"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 290 - Death has Grey Eyes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"Souvenirs, probably," suggested Cranston. "The G.I.'s send home
everything short of captured buzz-bombs."
"As good an answer as any," admitted the commissioner. "Come to think
about it, we've had a lot of trouble from odd contrivances getting into the
wrong hands."
"You picked these up near the Starview Roof," reminded Cranston. "That's
rather appropriate, since they have a new singer there who is rather vague on
the exact date when you ask her about the last time she saw Paris."
Weston grunted at what he thought was some of Cranston's triviality.
"In fact the Starview is going Parisian," continued Cranston. "I
understand they may book some Apache dancers."
"Dancers don't use knives," argued Weston, "but maybe you have something.
These cut throats may have some grudge against those dancers you mention."
"Gunning for them," nodded Cranston. "With knives."
"Have your joke," snapped Weston. "The last laugh will be mine after our
investigation discloses what last night's trouble was actually about."
Perhaps Cranston felt himself better qualified than Weston to pursue such
an investigation, but if he happened to be depending on Dick Whitlock,
Cranston
would be due for some disappointment. At present Dick was sitting in the
living
room of his snug apartment, personally wondering just what it was all about.
At least Dick had company in the person of Jerry Trimm, who wasn't
helping
much.
"I've told you about the muggers," Dick was saying, "so let's forget
them.
Other things worry me more."
"You mean Claire?" queried Jerry. "Or Irene?"
"Reading from left to right," returned Dick, "we'll take Claire Austley
first. Or suppose you take her."
"Now listen, Dick -"
"You're gone on Claire, so why deny it? I don't blame you, Jerry. After
all why should Claire have waited for me to come back? For a while it must
have
looked as though I wasn't coming back."
"Maybe Claire is very glad, Dick."
"She should be, considering that my money has accumulated instead of
lessening while I've been gone. Don't argue the point, Jerry" - Dick waved an
interrupting hand - "because it never did elude me."
Jerry's eyes went puzzled.
"You mean you thought Claire was after cash when you asked her to marry
you, Dick?"
"I wouldn't put it that bluntly," declared Dick. "Let's say that I knew
Claire would want a lot but that I considered her worth it."
"And now you've changed your mind?"
"I've changed my sense of values. It didn't take me long after I was in
the army to find out that loyalty and friendship aren't counted in terms of
dollars. So I suppose the same applies to love."
Jerry's gaze became relieved.