"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 320 - Reign of Terror" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"Yes, I realize that; that's the only reason I intruded. But I wanted to question at least one of them."
Under the black cape The Shadow's shoulders shrugged. "Too bad. However, we have a problem about
the disposition of the bodies. Ordinarily I'd tell you to call the police and say that you had shot two
burglars. But if this gets out you'll have more visitors..."

Shuddering, Ravvel agreed to that logic. He strained his eyes trying to penetrate the darkness that lay
over The Shadow's face. It was useless. He could sense a strong nose, deep set eyes, but that was all.

"Surprising that the sound of those shots hasn't attracted any attention."

"No." Ravvel pointed to a piano in the corner of the room. "I'm an arranger. I had to have the apartment
sound proofed so that I wouldn't drive the neighbors crazy."

"I see. Very well. Sit tight." The Shadow went to the phone and dialed a number. It was answered
immediately. The Shadow said, "I have a disposal problem."

There was a pause, then Ravvel heard the man in black say, "Two. Very good. Immediately."

Hanging up the phone, The Shadow said, "I'd advise you to go back to bed and try to relax. Close the
door and don't open it no matter what you hear for the next hour. Can I trust you?"

Ravvel spluttered, "Can you trust me? How can I ever thank you? Who am I indebted to?"

His question was directed to the black hat of the man who was going out the front door. Just as the door
closed behind his saviour, he heard a low voice say, "The Shadow." The door closed on a whisper of a
laugh.

Ravvel stood in the center of the floor digesting that for a moment, then studiously keeping his eyes away
from the two cadavers on the floor, he went into his bedroom and closed the door.

He waited two hours, an hour more than he had said he would. In all that time and it seemed like three
lifetimes, he heard no sound. Yet when he opened the door at the end of the two hours, his living room
was empty.

But for the ruffled rug and the broken picture on the wall, there was no sign that anything amiss had ever
occurred. There was a note on the piano. It said, "Would advise you to get rid of that picture and plug up
the bullet holes in the wall with plaster of Paris. Carbon tetrachloride will remove the blood stain from the
carpet."

That was all. It was over. He shook his head dazedly. Sleep. He would have to get some sleep before he
could think coherently. He went into bed.
In his ears he could still feel an echo of that uncanny whispered laugh. 'The Shadow'... he was under the
protection of that fabled creature of the nether world! When he went to bed he fell asleep instantly.

CHAPTER IV
A CAT, statue still, watched with saucer eyes as its quiet alley was disturbed. It was poised on the rim of
a garbage can. It watched unblinkingly as the men got out of a car. The car was parked at the entrance of
the alley. One of the men turned a flashlight on the alley. He saw ahead of him the tangled mess of broken
boxes, cardboard, paper, and garbage cans each of which was a potential booby trap. He whispered to
the two other men with him, "Take it easy." They nodded. He said, "I'll hold the flash. Wait a second