"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 260 - The Money Master" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

fashion, providing he had official backing. Bert's invitation to Joe was largely courtesy, for apparently he
felt that Emmart would serve quite as well.

TEN minutes later, Bert Cowder shouldered from the office, a derby hat pulled down over one eye. In
Bert's wake followed Gregg Emmart, a thin, pale-faced individual whose wise face was largely an
attempt to copy Cardona's habitual expression.

From the doorway, Cardona watched their departure, then let his dark eyes flicker as he spied another
witness.

Said witness was Clyde Burke, a newspaper reporter who had been hounding Cardona's office much of
late. When it came to tracking things down, Clyde was an expert in his own right; his interest, however,
was more in news scoops than in crooks, except when the two happened to coincide.

That Clyde saw such a possibility at present, was evident from the way his wise eye followed the
departure of Bert Cowder and Gregg Emmart.

Catching Cardona's gaze, Clyde gave a casual nod and turned away.

"Be seeing you later, Joe," the reporter said. "I didn't have anything to talk about, anyway."

A firm hand hooked Clyde's sleeve and hauled him into the office. Pointing the reporter to a chair,
Cardona closed the door and returned to his desk.

"We've got two things to talk about," gruffed the inspector. "Bert Cowder and Gregg Emmart. Where
they're going, you wouldn't want to go."

"You mean you wouldn't want me to go," retorted the reporter. "Why else would you give me the
sleeve?"

Cardona decided on another compromise. One had worked in Cowder's case; it was policy to apply the
same rule to Burke. Reaching to the desk, Cardona picked up a folded sheet of paper and waved it
slowly, almost within Clyde's reach.

"Suppose I told you where they went, Burke. You'd stay away from there?"

"Yes," parried Clyde, "provided it wouldn't mean missing out on an exclusive story."

"You're more likely to get one here," stated Cardona. "The fellow Emmart went to see might talk to a
detective, but not to a reporter."

"All right, Joe. I'll stick until Emmart gets back."

Cardona flipped the folded paper across the desk. Clyde opened it and read the name and address of
Elvor Brune. The name itself smacked of refugee. When Clyde lifted his eyebrows, Cardona nodded.

Briefly, the inspector explained the status of the man who feared; how Brune, succumbing to an epidemic
of fright among refugees, had reached the point where he was even dodging Cowder, the man he'd hired
as a protector. Clyde agreed that it was a queer case; then he inquired: