"Daniels, Norman A - Paid To Die - Avenger 4003 backstory" - читать интересную книгу автора (Daniels Norman A)

At nine the next morning, three members of the staff of Cardy's exclusive gem store cut off the
burglar-alarm system, went over to the safe and opened it. As the big door swung wide, four men
barged into the store. They wore the gray uniforms of the Ames' agency. The clerks, gathered around
the safe, didn't seem to notice the presence of the intruders. Guns appeared! One of the men snapped
a command.

"Stay right where you are, y'u guys. One move and you get drilled. Lift your mitts--high!"

Another whispered to his mates, "Shall we let 'em have it?"

"Not yet," the man at his right answered. "We don't want to start the fireworks until we've got
the stuff and are ready to scram."

The thugs moved toward the safe, guns ready. If anyone passing by, outside, happened to look in,
they would hardly realize this was a stick-up. The uniformed guards of the Ames Agency were
well-known in this vicinity. It would seem as though they were merely guarding the transfer of gems
to the show cases.

"All set?" one of the crooks asked. "Y'u three guys get into that safe and grab everything
loose. I'll keep my gun on these three stooges. If they move, I'll blow 'em apart."

Three of the thugs stepped into the spacious safe and began opening velvet-lined drawers. They
dumped the contents into their sacks and gloated over the amount of the loot. Not one noticed that
the great door was slowly closing on them.

The thug who held a gun on the clerks had his back turned toward the safe, but as the great door
shut, it made a muffled sound. He turned his head and then wheeled around, his gun spitting.


Sergeant O'Hara was ready for that! So were the three clerks. The lone member of the gang
managed to pull the trigger twice before he was riddled with slugs and dropped to the floor.

Outside the store, the man at the wheel of the killer's car shuddered and prepared to make a
quick getaway. Someone stood just beside him and a gun was shoved at his face.

"Going some place, heel? No, I don't think so. Just sit like you are."

Sirens shrieked down the street. Three cars, packed with men from the riot squad, took up
positions around the store. The police commissioner's sedan rolled up and he hopped out.

O'Hara saluted him respectfully. "Three of them are in the safe, sir. The men you assigned to
replace the clerks did a swell job."

"Great work, O'Hara," the commissioner approved, "but I've a bit of bad news for you. Ames--head
of this phony detective agency, can't be found. Looks as though he was tipped off, somehow, and got
clear."

O'Hara grinned. "Step this way, sir, Have a look behind that counter."