按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
It didn't fit with Margo's plans at all。 She hadn't intended to change to bathing attire； let alone be under surveillance。 Her chances of learning anything more about the Durez crowd had gone absolutely nil； and any opportunity to meet up with Cranston would be very slight； since he probably wouldn't e anywhere near the swimming pool。
She was balking at the whole idea when she reached the cabana； until she convinced herself that a half hour in a swimming pool would be better than a night in jail。 Stalling a cop whose mind was made up could prove bad policy。
So Margo decided to hurry through with the swim。 She got out of her clothes and into the bathing suit as fast as she could。 She put on a pair of bathing slippers； threw a light robe across her arm； and came from the cabana carrying a bathing cap。 She strolled past the hedge； to make sure that the cop was still there。 He was； lounging by the largest space that he could find。
Reaching the deep end of the pool； Margo sat down on a marble bench； laid the robe aside； and nonchalantly began to adjust her bathing cap。 As she did； she looked up and saw above the hedge。 Her gaze was riveted by third…floor windows at the rear of the hotel； above an extension which formed a garage。
Those windows were lighted； and through one of them Margo saw Colonel Jose Durez in ardent conversation with a portly American who looked like a banker。
Other faces passed the next window and Margo recognized members of the Durez party。 She'd located the suite where they were staying； and had also learned that their business； as mentioned by Durez； had begun！
MARGO found a pack of cigarettes in the pocket of her robe and lighted one since she could no longer stall with the bathing cap。 Her idea； now； was to linger； not to hurry； and she found plenty of chances to glance up toward those windows。 She calculated that the suite went the whole width of the hotel； because the rear wing was paratively narrow。
She saw the edge of a balcony； jutting at the rear； and remembered that it went the whole width； which supported her conclusion。 Moreover； she was wondering why she didn't see Colin Nayre。 He wasn't among those who moved about； so she surmised that he was in another room。
Durez and his friends were drinking Cuba Libres as a preliminary to business。 From their slow sips at the long glasses； they weren't in any hurry。
Margo was just about deciding on a swim； when the glare of headlights cut through the hedge； illuminating the green brush and the officer beyond it。
Margo saw other police e dashing up； as the lone cop called to them。 She hurried over to the hedge。
The lights were from a taxicab； and police were arguing with the driver。
They wanted to know why he'd e here； and what his hurry was。 He was stuttering something about a passenger for the Equator； when one of the officers yanked open the door and said：
〃Oh； yeah？〃
The others looked in the back。 The cab was empty。 They didn't appear surprised； but the driver was。 He couldn't remember where his passenger had dropped off； and he argued that he hadn't been paid。
That point struck home to Margo。 She knew The Shadow's way of dropping out of cabs； but usually he fluttered a bill into the front seat； to cover his fare； with a healthy tip besides。
This new wrinkle would only mean that The Shadow hoped to hold the cab for later use！
The plan； at least； was working； for police had ordered the cabby to park over near the back of the garage。 The cop who guarded the hedge was returning； so Margo had to scamper back to her bench。 As she reached it； she took a quick look over her shoulder and caught a chance glimpse of something that stirred her even more。
A figure was scaling the wall of the garage。 It had just rolled to the roof； away from view of the police。 The shape appeared again； below the third…floor balcony； and prepared for a farther climb。
A faint breeze stirred past the white coquina wall； and Margo saw a slight flutter of blackness that represented the folds of a cloak。
The climber was The Shadow！
Boldly； almost openly； he was trying to reach the darkness of the balcony above； but to manage it； he would have to swing outward； into plain sight； should anyone else stare upward。 The police by the cab might miss sight of him； they were close to the wall and still talking to the driver。 But Margo's friend by the hedge had a perfect angle from which he could spot The Shadow。 Margo's own stare up to the balcony certainly wasn't helping matters。 If she kept it up a few moments longer； the cop would probably wonder what she was looking at。
The one thing to do was get her mind off The Shadow； and carry the officer's attention； too。 So Margo tossed away the cigarette； kicked off her slippers； and tightened the bathing cap。
She walked to the springboard； stepped to the far end of it and poised； preparing for a swan dive。 Her eyes raised and automatically she saw the lighted windows； where Durez and his friends were entertaining their guests。
She even caught the sound of their rising voices。
Then！
Margo never took the swan dive。 She was frozen where she was by the sudden thing that occurred in the rooms above。 Light and gaiety ended together。 With a single blink； the windows were blotted with an absolute darkness that seemed； by its very pall； to smother the babble which ceased as the blackness came！
With that blot that foretold immediate crime； Margo lost her last chance to spot The Shadow； as he swung out to pull himself up over the balcony rail！
CHAPTER III
DEATH GOES RAMPANT
THE last moment of light in the third…floor suite showed a scene that could not be viewed from below…one which presaged the horror that was to be when the illumination ended。
On tables and chairs in the center of the room were the coffers that had e from the armored truck； open for inspection by the bankers。 The smaller coffers were by far the heavier； for they contained gold； in coin。 Gold from the treasury of Centralba； stored up through years： governmental proceeds from such modities as oil； bananas； and mahogany。
The former president； Francisco Peridor； who still called Centralba by its old name； had done well for his people。 All the results of his economics had reached the hands of Luis Castenago； the present dictator。
These funds in gold； plus the American currency that swelled from the larger chests； were payment from Castenago to Durez； and others； who had fattened on private concessions； now the dictator's property。
But Durez and the rest were more than satisfied； as their laughter told。
Their mirth had simply increased when they saw the two American bankers stare in awe at so much wealth； particularly the gold。
Then the scene of pelf was vanished in a trice！ Not even the gold could glitter in the blackness that came when the lights went off。 The blackout could mean but one thing： a threat that produced absolute silence。 Someone was after the spoils that Castenago had yielded！
In the pitch…darkness； men trembled。 Durez and his associates； fresh from a land where death could occur at the mere snap of a dictator's fingers； had thought themselves safe in this healthier clime where law had prevailed。
True； they had heard that criminals could strike in such cities as Miami； or the Beach； but they had been jesting on that very point when they mentioned the terrorism that prevailed in Centralba。
Jests were over。 The menace was here。
A voice spoke from the doorway。 Its rasp was crimeland's edition of a dictator's harsh demands。 The tone belonged to Murk Wessel； big con man； who had switched from his more subtle specialty to outright banditry because of the profits involved。
〃Anybody that moves gets croaked！〃 assured Murk。 〃That dough is going out of here； and nobody stops it！ Savvy？〃
This wasn't like Centralba； where the military police stepped up in daylight and marched their victims off to prison； with the promise of a mock trial that would mean a firing squad at dawn。
Here； things happened in the darkness； where accusers didn't even show their faces。 Men of cr