Before Tom or Ames could stop him, he went charging inside.
The clatter of dishes stopped for a moment. Then there was an angry babble of voices.
A moment later Bud came hurtling out of the kitchen door to land sprawling at the feet of his two companions!
In the doorway stood a huge, olive-skinned, mustachioed man in a chef’s cap. As he poured out a flood of voluble Italian, he waved a rolling pin angrily at Bud.
“Next’a time, I won’t’a be so gentle!” he finished threateningly. “And you can tell’a that to you’a friends, too!”
“Whew!” Bud said, as he picked himself up and dusted off his slacks. “That guy belongs on a pro football team! What a blocker he’d make!”
“Looks as if we’re out of luck,” said Tom, trying hard not to laugh at Bud’s discomfiture.
“No use wasting any more time,” Ames suggested.
BRONICH VANISHES 51
“I’ll put in a call to the State Police. While I’m gone, you two stay here and keep a sharp lookout for Bronich, in case he tries to leave!”
Nobody had emerged from the building by the time Ames returned, and two minutes later the trio saw a police car speed up the street. As it stopped in front of the club, the car doors opened and three state troopers stepped out, led by Captain Rock, Turning to his men, he said crisply: “Foster, you take the side door! Let no one leavel Jorgens, you and Brant guard the back!”
At sight of the police the doorman’s eyes bugged out and his jaw dropped.
This time, he opened the door promptly, and Captain Rock entered, followed by Tom, Ames, and Bud.