“Fang Nine.” Diamond Rigler was speaking in a low voice. “All set to report at Zobell’s… Yes… When Marsland goes off duty… Yes… The arrangement works if Duster Corbin is still there…”
Cliff edged back toward the stairs. The truth hit him with bewildering force. There was merit in his hunch. The Cobra, indeed, was ready to strike. Diamond Rigler, one of King Zobell’s bodyguards, was a henchman of The Cobra!
DIAMOND had paused in his conversation. Cliff reached the steps just as he heard the man’s footsteps coming toward the door of the barber shop. Evidently Diamond suspected a listener. Cliff managed to get out of sight. He heard the door of the barber shop close.
There was no reason to wait here. Cliff knew that it would be unwise to rouse Diamond’s suspicions. At the same time, he realized that prompt action was essential. The Cobra was planning a stroke — for tonight!
Moving up the stairs, Cliff quickly formulated a plan. He must get word to The Shadow. At the same time, he could not afford the time that would be required by a trip to the drug store a block distant. Cliff wanted to be in Zobell’s apartment when Diamond Rigler arrived.
Cliff saw the way. With a grim smile, he stopped at the door of the elevator shaft. He rang the bell twice; then once — his call. Cliff tried the door. It remained for a few moments, then yielded. Duster Corbin had pressed the switch above.
Entering the lift, Cliff closed the door and pushed the button that drove the car upward. He still retained his grim smile as he neared the top of the shaft.
Tonight, The Cobra would strike again. This time, The Shadow would know before The Cobra struck!
CHAPTER XVI
THE MEETING
CLIFF MARSLAND was no longer smiling when he entered King Zobell’s living room. The Shadow’s agent seemed quite unconcerned. He plucked a cigarette from a box on Zobell’s table and lighted it with a match from the stand.
“Where am I parking, King?” he questioned. “Little room in the front?”
“Yeah,” affirmed the big shot.
“All right,” returned Cliff.
With no other explanation, Cliff strolled in nonchalant fashion through the door at the front of the living room. Neither King Zobell or Duster Corbin evidenced any suspicion of the action.
The front room to the left of Cliff’s belonged to King Zobell. There was a telephone in the room — an extension of the one which Zobell had in the living room. Cliff felt sure that neither King Zobell nor Duster Corbin intended to make a call. He chanced it.
Entering Zobell’s room, Cliff raised the receiver and dialed Burbank’s number. The Shadow’s contact man responded almost immediately:
“Burbank speaking.”
“Marsland,” declared Cliff, in a low tone. “Diamond Rigler is working for The Cobra. Called him from downstairs. Reported as Fang Nine.
“Diamond is coming up to relieve me. I’m staying. Duster going out. The Cobra is due to strike.”
“Report received.”
Cliff was about to give further details when a shaft of light appeared upon the floor of the room between this bedroom and the living room. Evidently King Zobell was coming in this direction.
Cliff hung up with promptitude. He made a quick dive through the door. As Zobell appeared from the door of the living room, Cliff was apparently coming out of the little room which the big shot had assigned to him.
“I’ll give you those papers, Duster.” Zobell, half turned toward the living room, was speaking to his lieutenant. “They’re in my room. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Cliff walked by King Zobell. He reached the living room, dropped in an easy chair and picked up the cigarette which he had placed on an ash stand. As he puffed in silence, Cliff began to analyze the situation.
HE was sure that he knew The Cobra’s game. Cliff’s reasoning was precise. Since Diamond Rigler was The Cobra’s minion, why had not Diamond opened the way for The Cobra in the past — on some occasion when Diamond was here alone with King Zobell?
Cliff saw the answer, The Cobra did not want it to be known that Diamond was a traitor. Tonight’s scheme would cover that fact.
First, Diamond would probably wait until Duster Corbin had departed. Then Diamond would come in to relieve Cliff. The Cobra would follow. The purpose would be to kill both King Zobell and Cliff.
Diamond would make his getaway with The Cobra. Duster Corbin, returning, would find the bodies. Perhaps Diamond would stay instead of leaving! At any rate, the scene would indicate that The Cobra had arrived before Diamond came to relieve Cliff!
A perfect scheme — one that would keep Diamond as valuable to The Cobra as before. Cliff settled back into his chair. All was well for the present — particularly as long as Duster Corbin remained in the apartment.
King Zobell was returning with a stack of papers. Duster received them and began to go through them. At that moment a buzzer sounded: once — then twice.
“It’s Diamond,” remarked King Zobell. “Let him in, Marsland.”
Cliff went to the elevator shaft and pressed the switch. He could not withhold a grin. To his way of thinking, Diamond had made a bull. Sauntering back to the living room, Cliff took his seat and lighted a fresh cigarette. Diamond Rigler had evidently tired of waiting and had taken it for granted that Duster Corbin was already out.
A minute later, Diamond Rigler appeared from the anteroom. Cliff watched his face, looking for signs of surprise.
There were none. Diamond had a poker player’s countenance. Nevertheless, Cliff figured that Diamond was probably annoyed at finding Duster Corbin here.
For if Duster went out leaving both Cliff and Diamond with King Zobell, each of the secondary bodyguards would share in blame should The Cobra appear and slay King Zobell. Cliff’s feelings were those of mingled elation and disappointment. He was pleased because a block had apparently stopped The Cobra’s plans; he was annoyed because the showdown would probably be postponed.
Ten minutes passed. Duster Corbin completed his examination of the papers. He pocketed them. He arose to leave the apartment.
“I’ll be back by midnight,” he informed. “See you all later.”
Cliff felt calm security as he puffed his cigarette. Duster passed the door of the anteroom. Diamond seemed dejected as he slouched in a chair. Then, with quick succession of events, came the unexpected.
CLIFF heard the sliding of the elevator door as Duster Corbin opened it. A sharp, startled exclamation; then a revolver shot. Staggering with long, convulsive bounds, Duster Corbin appeared from the anteroom. His hands were clasped to his body. His lips voiced two hoarse words:
“The Cobra!”
Cliff was on his feet as Duster Corbin sprawled upon the floor and rolled over dead. As Cliff reached for his gun, an order stopped him. Diamond Rigler had risen; he had drawn a revolver. He was covering Cliff. The Shadow’s agent had acted too late.
“Up with ‘em!”
Cliff’s arms raised at Diamond’s command. Cliff was staring toward the doorway through which Duster Corbin had staggered. There he saw the author of the shot that had felled King Zobell’s chief lieutenant.
The Cobra!
Clad in wrinkled brown, his painted hood a monstrous sight, The Cobra stood with smoking revolver in his hand. His painted eyes; the muzzle of the gun which he held — both were directed toward King Zobell. The big shot sat petrified. He was gripping the arms of his chair.
Cliff Marsland saw his own mistake. He had not calculated on this. He remembered Diamond Rigler’s words over the telephone:
“The arrangement works if Duster Corbin is still there…”
This was the arrangement! Diamond Rigler, upon leaving the elevator in the anteroom, had pressed the switch so that the car would be ready for The Cobra! The snakelike slayer had come up in the elevator. He had been waiting for Duster Corbin!