"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 269 - The Golden Doom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"Nothing serious. Chloral hydrate." Riker laughed curtly as if the whole thing were a joke. "That's our
medical trade name. Knockout drops to you, officer."

The cop's puzzled expression faded.

"Somebody doped the guy, huh? Is he all right?"

"All he needs is a little routine attention and a chance to sleep off the effects of the drug at the hospital."

Dr. Riker's voice changed slightly. It got harder, a bit more assertive.

"He won't die, if that's what you mean. Here help us get him into the ambulance."

"Wonder who he is?" the cop said. "Whoever doped him took everything out of his pockets. There's no
label on the inside of his coat. I looked."

Dr. Riker's face remained aloof.

"Why tell me about it? I'm a physician, not a cop. You make your own report. I'll make mine. Fair
enough?"

The cop stared at the ambulance doctor.

"What's the matter? What are you sore about?"

"I'm not sore. I'm in a hurry. We're not supposed to waste time chewing the fat every time we pick up a
bum for hospitalization."

"O.K.," the cop growled. He was sorry he had tried to be friendly. Maybe the hospital was working this
ambulance doctor too hard. Sometimes overwork made a guy irritable.

Murphy made a quick ambulance run back to the hospital.

The victim of chloral hydrate was carried into the hospital on a stretcher. Before he went, Dr. Riker
signed the ambulance slip. It gave the time of the pickup and the nature of the patient's illness. This was
for the receiving physician, who would make a more detailed examination of the emergency patient
before certifying him for a bed in the ward.

Riker pinned the slip to the man's coat. He waited until Murphy came back.

"Sorry I was so abrupt when I talked to you and the cop," he told Murphy. "My nerves are on edge."

"That's O.K., doc."
Riker hesitated.

"You won't say anything about my being away from my post when the call came through, will you?"

"Of course not," Murphy said.

"It isn't that I'm worried about myself. I'd hate to get a swell nurse in a jam. She and I expect to get