the white moll-第43章
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nodded her head mechanically。
〃But the police didn't find the jewels … because they weren't there
to be found。 Somebody got in ahead of us。 Pinched 'em； understand；
may be only a few hours before you got in your last play； and； from
the way you say Deemer acted； before he was wise to the fact that
he'd been robbed。〃
Rhoda Gray let her chair come sharply down to the floor。 She must
play her role of 〃Bertha〃 now as she never had before。 Here was a
question that she could not only ask with safety； but one that was
obviously expected。
〃Who was it？〃 she demanded breathlessly。
〃She's coming to life！〃 murmured Danglar； through a haze of cigarette
smoke。 〃I thought you'd wake up after a while； Bertha。 This is the
big night； old girl； as you'll find out before we're through。〃
〃Who was it？〃 she repeated with well…simulated impatience。
〃I guess she'll listen to me now；〃 said Danglar； with a little
chuckle。 〃Don't over…tax yourself any more； Matty。 I'll tell you；
Bertha； and it will perhaps make you feel better to know it took
the slickest dip New York ever knew to beat you to the tape。 It was
Angel Jack； alias the Gimp。〃
〃How do you know？〃 Rhoda Gray demanded。
〃Because；〃 said Danglar； and lighted another cigarette； 〃he died
yesterday afternoon up in Sing Sing。〃
She could afford to show her frank bewilderment。 Her brows knitted
into furrows； as she stared at Danglar。
〃You … you mean he confessed？〃 she said。
〃The Angel？ Never！〃 Danglar laughed grimly； and shook his head。
〃Nothing like that！ It was a question of playing one 'fence' against
another。 You know that Witzer； who's handled all our jewelry for
us； has been on the look…out for any stones that might have come
from that collection。 Well； this afternoon he passed the word to me
that he'd been offered the finest unset emerald he'd ever seen； and
that it had come to him through old Jake Luertz's runner； a very
innocent…faced young man who is known to the trade as the Crab。〃
Danglar paused … and laughed again。 Unconsciously Rhoda Gray drew
her shawl a little closer about her shoulders。 It seemed to bring
a chill into the room； that laugh。 Once before； on another night；
Danglar had laughed； and； with his parted lips； she had likened him
to a beast showing its fangs。 He looked it now more than ever。 For
all his ease of voice and manner； he was in deadly earnest； and if
there was merriment in his laugh； it but seemed to enhance the
menace and the promise of unholy purpose that lurked in the cold
glitter of his small； black eyes。
〃It didn't take long to get hold of the Crab〃 … Danglar was rubbing
his hands together softly … 〃and the emerald with him。 We got him
where we could put the screws on without arousing the neighborhood。〃
〃Another murder； I suppose！〃 Rhoda Gray flung out the words crossly。
〃Oh； no；〃 said Danglar pleasantly。 〃He squealed before it came to
that。 He's none the worse for wear； and he'll be turned loose in
another hour or so； as soon as we're through at old Jake Luertz's。
He's no more good to us。 He came across all right … after he was
properly frightened。 He's been with old Jake as a sort of familiar
for the last six years； and …〃
〃He'd have sold his soul out； he was so scared！〃 The withered hand
on the table twitched； the deformed creature's face was twisted
into a grimace； and the man was chuckling with unhallowed mirth； as
though unable。 to contain himself at； presumably； the recollection
of a scene which he had witnessed himself。 〃He was down on his
knees and clawing out with his hands for mercy； and he squealed like
a rat。 'It's the sixth panel in the bedroom upstairs；' he says；
'it's all there。 But for God's sake don't tell Jake I told。 It's
the sixth panel。 Press the knot in the sixth panel that …'〃 He
stopped abruptly。
Danglar had pulled out his watch and with exaggerated patience was
circling the crystal with his thumb。
〃Are you all through； Matty？〃 he inquired monotonously。 〃I think
you said something a little while ago about wasting time。 Bertha's
looking bored； and； besides； she's got a little job of her own on
for to…night。〃 He jerked his watch back into his pocket； and turned
to Rhoda Gray again。 〃The only one who knew all the details Angel
Jack； and he'll never tell now because he's dead。 Whether he came
down from the West with Deemer or not； or how he got wise to the
stones； I don't know。 But he got the stones； all right。 And then
he tumbled to the fact that the police were pushing him hard for
another job he was 'wanted' for； and he had to get those stones out
of sight in a hurry。 He made a package of them and slipped them to
old Luertz； who had always done his business for him； to keep for
him； and before he could duck； the bulls had him for that other job。
Angel Jack went up the river。 See？ Old Jake didn't know what was
in that package； but he knew better than to monkey with it； because
he always thought something of his own skin。 He knew Angel Jack；
and he knew what would happen if he didn't have that package ready
to hand back the day Angel Jack got out of Sing Sing。 Understand？
But yesterday Angel Jack died…without a will； and old Jake appointed
himself sole executor…without bonds！ He opened that package；
figured he'd begin turning it into money … and that's how we get
our own back again。 Old Jake will get a fake message to…night
calling him out of the house on an errand uptown； and about ten
o'clock Pinkie Bonn and the Pug will pay a visit there in his
absence； and … well； it looks good； don't it； Bertha； after two
years？〃
Rhoda Gray was crouched down in her chair。 She shrugged her
shoulders now； and infused a sullen note into her voice。
〃Yes； it's fine！〃 she sniffed。 〃I'll be rolling in wealth in my
garret … which will do me a lot of good！ That doesn't separate me
from these rags； and the hell I've lived； does it … after two years？〃
〃I'm coming to that；〃 said Danglar； with his short； grating laugh。
〃We've as good as got the stones now； and we're going through
to…night for a clean…up of all that old mess。 We stake the whole
thing。 Get me； Bertha … the whole thing ！ I'm showing my hand
for the first time。 Cloran's the man that's making you wear those
clothes； Cloran's the only one who could go into the witness box
and swear that you were the woman who murdered Deemer； and Cloran's
the man who has been working his head off for two years to find you。
We've tried a dozen times to bump him off in a way that would make
his death appear to be due purely to an accident； and we didn't get
away with it； but we can afford to leave the 'accident' out of it
to…night； and go through for keeps … and that's what we're going
to do。 And once he's out of the way … by midnight … you can heave
Gypsy Nan into the discard。〃
It seemed to Rhoda Gray that horror had suddenly taken a numbing
hold upon her sensibilities。 Danglar was talking about murdering
some man； wasn't he； so that she could resume again the personality
of a woman who was dead？ Hysterical laughter rose to her lips。 It
was only by a frantic effort of will that she controlled herself。
She seemed to speak involuntarily； doubtful almost that it was her
own voice she heard。
〃I'm listening；〃 she said； 〃but I wouldn't be too sure。 Cloran's
a wary bird； and there's the White Moll。〃
She caught her breath。 What suicidal inspiration had prompted her
to say that！ Had what she had been listening to here； the horror
of it； indeed turned her brain and robbed her of her wits to the
extent that she should invite exposure？ Danglar's face had gone a
mottled purple； the misshapen thing at Danglar's side was leering
at her most curiously。
It was a moment before Danglar spoke； and then his hand； clenched
until the white of the knuckles showed； pounded upon the table to
punctuate his words。
〃Not to…night！〃 he rasped out with an oath。 〃There's not a chance
that she's in on this to…night … the she…devil！ But she's next！
With this cleaned up； she's next！ If it takes the last dollar of
to…night's haul； and five years to do it； I'll get her； and get …〃
〃Sure！〃 mumbled Rhoda Gray hurriedly。 〃But
