The Avenger 30 - Black Chariots Read Online Free PDF Page B

got that big stoop,” said Moron. “We run him off the road good. It was just dumb luck that—”
    “And dumb luck that he retaliated with some very unconventional weapons,” said Trumbull, “is that what you really think, Moron? Dumb luck that he caught Rudy?”
    “So he caught him,” said Moron. “I notice Rudy ain’t doing no talking. That stray shot of yours, Heinz, that was lucky because it kept—”
    “The shot wasn’t stray,” corrected the fat man in the chocolate-brown suit. “They don’t want any of us to fall into the hands of the opposition. I was merely acting on orders. Fortunately that pall of strange blackness was—”
    “Hold your horses,” said Moron, bouncing out of his chair. “You mean to stand there with your face hanging out and tell me you iced Rudy on purpose?”
    “Exactly,” replied Heinz. “Keep that in mind, Moron.”
    The little man sat down again. “Cripes,” he muttered.
    “Let’s get on to new business,” said Heinz, waddling slowly around the room. “They’re giving us another chance to eliminate this man Smith.”
    “That’s generous of them,” said Moron, in a small voice.
    Trumbull wiped his face again. “I’ve been doing some quiet digging,” he said. “It’s as we suspected. Smith is part of the Justice, Inc., organization. Meaning there’s a possibility more of his associates will be showing up.”
    “One or a bunch, we can handle ’em,” said Moron. “What about that blond dame?”
    “They have something else in mind for Miss Hamblin,” said Heinz. “We are to concentrate on taking care of Smith, and any of his associates who appear on the scene.”
    “No sweat,” said Moron, whose confidence was returning. “We can take care of a dozen like that big ginzo.”
    “With the proper plan,” said Heinz.

CHAPTER IX

The Wrong Door
    She saw him at twilight.
    Jennifer was at the window of her second-floor room, idly watching the resort swimming pool below. A sun-baked old man climbed up the ladder at the shallow end, shivered into a white robe, and went paddling off across the sea-blue tiles. The entire pool area was empty now, the dozen round white tables unoccupied.
    The girl was thinking about the conversation she’d just had with Smitty. “Justice, Inc.,” she said to herself. “They might be able to help me. Yes, especially the Avenger. I’ve heard—”
    Then she saw her uncle.
    He came walking down a pathway lined with palm trees. He walked along the side of the pool, with that loping gait of his.
    “Uncle Val!” she cried.
    The tall, tanned man did not turn, didn’t look up when she hailed him from her open window.
    Jennifer leaned further out, calling again. “Uncle Val, up here!”
    He passed the pool and turned down another pathway. This led toward the large building that housed the Oasis restaurant and ballroom.
    The girl spun away from the window and ran across her room.
    She ran down the empty corridor and hurried down the stairway. The first door she came to was marked Emergency Exit Only. She pushed through, out into the gathering dark.
    “Uncle Val!”
    He heeded her not at all. He went through a white door in the large building across the way.
    Jennifer ran, with one fisted hand pressed against her throat. Pebbles of the white gravel flew up as she passed.
    By the pool, then along the pathway. Into the other building.
    There he was, turning down into that cross corridor.
    “Uncle Val, don’t you hear me? Why don’t you wait for me?”
    The long white hallway was quiet. Her heels seemed to set up an enormous clacking as she ran.
    When she reached the next corridor, there was no sign of him.
    The girl hesitated, staring ahead. Then she caught a flicker of movement.
    “That next-to-the-last door on the left. It’s just closing.”
    She began to run again.
    This corridor, too, was empty. When Jennifer reached the door she’d seen easing shut, she stopped to catch her breath. She was positive the man she’d been