The Red Gem of Mercury Read Online Free PDF Page B

swiftly southward. It was nearly six A.M. Time for the rendezvous. Pasqual’s office was a dingy, mean little place squeezed in between tenements. Through the glass window Vane could see the squat gangster seated uncomfortably at his desk, shooting occasional glances behind him, where, no doubt, Lankershim was hidden. Vane wondered what means of coercion the chief had used on Pasqual to induce the gangster to keep this appointment. Well, that didn’t matter. The lawyer’s lips tightened grimly.
    He walked into the store. Pasqual shot up from his chair. His hand was hidden in his coat. Vane smiled.
    â€œI’m unarmed,” he said.
    The gangster’s thick lips twisted. He called, “Larkershim! Quick!”
    From the back of the office came the sound of hurrying feet. The chief, flanked by four uniformed patrolmen, stepped into view. He walked toward Vane. “I don’t know why I did this,” he said. “But I had to, somehow. Vane, you’re under arrest. Put up your hands.”
    Vane said, “All right,” and obeyed. He was thinking fast. At a word from him he could force Pasqual to commit suicide. Certainly the gangster deserved death… No. There was another way. But— Lankershim was walking forward, handcuffs clinking as he held them. “Come on, Vane. “
    â€œWait a minute.”
    The chief stopped.
    Vane looked at Pasqual. The squat gangster still kept his right hand out of sight under his flashy sport coat. His little eyes were fixed on the lawyer. He snarled. “For God’s sake, put those cuffs on him!”
    â€œI just wanted to tell you something, Pasqual,” Vane said, very softly.
    â€œRemember Tony Apollo? Remember how he used to lick the tar out of you when we were kids? Remember how much you hated and feared him? Tony swore to get you, Pasqual, and he never broke his word.”
    â€œApollo’s dead,” the gang chief lashed out.
    â€œHe told me nothing could kill him till he’d kept his last promise.”
    Pasqual started to reply, but no sound came from the thick lips. The tiny eyes turned toward the door. It was opening, very slowly.
    Tony Apollo stood on the threshold.
    Pasqual sucked in his breath sharply. A sound came from his throat. It wasn’t intelligible.
    Lankershim whispered, “Apollo!” He reached for his gun.
    Vane said, “Don’t move, Chief.” His glance took in the four patrolmen. “Or you either. This is between Pasqual and Tony Apollo.”
    Pasqual glanced around frantically. His face was a sickly butter-color. Tony Apollo walked forward.
    Pasqual screamed and clawed out his gun. He fired point-blank at the other. Blood gushed from Apollo’s chest. He didn’t stop. He ignored the wounds. He kept on walking toward Big Mike Pasqual.
    And Big Mike Pasqual wasn’t big any more. He was just a terrified little rat, yelling and picking up the telephone from the desk and hurling it at Apollo. The latter’s nose was crushed by the impact. The fixed, unchanging smile did not fade.
    Tony Apollo kept on walking forward.
    Pasqual seized a chair, lifted it, and smashed it down on Apollo’s head. “Keep away from me!” he mouthed. “Damn you, leave me alone! I never framed you! For God’s sake, Tony—”
    Pasqual picked up a heavy lamp from the desk and used it like a club. He kept hitting again and again at his opponent’s face. Apollo didn’t try to resist or protect himself. He just stood there, while his features slowly vanished in a mangle of red, pulped flesh.
    Tony Apollo came walking on …..
    Horrified gasps went up from the crowd outside. Pasqual whirled suddenly and made for the door. He forced his way through the mob, and men and women alike shrank from the hysterical lord of the underworld—now a shaking, shrieking wreck. Pasqual looked over his shoulder.
    Tonv Apollo was following.
    Vane said to Lankershim, “Come