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！
ple to another police car that had rallied to the chase。 Soon； the truck was veering； too； its occupants fearing that the annoying cars would form a blockade against it。
There were times when the truck managed to disappear； but always it was flushed again； whereupon it opened fire wildly； and fled。
It was much like a fox hunt； except that no one shouted 〃Tallyho〃 and the fox was being very weary。 This fox； by name； Murk Wessel； had a big chunk of the Centralban treasure in his possession and didn't want to be treed。 But the more he drove in and about Miami Beach； the worse his plight became。
Two long bridges offered outlet from Miami Beach： one； the Venetian Way； the other； the County Causeway。 Each had a drawbridge； that could be raised by sending word ahead； and Murk's futile efforts to shake off pursuers had wasted enough time for the draws to be set against him。
There was another route； to the north； which Nayre had been smart enough to take at once； but Murk hadn't。 That route narrowed as it proceeded； and Murk had seen police cars speed off to block it。
A well…laid barricade would turn Murk's armored truck from a mobile menace into a stationary fortress； which could be starved out； if nothing else。 Eating ten million dollars wouldn't be very healthy； particularly with so much in gold。
So the truck began new tactics。 It cut in and out of streets around Dade Boulevard； a diagonal thoroughfare that made a patchwork out of ordinary squares。 It looked like a game of hide…and…seek； and nothing more； for invariably the truck was spotted and forced to roar away again。
At last； it popped into sight over a bridge crossing Collins Canal； and suddenly cut southwest along the boulevard； which led to the Venetian Way。
It was then that the taxicab came back into the picture。 ing over a humped bridge that crossed the canal； it overtook a flock of police cars that were trailing the truck at a respectful distance。 Daringly； the cab sped up behind the armored vehicle。
The police didn't recognize what was going on in the cab。 Its driver； of course； was obeying The Shadow's order； as he had all along； for the ominous presence of a black…cloaked passenger from nowhere was enough to mand obedience。 That； however； did not explain why The Shadow ordered such a daring course。
The Shadow had noticed that the police cars were appreciably closer to the armored truck than Murk and his crew had previously allowed。 The Shadow wanted to know why the fugitives weren't shooting back。 His quick foray toward the truck was acpanied by vigilance。
He was telling the taut…nerved driver to veer away the instant he received the mand。 So far； The Shadow had managed to pick 〃outs〃 the very instant that mobster guns talked。
This time it wasn't necessary。
Though the cab wheeled almost to the rear of the fugitive truck； no shots came from the armored vehicle。
Inspired by The Shadow's example； the police cars made a spurt。 They saw the cab make a sudden swing； as though to dodge a ing gunfire； but no shots occurred。 The swerve sent the cab jouncing on to the tree…lined sidewalk across the boulevard from the canal； but the police cars continued the chase。
Apparently； the crooks were out of ammunition； and had simply bluffed by poking guns from the rear of the truck。 Such wasn't the actual case however。
The reason The Shadow ordered the cab's veer was because he saw no guns at all！
AS soon as the police cars had whizzed past； the forgotten cab backed from the sidewalk； bounced over the curb and turned around； to speed back toward Miami Beach。
As the sounds of police sirens dwindled； The Shadow laughed。 He could anticipate the surprise that the Miami Beach police would find。
It came when the armored truck jerked to a necessary stop at the raised drawbridge on the Venetian Way。 The police piled from their cars and reached the truck； dodging its dangerous rear door。
They saw a scared driver at the wheel； both hands raised。 He lowered one when the officers beckoned； and opened the front door。 Springing into the truck； the police found it empty。
Murk Wessel and the remaining members of his picked crew were gone； to a man； and the coffers containing millions had vanished with them！
Shakily； the driver was explaining things。 Gunmen had told him to keep looking ahead。 Generally； they had said： 〃Keep going！〃 But occasionally they had ordered halts； when a hiding policy seemed preferable。 He remembered that the last stop had been somewhere near one of the many canals that made a veritable Venice of the western section of Miami Beach。
They'd told him to wait about a minute and then start for the boulevard； to head straight for Miami。 He had an idea that they'd gone out the rear of the truck during that wait； but he hadn't been too sure。 He'd feared that at least one lurking crook had stayed on board； to make sure instructions were obeyed。
By the time the truck driver reached that stage of his story； the cops were no longer interested。 They realized how they had been duped。 Murk and his tribe had dropped off； swag and all； to take a water route； sending the police along on a blind chase！
Only The Shadow had guessed the ruse。 Alone； he was returning in the cab that he had mandeered to hunt down Murk's band of murderers。 Why The Shadow had undertaken that quest single…handed； was soon to be proven。
Recalling the most likely spot where mobsters could have disembarked from the armored truck； The Shadow was guiding the cab driver to it。 They reached a park； where the moonlight glimmered on the waters of a curving canal…one of those serpentine waterways where aquaplaners frequently disported for the benefit of newsreel photographers。
Neither aquaplanes nor cameramen were in sight。 Through the fringing palms； The Shadow saw the hulk of a low…lying boat； which might belong to Murk and his panions。 Stealthily； The Shadow skirted toward a better vantage point。 He was planning to reach an ornamental bridge and make a quick drop into the craft that carried the crooks； before it could really get under way。
Then came the thing The Shadow didn't want to hear。
It was the wail of an approaching siren； the same whistly trill that every police car had used while on the chase。 The sound proved that the police had learned their error and were ing back； making an even greater mistake by proclaiming their return。 The give…away howl of those sirens was the very reason why The Shadow had sent the patrols in the other direction。
Crooks heard the sirens； too。 A motor coughed； and the lurking craft was off。 Low； beneath the level of the palm…lined shore； it was where The Shadow couldn't reach it with bullets。 The boat was roaring beneath the bridge as The Shadow reached the scene on foot。
Springing to the center of the short bridge； he stabbed shots after the fugitives； and they fired back。 Palms that obscured the moonlight made the speedy boat no more than a low…lying streak of black； which The Shadow took as a general target。
In their return； Murk's gunners were shooting only at the stone rail of the bridge； from which a weird； taunting laugh acpanied the gun bursts。 Then a turn in the canal carried the swift boat from sight； as well as gun range。 The roar of a powerful motor echoed back along the wave…washed waterway； while sirens； rising in their pitch； howled a rapid approach。
HIS own ruse spoiled； The Shadow hurried back to the cab； to find that it had no driver。 The fellow was blocks away by this time。 He hadn't even waited to snatch the keys from the ignition lock； so The Shadow used the cab for his own departure。
He was around a bend in the road that swung through the park； when he heard the sirens halting； back where he had been。
Any chase along this driveway would be futile； for by this time； the fugitive speedboat had reached the broad waters of Biscayne Bay。 The laugh that The Shadow gave was grim； signifying a ing problem which he could definitely foresee because the police had overlooked it。 It was something that credited Murk Wessel with a high degree of shrewdness。
The very system by which the police