The Avenger 36 - Demon Island by Kenneth Robeson Read Free Book Online Page B

from San Obito Island, which I understand comes under the jurisdiction of the San Amaro police.”
    “Yeah, it does. Though nothing much has happened out there lately. Are you one of the movie people?”
    “Not exactly,” said the Avenger. “I think you’d better get out here, Lieutenant. There’s been a murder.”
    Lt. Bonner stopped watching the seagulls. “How’s that again?”
    “We found a man dead in the woods late last night.”
    “And you figure it’s murder?”
    “He was strangled, yes.”
    “Some kind of fight among the people making the movie, or what?”
    “The man isn’t one of the motion-picture-company employees. We don’t as yet know who he is.”
    “I imagine you thought to look at his wallet?”
    “He wasn’t carrying one, nor any other means of immediate identification,” answered the Avenger. “I’ve taken his fingerprints and I’d like you to get them to—”
    “Wait now, Mr. Benson,” cut in the policeman. “They pay me to do stuff like that. I don’t want you or any of those other Hollywood characters tampering with the body until I get there with my men. You understand? Leave the guy right where you found him.”
    “The body’s been brought back to the mansion,” Benson told him.
    “What? Why in the hell did you do that?”
    “Because I think there’s a distinct possibility that someone might steal the corpse,” replied the Avenger. “We can go into the details when you get here, Lieutenant Bonner.” He broke the connection.
    “You bet we’ll go into the details,” said Bonner as he strapped on his shoulder holster.

    “I feel like an undertaker,” remarked Smitty.
    On a table in the until now unused ballroom of the castle Tucker’s body lay. O’Malley had instructed all the men on the crew to file in and take a look at the dead man.
    The giant was stationed at the doorway to keep the flow moving smoothly.
    The Avenger stood near him, watching each grip and technician as he circled the table for his look at the corpse. “So far no one seems to recognize him,” he said.
    “Well, if he ain’t one of the movie ginks, who is he?”
    “As soon as we get his fingerprints checked out we’ll know.”
    “That might take a day or two. We got to find Cole sooner than that.”
    “Hold on, Smitty.”
    Candy had just viewed the body. As he came back toward the door the Avenger stopped him. “Did you recognize him?”
    “Nope, not really.”
    “Your face indicated that you did while you were looking at him.”
    Candy said, “Well, I tell you what I thought. He looks like a guy who was hanging around the studio in Burbank two, three weeks ago. He was talking with the guard just as I come off work that one day. So Murph—he’s the gateman on that shift—he calls me over. Seems this guy is looking for a job. He’s heard we’re going to be shooting here on the island, read it in the trade papers or some place. Claimed he was an expert on the islands off the coast. Wondered if we needed some kind of technical advisor. Murph knew I was going to be on Terry’s crew for this picture and asked me to talk to the guy. I did for a few minutes and I got the hunch he was a con artist. I don’t think he knew islands from his elbow.”
    “Did he ask you when you were going to get here?” asked the Avenger. “And how long you were planning to stay?”
    Candy frowned. “Yeah, as a matter of fact, he did.”
    “Did he give you a name?”
    “Nope, because I told him I was sure Terry wasn’t going to be hiring any island experts. That didn’t seem to make him too unhappy.” Candy turned his glance toward the dead man again. “Poor guy. He don’t have anything at all to worry about no more.”
    “You sure it’s the same guy?” asked Smitty.
    Shrugging, Candy said, “Ninety-nine and forty-four one-hundredths percent sure. I wasn’t even going to mention it to you guys, ’cause it doesn’t seem to mean much.”
    “Thank you, Candy,” said Benson. “It might