erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第18部分

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　was　giving　instructions　to　the　attendant　to　fill　the　car　with　gasoline。
　Mason　was　just　entering　the　phone　booth　when　Della　made　the　connection　and　asked　for　Unit　14。
　She　eased　out　of　the　booth　while　Mason　stepped　in　past　her　and　took　the　telephone　from　Della's　hand。
　〃Hello。　Virginia？〃　he　asked　when　he　heard　his　client's　voice。
　〃Yes。　Is　this　Mr。　Mason？〃
　〃Yes。　Tell　me　what　happened。〃
　Virginia　Baxter　said；　〃I　know　that　you　told　me　to　stay　home；　but　the　phone　rang　and　it　was　Lauretta　Trent。　She　asked　me　if　I　would　mind　meeting　with　her　tonight　to　discuss　a　very　important　and　very　confidential　matter。　I　told　her　that　it　would　be　inconvenient　and　that　I　was　supposed　to　stay　home。
　〃So　she　told　me　that　she'd　make　it　well　worth　my　while。　That　she　would　pay　all　my　expenses　and　give　me　five　hundred　dollars。　But　the　understanding　was　I　must　refrain　from　municating　with　anyone。　Just　go　up　there　and　wait　for　her。〃
　〃And　you　did？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃I　did。　That　five　hundred　dollars　and　all　expenses　looked　as　big　to　me　as　a　mountain　of　pure　gold。
　〃I　realized　I　should　have　telephoned　you　but　she　specifically　stated　that　I　wasn't　to　get　in　touch　with　anyone。　Not　to　let　a　single　soul　on　earth　know　where　I　was。〃
　〃So？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃So　I　came　up　here　and　I've　been　here　for　something　over　an　hour　and　she　hasn't　shown　up　or　sent　me　any　message。　I　began　to　think　about　the　fact　that　I'd　let　you　down　and　so　I　decided　to　call　you　and　tell　you　where　I　was。
　〃I　called　Paul　Drake's　office。　They　told　me　that　you　were　out　at　Lauretta　Trent's　so　I　called　there　and　the　nurse　put　you　on　the　phone。〃
　〃You　hold　everything；〃　Mason　said。　〃We're　on　our　way　out　to　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel。　If　Lauretta　Trent　shows　up　before　we　get　there；　hold　her　there。〃
　〃But　how　can　I　hold　her？〃
　〃Make　some　excuse；〃　Mason　said。　〃Tell　her　that　you　have　some　very　important　information　for　her。　If　you　have　to；　tell　her　that　I'm　on　my　way　out。
　〃Tell　her　that　you　want　to　talk　with　her　privately。　Tell　her　the　whole　story；　starting　with　your　arrest　and　all　about　the　carbon　copies　of　the　files　from　Delano　Bannock's　office。〃
　〃You　think　my　arrest　was　connected　with　that？〃
　〃Very　much　so；〃　Mason　said。　〃I　think　the　idea　was　that　you　were　to　be　put　in　such　a　position　that　your　testimony　could　be　discredited　if　it　became　necessary　to　discredit　it。〃
　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　wait。〃
　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃I'm　in　my　room　here　at　the　motel。〃
　〃You've　been　there　for　how　long？〃
　〃More　than　an　hour。〃
　〃And　your　car？〃
　〃It's　outside　in　the　parking　lot。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃we're　ing　right　out。〃
　The　lawyer　hung　up　the　phone；　gave　his　credit　card　to　the　attendant　at　the　service　station；　said　to　Della　Street；　〃e　on；　Della；　we're　going　to　start　getting　things　_un_scrambled。〃
　They　drove　down　to　Santa　Monica；　then　up　along　the　beach　where　a　high；　angry　surf　was　pounding　on　their　left。　Mason　slowed　to　look　for　his　turnoff；　then　took　a　dirt　road　which　branched　off　and　curled　upward　in　a　series　of　twisting　curves。
　Mason　fed　gas　to　the　car　and　handled　the　wheel　with　deft　skill；　keeping　well　within　the　limits　of　safety；　yet　saving　every　precious　second　possible。
　As　Mason's　car　wound　its　way　up　the　tortuous　road；　Della　Street　said；　〃What　are　you　going　to　tell　Lauretta　Trent　if　she's　there　ahead　of　us；　Perry？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Mason　said。　〃I'll　have　to　remember　that　she's　not　my　client。〃
　〃The　chauffeur　will　probably　be　with　her。〃
　Mason　nodded。
　〃And　if　he　should　find　out　that　Dr。　Alton　has　now　changed　his　diagnosis　and　knows　that　she　has　been　subjected　to　arsenic　poisoning；　the　man　could　be　dangerous。　Lauretta　Trent　may　never　get　back　home。〃
　Mason　said；　〃If　I　can't　talk　with　her　privately　I　simply　might　put　her　in　even　more　danger　telling　her　about　the　poison。　I　am　not　under　any　obligation　to　tell　Lauretta　Trent　anything；　nor　under　obligation　to　withhold　anything。　I　can；　of　course；　ask　her　to　call　Dr。　Alton　and　let　him　break　the　news　to　her。〃
　〃And　then　what？〃
　〃Then；〃　Mason　said；　〃George　Eagan；　the　chauffeur；　wouldn't　necessarily　know　anything　about　what　has　been　said。　But　if　she　cares　enough　for　him　to　make　him　a　beneficiary　under　the　will；　it　will　probably　take　a　lot　more　than　a　mere　telephone　conversation　to　turn　her　against　him；　and　if　I　tell　her　anything；　it　will　turn　her　against　me。〃
　〃But　Dr。　Alton　is　also　a　beneficiary　under　the　will。〃
　〃We　don't　know　that。〃
　〃He　seems　to　think　so；〃　she　said。
　Mason　smiled　and　said；　〃Also　he　thought　the　first　attacks　were　acute　food　poisoning。　Let's　see　what　we　can　do　to　take　care　of　our　client　first。　She's　our　main　responsibility。　If　Lauretta　Trent　wants　to　see　her；　it's　for　a　reason。　Let's　find　out　the　reason　and　take　it　from　there。〃
　The　road　straightened　out　on　a　mesa　and；　within　a　short　distance；　Mason　saw　the　lights　of　the　motel。
　〃Strange　place　for　a　motel；〃　Della　Street　said。
　〃It's　for　people　going　up　to　the　lake　for　boating　and　for　fishermen；〃　Mason　said。　〃There　just　isn't　room　for　a　motel　on　the　main　highway。　It's　ocean　on　one　side　and　sheer　bluff　on　the　other。〃
　Mason　stopped　his　car　in　the　parking　place；　and　they　walked　down　the　long　line　of　cabins　and　came　to　Unit　14。
　He　tapped　on　the　door。
　Virginia　Baxter　flung　the　door　open。　〃My　gosh；　am　I　glad　to　see　you！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Won't　you　e　in？〃
　〃Where's　Lauretta　Trent？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃I　haven't　heard　another　word　from　her；　not　a　word。〃
　〃But　she　asked　you　to　e　out　here？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃She　said　she　had　something　to　tell　me。　Something　of　the　greatest　importance　to　me。〃
　〃And　when　did　this　conversation　take　place？〃
　〃Well；　let's　see　。　。　。　I　left　your　office　and　went　to　a　branch　post　office　that　wasn't　too　far　from　my　apartment。　I　sent　the　letter　to　myself；　registered　mail。　I　had　a　malted　milk；　went　to　my　apartment　and　hadn't　been　there　more　than　。　。　。　oh；　an　hour　or　an　hour　and　a　half；　when　the　phone　rang　and　Lauretta　Trent　told　me　who　she　was　and　asked　me　if　I　would　meet　her。〃
　〃Up　here　at　this　motel？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃She　gave　you　directions　how　to　get　here　or　did　you　know　the　place？〃
　〃No；　she　told　me　exactly　how　to　drive　to　get　here　and　wanted　me　to　assure　her　that　I'd　be　leaving　right　away　and　wouldn't　tell　a　soul。〃
　〃What　time　did　she　say　she'd　meet　you？〃
　〃She　didn't　give　me　a　fixed　time；　but　said　she'd　be　here　within　an　hour　after　I　arrived。〃
　Mason　said；　〃You　met　Lauretta　Trent　when　she　was　in　the　law　office　where　you　worked？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　were　a　witness　to　one　of　her　wills？〃
　〃I　think　there　were　two　wills；　Mr。　Mason；　and　I　can't　specifically　remember　being　a　witness；　but　I　remember　drawing　up　the　wills…that　is；　doing　the　typing…and　I　remember　there　was　some　peculiar　provision　in　the　wills；　something　about　her　relatives…there　was　something　unusual　about　it。　She　didn't　trust　her　relatives；　I　know　that…that　is；　she　felt　they　were　just　waiting　for　her　to　die　and　that　their　interest　in　her　was　purely　selfish。　I've　been　trying　my　best　to　think　what　it　was　that　was　in　at　least　one　of　the　wills；　but　somehow　I　just　can't　seem　to　get　it　clear　in　my　mind。　I　have　that　vague　recollection…You　must　remember　that　we　drew　lots　of　wills　in　the　office。〃
　Mason　said；　〃Right　at　the　moment　I　am　not　primarily　concerned　with　whether　you　remember　the　wills　but　trying　to　find　out　if　you　remember　Lauretta　Trent's　voice。〃
　〃Her　voice？　No；　I　wouldn't　remember　that。　I　have　only　a　vague　recollection　of　what　she　looks　like；　rather　a　tall；　slender　woman　with　hair　that　was　turning　gray　。　。　。　not　a　bad　figure　。　。　。　you　know　what　I　mean；　not　heavy　but　。　。　。　well…groomed。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃you　don't　remember　anything　about　her　voice？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Then　how　do　you　know　that　you　were　talking　with　Lauretta　Trent　on　the　telephone？〃
　〃Why；　because　she　told　me　that…Oh　。　。　。　oh；　I　see。〃
　〃In　other　words；〃　Mason　said；　〃a　feminine　voice　on　the　telephone　told　you　you　were　listening　to　Lauretta　Trent；　that　you　were　to　e　up　here；　that　Lauretta　Trent　would　meet　you　here　within　an　hour　of　the　time　of　your　arrival…Now；　how　long　have　you　been　here？〃
　〃Two　hours…two　hours　and　a　half。〃
　〃You　registered　under　your　own　name？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。〃
　〃And　got　this　room？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　you　parked　your　car？〃
　〃Yes；　out　in　the　parking　lot。〃
　〃Let's　go　take　a　look；〃　Mason　said。
　〃But　why？〃
　〃Because；〃　Mason　told　her；　〃we're　checking　on　everything。　I　don't　like　this。　You　should　have　followed　my　instructions　and　reported　to　me　before　you　left　your　apartment。〃
　〃But　she　insisted　I　was　not　to　tell　anyone　and　that　I　was　to　get　five　hundred　dollars　and　all　my　expenses　if　I　followed　her　instructions…and；　as　I　told　you；　that　five　hundred　dollars　looks　particularly　big　to　me　right　now。〃
　Mason　said；　〃She　could　have　promised　you　a　million　just　as　well。　If　you　don't　get　it；　it　doesn't　make　any　difference　how　big　it　sounded。〃
　Virginia　led'the　way　out　into　the　parking　lot。　〃It's　right　over…Why；　that's　strange。　I　thought　I　left　it　in　that　other　painted　oblong。　I'm　almost　certain　I　did。〃
　Mason　walked　over　to　the　car。　〃You　have　a　flashlight　in　this　car？〃　he　asked。
　〃No；　I　don't。〃
　Mason　said；　〃I　have　one　in　my　car。　I'll　get　it。　You　don't　think　this　was　the　place　you　left　the　car？〃
　〃Mr。　Mason；　I'm　certain　it　was　not。　I　remember　putting　the　bumper　right　up　against　that　sto