“Last night was a bad break,” asserted Mallan. “I went out of here with a real idea. It didn’t turn out the way I expected. On account of what happened at the Dolger house. That knocked spots out of my plans.
“But sometimes a bad break fixes things right. I wised up to a lot last night. Never mind how. That’s my business. Anyway, that fracas that you read about in the newspapers turned things the way I wanted them. All I had to do was change my game — and do it smart.”
“You mean that you still have a solution for our problems?” inquired Zurick. “That you are ready with a plan to regain that treasure?”
“You bet I am!” Mallan was emphatic. “Listen! Last night’s mess didn’t worry me. It was something I could talk about, because nobody could come across any evidence to prove I was near the Dolger place.
“See? I was leery about Lyken’s and Phraytag’s — because I was at those places. You never can tell who might have spotted you when you’ve been around a scene of crime. But last night — well, I was miles away.
“This morning, I began to figure what could be done. There were things I wanted to know. So I went to the right joint to find out about them. Can you guess where that was?”
“We give up,” crackled Zurick, sarcastically. “You have stated your riddle, Mallan. Let us have the answer.”
“All right,” grinned Mallan. “I went to detective headquarters, to see Joe Cardona, the inspector who went up to the Dolger house.”
AMAZEMENT showed on the faces of the philanthropists. Mallan had astonished them.
His teeth gleaming, the private detective followed up his statement.
“I’m a dick, ain’t I?” he queried. “I know Cardona. Well — why shouldn’t I go to see him?”
No answers. The philanthropists seemed puzzled. Mallan grinned, because he knew why. They were trying to connect events and failing.
“Don’t try to figure things out,” said Mallan. “I know what’s biting the three of you. You’ve got the wrong slant on last night. I’m not going to give you the lowdown until later. What I’ve got to talk about is to-day. Let’s start from the time I went to headquarters.
“I talked with Joe Cardona. Asked him about last night. Said I wanted to know more about the Dolgers; wanted to know if Joe intended to keep policemen on duty around their place. I found out that the cops were taken off this morning.”
“What explanation did you give?” queried Zurick, as Mallan paused. “You must have had some pretext for asking all those questions.”
“The best in the world,” chuckled Mallan. “I told Cardona that I came to see him because it looked like a case for a private detective. I said to him: ‘Say, Joe, do those Dolger boys want cops hanging around their place?’”
“Cardona says to me: ‘No. Why should they have them? They’ve got no enemies. It was a straight case of attempted burglary.’ Then I said: ‘Listen, Joe. That kind of a case is my meat. Guys like them might figure it wouldn’t be bad business to have a private dick on their pay roll for a few days. How about giving me a recommendation?’ So Joe agreed to do just that.”
MALLAN paused triumphantly. He settled back in his chair and viewed the philanthropists. They seemed half bewildered by this new turn in affairs.
“I’m a cagey bozo,” bragged Mallan. “I figured the Dolgers wouldn’t want cops around there while they had the dough. What’s more” — the detective assumed a wise grin — “I knew which one of the pair to deal with. This boy Zane. He was in plenty of trouble last night.”
“That’s what I can’t understand,” put in Zurick. “I could see no reason for the attack at the Dolgers. That was why, Mallan, that I and my associates decided that you had—”
“Hold it!” interrupted the detective. “There’s a twist to this that you don’t get. I found out something; but I’m running things my own way. See? If you’re afraid there’ll be a come-back on account of last night, forget it. I keep my hands clean, don’t I?”
“In your own way.”
“Well, you said I could have my way in order to get the cash back. So I’m taking it. Well, let’s get back to what really counts. I called Zane Dolger. Told him I was coming up there tonight. Had information for him; that he’d hear from Cardona about me.
“The gag worked. I knew Zane would get the jitters. Of course, all Cardona did was call him some time later, telling him that he recommended me as a private detective. I called Joe to make sure he’d given me the boost.
“Well, young Zane couldn’t very well squawk about my coming up. I didn’t give him the chance. I left him kind of puzzled. He won’t refuse to let me in; because he’ll figure I’ll ask Cardona what the two Dolger boys are covering up.
“By now he’s talked it over with his cousin. When I get there— nine o’clock — they’ll be waiting for me. They’ll want to know whether I’m a guy that’s bluffing to get some easy money or whether I’ve actually got something.”
“If they suspect the latter,” crackled Zurick, “you may be sure that they will have some plan to deal with you.”
“Perry Dolger will,” assured Mallan. “I’ve got him slated as the brains of the pair. But don’t worry about that. Anything he tries to pull — and he’ll try something — will be spiked. So it’s going to be absolutely safe for all of us.”
“All of us?” echoed Zurick.
“All of us,” repeated Mallan, with a grin. “You bozos are going right into that Dolger dump in back of me. Better call Timothy. You’ll need your hats and coats. And say — bring your gats along. We’re going to make a flash when we walk in.”
OBJECTIONS came from Laverock and Kent. Zurick sat silent as a statue. A thin smile played upon his dry lips.
Zurick was picturing the near future. His two associates were appealing to him. While Mallan watched, Zurick shook his head. The gesture was meant for Laverock and Kent.
“Mallan is right,” decided Zurick. “We must not forget the agreement that we made with him last night. He stated that he would require our cooperation when he was ready to reclaim the stolen funds. We must abide by our arrangement.”
“But that,” objected Kent, “was before the attack occurred at the Dolgers. Last night there was nothing that might have implicated us in our dealings with the Dolgers. Tonight—”
“There won’t be any come-back,” put in Mallan. “Say — if you’re so squeamish, maybe I ought to have told you more. Take my word for it—”
“He does,” interposed Zurick, dryly. “Come, Kent. We are going.”
“I object!” protested Laverock. “There is danger ahead of us. Whatever Mallan has to say, he can not alter the fact that last night’s trouble may mean real danger from the Dolgers. We are walking into their camp. We—”
“Don’t worry,” interrupted Mallan. “I tell you, I’ve fixed everything. I had it fixed before that mess; and after those three gorillas got rubbed out, I clinched the proposition. Say — I’ve got—”
“Never mind, Mallan.” Zurick had urged Laverock and Kent to their feet. “As you stated previously, we promised to follow where you chose to lead. Explanations are superfluous at present. We have just time to reach our destination before nine o’clock.”
Zurick’s voice was the deciding one. Laverock and Kent followed the dry-faced arbiter. With Mallan bringing up the rear, the philanthropists moved out into the hall. Timothy saw them into their hats and coats.
Then, almost as if by an afterthought, Zurick returned to his study. He came back to the hall, dismissed Timothy, then smiled dryly as he passed out two revolvers: one to Laverock; the other to Kent.
“I have one of my own,” observed Zurick to Mallan. “You, I presume are similarly equipped. Come. Let us set forth.”