"Avenger - 4408 Shadow - To Find A Dead Man" - читать интересную книгу автора (Avenger)

"Egon Black! That was the chap you ran down, about a year ago--the fellow who operated the Death
Syndicate!"

"That's right."

"It was you who caught him. You turned him over to the police, and he escaped. He had a powerful
organization, and he was able to obtain a plane for his escape. But the plane crashed, and he was
burned to death in the wreck."

"Exactly," said Benson.

"But what could Hammond have had to tell you? What kind of information could Hammond have had
which might mean his death?"

"He told me that Egon Black was still alive!"

"Impossible!"

Benson shrugged. "That's what I thought, too. But Hammond gave me certain details--details which
were known to nobody but Egon Black and to my agency."

"And you came here believing that Egon Black was still alive?"

"I didn't know. I came to find out. Now, after seeing Hammond's body, I'm inclined to believe
it."

They had reached the second floor, and they made their way down the corridor to the door of the
front room from which the woman had screamed her warning. The hotel clerk, who had accompanied them,
said, "The lady who lives here is a Mrs. Linton. She's been here a couple of weeks."

Dolson nodded, rapping at the door. "All we'll need, Mr. Benson, is her statement that she saw
you in the street when the body fell. That should clear you--"

He frowned, rapping a second time. "Funny she doesn't answer. She must know we'll want to
question her--"

"She fainted when the body hit," Benson said. "Maybe she hasn't come out of it yet." He glanced
at the clerk. "Better open the door."

The clerk nodded nervously, and produced his passkey. In a moment they were pushing into the
room.

Sure enough, the woman's body was Iying against the window, with her head on the sill.

"That's a long time to be in a faint!" said Dolson. He stepped over to her, saying to the clerk,
"Get some water, please--"

Then he stopped short, looking down at her. "Never mind the water," he said in a queer voice.