Lingo

CHAPTER XIX. BUZZ SWINGS A DEAL

IT was not until the next morning that Hawkeye returned to Lingo Queed’s. Hawkeye had not trailed Buzz Dongarth. The Shadow had ordered hands off. Even though it was probable that Buzz might be in communication with Rook Hollister, the policy was to let Buzz strictly alone.

Hawkeye knew that The Shadow’s course was wise. If Rook Hollister had captured Harry Vincent, he might have put him on the spot immediately. If so, Harry would long since have been past recall.

If Rook, as was more likely, had chosen to keep Harry as a clue to The Shadow, it was logical that he would keep him indefinitely. The one danger to Harry would be an inkling that The Shadow was trailing Rook through Buzz.

Hence, Hawkeye was sure that The Shadow was waiting developments. With no report whatever from Harry, the probability that he was a prisoner had increased. But, conversely, the fact that Clyde Burke had sent no report appeared as proof that the reporter was safely en voyage to Havana.

Hawkeye had started things last night. The grapevine was working strong. Hawkeye had proof of this while riding up in the elevator with Gumbo. The gorilla whispered the inside news that Lingo was on the lookout for double crossers who had sold out to The Shadow. This information had come to Gumbo from pals outside.

When Hawkeye reached Lingo’s apartment he found Blitz Schumbert there with the big shot. Jericho was on duty. A short while after Hawkeye’s arrival, the huge bodyguard answered the door and admitted Buzz Dongarth. Hawkeye noted an eagerness in Buzz’s manner.

“Something I want to spill to you, Lingo,” greeted Buzz. “Let’s go in the other room where we can talk alone. This is a hot piece of news.”

“Spring it in a hurry, then,” ordered Lingo. “What’s the matter with Blitz and Hawkeye hearing it? They’re O.K., aren’t they?”

“All right,” decided Buzz, after a moment’s consideration. “Here it is. This grapevine stuff has turned out big. You want one of The Shadow’s stools don’t you? Well, I’ve found out who has one.”

“Who?” queried Lingo.

“Rook Hollister,” responded Buzz calmly.

A BLANK expression came over Lingo’s face, Blitz began to scratch his head in perplexity. Then Lingo delivered a raucous guffaw.

“Rook Hollister!” he ejaculated. “Say — what have you been doin’, Buzz, falling for a spook racket? I bumped that palooka myself, even though I haven’t been shouting about it. Now you come in and say—”

“I say that I’ve got word from Rook Hollister,” interposed, Buzz. “He ain’t dead; he’s only hiding out. Don’t ask me where he is or how he pulled it, because I don’t know. What counts is that he’s still alive and got guys workin’ for him.”

“You mean I bumped some dummy?” quizzed Lingo. “A sap that looked like Rook? Up there in his apartment?”

“That must be it,” returned Buzz. “But Rook hasn’t got it in for you, Lingo. He knew the finger was on him; and he wasn’t blaming the fellows who wanted him to be rubbed out. It looks like Rook knew The Shadow was after him too; that’s why he ducked.”

“Where’d you get this dope?” demanded Blitz.

“Dope is right,” snorted Lingo. “Sounds like Buzz has been hitting a pipe down in one of the hop joints!”

“This is straight stuff,” insisted Buzz. “I got a telephone call this morning — from Rook. I didn’t believe it was him myself until he talked a while. When I was sure of it, Rook gave me this proposition. He knows I stand in right with you, Lingo.

“Rook wants to work fifty-fifty. He says you’re in the same spot he was. He’s willing to let you keep on as big shot, while he stays under cover. But you’d be partners, see?”

“Rook’s got a big heart along with his cold feet,” scoffed Lingo. “What do you think of that proposition, Blitz? Rook was too yella to stick it out for himself. Now he wants half the gravy.”

“Sounds to me like Rook is pretty smart,” objected Blitz. “I wouldn’t call him yellow, Lingo. He bluffed the whole lot of us, the way I see it. What’s more, he’s where he can stage a comeback, while you’re on the skids. It looks to me like Rook is the guy who is sitting pretty.”

“I’ll say he is,” interjected Buzz. “What’s more, he told me something else. He says there’s a reason why you didn’t shout too much about how you bumped the guy you thought was him. He told me that he’d keep that quiet though, as part of the deal.”

Hawkeye saw a strained expression flicker on Lingo’s oddly formed countenance. The lanky big shot twitched his fingers nervously; then shot a quick glance at Blitz Schumbert. The racketeer was pondering on what Buzz had just said. Lingo spoke quickly.

“You say that Rook has got one of The Shadow’s gang?” he asked Buzz.

The lieutenant nodded.

“Well, that makes the deal look better,” decided Lingo. “I guess Rook is a smart guy and it ought to take two of us to bag The Shadow. I’ve got the trap; you say he’s got the bait.”

“That’s what he told me,” remarked Buzz, “but he wants to be sure that the trap is good enough. Wants me to look it over with you. Says he’ll take my say-so. You’re to tell me how you’re going to work it. Rook will call here later and I’m to talk to him.”

“All right,” acquiesced Lingo. “Let’s hop down to Chinatown, the bunch of us, and I’ll show you the layout that Koy Dow has rigged for me. But if it looks all right to you — well, what then?”

Lingo was getting ready to go out as he spoke. Buzz made reply in brief fashion.

“Rook says that if the setup is right, he’ll supply the bait,” assured Buzz. “He’ll deliver the guy he’s got, right to the spot where you want him. Then you can send it out on the grapevine and let The Shadow bite.”

“Good stuff!” decided Lingo. “Well let’s get going. Say, Hawkeye, you’d better stay here just in case anything new turns up.”

Hawkeye could do nothing but agree. He watched Lingo depart with Buzz and Blitz. Chafing at the situation, he strolled about the big room; then went into Lingo’s private quarters, giving a nod to Jericho, who understood.

Behind the closed door, Hawkeye used the telephone to put in a report to Burbank. The contact man took Hawkeye’s message and told him to wait for Lingo’s return.

ONE hour later, Lingo and the others came back. Apparently Buzz had found the setup to his liking, for his air was one of approval. Blitz took the attitude that the deal was as good as swung. Lingo seemed somewhat pleased by the fact that his companions had liked the trap which they had seen at Koy Dow’s.

Half an hour passed. The telephone rang in the next room. Lingo arose to answer it; then changed his mind and gave a nudge to Buzz. The lieutenant went to the telephone. The listeners heard him give a grunt of acknowledgment.

“Looks good,” Buzz commented over the wire. “Sure, I’ve seen it. Lingo took me down there… A place called the Silver Dragon, run by a chink called Koy Dow… Yeah, if you get the guy down there, the chink will put him where he belongs… All right, we’ll noise the grapevine…” Returning to the big room, Buzz nodded to indicate that Rook was ready for the game. He mentioned points of the conversation that the others had not gained by listening in.

“I don’t know where Rook’s located,” declared Buzz, seriously, “but he’s arranged to ship the guy down to the Silver Dragon. Guess he’s got hold of some mob to do it for him. You can’t tell.”

“Well,” assured Lingo, “you can leave the rest to Koy Dow. What I’m wondering, though, is, if the sap really counts much with The Shadow, why hasn’t Rook gotten something out of him?”

“Rook says the mug doesn’t know much,” returned Buzz. “Says he laid off of him on that account. Thought it would be better to use him for bait than to put the heat on him.”

“Well,” argued Blitz, “if The Shadow doesn’t come for him we can put the heat on him later. Guess that’s the way Rook figured it.”

“I guess so,” corroborated Buzz.

Lingo swung to Hawkeye.

“It’s up to you now,” remarked the big shot. “Start the grapevine going in about an hour; and spread it so the talk will travel fast. It’s a safe bet this mug that Rook’s got isn’t the only one that’s working for The Shadow. The more that get wise to it the better.

“Just noise it around that some guy got himself in wrong with the chinks. Say they thought The Shadow was gunning for them, so they grabbed a palooka that acted too smart. Let it out that they’ve got the guy down at the Silver Dragon.

“No gorillas are goin’ to mooch in on the chinks without being told to. That’s why this Chinatown business was a good idea. The Shadow is goin’ to walk into that trap thinking that nobody’s laying for him.”

“Only one trouble, Lingo,” put in Buzz. “If The Shadow acts tough, he may get too powerful for the chinks to handle. That trap of Koy Dow’s is a good one; but suppose he gets suspicious and ducks away from it?”

“Don’t worry about that,” returned Lingo. “This is too good a bet for me to miss. There’ll be plenty of torpedoes that will want a chance at The Shadow. I’m goin’ to give it to them.”

“You can’t jam them into Chinatown,” objected Blitz. “If you do, The Shadow may get wise.”

“I’m not shoving them down to the Silver Dragon,” asserted Lingo. “I’m only going to plant them off on the edges — so they can close in when the word is passed to them. Once The Shadow gets in the trap, we won’t have to worry about who’s around.”

BLITZ nodded his approval. It was good policy on Lingo’s part to keep the underworld busy when the time came. Blitz knew that if mobleaders were working for the big shot, they would postpone all plots that might now be fomenting against Lingo’s regime.

Buzz, too, found Lingo’s plan of action to his liking. Hawkeye was the only one present who felt apprehensive; with the exception of Jericho, who was listening in from his corner.

Hawkeye had seen many evidences of The Shadow’s prowess. He had watched his chief conquer tremendous odds on numerous occasions. This time, however, Hawkeye could not dodge the fact that The Shadow had forced an issue to the utmost.

It was getting too deep for Hawkeye to even think about it. The little agent concealed his worriment; but his thoughts so engrossed him that he was startled out of a revery when Lingo reminded him that it was time to get going.

Hawkeye departed; he reached the street and shuffled eastward. He was reluctant to perform the duty that lay before him; yet he could not escape it.

For Hawkeye felt that tonight, as never before, The Shadow, in his effort to free Harry Vincent, was bucking odds that would prove too formidable for even the cloaked avenger to overcome.