Free The Avenger 31 - The Cartoon Crimes by Kenneth Robeson Page A

important things to—”
    “Don’t flick ashes on that Bokhara, you moron.”
    “If these old rugs are so valuable, you ought not to leave them lying around in great piles.”
    “Everything in this storeroom is valuable. You must learn to behave when you are here.”
    Gruber changed the subject. “What do you intend to do about Gil Lewing now?”
    The fat man made a pouting face, not looking at the other. At last he said, “We didn’t succeed in driving him to another nervous breakdown.”
    “Yes, agreed. Nor did we frame him for Walling’s murder.”
    “Looking back now, I wonder if killing that ridiculous old man was sensible.”
    “Had Lewing been arrested, the control of Wonderman quite probably would have fallen into our hands,” said Gruber. “Wayne Harmon would most certainly have succeeded him on the feature.”
    “Yes, I know. Then we could have used the newspaper comic strip to transmit messages to our scattered agents with no fear of interference. We would also have been able to funnel a good part of the profits into our cause.”
    “Once we’d put Lewing’s wife out of the way.”
    The fat man said, “I believe we can use the wife.”
    “In what way?”
    “We’re now going to have to force Gil Lewing into cooperating with us,” said Pournelle slowly. “We need a lever.”
    “You’re thinking of perhaps kidnapping the wife?”
    “Exactly. We hold her until Lewing signs over his interest in the feature to Harmon,” said the fat man. “A sizable ransom, but I’ve no doubt Lewing will pay. I’ve discussed much of this with Harmon, and he is in agreement.”
    Gruber left his chair and held his cigarette butt over a saucer. “Yes, it might—”
    “Goon, don’t stub your cigarette in that!” warned Pournelle. “That’s a genuine Busino saucer from 1878.”
    “I thought it was an ashtray.” Gruber cupped his hand under the still smoldering cigarette. “Well, where shall I dispose of it?”
    “Don’t tempt me,” said the fat man, snickering. “There, buffoon, use the brass bowl there.”
    Getting rid of the butt, Gruber said, “You are aware of the Avenger’s raid on the Yellow Rose, since Kobler filled you in. In view of the activities of Justice, Inc., I urge that we move quickly on the Lewing affair.”
    “Yes, I intend to. I have sent for several men who I feel can handle the kidnapping efficiently. The best time will be tomorrow.”
    “What part shall I play in this?”
    “None,” Pournelle told him. “After the way you and Kobler and that moron Geiss handled yourselves last night, I think I’ll bench you for this one.”
    “That’s a foolish—”
    “Nevertheless, it’s my final decision.” He swung his small feet up onto the sofa. “Now if you can get yourself out of here without destroying anything priceless, Gruber, I’d like to catch a nap before we start on our kidnapping plans.”
    Gruber took a half-dozen steps away from his chair. Then from downstairs came the sound of antiques breaking.

CHAPTER XVIII

Not as Planned
    Smitty’s foot slipped on the sandy ground. Finally he got purchase and pushed himself up to a standing position. The fog had closed in around him again. He shook his head to clear it of the fuzziness it seemed filled with. “Nellie,” he called out. “Nellie, you okay?”
    There was no immediate response.
    “Nellie!”
    “Yes . . . here . . . I’m over here, Smitty.”
    The giant made his way through the mist toward the small voice. “You get hurt?”
    “Not too much, I guess. I got knocked for a loop, but there wasn’t any major damage done.”
    She appeared out of the fog now, kneeling on the scrubby ground. Her hair was tousled; a speckling of sand streaked her face and her bare arms. Smitty’s first impulse was to give her a hug. He refrained, fearing he might do more harm than the recent explosion. He still nursed the notion that the little blonde was much more fragile than she really was.
    “What’d that jerk do,”