Doc Savage: Glare of the Gorgon (The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage Book 19) by Kenneth Robeson, Lester Dent, Will Murray Page A

exposition. That’s why I’m lugging it around. All the rest of it was a lie. Except the part about me being a Doc Savage associate.”
    Janet Falcon studied the unhealthy-looking electrical wizard with earnest green eyes. “I spoke with Doc Savage not an hour ago. How is it that you come to be in Chicago so rapidly?”
    Long Tom said patiently, “I just explained that. I’m in town for the big scientific conference. Doc called me. Told me to look you up. We need to get to the bottom of what happened to Ned Gamble.”
    At the sound of her late fiancé’s name, Janet Falcon began to tear up. She fumbled into a pocket of her frock, pulled out a handkerchief that was noticeably wet, and started dabbing at her red-rimmed eyes.
    “They killed him,” she murmured jerkily.
    “Who are they?”
    Coming out of her crying jag, the woman suddenly snapped, “It is just an expression! Forget I said that.”
    “Doc Savage seems to think you sent Gamble to New York.”
    Janet Falcon made no reply, but pain brought a wince to her attractive features. For despite the pale strain on her features, she was an attractive woman—beautiful the way a marble bust can be beautiful: Cold and austere.
    Long Tom decided to twist the knife. “Sent him to his death.”
    Janet Falcon’s face fell apart at that point. “Oh, poor Ned! I should never have told you what I did.”
    The peculiar weapon in her hand wavered. Knowing the unpredictability of women, especially those under emotional distress, Long Tom attempted a thing he normally would not have tried.
    Reaching into his coat, he found the grip of a second weapon nestled in his underarm holster, brought it out and fired two rapid shots in succession.
    The machine pistol in his hand barked, and two rounds struck Janet Falcon on one bare arm. Almost immediately a combination of shock and surprise overtook her disintegrating features.
    For a terrible instant, it looked as if she was going to return fire, but the weapon fell from her fingers, and she collapsed on top of it.
    “Just my luck to encounter a difficult female,” muttered Long Tom as he holstered the weapon, then rushed to reclaim the unusual pistol, which had tumbled to the floor.
    ONCE he set this odd pistol aside, Long Tom gathered up the woman in his arms and placed her on the sofa, knowing that it would be at least an hour before she awoke again. For he had struck her with two “mercy” bullets—hollow shells that were filled with a chemical preparation invented by Doc Savage, and which were designed to disable a foe without permanently injuring them. Once the slugs struck flesh, they ruptured, introducing the anesthetic potion into the bloodstream. The speed with which unconsciousness took hold was sometimes difficult to believe. But the bronze man had formulated the stuff so that it could be used in situations exactly like this one. Janet Falcon had succumbed before she could pull the trigger on the electrical expert.
    Looking at his rather large wristwatch, Long Tom noted the time and sat down on the perforated horsehair chair to await the woman’s return to consciousness. At that time, he would have the upper hand and was determined to extract from her the truth, if for no other reason than to make all the trouble he had just endured worthwhile.
    Unfortunately for the pale electrical wizard, he did not have an hour to wait.
    A dozen minutes along, the doorbell buzzed insistently. At first, Long Tom ignored it, but when the buzzer refused to cease its annoying repetition, he went over to the electrical panel, pressed a push-button and called into the speaker grille, “Who is it?”
    “This is Malcolm McLean,” a thin voice returned. “I just heard about poor Ned. I’ve come to pay my respects and offer my condolences.”
    “She is indisposed,” returned Long Tom impatiently.
    That should have done the trick, but it did not. The thin voice became suspicious and demanded, “Who is this? What are you doing in