The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps
- Автор: Anderson Lars, Barr Randolph
- Год: 2007
- Язык: английский
- Год: Vintage Books
- ISBN: 978-0-307-28048-0
- Жанр: Криминальные детективы
Электронная книга - «The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps». Краткое содержание книги:
Weighing in at over a thousand pages, containing over forty-seven stories and two novels, this book is big baby, bigger and more powerful than a freight train — a bullet couldn’t pass through it. Here are the best stories and every major writer who ever appeared in celebrated Pulps like Black Mask, Dime Detective, Detective Fiction Weekly, and more. These are the classic tales that created the genre and gave birth to hard-hitting detectives who smoke criminals like packs of cigarettes; sultry dames whose looks are as lethal as a dagger to the chest; and gin-soaked hideouts where conversations are just preludes to murder. This is crime fiction at its gritty best.
Saint, campaigning for reelection, was loud in his vociferations against the Black Legion. His newspaper editorials were heated protests against their reputed outlawry and murder.
He cried long and loud for some scrap of evidence with which to push prosecutions, knowing full well that there was scant possibility of any such damaging material coming to light. In fact, the very storm of his indignation and threats was the moving factor behind Cathern’s conviction of the district attorney’s implication!
Two days previously, the special investigator had chanced upon a Black Legion rendezvous in the Obispo country; a wild spot well-suited to their campaign of torture and death.
He had kept the fact strictly to himself, but had called the district attorney for another detective to aid him in his Legion investigation, dropping the hint that he expected results, shortly. Then, he had received the anonymous death threat, commanding him to cease all operations immediately, and get out of the state!
With typical courage, the young sleuth had squared his craggy jaw, and ignored the cowardly ultimatum! All these facts harassed Ellen as she pondered the dilemma. What an opportunity to clean up the state, expose crooked politics, if Cathern’s information was correct! And Ellen felt sure that it was.
A frown puckered her lovely features, and a chain of cigarettes overflowed from the ashtray as she paced the floor. The frown was still there as she peeled the kimono from her shapely body, and stepped into pajamas. And, when Ellen retired for the night, long moments passed before she drifted off to her usual dreamless sleep.
Chapter Two
A Daring Venture
The odds-and-ends closet was small, really nothing more than a locker built into one corner of the garage.
Slightly stooped, Ellen Patrick found it exceedingly uncomfortable. Although the door was open a few inches, it was stuffy and unbearably close within the cramped quarters. Perspiration bedewed her smooth white forehead and pert upper lip. From one beautifully-shaped hand protruded the ominous snout of a small, black automatic.
The upper part of her face was covered by a domino mask of black silk. A form-fitting backless frock of white satin covered her shapely figure, the scanty bodice caught in a halter neck across the creamy expanse of her lovely bosom. The cape of black silk concealed bare, kissable shoulders, and her hands were gloved.
For some hour and a half, Ellen had been waiting like this.
She was beginning to wonder if she had guessed wrong. Raising a gloved hand, she wiped the perspiration from her forehead with a tiny wisp of lace. Then a tight little smile curved the corners of her red mouth.
“He should be along any minute now!” she reassured herself, silently. “And I’ll get things straightened out, or give him a dose of his own medicine!”
There was no thought of failure in the little adventuress’ mind. For two nights, she had checked on J. Riggs Saint and his movements. He always arrived home at the same hour, and alone. It shouldn’t prove difficult to get the drop on the district attorney, she mused.
Forty-eight hours before, Paul Cathern had disappeared, vanished from his apartment and usual haunts. The sheriff’s office had hunted feverishly for their ace sleuth, but to no avail. The disappearance had spurred Ellen into action.
Cautious inquiries on her part had been in vain. Immediately, she had thought of the Black Legion warning. Was her good friend to vanish as had other victims of the hooded organization?
Not if The Domino Lady could help it, she decided. In consequence, she had decided upon the boldest move of her daring career; the snatching of the unscrupulous district attorney whom she was convinced was a ring leader in Legion affairs!
The hour was nine o’clock, and it was very quiet in the residential section of town. Flattened within the tiny locker, Ellen prayed for quick action to ease the strain on her aching body and quivering nerves.
Abruptly the purr of a powerful engine came to her keen ears, and the whisper of rubber on concrete.
A yellow glow of headlights shone through the frosted glass panels of the doors, dimly illuminating the inner confines of the spacious garage.
It was impossible for Ellen to be sure that this was J. Riggs Saint, but her nerves snapped taut and her slender fingers tightened about the corrugated butt of the automatic. Her mouth was suddenly dry. This was one of the most crucial moments of her career! An overwhelming desire for a cigarette assailed her, but she dared not risk it. Her presence must not be suspected at this stage of the game.
Came the sound of footsteps outside the garage doors, and a key gritted in the lock. The big doors swung gratingly open a moment later, and Ellen shot a surreptitious glance from her place of concealment. J. Riggs Saint, dapper, slender, was outlined in the glow of the headlights as he walked back to a powerful sedan! Her zero hour was at hand!
The big car purred smoothly as it rolled into the garage. Through the crack in the door, Ellen looked closely at the district attorney.
His features were refined, but hardened, his blue eyes icy, flint-hard. A half sneer played about his thin-lipped mouth, giving him a sinister look.
In the narrow confines of the closet, Ellen caught and held her breath. A feeling of vague apprehension went through her soft body as she thought of the gigantic task that confronted her.
Not only might Saint be a dangerous man to tackle, even with the automatic and other equipment with which she was armed, but subsequent moves would be double perilous! She shook off the apprehension, grimly.
The district attorney slid from the driver’s seat. He was carrying a bulky briefcase which he handled carefully, placing it on the running board beside his feet. He reached within the car, drew the ignition key from the dash, prepared to slam the door. Abruptly, he tensed.
“Reach high!”
The cold, high-pitched command knifed through the garage as Ellen slid swiftly up behind the unsuspecting politician.
The muzzle of her weapon formed an icy ring of menace against Saint’s neck. His hands were trembling as they shot upward over his head.
“Who — who’re you?” he managed, struggling for composure, “and what do you want here?” His tones betrayed a mixture of astonishment and rising rage.
Ellen laughed softly, but there was little of mirth in the sound. “Do you still desire evidence against the Black Legion, Saint,” she snapped, quickly, “so that you may prosecute? Or is it all pre-election bluff?”
Saint snorted.
“Everyone knows where I stand on that subject! I’m ready to prosecute whenever I get material evidence, not hearsays! But what has that to do with this high-handed outrage? Don’t you know I’ll get you a stretch in Tehachipi for this, you fool?”
Again Ellen’s mocking laughter. “I don’t bluff worth a peso, Saint!” she gritted. “So you might as well save yourself the effort! I’m going to see to it that you get the evidence you’ve been crying for! In fact, unless I’m badly mistaken, you’ll wish you’d never heard of the Black Legion before the light of another day shines upon you, my friend!”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” began the district attorney, weakly.
“You’re a member of that Legion, Saint!” snapped Ellen, boldly.
Saint laughed, uglily. “You’re taking a lot for granted!” he said. “And I wouldn’t want the job of proving such an accusation!”