Dully, Cardona knew that he was beaten. There were times when aid had come for him from a strange source — from a personage in whom Commissioner Weston expressed disbelief, but whom Cardona knew to be real — The Shadow.
This time, there had been no such aid; could be no such help. The Red Blot was a master crook beyond all credible belief. Even The Shadow, Cardona decided, could not salvage the hopeless cause that now existed!
CHAPTER XX
FINAL PLANS
A DOOR opened at the end of a stonewalled corridor. An ugly laugh sounded as Socks Mallory, chuckling to men whom he had just left, entered and closed the heavy door behind him. The Red Blot’s mob leader was back in the passage that led from door to door with the stonewalled office at the side.
Under his arm, Socks was lugging the box that contained five million dollars. He strode into the underground office, and plunked the container upon the desk. Then, pushing that article of furniture aside, he drew a steel blade from his pocket, and pressed it into a crevice of the stone flooring.
A click; Socks gripped a slab with his fingers, and raised the blocking stone. A large cavity lay beneath; into it, Socks dropped the box of wealth. The murderer chuckled as he replaced the closely fitting slab.
Something was creeping along the floor; something that Socks did not see. It was not a solid object, although it moved as though imbued with life. It was a spreading black blotch that came from the door to the stonewalled corridor.
That patch of darkness was the token of a living presence. It told that The Shadow was close by! Socks, unsuspecting, arose and pushed the desk back into its place. He sat down in the chair and indulged in an evil chuckle.
A buzzer sounded. It was the signal from the outer door. Socks arose. Before he had turned, that long stretch of blackness faded with magical speed. It withdrew not only to the corridor; it continued clear to the end.
Socks, stepping through the doorway, headed in the opposite direction. He admitted two men: Moocher Gleetz and Dynamite Hoskins. They followed him into the office.
“Everything went great, eh, Socks?” was Moocher’s first question.
“Yeah,” returned Socks. “It always goes great with me, Moocher. How about you?”
Moocher Gleetz hesitated. Socks eyed him narrowly. Both men were intent; so was Dynamite Hoskins, who looked on without fully understanding.
None of the trio noted the phenomenon which had occurred before; the approaching blackness of a silhouette that crept in from the doorway. “Well,” declared Moocher, “here’s Dynamite Hoskins.”
“I can see that,” retorted Socks. “What about the guy you were supposed to finish?”
“Not so good, Socks.”
“What! You didn’t get him?”
“Maybe — maybe not. I couldn’t wait to see—”
“Come on — quit stalling! What happened?”
“I went up to the Club Janeiro,” stated Moocher. “I had two gorillas with me. Dynamite came through. I sent him on ahead. Then came the buzzer. Juanita’s signal. I knew that Cranston was snooping, and that Dynamite’s gorillas were on his trail. So I sent my men in.”
“Somehow, that guy must have cornered Dynamite’s mob. That’s the only way I could figure it. First thing I knew — I was back in the corner — my two men pile through the door, and this guy Cranston shoots them down. I didn’t see him do it. I just saw the lights go out — heard the old gat do its work. Saw them flop, too!”
“Everything broke loose. Some guy made a getaway out through the door of that middle office. I hopped out there and started to open the door. People were coming in from the night club. I dived back to the corner and came through with Dynamite.”
“Fine stuff,” ejaculated Socks. “Five gorillas against one silk hat. Say — the way you talk, you’d think that guy Cranston was The Shadow!”
“I’m not saying he got away,” retorted Moocher. “I’m just saying I don’t know whether or not they got him. He bumped my two gorillas — I know that. But maybe Dynamite’s crew got him. Maybe it was one of those boys that scrammed.”
“Let it ride,” growled Socks. “If it was Cranston who got away, he’s probably still running. He’ll be too scared to come back. Those boiled-shirt boys seem to fall into luck sometimes. I thought you’d bring him in here, dress suit and all. We’ve got a good graveyard for stiffs like him. Forget it; if he shows up again, I’ll get the tip-off from Juanita.”
THE matter settled, Socks Mallory turned to Dynamite Hoskins and gave the full-faced man a friendly poke in the ribs.
“What do you think of our layout, Dynamite?” grinned Socks. “Didn’t expect it to be as sweet as this, did you?”
“Greatest thing I ever saw,” returned Dynamite.
“You’ve got a lot to see yet,” declared Socks. “They talk about the underworld. We’ve got the real underworld right here. It’s the works. Pick your spot — anywhere around Manhattan. I’ll tell you whether or not we can take a crack at it. Say — we’ve been running the bulls around in loops. I’ll bet Joe Cardona will be ready to quit after tonight.”
“What about this guy Hembroke?” questioned Moocher.
“Him?” Socks grinned, then changed his expression to a serious one. “Say — I’m telling you straight — he’s the one guy who could make trouble for us. But he won’t get the chance. Leave that to The Blot, Say — he knows his stuff, The Blot does.”
After this reference to the hidden chief, Socks quickly changed the subject. He came down to definite business with Dynamite Hoskins.
“We’ve got you in for the big job, Dynamite,” declared Socks. “Tomorrow, we’ll fix up the lay. You’ve heard of Galladay’s, haven’t you?”
Socks grinned as he made his reference to a huge jewelry concern that was known throughout the world.
“Well,” continued Socks, “that’s the nut we’re going to crack. In again — out again; and you’re going to help us.”
“Galladay’s!” exclaimed Dynamite. “Say, Socks, have you gone cuckoo? You can’t crack that joint. Since they moved into that new Fifth Avenue Building of theirs—”
“That’s just it,” interposed Socks. “It’s our gravy — that place. It’s going to take two nice socks of TNT, though — and that’s where you come in.”
“Two?” questioned Dynamite.
“Sure,” returned Socks. “One to get into the joint; the other to cover up after we come out. This is one time we’re going to make a straight getaway — and we’re going to leave nothing behind us.”
Socks paused to let his words sink in. Then, as an encouraging thought, he added:
“Listen, Dynamite Hoskins — you, too, Moocher. This is going to be up in the millions, this job. Galladay’s have got a lot of European crown jewels in that place of theirs. Say — we can all call it quits after this haul.”
“That’s the way The Blot figures. He’s going to be in on this job himself — working with us. You get your charges set — when The Blot is ready, we’ll start. Then — well, the whole world is where we’ll go!”
“What about old Million Nibs from Chicago?” questioned Moocher. “Him and the others — like that fellow Carmody you dragged in early this evening.”
“There’ll be a sweet fade-out for them,” laughed Socks. “Don’t worry about that. Come on” — Socks rose as he spoke — “we’ll go out with the boys. I won’t hear from The Blot for a while yet.”
THE long streak of blackness faded from the floor. Socks Mallory and his companions left the office, and went toward the door at the right of the corridor.
It was after their departure that the black blotch again manifested itself. This time it crept farther and farther inward, until it had assumed unusual proportions. Then, in the doorway, loomed the figure that had caused the creeping silhouette.