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

relaxed a bit.

Looking off into space, Corre said, "Something light, some vichyssoise, some stuffed oysters and perhaps
a chop. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful," Martin said. As Corre left the room, Martin tried to engage Buster in conversation. He had
tried before and always failed. This time was no exception. The man sat heavily staring off into space. He
grunted his answers if you could call them that. Martin wondered as he had before why Corre kept the
man around. Of course he acted as court jester, he always responded when Corre gave him a hot foot,
but even so, you'd think Corre would get tired of that after a while.

Corre came bustling out of the kitchen, "I almost forgot about replacing our... departed business
members. Who can I replace Barrels and Larry with? Let me see..." He picked up the phone. He barked
into the mouthpiece, "Corbaccio? Get Garrand and Venables. They take over for our... our dear friends.
Yeah. Give them the lists. Don't forget about the doctors. I think that's due to grow into a nice little side
line." He hung up the phone.

As he went back to the kitchen Martin wondered what in the world Corre could be doing moving in on
the doctors. Maybe, he thought, it was just as well if he didn't know any more about it. Maybe he should
just concentrate on his business and let Corre worry about the other things.

Corre came bustling back out of the kitchen as the phone rang again. He said, "Wouldn't you think these
fools would know by now that I hate to be disturbed at lunch time?"
He picked up the phone. His china blue eyes were piggy with anger. He barked, "Yeah? What? I'll take
care of it." He slammed the phone down.

He turned to Buster and Martin. "That does it! That reporter Corbaccio has on the payroll is getting
ready to blow!" He sat down. For once all thought of food was gone from his mind. The gelatinous mass
of his face twisted up so that it was almost stern. His eyes landed on Martin. He said coldly, "You, beat
it. I have to think."

Martin left gladly.

Corre said, "Buster, now I know why they had that St. Valentine's Day massacre in Chicago a few years
back. When you buy a man, he ought to stay bought it seems to me. This has got to be good. The papers
will go wild when a reporter gets knocked off. Yeah... this better be good." He paused, then said slowly,
"And it will be!"

CHAPTER VI
NIGHT came to the city. In power houses the dynamos increased their surge of power. Subways passed
their peak loads and eased off for their lighter evening schedules. Movie houses began to fill more
rapidly.

With the disappearance of the sun, people moved more slowly. Those who were going home were
almost there. Those who were going out were going for fun, for relaxation. Some of the strain went out of
urban life. Bars were fuller, night clubs began to get ready for the evening influx.

And the man whose name instilled fear in even the creatures of the night? He got up from the desk at
which he had been working all day. He took his cape off. He took his jacket off. His shoulder holsters
were hanging on the wall. He put them on. Then he remembered to load the clip of the gun he had used