"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 030 - The Death Giver" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

The swarthy man was none other than Joe Cardona, ace detective on the New York force; and this
afternoon Joe was on his way to an interview with Police Commissioner Ralph Weston, regarding this
very case.

Two successive, unexplainable murders on the Suburban Railway. Both had taken place at the same
spot; both at the same hour of the day. One had occurred yesterday morning; the other had taken place
this morning.

Joe Cardona, back from a fruitless investigation, had walked directly into the area where newsboys were
blaring forth the latest details from the huge presses of the evening journals.

The cries waned as Cardona neared his destination. The silence of the elevator in which he rode upward
to the commissioner's office brought him no ease of mind. To Cardona, this was the quiet preceding a
hurricane. Joe Cardona dreaded his meeting with the police commissioner.

IMMEDIATELY after he announced his arrival, the star detective was ushered into the presence of the
commissioner. Stepping into a large office, Cardona faced a stern, keen-eyed man whose firm face and
mustached lip gave him the appearance of a business executive. This was Ralph Weston, whose power
had been constantly increasing ever since he had taken over the duties of police commissioner.

Commissioner Weston was talking into a desk telephone. He noticed Cardona from the corners of his
eyes, and motioned the detective to be seated.

Cardona took a chair opposite the commissioner and assumed his usual attitudeтАФa poker-faced
expression that served as a defensive. He made no move; he registered no change of countenance, even
when Weston finished his call and turned from the telephone to stare squarely at the detective.

"Well?" questioned Weston. "What about it?"

"No clews, sir," responded Cardona gruffly. "We'll have to wait until tomorrow."

"Until to-morrow? Why?"

"To reconstruct the scene of the crime."

"Humph!" A derisive smile flickered on the commissioner's lips. "Wait until to-morrow, eh? Why didn't
you do it to-day? You might have prevented the second killing."

"I know that now," responded Cardona grimly. "It simply looked like an accidentтАФthat first death. It
looks the same now, commissioner, but two accidents like that one don't happen. We're watching the
scene to-dayтАФand I'll be there to-morrow -"

Ralph Weston settled back in his chair. The police commissioner, despite his sternness, had a great deal
of confidence in Joe Cardona. Nevertheless, it was his custom to drive the detective.

When Weston summoned Cardona, it meant that the detective was being called to the carpet. The result
was usually intensive effort on Cardona's part. An efficient trailer of crime, a man who had done great
things on the force, Cardona, nevertheless, remained in constant awe of his superior, the brusque police
commissioner.
"Give me the details," stated Weston.