12 Sports Aces, January 1943 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

22 12 SPORTS ACES they might think you were in on the same racket with Rock.” HE man holding the gun reached ; out, jerked Sweeney into the seat. Sweeney tore one arm loose, lunged to- ward Bo Madden. One of the thugs slapped Sweeney back into the seat. Bo Madden stood up, jabbed his fist hard into Sweeney’s sore side. Sweeney winced and Bo Madden grunted out a laugh. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” Madden said flauntingly. “Okay, guys, take it away from him. I think he’ll behave now. Either he does or he gets to that hospital a bit different than he figures.” Heavy fingers rifled through Sweeney’s wallet, came up with the three grand Jen- Kins had given to Alice. Rock had asked him to bring it around as evidence. Bo Madden put a flame to a cigarette, half twisted in his seat. “Now we can talk,” he said. “This is another time I’ve been lucky for you, huh, Madden?” Sweeney said bitterly. “You’re a regular boy scout al- ways out to do a good turn—for your- self.” “It’s the percentage working,” Mad- den said, “I play it and make it work my way. You gotta be smart to do that. The gal buys the Raiders mostly on account of you. So that’s fine with me. I’m getting more dough out of it that way than if I owned the club.” It was now clear enough to Sweeney what Madden had meant when he said that Sweeney had done him a favor. But his reasoning about Connie Leonard’s buying the Raiders because of Sweeney seemed out of line. Sweeney began to un- derstand why Jenkins had so generously planted the three grand on him, It was a chance to tighten the net around him, in- volve him as Rock’s stooge and made him a “figure” in Jenkins’ crooked bookkeep- ing. There were probably other reasons, too, that would make their appearance when the full tide came in. But the big obstacle in Madden’s path had been Rock. Once he had discovered what was going on, the die had been cast to get rid of him. “You tried to do away with Rock,” Sweeney said tightly. “He had the goods on you and you gave him a one-way ride. But he isn’t finished yet, Madden. He’ll pull through this.” _ A low, amused laugh came out of Bo Madden’s throat. “Accidents happen,” he said. “Rock shoulda been more careful when he was crossing the street. But even if he isn’t a dead duck, he’ll wish he was when this thing is over. Those little pa- pers he had in his pocket. They aren’t there now. Reck can’t prove a thing. He’s had some big deposits made in his name. He’s signed a lot of stuff without going into details. It was nice the way he trust- ed Jenkins. I don’t think we have to worry about him any more.” “Maybe not,” Sweeney said. “But the girl knows what’s been going on and so does her lawyer friend. They’ll turn the ecards over.” Bo Madden shrugged. “You gotta know the angles to play the percentage. Her boy friend, Pelham, has been jealous of you. He got the idea that his gal was fall- ing for you. He was right, too. Pelham couldn’t let that happen. He wants to be the knight in shining buckles because he’s making some pretty bad real estate in- vestments with her dough, Real estate is Pelham’s hobby. We look into those things, Sweeney. So Pelham has to cover up for himself, Putting the finger on you will be killing two birds with one stone.” Sweeney saw a chance to draw Bo Mad- den out, get all the angles. The guy was getting a terrific kick, boasting and slap- ping himself on the back for his “per- centage” method. ‘You can pull that stuff on Pelham,” Sweeney said. “But the girl will smarten up on things. Then watch the fireworks.” A grin shadowed Bo Madden’s lips. “If she gets any bright ideas, she’ll regret them. But she won’t because she is too burned up over the double-crossing she believes you and Rock handed her. Be- sides, she’ll listen to Pelham. There’s plenty more dough in this setup. When old Bo-Bo thinks it’s time, he’ll step in and grab the club practically as a pres- ent.” : “You got all the answers,” Sweeney said. “You’re the original squeeze-play ECOMMICLOOOKS (F@)