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

his pocket. The object was the size of a small drinking glass. Skeet removed a
metal cap, to show a glass interior. Liquid showed within. The cylinder was a
highly inflammable acid bomb, that would ignite when broken.
Standing at a discreet distance, Skeet prepared to hurl the device
against
the base of the desk. His leer showed that he would welcome the display of
fireworks. His path was clear to the doorway of the next office and Skeet
turned in that direction, ready to travel fast. His hand came back to hurl the
bomb.
A hiss halted the firebrand. Startled, Skeet tried to identify the sound
and guess the direction from which it came. For a moment, he studied his hand
in alarm, fearful that the noise came from the fire bomb. The hiss ended in a
whispered laugh, low and sinister. This time, Skeet looked in the right
direction.
The thuggish torch stood rigid as he saw The Shadow. The cloaked avenger
had stepped from behind the closet door. His right fist held an automatic; his
left hand, extended, was reaching for the bomb that Skeet held.
Shrinking, Skeet let his hand come down; he was only too willing to give
up his bomb. Skeet knew that he was faced by The Shadow.
Two seconds more, and Skeet would have stood helpless, ready to answer
any
questions that The Shadow might put. In those seconds, something else
occurred.
There was a sharp clatter from the hallway door. It swung inward; with it, a
long-limbed man crossed the threshold. Revolver in hand, the newcomer aimed
for
The Shadow.


IT was Brad, the crook who had received Skeet's call at a pay booth near
the office building. Brad had decided to come and look the place over. He had
arrived in time to oppose The Shadow.
With any ordinary foeman, Brad would have held the bulge. Not with The
Shadow. As Brad's gun blazed, The Shadow was already on the move, feinting
toward the closet door, then suddenly changing direction to place himself
beyond Skeet. Bullets spattered wide, accompanied by Brad's fumed oaths. The
curses ended as The Shadow jabbed a sudden shot, following Brad's wild third
one.
The stabbing bullet found Brad's gun arm. The crook's gun lowered; his
lips ejaculated a cry of pain. Staggering back through the doorway, Brad
became
a hopeless target. He would have surrendered on the instant, if Skeet had not
intervened. It happened that the ugly faced "torch" had joined the game.
Diving past the desk, Skeet hit the floor on his knees, using his left
hand to break the fall. Heaving with his right, he hurled the fire bomb
straight for The Shadow.
The Shadow saw the missile coming. Too late to dodge it, he made a
sidewise leap into the closet, whipping the door shut as he went. Lenning's
body prevented the door from coming to a full close, but its swing was far
enough.