erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第26部分

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　〃What　else　was　she　wearing？〃
　〃Well；　let's　see。　She　had　a　topcoat　with　some　kind　of　a　fur；　neckpiece　rather；　that　fastened　on　to　the　coat　in　some　way。〃
　〃And　she　was　wearing　that？〃
　〃Yes；　I　remember　she　asked　me　to　cut　down　the　car　heater　because　she　wanted　to　keep　her　coat　on。〃
　〃She　had　been　where？〃
　〃To　Ventura。〃
　〃Do　you　know　what　she　had　been　doing　in　Ventura？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Don't　you　know　that　she　had　been　looking　at　some　property　up　there？〃
　〃Well；　yes。　I　know　that　we　drove　to　a　piece　of　property　she　had　contemplated　purchasing　and　we　looked　it　over。〃
　〃And　she　had　a　handbag？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；　she　had　a　handbag。〃
　〃Do　you　know　what　was　in　it？〃
　〃No；　sir。　The　ordinary　things；　I　suppose。〃
　〃I'm　not　asking　what　you　suppose。　I'm　asking　what　you　know。〃
　〃How　would　I　know　what　was　in　her　handbag？〃
　〃I　am　asking　you　if　you　know。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You　don't　know　a　single　thing　that　was　in　her　handbag？〃
　〃Well；　I　knew　there　was　a　purse　in　there。　。　。　。　No；　1　don't　know　what　was　in　there。〃
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；〃　Mason　said；　〃don't　you　know　of　your　own　knowledge　that　there　was　the　sum　of　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　cash　in　that　handbag？〃
　The　witness　sat　bolt　upright　in　surprise。　〃What？〃
　〃Fifty　thousand　dollars；〃　Mason　repeated。
　〃Heavens；　no！　She　wasn't　carrying　any　such　sum　in　cash。〃
　〃You　are　positive？〃
　〃Positive。〃
　〃Then　you　know　what　wasn't　in　her　purse。〃
　〃I　know　that　she　would　never　have　carried　any　such　sum　of　money　with　her　without　telling　me。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃Just　by　knowing　her。〃
　〃Then　the　only　way　you　know　she　didn't　have　that　money　with　her　is　by　reaching　a　conclusion　based　upon　an　assumption。　Is　that　right？〃
　〃Well；　when　you　e　right　down　to　it；　I　don't　know　she　didn't　have　that　money　with　her；〃　the　witness　admitted。
　〃I　thought　so；〃　Mason　observed。
　〃But　I'm　almost　certain　she　didn't；〃　Eagan　blurted。
　〃Didn't　she　tell　you　that　she　was　going　to　wave　a　sum　of　cash　under　the　nose　of　the　owner　of　this　property？　Or　words　to　that　effect？〃　Mason　asked。
　Eagan　hesitated。
　〃Didn't　she？〃　Mason　insisted。
　〃Well；〃　Eagan　said；　〃she　told　me　she　was　figuring　on　buying　a　piece　of　property　up　there。　And　she　had　told　me　she　felt　the　owner　was　up　against　it　for　cash　and　that　if　she　waved　the　down　payment　under　his　nose；　he　might　accept　it。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Mason　said　triumphantly。　〃And　when　this　automobile　was　fished　out　of　the　water；　you　were　there？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　there　was　no　handbag　in　the　bottom　of　the　car？〃
　〃No。　I　believe　the　officers　failed　to　find　any　handbag。　The　back　of　the　car　was　pletely　empty。〃
　〃No　fur　neckpiece？　No　coat？　No　handbag？〃
　〃That's　right。　The　officers　made　an　heroic　effort　to　find　the　body　but　the　divers　weren't　risking　their　lives　trying　to　find　little　objects。　As　I　understand　it；　the　floor　of　the　ocean　is　rocky　there。〃
　〃You　don't　know　the　driver　of　the　car　that　hit　you？〃
　〃I　am　told　it　was　the　defendant。〃
　Mason　smiled。　〃You　yourself　don't　know　who　the　driver　of　the　car　was？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You　didn't　recognize　the　defendant。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃It　could　have　been　anyone　else？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Mason　turned　abruptly；　walked　back　to　the　counsel　table　and　sat　down。　〃No　further　questions；〃　he　said。
　Judge　Grayson　said；　〃Gentlemen；　we　got　a　late　start　today　because　of　another　case　which　was　a　carry…over。　I　am　afraid　we're　going　to　have　to　adjourn　for　the　evening。〃
　〃My　case　is　just　about　finished；〃　Caswell　said。　〃I　think　the　Court　can　receive　all　of　the　evidence　and　make　an　order　disposing　of　the　matter　before　adjournment。　This　evidence　certainly　indicates　that　a　crime　has　been　mitted　and　that　there　is　probable　cause　to　connect　the　defendant　with　that　crime。　That　is　all　that　is　necessary　for　us　to　show　in　a　preliminary　examination。　I　would　like　to　have　it　pleted　tonight。　I　have　other　matters　on　my　calendar　tomorrow　morning。〃
　Mason　said；　〃The　assistant　prosecutor　is　making　a　usual　mistake　in　assuming　that　the　case　is　entirely　one…sided。　The　defendant　has　the　right　to　put　on　evidence　on　her　behalf。〃
　〃Do　you　intend　to　put　on　a　defense？〃　Judge　Grayson　asked。
　Mason　smiled；　〃Very　frankly；　Your　Honor；　I　don't　know。　I　want　to　hear　all　the　evidence　of　the　prosecution；　and　then　I　want　to　ask　for　a　recess　so　I　may　have　an　opportunity　to　confer　with　my　client　before　making　up　my　mind　what　to　do。〃
　〃Under　those　circumstances；〃　Judge　Grayson　said；　〃there　is　only　one　course　of　conduct　open　to　the　Court　and　that　is　to　continue　the　matter　until　tomorrow　morning　at　ten　o'clock。
　〃Court's　adjourned。　The　defendant　is　remanded　to　custody；　but　the　officers　are　directed　to　give　Mr。　Mason　a　reasonable　opportunity　to　confer　with　his　client　before　she　is　taken　from　the　courtroom。〃
　Judge　Grayson　left　the　bench。
　Mason；　Della　Street；　Paul　Drake　and　Virginia　Baxter　gathered　for　a　moment　in　a　close　huddle　at　the　corner　of　the　courtroom。
　〃Good　heavens；〃　Virginia　said；　〃who　was　the　person　who　came　to　me　and　wanted　that　forged　will　made？〃
　〃That；〃　Mason　said；　〃is　something　we're　going　to　have　to　find　out。〃
　〃And　how　did　you　know　that　she　had　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　cash　in　her　purse？〃
　〃I　didn't；〃　Mason　said；　grinning。　〃I　didn't　say　she　had　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　her　purse。　I　asked　Eagan　if　he　didn't　know　she　had　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　her　purse。〃
　〃Do　you　think　she　did？〃
　〃I　haven't　the　slightest　idea；〃　Mason　said。　〃But　I　wanted　to　make　Eagan　say　she　didn't　have　it。
　〃Now　then；　Virginia；　I　want　you　to　promise　me　faithfully　that　you　won't　talk　with　anyone　about　this　case　before　you　get　into　court　tomorrow　morning。　I　don't　think　they'll　try　to　get　anything　more　out　of　you；　but　if　they　do　I　want　you　to　tell　them　that　you　have　been　instructed　not　to　answer　any　questions；　not　to　say　one　single　word。
　〃Do　you　think　you　can　do　that；　Virginia；　no　matter　how　great　the　temptation　may　be　to　talk？〃
　〃If　you　tell　me　to　keep　quiet；〃　she　said；　〃I　will。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　keep　very；　very　quiet；〃　Mason　told　her。
　〃All　right。　I　promise。〃
　Mason　patted　her　shoulder。　〃Good　girl。〃
　He　stepped　to　the　door　and　signaled　the　policewoman　who　took　Virginia　Baxter　away。
　Mason　returned　to　indicate　chairs　for　the　others。　He　started　pacing　the　floor。
　〃All　right；〃　Paul　Drake　said；　〃give。　What　about　the　fifty　thousand？〃
　Mason　said；　〃I　want　a　search　made　for　that　handbag。　I　want　the　officers　to　make　the　search。　I　think　they'll　do　it　now。
　〃Now　then；　Paul；　here's　where　you　go　to　work。　I　should　have　thought　of　this　before。〃
　Drake　pulled　out　his　notebook。
　Mason　said；　〃Lauretta　Trent　was　intending　to　have　Eagan　turn　the　car　to　the　left　and　drive　up　to　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel。　She　had　a　reason　for　going　there。
　〃When　Virginia　told　me　that　Lauretta　Trent　had　telephoned　her　and　told　her　to　go　to　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel　and　wait　there　for　her；　I　felt　that　perhaps　Virginia　had　been　victimized　by　the　old　trick　of　having　some　third　party　identify　himself　or　herself　over　the　telephone　and；　since　the　telephone　doesn't　transmit　the　personal　appearance　of　the　person　talking；　it's　a　very　easy　matter　to　deceive　someone　in　a　case　of　that　sort。
　〃However；　the　fact　that　Lauretta　Trent　did　intend　to　turn　to　the　left　and　go　up　that　road　is　strongly　indicative　of　the　fact　that　she　had　telephoned　Virginia　Baxter。
　〃Now；　why　had　she　telephoned　her？〃
　Drake　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　Mason　went　on。
　〃It　was　either　because　she　wanted　to　give　Virginia　some　information；　on　the　one　hand；　or　get　some　information　from　Virginia；　on　the　other。　The　strong　probabilities　are　she　wanted　to　get　some　information　from　Virginia。
　〃Now；　someone　must　have　overheard　that　telephone　conversation。　There's　not　much　chance　that　the　telephone　line　could　have　been　tapped。　Therefore；　someone　must　have　heard　the　conversation　at　one　end　of　the　line　or　the　other。　Either　someone　was　listening　in　Virginia　Baxter's　apartment；　which　isn't　likely；　or　someone　was　listening　at　the　place　where　Lauretta　Trent　telephoned。〃
　Drake　nodded。
　〃That　person；　knowing　that　Virginia　Baxter　was　going　to　drive　her　car　to　the　Saint's　Rest；　went　up　to　the　Saint's　Rest；　waited　until　Virginia　had　parked　her　car　and　was　inside　the　motel　room。　Then　that　person　took　Virginia's　car；　drove　it　down　to　the　coast　highway　and　waited　for　Lauretta　Trent　to　e　along　to　keep　her　appointment。
　〃That　person　was　a　very　skillful　driver。　He　hit　the　Trent　car　just　hard　enough　to　throw　it　to　one　side　of　the　road　and　then　speeded　up；　threw　the　rear　of　the　Baxter　car　into　a　skid　which　knocked　the　Trent　car　pletely　out　of　control。
　〃Then　that　person　drove　the　crippled　Baxter　car　up　to　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel　and　parked　it。
　〃Because　other　tenants　had　moved　in　in　the　meantime；　the　parking　space　where　Virginia　had　parked　her　car　was　filled　up；　so　he　had　to　select　another　parking　space。〃
　〃Well？〃　Drake　asked。
　〃Then；〃　Mason　said；　〃he　presumably　picked　up　his　own　car；　drove　it　back　down　to　the　highway　and　into　oblivion。〃
　Drake　nodded；　〃That；　of　course；　is　obvious。〃
　〃But　is　it？〃　Mason　said。　〃He　couldn't　tell　about　the　timing　element。　He　couldn't　tell　whether　someone　riding　along　behind　got　the　plete　license　number　of　Virginia　Baxter's　car　instead　of　just　the　last　two　numbers。　He　had　to　have　a　second　string　to　his　bow。〃
　〃I　don't　get　it；〃　Drake　said。
　Mason　said；　〃He　had　to　have　it　so　he　could　conceal　himself　in　the