Gangsters -- New York (State) -- New York -- Fiction; Mystery fiction
A low, triumphant exclamation came from Pinkie Bonn, as the small door
in the wall swung suddenly open.
“There she is, my bucko!” he grinned. “Some nifty vault, eh? The old
guy-” He stopped. He had thrust in his hand, and drawn it out again. His
fingers gripped a sheet of notepaper--but he was seemingly unconscious
of that fact. He was leaning forward, staring into the aperture. “It's
empty!” he choked.
“Wot's dat?” cried the Pug, and sprang to his companion's side.
“Youse're crazy, Pinkie!” He thrust his head toward the opening--and then
turned and stared for a moment helplessly at Pinkie Bonn. “So help me!”
he said heavily. “It's--it's empty.” He shook his fist suddenly. “De
Crab's handed us one, dat's wot! But de Crab'll get his fer--”
“It wasn't the Crab!” Pinkie Bonn was stuttering his words. He stood,
jaws dropped, his eyes glued now on the paper in his hand.
The Pug, his face working, the personification of baffled rage and
intolerance, leered at Pinkie Bonn. “Well, who was it, den?” he snarled.
Pinkie Bonn licked his lips.
“The White Moll!” He licked his lips again.
“De White Moll!” echoed the Pug incredulously.
“Yes,” said Pinkie Bonn. “Listen to what's on this paper that I fished
out of there I Listen! She's got all the nerve of the devil! 'With
thanks, and my most grateful appreciation--the White Moll.'”
The Pug snatched the paper from Pinkie Bonn's hand, as though to assure
himself that it was true. Rhoda Gray smiled faintly. It was good acting,
very excellently done--seeing that the Pug had written the note and
placed it in the hiding place himself!
“My God!” mumbled Pinkie Bonn thickly. “I ain't afraid of most things,
but I'm gettin' scared of her. She ain't human. Last night you know what
happened, and the night before, and--” He gulped suddenly. “Let's get
out of here!” he said hurriedly. The Pug made no reply, except for a
muttered growl of assent and a nod of his head.
The two men crossed the room. The light went out. Their footsteps echoed
back as they descended the stairs, then died away.
And then Rhoda Gray moved for the first time. She brushed aside the
cretonne hanging, ran to the washstand, possessed herself of the package
she had seen the Pug place there, and then made her way, cautious now of
the slightest sound, downstairs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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