"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 228 - The Shadow Meets The Mask" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

THE SHADOW MEETS THE MASK
by Walter Gibson

As originally published in "The Shadow Magazine," August 15, 1941.

The law was powerless to uncover this frozen-faced fiend! Could The
Shadow
unmask him before he completed his dire plans?


CHAPTER I

MASKED MURDER

POLICE COMMISSIONER RALPH WESTON glanced at the last appointment on his
daily calendar. It was marked 5:30 p.m., and it said: "Call Hubert
Warrendale."
With a tight smile beneath his short-clipped mustache, Weston reached for
the telephone and gave Warrendale's number. At that moment, Weston heard a
brief knock, followed by the opening of the office door. The commissioner
looked up to see a swarthy, poker-faced man, of stocky build.
"I'm here, commissioner."
The arrival was Inspector Joe Cardona of the New York City police, the
ace
of Weston's staff. Cardona made it a habit to be punctual, which sometimes
irked
Weston, who liked to chalk up errors against inferiors in order to prevent
them
from becoming too self-satisfied.
Today, the commissioner had hoped that he would complete this important
phone call before the ace inspector arrived to keep a five-thirty appointment.
But Cardona, in his accustomed style, had shown up on schedule.
Briskly motioning for Cardona to be seated, Weston concentrated on the
telephone call. He heard a slow, precise voice answer, and recognized it as
belonging to Lathan, Warrendale's secretary.
"Hello, Lathan," spoke Weston. "This is the police commissioner. Is Mr.
Warrendale there?"
"Yes, commissioner," returned Lathan. "He is occupied at present, but I
shall summon him."
"No need to do that," declared Weston. "I merely want to know how soon he
will be starting to Malvin's."
"I shall ask him, sir."
During the pause, Weston glanced at Cardona. Catching the look, the
swarthy inspector inquired bluntly:
"Is that Hubert Warrendale you are calling, commissioner?"
"It is," said Weston. "He's at his Long Island home."
"Hubert Warrendale, the financial wizard," mused Cardona. "Sounds
interesting, commissioner."
"Have you ever met Warrendale, inspector?"
Cardona shook his head.