10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE CORPSE AT THE CARNIVAL———-————————-T TSD revolver in a winking arc. The move- ment was sudden, swift, and it caught Millard by surprise. He tried to duck, bob sidewise, but the gun barrel cracked against his forehead, a slant- ing blow that knocked him backward on his heels. He fell to the floor, half- stunned, and without putting up a hand could feel the egg starting to hatch. May didn’t scream. She wasn’t that kind. But she stood biting her lip, and holding the automatic pointed down at Millard in trembling hands. Her eyes were blinded by tears. “So long, kid,” Eddie Fitz said. “Tl be seeing you.” He was at the window, sliding it up and stepping through to the fire es- cape outside, still watching Millard. Millard stared back, his face drawn and sullen, making no effort to move. The window came down and Eddie Fitz disappeared. Millard pressed a palm against the swelling on his fore- head, climbed slowly to his feet, swayed, then weaved across to the window. The cold eye of his own automatic followed him, guided by May Fitz’ hands, but she didn’t speak as he shoved the window up, looked out and down through the rungs of the fire escape. OWN below, the alley was a slot of blackness. He thought he saw a shadow moving away across a va- eant lot at the rear. Turning from the window, he braced himself against the wall and looked at May, a sar- donic warp to his lips. “Okay,” he muttered. “He’s gone. He broke loose to get Bonelli. You lured Bonelli to the Dragon Tower for him, and now you help him to get away. I’m not blaming you. May. After all, he’s your brother. But where does that put you. It makes you an accessory.” “No!” she cried softly, shaking her head. “He didn’t kill Bonelli! He didn’t !” “How do you know he didn’t?” “I—” Her throat tightened and she had to lower her head. “I just know he didn’t. He—he—” “He’s your brother and he wouldn’t do anything like that, is that it?” He shook his head, grimacing. “This is a hell of a thing for you to be mixed in. I seem to be butting in where I’m not wanted, but I wish there was something I could do to help you.” “You’ve done enough.” Her voice was desperate, hopeless. She raised her head and reproached him: ‘Why did you follow me here?”’ “To warn you,” he said and let a bitter breath explode. “That’s kind of funny now. The elevator boy re- membered taking you up in the tower just after Bonelli, and he gave your description to the cops that came. It won't take long for them to put two and two together and tumble that you were there.” “Oh... .” The gun drooped to her side and she stared at him in fearful concern, her mouth lax. He straightened, frowning. “Why were you there, May? I’ve got to know.” She blinked and. glistening tears fell out of her eyes. She was not cry- ing now, but her long lashes were wet. “Bonelli called me on the phone. He wanted to see me, suggested meeting there, said it was very important and concerned Eddie. I think he was afraid Eddie was after him, had bro- ken loose to get him, and he wanted to reach Eddie first through me with a proposition—beg off, make a deal. Nobody was there when I went up. I—I thought he hadn’t arrived yet.” The welt on Millard’s forehead was an angry red, but beneath it his face looked thoughtful. “You told Eddie you were going?” “Yes. He got in touch with me by phone, too. He said to tell Bonelli—” Her eyes opened wide and she clapped a hand to her mouth, realizing too late that she had admitted her brother knew that Bonelli would be in the Dragon Slide Tower at a certain Gomichbooks.com