"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 116 - Intimidation,Inc" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

lugs. There's been a lot pulled while we've been standing by. I've found out
why Julian Reth sold out the Apex Dye Works to James Blosser; why Martin
Lambroke paid plenty for stuff that Blosser bought; why Blosser turned around
and got rid of the three hundred grand the deal brought him.
"I know now why Ludwig Meldon went haywire and got rid of his power
stock.
He took it on the chin, for a quarter million! And I can tell you guys why he
was bumped - yeah, rubbed out along with Lenning, even though the bulls think
it was suicide. It was so he couldn't squawk and then lam town."


STIFF silence had come over the listeners. Crooks were awed at the
realization that some master criminal had found ways of competing with their
rackets. More than half a million dollars had poured into unknown coffers.
Somehow, Sack Balban had managed to piece those facts.
"What's more," added Sack, "I've got the lowdown on that stadium
contract.
The same big guy is behind it. He threatened people before. He did it again
today. Wrightley, Bursard, Clewiss, Radbourne - all four of them fell for his
line.
"How do I know? Because I've just talked with one of them. He came around
to soft soap me, thinking I was the bird behind this threat stuff. They had to
throw that contract to Markallan, and it's a cinch that Markallan will have to
cough over his profit later."
Sack paused to open the pill bottle. He dumped out a couple of pellets,
tossed them on his tongue and took a long swallow of seltzer. The station
announcement was coming from MXDO; Sack motioned for someone to turn it down.
"I didn't hear much tonight," growled Sack, "but I heard enough to know
what the guy was driving at. The thing that put me wise was a letter that I
got
today, handing me the same stuff that those other birds fell for. Take a
gander
at it, Nobby."
Nobby spread the letter. His eyes bulged.
"Who's this Intimidation, Incorporated?" he asked. "It sounds screwy to
me."
"Yeah?" grunted Sack. "Read what he wants."
"A cut out of our take!" exclaimed Nobby. "A third of everything we clean
up from the racket! To have fifty grand for a starter, laying in your office,
with the door unlocked, at six o'clock tonight. Says you'll be rubbed out if
you don't go through with it."
"And he's got the crust to suggest how I can manage it," added Sack.
"Instead of going fifty-fifty with you boys, there's to be a three-way split
from now on. This Intimidation guy, whoever he is, has figured out how we've
been working."
The radio announcer had finished. He was introducing Hugh Bursard,
stating
that the owner of MXDO would speak on civic improvement. Apparently, Bursard
was
postponing discussion of the stadium contract. Sack Balban paid no attention