Death Mask Read Online Free PDF Page A

sat down. “Thank you, Mr. Kileen. I am finished.”
    Johnson was clearly relieved to have Kileen off the stand and Time Carlow in his place. In response to Johnson’s opening question, the young Ranger explained the situation.
    The district attorney stepped back, pleased. “Your witness, Mr. Rose.”
    Tanneman was not as confident as he had been earlier, but he knew discrediting Carlow was crucial. He remained in his chair, leaning forward on the table.
    “Ranger Carlow, how many so-called bank robberies have you broken up?”
    “This is my first.”
    “I see.”
    “No, you don’t,” Carlow snapped. “Because it was my first, I wanted to make absolutely sure of what was going on. I don’t want Rangers involved in crimes, so I was hoping you and your brother wouldn’t try to rob the bank. But you did—and we stopped you.”
    “Ranger Carlow, your fellow Ranger…your uncle, I believe…mentioned something about other bank robberies my brother and I were supposed to have been involved in.” Tanneman cocked his head to the side. “Forget for the moment that it is irrelevant to this case, and answer this, please. Do you know if any of those supposed robberies have gone unsolved?” He folded his arms. “That is, Ranger, were the robbers—or some of them—or any one of them—arrested?”
    Carlow grinned back. “You already know that. In each case, you arrested an innocent man for the crime.”
    Tanneman was stunned by the statement. He rubbed his chin, trying to think of what to say next. He had to make the young Ranger appear rash. Careless. Too eager.
    “Interesting statement, young man,” Tanneman said. “So my brother and I robbed those banks—and then arrested somebody totally innocent of the crime.”
    “That about sums it up.”
    “Why didn’t the folks in those various towns recognize us?”
    “That’s why you were wearing beards—and those long coats. Makes it hard that way. Just like you were wearing when you came out of the bank here,” Carlow said. “You want to show the good folks by putting that beard on again?” He motioned toward the beards on the table.
    Judge Cline hammered his gavel to rid the room of laughter.
    “I appreciate your comment, Ranger. It’s a fascinating theory,” Tanneman said, running his fingers along a scratch on the defense table’s surface. “Maybe you should be writing for one of those penny dreadfuls, instead of being a Ranger.”
    Dramatically, he stood again and walked around to the front of the table. Leaning against it, he gripped the table and asked, “Tell me the names of these towns where my brother and I were supposed to have robbed banks.”
    Without hesitation, Carlow rattled off the five towns.
    Grinning evilly, Tanneman reached inside his coat pocket and retrieved a folded sheet of paper.
    “Tell me, Ranger Carlow, what do you think of this?” Slowly and dramatically, he unfolded the paper. “This is a wire from Marshal Tipin of Paris. It reads: ‘In response to your query, the city of Paris is thankful for your help in arresting the bank robbers.’ I can wire the other cities you mentioned if that will help.”
    Shaking his head, Carlow straightened his back. “Nice try, Tanneman, but it won’t wash. Why don’t you tell us how you and your brother just happened to be in town during each of those robberies?” He paused and added, “And tell us how you managed to catch the robber each time—but never recovered a cent. Not one.”
    Portland guffawed and Barnabas giggled. Tanneman glanced at them, frowning.
    Instead of answering the young Ranger, Tanneman waved his arms and asked, “If you were my brother and me, and you rode into town and heard the bank was being robbed, what would you have done?” Tanneman looked up slowly.
    Carlow cocked his head to the side. “I would’ve waited outside, so no one in the bank got hurt. Like we did.” He leaned forward. “You didn’t answer my question, Tanneman.”
    “Judge, please