Death's Race by G
Thrilling Detective, July, 1932
INE chairs stood about the long
At the head of the table sat a masked
mahogany table of the room. Yet only
man. His two gleaming eyes shone through a
Nfour of them were occupied. A single pair of slits in the blackness of the hood which but powerful electric bulb threw white covered his entire face. For a moment his searching light down from the ceiling, nervous gaze rested on the black countenances accentuating the emptiness of the vacant of three others in the room who were masked chairs.
like himself, then for a moment it scanned the
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empty seats. His forefinger drummed a The other two figures looked eagerly at their nervous tattoo on the table.
leader as the question was propounded.
An air of apprehension enveloped the
The man at the head of the table
chamber, as the three others sat silent, shrugged his shoulders and spread his palms evidently waiting for him at the head of the
upward.
table to speak. But their leader said no word.
Instead he sat there, grim and silent, and WHAT, indeed?” he replied bitterly, “There despite the covering on his face it was seems little we can do against him. That is the apparent that some powerful emotion held him
reason that I have called this meeting. There
in its grip.
are four of us left. Four out of our original
It was obvious that Number One of the
membership of nine. We have lost more than
Murder Club was afraid; and his fear had
half of our men and almost all of our power. I
subtly communicated itself to the remaining
realize that since Mr. Death began his
three members of this nefarious organization.
frustrating of our plans none of us are as
Finally, a tense hoarse voice broke the
wealthy as we had been. Yet we must keep
sinister ominous silence of the council room.
our heads. We must not permit our rage at our
“For God’s sake, Number One, say
enemy to sway us. He has beaten us, and there
something. I can’t stand this any longer. Why
is but one answer.”
did you call this meeting? What’s wrong?”
“And that is?” asked someone.
Some one sighed with relief at the
“To get out. To quit. But before we do
sound of a human voice; and the man at the
it, we shall pull one last job. One last job that head of the table seemed to cast off the silent will give us back all the wealth Mr. Death has
spell which had held him in thrall.
cost us. Then we shall dissolve the Murder
Slowly he rose to his feet and spoke in
Club. Take our profits and get out. That is the a slow somber tone, the voice of a man who is
only way we can save our lives. Are you
weary of life, who is burdened down with
gentlemen agreed?”
terrible responsibilities.
For a moment the terrible silence
“Comrades,” he said solemnly. “I am
which had pervaded the room swept back
about to make an admission that I never upon it, and the four men sat there grim and thought I would be compelled to make. We
quiet as their distorted minds considered if
are defeated. We have been outwitted at every
dissolution of their organization which for so
turn. The power of the Murder Club has been
long had controlled the destinies of Newkirk
successfully challenged. We are impotent to
City was the only method by which their lives
deal with our deadly enemy. He has slain
could be put out of reach of the long
more than half our membership; and all our
murderous arm of Mr. Death.
plans to deal with him have gone awry.”
Then,
suddenly,
one of the hooded
men nodded his head decisively.
HE paused for a moment, and the man who
“I agree, Number One,” he said. “The
had spoken first rose from his seat.
strain of carrying on is too much. Not one of
“You mean Alias Mr. Death, of us knows when Mr. Death will strike us down; course,” he said. “I admit you’re right. I admit not one of us knows when we shall go to join
that he’s licked us at every turn. But what are our comrades. I agree with you. Only show us
we to do? What?”
how to regain the fortunes that we have lost
His voice was high and contained a
through the machinations of Mr. Death, then
hint of hysteria as he spoke the last words.
we will dissolve.”
Death's Race
3
the blaze of light which shone from the
A MURMUR of assent went through the room
chandeliers in the mayor’s office.
as the leader rose once again.
The mayor suddenly jerked open a
“I already have made the plans,” he
drawer of the desk and withdrawing a brown
said. “I have already taken the first steps. We bottle and a tumbler poured himself a stiff
should split about five million dollars. I shot of excellent French brandy. Yet even the believe it is Number Nine’s turn for duty.”
warm glow of the alcohol coursing through his
Number Nine stood up and bowed.
veins failed to banish the apprehension that
“Then, gentlemen,” continued Number
was upon him.
One, “I suggest you leave us. We shall discuss
For the fiftieth time in as many
the plan in detail. If you are needed you shall minutes he glanced down at a slip of paper on
be informed. If not, you shall be sent your
his desk and read the typewritten words
share of the spoils. But no one must know
thereon.
more than is absolutely necessary. Hence I ask
you to leave us alone while I give Number
MR. MAYOR:
Nine the details of the scheme I have
On Monday night you will
arranged.”
remain after hours in your
Two of the masked men rose, and
office until our representative
bowed toward their leader and the comrade
calls upon you. Death shall be
whose turn it was to devote himself to the
the penalty if you refuse to
business of the Murder Club.
obey or set a trap.
Soon the two men were left alone.
(signed)
Smoke from innumerable cigars thickened the
THE
MURDER
CLUB.
air of the room as they talked far into the
night. Plotting, planning, for the final job that He puffed the cigar nervously, then
was to outwit Mr. Death and restore the suddenly froze to immobility in his chair, his Murder Club’s members to its former eyes glued to the door of the office which was financial prestige. Daylight showed over the
slowly moving inward. His hands clenched
hills to the east of Newkirk before the pair of themselves into fists and his eyes stared at the masked men stopped talking.
&
nbsp; moving portal until they ached.
Following the custom Number Nine
bowed and left the room, leaving the leader to
SLOWLY the door swung open. Gradually a
himself. Number One seated himself when he
black-garbed figure appeared. Two eyes
was alone, and hummed a merry little melody.
gleamed from slits in the ebon hood which fell
He was more at ease than he had been in
to the visitor’s shoulders. Then the door
weeks. After all, he still had his life, and when slammed, and a metallic voice spoke.
his plan had been put into operation he would
“Good evening, Mr. Mayor. I see you
be a cool million dollars Richer.
received our note.”
Mayor Richman of Newkirk City sat at
Richman nodded. His throat was too
the huge desk in his office and puffed dry for words.
mechanically at a panatella. City Hall was
“Good,” continued the other, as he
deserted. It was long since the other drew up a chair. “Now let’s get down to employees had gone home. The building was
business.”
in darkness save for the dim bulbs which lit
the halls to show the watchman his way, and
THE mayor fidgeted as his unwelcome visitor
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sat down, and hoped that this call did not
a gleam of hope. He nodded his head
presage anything too serious. It was not the
affirmatively. The expression in his eyes,
first time that the mayor had been honored by
however, was not lost on his masked visitor.
a visit from the notorious Murder Club. Far
“I can guess what you’re thinking,” he
from it, the organization controlled the said. “You imagine that all you have to do is political destinies of the city, and thus far no to find out who the officers of the Devine
public servant had ever dared to disobey, save
Corporation are, then you know the identity of
one, and his only reward was the elegant some of the Murder Club members.
words engraved on the tombstone which
“Don’t bank too much on that. First,
marked his grave.
the corporation is in the hands of trustworthy
“I have called,” said the hooded man,
dummies, and second, any overt act on your
“to discuss with you the new park which the
part will be dealt with as all the enemies of the city contemplates erecting. I know that the
Murder Club are dealt with. You understand
Board of Alderman have not yet selected the
your orders. Are there any questions?”
site. Further, I know that you control the
The hooded man rose, indicating that
board.
the interview was at an end. Mayor Richman
“I have come to tell you where the
turned an appealing face toward him.
park shall be made. On the corner of Vine and
“Do you realize you’re ruining me?”
Race Streets there are sixty acres of swampy
he asked in agonized tones. “Do you realize
land. Those sixty acres are owned by the that if I do this I am ruined in Newkirk City?
Devine Corporation. You will purchase that
My career is over?”
land for the park. You will assay it at the sum
“I’m not interested in that,” said the
of five million dollars which will be paid to
other. “You’ll obey instructions. That’s all I
the corporation. Do you understand?”
have to say. Good evening.”
Richman gasped. Then suddenly found
The door opened, then slammed,
his voice.
leaving the mayor of Newkirk City alone with
“But good God, man! That swamp his none too pleasant thoughts.
land isn’t worth a nickel. The only place up
that way that’s worth anything are the two
NOT for a moment, did the mayor entertain
blocks which run on that hill through the
the slightest idea of disobeying the Murder
center of the swamp. The rest is valueless.”
Club. No, the organization was too powerful
“I am not here to argue,” said the for that; and he did not have the least masked man with a sinister ring in his voice.
conception of how their power had been
“In fact I quite agree with you. The land isn’t curtailed of late by the depredations of Alias
worth a damn, save for the three blocks of
Mr. Death.
which you speak and which the Devine
Corporation does not own. However, you will
TRUE, he had heard of the phantom marauder
go through with the condemnation who left his card at the scenes of his killings, proceedings.
but Richman had no way of knowing that Mr.
“You will give the owner of the three
Death’s victims were members of the club, or
good blocks as little as possible. Certainly not that the phantom avenger was anything more
more than ten thousand. The Devine people
than an ordinary, though unusually colorful
must be awarded the rest of the money. Is that
crook.
thoroughly understood?”
Richman realized that if he pulled the
For a moment, Richman’s eyes lit with
raw deal that he had been ordered to do, he
Death's Race
5
was ruined. Yet after all, it was better to have thousand for it.”
a career aborted and remain alive, than to be
“What!” Jimmy almost leaped from his
slaughtered in one’s bed as had those others
chair.
who had dared defy the organization which
Sally nodded. “Ten thousand,” she said
had just given him its orders.
again. “That’s all.”
With a heavy heart the mayor of
“Ten thousand! That’s an outrage.
Newkirk extinguished the lights in his office
That property’s worth ten times as much.”
and walked slowly from the building to his
“I know it is. But they sent me a letter
home.
today telling me it had been condemned and
James Quincy Gilmore, Junior, pressed
that they would pay ten thousand for it.”
the doorbell once more. As he heard the bolts
Jimmy Gilmore’s face became
shot he smiled, already anticipating the fresh
suddenly grim. “Let me see their letter.”
young feminine face that would appear. The
Sally Fortune crossed the room and
door opened and his smile vanished. Replaced
took a letter from the desk in the corner. She
by an expression of grave concern.
handed it to him.
“Why Sally,” he said as he entered the
A frown crossed his brow as he read it.
room and put his arm around the girl with the
Then abruptly he rose to his feet.
tear-stained face. “Why, what’s the matter?
“Listen,” he said. “Let me handle this
What’s wrong?”
for you. And promise me not to worry. Of
Sally Fortune wiped her eyes on an
course, legally, we can’t do anything, but I
absurdly small piece of Irish lace and fought
h
ave a hunch and if it works out, things might
for control of her voice, while Jimmy eyed her
be all right. Now promise me to stop crying,
apprehensively.
and let me attend to it.”
She looked into his eyes. “Jimmy,” she
IN all the years of their acquaintance he had
said earnestly. “I’ll promise. If you’ll handle it never seen this girl give way to tears. At last for me, I’ll promise not to worry.”
she spoke. “I’m sorry, Jimmy,” she said. “I’m
“Good. Don’t mention it to anyone and
sorry I called you. I suppose I’m silly to go on don’t do a thing about it until you hear from
like this. But as you know my sole income,
me. I’ll call you later.”
since daddy died, has come from those three
He strode from the room, a grim and
blocks of buildings up at Race and Vine.”
bitter expression on his young bitter face.
“Sure,” said Jimmy. “What of it?”
“I’m going to lose it.”
FOR more than two hours Jimmy Gilmore
“Lose it? How?”
walked round and round the City Hall
“It’s been condemned by the city for
building. Through its long corridors he
the new park.”
marched, his keen eyes searching through the
“Well,” reassured Jimmy. “That won’t
crowds. He paid particular attention to the
do any harm. That land’s worth real money.
private office of the mayor.