"coffinfortheavenger" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tepperman Emile C)

The bald-headed Strake continued to smile. "You're a fool, Forsythe. Don't you know by
this time that there is nothing"--Strake's face suddenly congealed with a swift rush of rage--
"nothing, I tell you, that The Black Tulip can't get away with!"

He sprang up from behind the desk and came around on his absurdly short legs until he stood
squarely in front of Forsythe, "Four months ago I offered you half a million dollars for your
depth charge formula. I offered to smuggle you aboard a U-boat and take you to Germany where
you would have been rewarded even beyond the money I offered--"

"Sure," Forsythe said bitterly. "I'd have been rewarded in a concentration camp!"

Strake proceeded as if Forsythe had not spoken. He shook a finger in his prisoner's
face. "But you saw fit to reject my offer. You knew my power, however, so you arranged
with the Intelligence Service to go into hiding while you worked out the formula for the
Forsythe Down-draft Depth Charge. You went to live on Crawford's estate and posed as his
chauffeur. You set up a laboratory in the garage, didn't you? And you thought that The
Black Tulip would never find you, eh?"

Forsythe's glance dropped before the intensity of passion in the other's eyes.

"Well, Forsythe, we found you!"

"You'll never get away with this, Strake. Crawford saw your men carry the coffin away
to the truck. When he misses me he'll guess I was in it--"

He stopped as Strake began to laugh softly.

"What...what are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing, my dear Forsythe, at your stupidity. Did you think we'd leave Crawford
alive?"

"You...you've killed him?"

"Draw your own conclusions."

"Damn you!"

"Is that all you can say, Forsythe?"

"No, no! That's not all I can say. I tell you that it won't help you to have killed
Crawford. Admlral Miles of Naval Intelligence, arranged with Crawford to let me live on his
estate. They arranged that Admiral Miles was to phone once a day. The admiral must have
phoned already. He'll know there's something wrong. They'll scour the country. They'll not
leave a stone unturned--"

"Wait, Forsythe. Don't be misled by false hope. I want you to realize the full futility
or your situation. Suppose you think back. Who else besides Admiral Miles knew where you
were and what you were doing?"