"killersusesewers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lewis Stafford)thrown in a trunk sewer and the body washed out into the Sound, making it look like an
ordinary drowning. The second and third deaths showed technical knowledge and had been effective enough to make more deaths unnecessary for the past week. A city councilman and the man on night duty at the sewage-disposal plant had been found down in a manhole overcome by both sewer and chlorine gas; the exit for the sewage was too small to let the bodies wash out into Puget Sound. There was no doubt that these men had died a horrible and revolting death. A death Dave Sands didn't want to share. He switched the .38 revolver and holster from his right hip to the front of his belt, where he could draw it easier. Then he was ready to search the sewage plant for the killers or any trace of the girl. Dave was surprised that no one had taken his gun. He was surprised even more, the next moment, at a scream. It was the girl's scream; there was no doubt of that. Though, from the way she'd been traveling, Dave imagined she would be far away from the plant. But he was sure this was the girl. He listened to locate the voice. To Dave, the scream was high and shrill and filled with terror! The short hairs rose on his neck as he located the sound beyond the control building. Dave Sands ran around the underground wet well and along the weirs, the concrete ditches through which the sewage travels on its way to the control room. He took advantage of the machinery and buildings; so he was able to keep pretty well out of sight of anyone on the higher ground by stooping over as he ran toward the digesters. Dave could see a dark mound on the bank, just below the control building and in front of the clarifiers. Part of that mound was reflecting white moonlight--and that was what gave Dave a sick, shocked feeling. He knew what the mound was before he was close enough to see well in the moonlight. He was right. It was Mike Haines, though the still face didn't look like Mike any more; it looked more like a wax mask. Mike had worked the night shift alone at the plant from four in the afternoon until midnight. As the man in charge of the plant, Dave had taken the much more dangerous shift, from midnight until morning. Besides, as a member of a re- volver club, Dave had a permit to carry a gun, the ability to use it and the respect of the police as a man who would never misuse his gun. Dave examined the body of Mike Haines, feeling personally responsible for the death of his night man. There was a hole in Mike's chest, surrounded by dark, sticky stuff-- blood. He'd been shot! This second death convinced Dave that the extortion gang was completely ruthless. They had killed the second workman who had interfered with their plans to use the plant as a means for another ruthless murder--undoubtedly the murder of the girl, this time. Dave Sands squirmed up over the bank so he could see. Two men were dragging the girl |
|
|