"028 (B088) - The Roar Devil (1935-06) - Lester Dent" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

AGAIN and again, Doc Savage tried to get information from their victim, only to get a repetition of what had been said previously. Later, there were mouthings which surprised and puzzled them.
"Biggest thing - in history," the doped man rambled. "Millions in it - every crook in country - whether they like it or not - police helpless."
"Sounds like a pipe dream," Renny murmured.
When the effects of the serum began to wear off, Doc Savage administered more.
"Got to get Dove Zachies's cache," their subject rambled. "Tie up grifters in New York - make Zachies see reason - Doc Savage - to be stopped."
Renny eyed Doc. "Ever hear of Dove Zachies?"
"Crook," the bronze man replied. "Rumored to be the brains behind a large organization. I've been intending to give him some attention."
Their prisoner seemed to have divulged all he knew, for his continued ramblings were only repetitions. After a time, he came out from under the influence of the drug. He shut up promptly. To their questions, he replied with profanity.
The telephone rang. It was the mayor of Powertown, who had finally gotten connections over the repaired telephone wires.
"We are face to face with a rather fantastic menace," he told Doc Savage, and went on to repeat substantially the facts which had come out in the conclave of the city fathers in the Municipal Office Building.
"We need the assistance of a man of your ability," his honor finished.
"Have you heard any mention of an individual or thing called the Roar Devil in connection with these mysterious earth tremors?" Doc asked.
"No," said the mayor. "But I told you of the roaring sounds. They are very strange."
"You want me to investigate this?" Doc asked.
"Exactly!"
"One of my five associates, Colonel John Renwick, will be in Powertown within a few hours," Doc Savage said.
The mayor murmured, "But it might be better if you came personally - "
"Later," Doc advised. "Colonel Renwick is one of the world's leading engineers. You can depend on him."
The bronze man hung up.
Renny studied Doc gloomily. "How come?"
"You will go to Powertown," Doc told him. "I will remain in New York, at least for a time, to see what turns up on this other matter." He nodded at the stocky man who had tried to kill him.
"You think this fellow tried to kill you to keep you from looking into the mystery at Powertown?" Renny demanded.
"Entirely possible," Doc told him.
RENNY made preparations for his departure. In the midst of them, he paused and indicated their prisoner, who was now entirely out from under the effects of the truth serum.
"What about this fellow?" Renny asked. "We've got all we can out of him. What'll we do with him?"
"The thing we usually do with crooks," Doc said, "send them upstate."
Renny said, "I'm going to fly up to Powertown."
"Good luck," Doc told him.

Chapter V. RENNY AND THE SIREN

RENNY arrived in Powertown in a small, fast plane. He handled the controls himself. The Powertown Municipal Airport was modern and lighted, so that there was no difficulty about landing, although it was well after sundown.
A taxicab took Renny directly to the Municipal Office Building.
Renny seemed to make quite a favorable Impression on the assembled leaders of the town. As a matter of fact, he was a commanding figure, and an interesting one. His enormous hands were especially striking. And he could make a speech as effective as the mayor's.
In a businesslike session, Renny was furnished with all the information available. It was not substantially greater than what had been told over the telephone.
The two mysteriously afflicted engineers were brought in on stretchers. Renny examined them. Such things were not his specialty. He was completely baffled.
"This is something for Doc Savage," he said. "My job is to examine those dams and learn whether they are in immediate danger of collapsing. Too, those strange roaring noises interest me."
Renny requested an aлrial photographic map of the region about Powertown. Some one went for it. During the wait, there was more conversation.
Because he wanted to think, Renny drew aside, seated himself in a deep chair, leaned back and fixed his eyes on the ceiling. Almost at once, he saw something. He did not realize immediately its significance.
At first, he mistook what he had seen for a cobweb with light shining on it. Then he realized it was far too long and straight for a cobweb. Too, there were a pair of the tiny threads.
Wires! It was only the artificial lights and Renny's excellent eyesight which had led to their discovery. Renny got up and pretended to walk around the conference hall while he examined the wires. They led from the huge, ornate chandelier in the center of the room to a window at the rear.
Renny took up a position near the door and rapped a table loudly until he had attention.
"Did you know someone is eavesdropping on you with a dictograph device?" he demanded loudly, and pointed out the wires.
There was some excitement. In the middle of it, Renny ducked out, ran around the block and concealed himself behind a parked car. He knew the wires must run into some building at the rear of the hall, and if there was an eavesdropper, the individual would be fairly certain to take flight. Renny did not have long to wait.
A young woman came out of a small hotel directly back of the Municipal Office Building. She was in a great hurry. She hastened down the street.
Renny followed her. He did it expertly, for he was an old hand at this sort of thing. The young woman headed toward the residential district.
Once, when he drew close to the young woman, Renny was absolutely certain he heard her laughing to herself. It was genuine mirth, as if she enjoyed the whole thing hugely. Renny also got a better idea of her appearance as she passed under a street light. She was an athletic young woman, rather more than ordinarily attractive. Her frock looked expensive, and she affected a close masculine cut of her dark hair.
Renny's quarry entered a small frame garage near the outskirts of the town. Loitering outside, he could hear her voice murmuring, but could not catch the words.
The young woman came out of the garage so unexpectedly that she nearly caught Renny napping. He barely got behind a bush, where the shadows were thick. She walked off rapidly.
Renny ran to the garage door. It was padlocked. He waited a little - until the girl's footsteps died down the street. Then he took the padlock in both his big hands and did something which would have amazed an onlooker. He wrenched the lock off, hasp and all, using only the strength of his huge hands. Fortunately, the screws holding the lock had not been too large.