The Black Lizard Big Book of Black Mask Stories
- Автор: Adams Cleve F., Babcock Dwight V.
- Год: 2010
- Язык: английский
- Год: A Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
- ISBN: 978-0-307-45543-7
- Жанр: Криминальные детективы
Электронная книга - «The Black Lizard Big Book of Black Mask Stories». Краткое содержание книги:
Black Mask was the apotheosis of noir. It was the magazine where the first hardboiled detective story, which was written by Carroll John Daly appeared. It was the slum in which such American literary titans like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler got their start, and it was the home of stories with titles like “Murder Is Bad Luck,” “Ten Carets of Lead,” and “Drop Dead Twice.” Collected here is best of the best, the hardest of the hardboiled, and the darkest of the dark of America’s finest crime fiction. This masterpiece collection represents a high watermark of America’s underbelly. Crime writing gets no better than this.
Jo Gar said thickly: “Then why did I go to the shop of the blind Chinese?”
Mendez continued to smile. “That is simple,” he replied. “Benfeld, who had told us much about the diamonds because he was in Holland when they were insured, and because he needed money which we gave him, was desperate when told that if he did not help us he would be exposed. He attempted to have you murdered, but he worked crudely, and you were suspicious. You avoided our guns — but you knew that there was a blind Chinese in Honolulu who was important. You were curious. You had the diamonds, but you wanted the thieves, the killers. And you were lucky — until you left Barrington.”
The Island detective shook his head. Mendez was about to bargain with him, to make an offer — a final offer. He knew that. But Mendez would not bargain honestly. He could not. There had been three persons on the Cheyo Maru — three who were important. And one had been a woman. One was Mendez. The other was dead. Jo Gar had recovered one diamond — nine were missing. Yet he believed Mendez in one thing — the Spaniard was convinced that the man he had killed had possessed all of the diamonds, and that the Island detective had them now.
Jo Gar said slowly: “I tell you the truth, Mendez. Ten diamonds were stolen in Manila. I have recovered only one of them. I do not think the man I killed had more than that one. I believe you — you have none of them. The woman has tricked you into thinking—”
The Spaniard moved across the room and struck him heavily over the face. He stepped back, rage in his eyes. The Island detective pressed his lips tightly together. Mendez backed across the room. He took his gun from a pocket, stared at Jo. His eyes flickered to those of the Chinese, and he suddenly became thoughtful.
Jo Gar’s tongue touched his lips and tasted blood. His brain was working clearly, in spite of the blow. He had something to work on now. Benfeld had given information that had led to the thieves tracing the diamonds, learning where they were. Three had got away from Manila aboard the Cheyo Maru, and one was a woman. He had not thought about a woman.
He muttered very softly: “It is she — who has the other nine stones. In some way — she got them, leaving the man in white only one—”
His muttering stopped as he watched Mendez’ eyes slit on his. The Spaniard was smiling with his thin, straight lips — but his eyes held a cold hatred. He looked at Jo Gar, but he spoke to the Chinese.
“You tell driver — no need him. You take rifle and go where I show. Driver go back to Honolulu — keep quiet or it be bad. You stay with rifle ready. You know what I tell — much gold for you. Good?”
The Chinese rose and grinned. He said in the same doggerel manner:
“Good.”
He showed red gums as he grinned at Jo Gar. Then he went from the plantation shack, closing the door back of him. Mendez waited several minutes, and then glanced through one of the windows that faced the east. The shack was almost atop a rise — the moonlight seemed brighter now.
Mendez said tonelessly: “For you — it will be a — red dawn, Señor Gar. One way or the other. If you tell me the truth — you will watch the sun come up from the path and go back to town. If you refuse to do that — you will go out of this room — and the Chinese with the rifle—”
He broke off, shrugged. Jo Gar said wearily:
“I have told you — the truth.”
The Spaniard walked to within a few feet of him, stared down at him.
“One of Tan Ying’s men tried to knife you tonight, Gar,” he said slowly. “That was hate. He did not knife you because he was knifed first. I used him — to help me. Two hundred thousand dollars is more money than I need. Half of that is sufficient — for me. The other half — that is for you.”
Jo Gar stared at the Spaniard. “And — the woman?” he said slowly.
He watched Mendez’ facial muscles twitch. But the thin-faced one showed his teeth in a smile.
“I will — see to her,” he said slowly, softly.
Jo Gar shook his head. “You could not — run the risk of allowing me to go free, Mendez,” he said steadily. “If I gave you five diamonds — you would kill me — very swiftly.”
Eagerness showed in the Spaniard’s dark eyes. He took a step nearer Jo.
“I swear to it — by the name of—”
His words died; rage replaced the eagerness in his eyes. Jo Gar was shaking his head slowly. The Island detective said:
“I have recovered — only one stone.”
Mendez reached down and struck him across the left temple with his right fist. Jo pulled himself up from the chair, but was battered down again by a sharp blow. He slumped low, groaning. Mendez moved away from his chair.
There was the sound of a match striking, and a little later Jo smelled the odor of a cigarette. He rocked his head from side to side, but did not look up. Mendez said grimly, harshly:
“You will have — until dawn. And then you will go outside — walking. The Chinese is less than fifty yards distant, with the rifle. I will remain inside until the sound of the shots has died. The Chinese will go away — after he has seen you fall. It is all — very simple.”
Jo Gar raised his head slightly. He wiped red from his face with the back of his right hand.
“That will not get you — the Von Loffler — diamonds,” he breathed thickly.
Mendez pulled on his cigarette, leaned against a wall of the plantation shack and smiled.
“If you go to your death — that way — I will believe you,” he said. “Then I will know where to look. But she has never—”
Jo Gar tried a grim smile. “She has never — lied before?” he muttered. “Women are often — like that. There must be — the first time. And white glass — worth thousands — is a reason for — lies.”
Mendez pressed his lips tightly together. “You’ve tricked — too many men, Señor Gar,” he breathed. “I hate you for that — and I do not believe you. You have the diamonds — ten of them.”
Jo Gar raised his eyes. Suddenly his body stiffened. He said weakly:
“I do not think — they are worth it. But five — that is too many — to give. I will — give you — three—”
Mendez dropped his cigarette and crushed it with his shoe sole. He took rapid steps to Jo’s side. His eyes were shining.
“You will give — five!” he snapped.
The Island detective stared at him stupidly. But he shook his head from side to side. Mendez swore and struck at him savagely. The Island detective let his head fall low; he closed his eyes. Mendez struck him again, then moved across the room.
“By dawn,” he muttered hoarsely, “you will give me — the five!”
Jo Gar said weakly, his eyes expressionless:
“And what proof have I — that you will let me go away from here — safely?”
Mendez shrugged his shoulders. He was confident of winning. He felt that Jo was breaking down; it had been a long night. Ten diamonds — perfect and of large carat. Two hundred thousand dollars! The Island detective could read his thoughts. He was so sure of winning, so sure the man in the chair before him possessed the diamonds.
And Jo was thinking of a woman — of the third of the three who had held up the Delgado jewelry store in Manila, and one of those responsible for the death of his friend Juan Arragon. She would be one of many women aboard the Cheyo Maru, which would leave Honolulu for San Francisco at noon — but he knew that he would not be aboard the boat that had brought him from Manila.
Mendez would see to that. The Mendez who stood before him now, mocking and battering him. The Mendez who was convinced that he had the ten Von Loffler diamonds, and who had already told him too much.