"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 117 - Vengeance Is Mine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

door at the very end.
Coming back to the desk, Cardona found Mook listening to the girl who was
seated there. The floor clerk was looking up toward Mook, telling him about a
visitor who had called to see him.
"He was a young man, Mr. Mook," said the girl. "I told him that you were
not in your room. I even rang your telephone. He said that you were probably
asleep."
Mook looked puzzled. He could not place the visitor. Shaking his head, he
picked up his big room key. Everything about the Hotel Goliath was massive,
like its name, even to the door locks and the room keys.
"Wait a minute, Mr. Mook," suggested Cardona. Then, to the girl:
"What did this caller look like?"
"He was quite tall," replied the clerk. "His face was squarish,
particularly his chin. It was quite broad and square."
"Was his face flattish?"
"That could describe it," replied the girl, "though he was not ugly. His
hair was dark-brown; so were his eyes."
"And he was dark-complexioned -"
The girl thought; then nodded.
"He was young," she added. "Certainly under thirty. He talked very
briskly; and he insisted on going to the end of the corridor to knock at Mr.
Mook's door. I heard him rapping there, quite loudly. He would stop for ten or
fifteen seconds and then begin again. At last, I had to send an elevator
operator to tell him it was against the rules.
"Then the man stopped knocking?"
"Yes. He seemed convinced that Mr. Mook was out."


MAKING notes of the clerk's description of the man who had pounded at the
door of 2549, Cardona could see a resemblance between him and the mysterious
assassin who had handed the bomb to Zanwood.
Linking these descriptions, Cardona came to the assumption that Mook's
visitor might be Zanwood's assassin. The connection was a good one, for it
allowed for nervousness exhibited by Dudley Mook. Whether or not Mook had
called headquarters, he had certainly acknowledged an acquaintanceship with
Zanwood.
Cardona remembered the second bomb that had exploded in the abandoned
coupe. It struck him that that bomb could have been intended for Dudley Mook.
Looking at Mook, Cardona finally classed him as an innocent man; an
unfortunate who stood in danger. Mook, however, misunderstood Cardona's gaze.
Again chewing his lips, Mook showed that he felt himself under suspicion. He
began a sincere protest:
"I tell you, inspector, I did not call your office. I swear it!"
"Then who did?" demanded Cardona, seeing a good chance to begin his quiz.
"Someone else who knows Zanwood?"
 "I have no idea," returned Mook. "George Zanwood and I have scarcely seen
each other in the past six years. Whatever Zanwood has done during that period
has been his own affair. I read of his death; I was sorry for it. But it
cannot
possibly concern me. Someone is using me, inspector."