Page 158 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Breaking the Grapefruit Connection
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was clear, Kaga picked up his equipment and silently followed the
audible progress of the two men.
After descending a narrow staircase he came out onto the floor of
the plant. It seemed to be deserted, despite the throb of heavy
machinery. Then he caught sight of his friend, arms tied behind his
back, being pushed toward a conveyor belt on which rows of
grapefruit halves slid swiftly into the interior of a large rumbling
machine. There was not a moment to lose. Kaga rushed up behind
the other man as the latter was about to give Lugo a final shove into
the pulper.
“Duck!” yelled Kaga, and struck the man on the back with his
hypertriangulator. Lugo dropped to the ground as his tormentor
sprawled on top of the grapefruit ranks and quickly disappeared into
the machine.
‘‘Are you all right?’’ asked Kaga, helping Lugo to his feet and
releasing his bonds.
“Yes, I’m okay. What about you?”
“My astronomical device is broken. Now I won’t be able to settle
the cosmological question. Nevertheless—”
He was interrupted by a loud gnashing noise and the ringing of an
alarm bell. The procession of citrus hemispheres ground to a halt.
‘‘Quick, Lugo! Lead the way to the transshipment point so we can
hide. They’ll probably think it was you in there and won’t think to
start a search. I hope you heard it right when they said a group of
escaped convicts was due to be sent here in the morning.”
“I’m sure of it,” said Lugo, panting as he ran. ‘‘In here. Leave the
door ajar. That big pile of grapefruit in sacks looks familiar. It must be
the equivalent of four or five people.”
“Right. Let’s empty two of them. Where will we conceal a hundred
forty kilos of grapefruit?”
“I thought you had this all worked out,” said Lugo, a bit wheezily.
“Well, I can’t think of everything; I’m not as sharp as I used to be.
What’s this over here?”
“We’re in luck! It’s a disposal chute for rotten fruit.” After
emptying two sacks of their contents, they concealed themselves
inside them, and wriggled into the middle of the heap, managing to
look lumpy without much effort.
“Okay, Captain Kaga?”
“Okay. So far , so good.”
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