Men of Mystery

Crossing the Archer

Meanwhile in Carver City, Sammy Desosa, the racketeer sat in jail. One of his men, Dillon, came to see him.

"I want out of this can," the boss man spat.

"We're workin' on it, boss," said Dillon. "But they've got lots of evidence against you."

"Then destroy it or buy off the DA."

"We tried to destroy the evidence, but the Archer showed up. Pinned Lefty and Louie to the wall before we even knowed he was there."

"Bah! The Archer." Sammy grumbled.

"And the DA ain't approachable. The word on the street is he'll charge anyone with bribery if they try to buy him off."

"No one is that honest," remarked Sammy. "He's got some weakness. Find it. Use it against him."

"Okay boss." Dillon left and was picked up the next day by the police.

Taking him to an interrogation room, the detective in charge barked, "Talk, Dillon. We know you're trying to get Sammy Desosa out of jail. We want to know how."

But Dillon sat in his hard wooden chair under the bright bare light bulb and said nothing.

Hours passed as different detectives tried to get Dillon to confess what he knew. But they he said nothing.

The detectives conferred in the police chief's office.

"We've got to make him talk soon," said lead detective. He was a young fit man with dark hair and brown eyes. He wore a green sports coat and white dress shirt. A blue necktie was tied around his neck and matched his slacks.

"Has we said anything?" asked the police chief, an older man with white hair and mustache.

"Not as much as two words," said the lead detective.

Suddenly an arrow came flying to the office through the window. Attached to it was note.

Release Dillion. He's not the man you want. Do not follow him. I will do the rest.
The Archer.

"This good enough for me," said the police chief.

Minutes later Dillon was on the street and soon was in his remote hideout outside of town with the two of Sammy Desosa's men.

"That was a nice trick," said Dillon. "The cops believed that phony note was the real thing. Now we can got to deal with the DA so Sammy can get off scot-free."

But before anyone could move, an arrow crashed through a window with a note.

Faking a message from me was a bad idea. Now I'll get every last one of you for what you've done.
The Archer.

"Get the guns," said Dillon. "His arrows are no match for us."

Immediately they burst of the hideout and saw a hooded figure clad in red dash around the backside of the hideout.

Dillon signaled for them to split up so as to surround them. About a minute later, gunfire was heard and the mysterious figure of the Archer lay on the ground, not moving.

"Gee," said the one of the men, "I didn't think I had hit him."

"Well, he ain't movin'," said Dillon.

"Let's get the spades. We can bury him here."

Dillon shook his head. "No time for that now. Youse mugs need to go into town and collect the DA. We can show him the Archer's body to convince him to play ball with us."

They carried the Archer's prone body into the hideout and then the two men left, leaving Dillon alone. The gangster settled into a chair. He heard a noise. Getting up, he turned to see the hooded form of the Archer before him.

"Hello, Dillon. You look surprised."

Gaping, the mobster drew his gun, but the Archer was faster and rushed the racketeer.

"You've used that gun for the last time." Quickly wrestled the gun from Dillon's hand and then tied him up.

Going outside, he saw the two other men working on their car.

"How'd we get a flat?" asked one of the men.

"Beats me."

Grabbing the two men from behind, the Archer knocked their heads together and threw them on the ground. Stunned, the two men offered no resistance when he tied them up too.

About an hour later, the three men were marched into police headquarters.

The police chief couldn't believe his eyes. "Dillon and his men, all tied up."

"Yeah," spat Dillon. "The Archer got us." An Archer came flying through the window pinning Dillon to the wall.

"I'll talk," said the gangster. "I'll talk or the Archer will kill me. He threatened me."

"Sure he did," said the police officer. "Now start in. There's a stenographer waiting."