He must have been waiting here for Rowden。〃
〃May I look at these time…tables？〃 came Lucaster's inquiry。
〃Sure；〃 agreed Cardona。
He watched indulgently while the gray…haired manufacturer made an inspection。 Carefully； Lucaster was sorting out the schedules。 At last； Cardona heard him speak。
〃Quite odd；〃 was The Shadow's crackled remark。 〃You would think that Rowden had gathered time…tables for almost every point that can be reached from New York。 But he has not。〃
〃Some are missing？〃 inquired Joe。
〃Yes；〃 came the reply。 〃Certain Southern schedules； all of a definite sort。 Florida time…tables are here； but those to Atlanta； Montgomery； Mobile and New Orleans are missing。〃
〃You are sure？〃
〃Yes。 I had intended to take a trip to the Gulf Coast before returning to Des Moines。 I am familiar with those particular time…tables。〃
〃E back to the desk；〃 suggested Cardona。 〃Let's take a look at Rowden's mail。 Maybe he had a tip…off to something and the fellow who killed him decided to grab it for himself。〃
They reached the desk。 Cardona pointed out the various letters。 Lucaster's gray head nodded four times during the detective's count。
〃A letter from Atlanta；〃 began Joe。 〃One from New Orleans； another from Birmingham。 The fourth is from Mobile。 Those cities are all listed on the missing time…tables？〃
A nod from Lucaster。
〃Four chances； missioner；〃 said Cardona to Barth。 〃But they're all slim ones。 After all； these letters don't mean a thing。 They came to Rowden； not to the killer。 There's nothing about any one of them to indicate a con game。〃
〃There is a peculiarity here；〃 remarked The Shadow； in Lucaster's tone。
His eyes were gleaming as he stared toward the desk。 〃See this New Orleans letter； Mr。 Cardona。〃
〃It's from a shipping pany；〃 observed Joe。 〃Gives information on cotton shipments。 I don't see anything special about it。〃
〃But the envelope…〃
〃Is addressed to Rowden。〃
〃Yes。 But I should say that it was done on a different typewriter。〃
〃That's a point； Mr。 Lucaster；〃 agreed Joe。 〃But the envelope might have been typed by another stenographer。〃
〃It has no return address。 Of course； Mr。 Cardona； that is not entirely unusual。 But…〃
As the speaker paused； Cardona saw him carefully fold the torn letter along its creases。 Then Lucaster's fumbling hands tried to fit the folded letter into the rearranged envelope。 They failed。
Cardona； without inquiring the purpose； tried to help。 It was then that he realized what Lucaster was attempting to do。
〃The letter won't go in the envelope！〃 exclaimed Joe。 〃A long letter and a short envelope。 They don't fit。〃
〃That has significance；〃 put in missioner Barth。 〃Let us see。 What could that signify…〃
A crackly chuckle from Lucaster。 Barth faced the gray…haired visitor from Des Moines。
〃I am a business man；〃 stated The Shadow； with a beaming smile that fitted Lucaster。 〃I have received many letters at my office。 They always fit inside their envelopes； missioner。
〃If I had a letter and an envelope that did not correspond； I would say that the letter did not e in that envelope。 Maybe poor Rowden received two letters from New Orleans。〃
〃Then where is the other one？〃 demanded Barth。
〃Perhaps the murderer took it；〃 suggested The Shadow。 〃Taking the letter； he might decide to take the envelope also。 Looking in the wastebasket； he found…〃
〃The other envelope！〃 broke in Cardona。 〃That's it； missioner！ The killer found the letter first。 It meant something to him so he kept it。 When he was ready for his get…away； he thought about the envelope。
〃He was in a hurry。 He grabbed the first envelope that bore a New Orleans postmark。 He found the other half of it and thought he had what he wanted。
We're down to one city； missioner。 New Orleans！〃
BARTH nodded slowly。 Cardona watched him steadily。 The Shadow； peering from the visage of Lucaster； also studied the missioner。 At last； Barth spoke。
〃You are going to New Orleans； Cardona；〃 he proclaimed。 〃There you will trace a man called Cyro。 He is wanted for the murder of Roke Rowden。〃
〃It's like looking for a needle in a haystack；〃 objected Joe。 〃Maybe； missioner； if we first inform the New Orleans authorities…〃
〃The needle has a thread attached；〃 interposed Barth； wisely。 〃Perhaps you may find the thread and trace it to the needle。 First； of course； you must check on outbound trains to New Orleans。 That failing； you will go there； on special assignment。〃
His order given； Barth motioned to Northrup Lucaster。 Together they walked from the apartment； leaving Joe Cardona standing by the desk。 They reached the missioner's car and drove to the Metrolite Hotel。
〃Good night； Mr。 Lucaster；〃 said Barth。 〃Keep in touch with us after you have returned to Des Moines and we shall tell you how our search has progressed。〃
〃You think that your man will find Cyro？〃
〃I do。 Cardona is capable。 Given a lead； he will make the most of it。 I am counting upon him to run down the murderer of Roke Rowden。〃
INSIDE the Metrolite Hotel； Northrup Lucaster stopped at the porter's office。 He made reservations for Chicago on the Midnight Limited。 His bags were brought downstairs； among them was the one that Moe Shrevnitz had delivered。
Singularly； Moe's cab was the one that wheeled up when Lucaster arrived on the street with his luggage。 The gray…haired passenger stepped aboard and crackled his destination as a railroad terminal。
He changed that order as the cab wheeled away。 Likewise； he changed his appearance。 Black cloak and hat came from the bag。 When Moe's cab stopped on a secluded street； a silent form emerged unseen。
Shortly afterward； a light clicked in a darkened room。 Bluish rays threw an eerie shimmer upon a polished table…top。 The Shadow was in his sanctum。 His lips phrased a sibilant laugh。 The character of Northrup Lucaster was ended。 So was all thought of Des Moines。
The Shadow； like Joe Cardona； was making plans for an immediate t
