JUNGLE JUGGERNAUTS 175
Tom gestured toward Kroker. “Know anything about this man?”
“Yes,” said Auber. “He’s a strong-arm thug whom Macklin hired to keep his native workers in line. Kroker’s a skilled electronics man, too.”
“That explains who masterminded tonight’s plot to kill our transmitters,” Tom said coldly.
Kroker turned pale. “I didn’t mastermind the plot!” he whined. “Macklin did. Swift, he tried to kill you with that poison-gas idol!”
“Shut up, you fool!” Macklin roared.
“The game’s up,” Kroker retorted.
“You’re the one who sent the idol!”
“And you arranged the whole deal-poison gas and all!” Kroker shouted. “I was only following orders!”
Tom chuckled inwardly at the way his ruse of accusing Kroker had worked. Kroker continued to talk freely. Macklin had sent him to the United States to scare Tom and keep him away from Africa. Kroker had sent the devil doll and released the fake news story about Enterprises winning the highway contract. This was done to force Tom to admit or deny that he had taken on the project. Through government friends in Princetown, Macklin had learned that the Swifts were to be asked by Kwanu to undertake the job, and had arranged the theft of the Burlow plans from the Princetown files.
Kroker also admitted he had hired Willie Jarvel
176 REPELATRON SKYWAY
to help him with the airport kidnapping, the spear incident, and the launching of the aluminum “birds” to flutter down over Enterprises.
“I take it you also recruited Darcy Creel to assist in the plot?” Tom put in.