“Uh, yeah-that’s right,” the man replied.
Without comment, Tom climbed out of the subcellar. As he bent down to drop the trap door, Tom flashed the officer a signal. Instantly the trooper grabbed Latty.
“Hey! Why the rough stuff?” the prisoner exclaimed. Then, as he realized the officer was about to handcuff him, the man’s face turned pasty SECRET CACHE 43
white. He pulled free from the trooper’s grasp and bolted toward the stairway.
His nephew stood as if paralyzed at the sudden turn of events.
Latty’s attempt at flight was hopeless. Tom quickly brought him down with a flying tackle.
Later, after Latty had been manacled, Tom helped him up. “In case you don’t know it,” the young inventory said coldly, “your friend Narko is in jail, so you may as well talk. What’s the pitch?”
44 THE VISITOR FROM PLANET X
Latty was trembling and still pale. “I-I d-didn’t know there’d be any trouble with the cops or I’d never have done it,” he quavered. “Narko offered me some dough to hide the guns. I needed money, so I took him up. That’s all there was to it.”
“How long have you known this Narko?” Tom asked.
“I met him a few days ago in a restaurant. Believe me, I’d never laid eyes on him before. And I wish I never had!” Latty added bitterly.
The man’s story had a ring of truth. “All right, Officer, let’s take him in,” Tom said. To the still-astounded Fred, he added, “We’re sorry about this.”
Two hours later Tom and Bud sat in Chief Slater’s office at Shopton police headquarters. Captain Rock and the Shopton fire chief were also on hand.