"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 009 - Mobsmen on the Spot" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"I kept you out of the collecting end because I smelled trouble, and didn't want you mixed up too heavy
in the legit side of the business. Those gorillasтАФwell, I supplied the dough for themтАФbut you picked
them. Don't forget that!"

"Well, I got a bum steer, that's all," said Ernie sullenly. "I know this racket, Tim. It may be a new one, but
you're running it like a lot of other guys. Collecting the dough from all these two-by-four storage houses.
Making 'em keep their prices the same. Each one to his own territory.

"Soft, wasn't it, the way they fell in line! Until this one guyтАФ Burton BrooksтАФtells you it's all off, and
gets a few other small fry to do the same.
"So you frame it nice. All set to knock off one of the Brooks vans. Slug the driver and the van man.
Make them quit, and scare the rest of them. Start the dough coming in again. Simple, ain't it?"

"Simple is right," replied Waldron. "And let me tell you something, tough guy! Those van men are
unionized, and I've been chiseling in on their outfit.

"They think a lot of their hides, those guys, and with one reason to walk out on Brooks, they'd do it!
That's why I told you to have the gorillas slug them. Did they do it?"

"They started to, but -"

"But what?" Tim Waldron's growl was as emphatic as that of his visitor.

"Some guy butted in and smeared the job!" replied Shires.

"How many guys?" quizzed Waldron incredulously.

"One guy!"

"And you had your mob there?"

"Yeah! But this guy sneaked up on us. Had a gun with a silencer. Clipped the whole mobтАФall but me."

"One guy, huh!" sneered Waldron. "That sounds fishy to meтАФand you sound yellow!"

ERNIE SHIRES leaped forward from the wall. Tim Waldron rose to meet him. For a few moments the
men glared at each other.

Then Shires turned suddenly and walked back across the room. Waldron, viciously chewing the end of
his cigar, resumed his seat.

"So you lay down on the job!" said Waldron disdainfully. "Went out to slug two guys and smash up a
van. One bird cleans you and your mob! Tough bunch of gorillas you've got!"

Shires clenched his fists, but made no reply.

"I'm going to tell you what this means," said Waldron coldly. "You think it means the end of my
racketтАФthat's what you suggested when you came in here. Well, it don't! Get that, tough guy? It means
the end of you! That's all!