“Perhaps some fiend has planned seven murders. Perhaps” — his voice was thoughtful — “there are seven persons involved. Follow that clew. Seek the murderer.
“I shall tell you more. The gun was probably fitted with a silencer. That extended finger of Lukens’s left hand shows a purpose. The murderer desired a ring that he was wearing.
“Seek the murderer” — The Shadow’s voice was sibilant — “and I shall aid you. Premeditated murder, with Doctor Lukens taken unaware. I shall aid you. When I am certain of the murderer’s identity and have fathomed the plans of his associates, I shall reveal them to you.”
Cardona saw the flash of two burning eyes that peered from the depths below the broad-brimmed hat.
He clutched the arms of his chair to fight off dizziness. Then The Shadow was gone.
Outside, the two plain-clothes men were returning from their fruitless pursuit. They were startled by the sound of a long, taunting laugh that seemed to come from nowhere and that dwindled away to a mysterious nothingness.
It was the laugh of The Shadow!
CHAPTER VIII. CARDONA CHECKS
“GEN’LEMAN callee you on phone, sir.”
Rodney Paget sat up in bed. It was morning. He was in Jerry Burnham’s apartment. Burnham’s Japanese valet had roused him.