erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Hollywood　that　produces　an　ine　and…〃
　〃How　long　had　you　been　with　Bannock？〃
　〃Fifteen　years；〃　she　said。　〃I　started　working　for　him　when　I　was　twenty。〃
　〃You've　been　married？〃
　〃Yes；　once。　It　didn't　take。〃
　〃Divorced？〃
　〃No。　We're　separated；　have　been　for　some　time。〃
　〃Friendly　with　your　husband？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃What's　his　name？〃
　〃Colton　Baxter。〃
　〃You　go　by　the　title　'Miss'？〃
　〃Yes。　I　think　it　helps　in　secretarial　employment。〃
　〃Now；　you'd　been　to　see　your　aunt。　You　got　aboard　that　plane。　What　about　the　baggage？　Anything　unusual　about　the　checking　of　the　baggage？〃
　〃No…Wait　a　minute；　I　had　to　pay　excess　baggage。〃
　Mason's　eyes　showed　swift　interest。　〃You　paid　excess　baggage？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Do　you　have　your　receipt？〃
　〃It's　attached　to　my　ticket。　That's　in　my　purse。　They　took　my　purse　away　from　me　when　I　was　booked。〃
　〃We'll　get　it　back；〃　Mason　said。　〃Now　then；　you　were　traveling　alone？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Remember　anything　about　the　person　you　were　seated　next　to？〃
　〃He　was　a　man　of　about　thirty…two　or　thirty…three；　rather　well…dressed　but…Well；　now　that　I　stop　to　think　of　it；　he　was　。　。　。　well；　there　was　something　peculiar　about　him。　He　was　cold；　rather　crisp　in　his　manner；　not　like　the　ordinary　passenger　you　encounter　on　those　trips。　It's　hard　to　explain　what　I　mean。〃
　〃Would　you　know　him　if　you　saw　him　again？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Yes；　indeed。〃
　〃Could　you　identify　him　from　a　photograph？〃
　〃I　think　so；　if　it's　a　clear　photograph。〃
　〃You　only　had　the　one　suitcase？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃No；　I　had　a　suitcase　and　an　overnight　bag；　an　oblong　bag　containing　cosmetics。〃
　〃What　became　of　that？〃
　〃They　took　it。　The　suitcase　came　through　first。　The　porter　picked　it　up　and　then　picked　up　the　overnight　bag。　At　that　moment；　a　man　stepped　forward　and　showed　me　his　identification　card　and　asked　me　if　I　had　any　objections　to　his　taking　a　quick　look　in　my　suitcase　because　there　had　been　some　trouble。　Since　my　baggage　had　been　delayed　ing　off　the　plane；　I　thought　that　was　what　he　referred　to。〃
　〃What　did　you　tell　him？〃
　〃I　told　him　what　was　in　the　suitcase　and　that　it　was　all　right　for　him　to　look。〃
　〃Can　you　remember　anything　more　about　the　conversation？〃
　〃Yes。　He　asked　me　first　if　that　was　my　suitcase；　and　I　told　him　it　was；　and　he　asked　me　if　I　could　establish　my　ownership　by　identifying　the　contents。　Then　I　described　the　contents；　and　he　asked　if　it　was　all　right　to　check。〃
　Mason　frowned　thoughtfully；　then　said；　almost　casually；　〃Your　baggage；　that　is；　the　two　pieces　together　weighed　more　than　forty　pounds？〃
　〃Yes。　They　weighed　forty…six　pounds　taken　together；　and　I　paid　excess　baggage　on　the　six　pounds。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Mason　said　thoughtfully。　〃You're　going　to　have　to　exercise　a　lot　of　self…control；　and　you're　in　for　a　disagreeable　experience；　but　perhaps　we　can　work　things　out　one　way　or　another。〃
　〃What　I　can't　understand；〃　she　said；　〃is　where　the　stuff　came　from　and　how　it　could　have　been　placed　in　my　suitcase。　Of　course；　it　was　late　ing　off　the　plane；　but　one　wouldn't　think　anyone　could　tamper　with　it　out　there　on　the　field　going　from　the　plane　to　the　baggage　counter。〃
　〃There　were　several　places　it　could　have　been　tampered　with；〃　Mason　said。　〃After　you　checked　the　suitcase　and　before　it　was　put　on　the　plane；　someone　could　have　opened　it。
　〃We　don't　know　where　it　was　stored　aboard　the　plane　in　the　baggage　partment。　We　don't　know　whether　anyone　could　have　tampered　with　it　in　there。
　〃Then；　of　course；　when　it　was　taken　off　the　plane；　there　was　this　delay。　That　means　that　the　suitcase　was　probably　placed　on　the　ground；　waiting　for　another　truck　to　e　along　to　pick　it　up。　Now；　the　way　those　planes　are　built；　the　baggage　es　out　on　the　other　side　from　the　side　which　has　the　passenger　entrance。　While　the　suitcase　was　there　on　the　ground；　it　wouldn't　have　been　too　difficult　for　someone　to　have　opened　it　and　inserted　these　packages　of　narcotics。〃
　〃But　why？〃　she　asked。
　〃There；〃　Mason　said；　〃is　the　rub。　Presumably　someone　was　trafficking　in　narcotics。　He　knew　there'd　been　a　tip…off　and　his　baggage　was　going　to　be　searched；　so　he　put　the　contraband　in　your　suitcase　and　then　had　an　acplice　telephone　the　police　that　the　stuff　would　be　in　the　suitcase　of　one　Virginia　Baxter。　He　must　have　been　able　to　describe　you；　because　the　officer　who　was　standing　there　waiting　for　you　to　claim　your　baggage　evidently　had　a　good　description　of　you　and　had　you　spotted　from　the　time　he　saw　you　e　down　the　escalator。〃
　Mason　was　thoughtful　for　a　moment；　then　said；　〃How　about　your　name？　How　did　you　have　your　suitcase　marked？　Was　there　an　initial　or　a　name　painted　on　it；　or　what？〃
　〃There's　a　leather　baggage　tag；〃　she　said；　〃one　that　straps　around　the　ring　at　the　handle；　and　it　had　my　name　typed　on　it；　my　name　and　address：　422　Eureka　Arms　Apartments。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃we'll　get　you　out　on　bail。　I'm　going　to　try　and　have　you　brought　up　on　a　preliminary　hearing　just　as　soon　as　possible。　At　least　we'll　make　the　police　show　their　hand。
　〃I'm　satisfied　it's　all　some　sort　of　a　mistake　and　we　may　be　able　to　get　it　cleaned　up　without　much　trouble；　but　you're　going　to　have　to　put　up　with　a　lot　of　things。〃
　〃Tell　me；〃　she　asked　apprehensively；　〃there　was　a　photographer　there。　Will　there　be　anything　in　the　newspapers　about　it？〃
　〃A　photographer？〃　Mason　asked。
　She　nodded。
　Mason　said　grimly；　〃Then　the　thing　is　a　lot　more　sinister　than　I　had　at　first　supposed。　It　isn't　just　a　simple　mistake。　Yes；　it　will　be　in　the　newspapers。〃
　〃My　name；　address；　everything？〃
　〃Name；　address　and　photograph；〃　Mason　said。　〃Prepare　yourself　for　a　picture　showing　the　startled　expression　on　your　face　and　a　caption　such　as：　EX…LEGAL　SECRETARY　ACCUSED　IN　NARCOTICS　CHARGE。〃
　〃But　how　could　the　newspaper　have　had　a　photographer　there？〃
　〃That's　just　the　point；〃　Mason　said。　〃Some　officers　like　publicity。　In　return　for　publicity；　they　give　some　friendly　newspaper　reporter　a　tip　when　they're　going　to　make　an　arrest　of　some　young　woman　who　is　photogenic。
　〃The　newspapers　play　up　the　story；　the　officer　gets　his　name　in　the　paper　with　a　favorable　bit　of　publicity。　Under　these　circumstances；　be　prepared　to　read　that　the　value　of　the　narcotics　in　your　suitcase；　at　current　retail　prices；　amounted　to　several　thousand　dollars。〃
　Her　face　showed　her　dismay。
　〃And　after　I'm　acquitted；〃　she　asked；　〃then　what　will　happen？〃
　〃Probably　nothing；〃　Mason　said。　〃Perhaps　a　few　lines　on　an　inside　page　of　a　newspaper。〃
　〃I　will　be　aquitted；　won't　I？〃　she　asked　hopefully。
　Mason　said；　〃I'm　an　attorney；　not　a　fortuneteller。　We'll　do　our　best　and　you'll　have　to　let　it　go　at　that。〃
　
　CHAPTER　FIVE
　Mason　escorted　Virginia　Baxter　to　a　seat　inside　the　rail　of　the　courtroom。
　〃Now；　don't　be　nervous；〃　he　said　reassuringly。
　She　said；　〃That's　like　telling　a　cold　person　not　to　shiver。　I　can't　help　being　nervous。　I'm　shaking　like　a　leaf　on　the　inside；　if　not　on　the　outside。　I　feel　full　of　butterflies。〃
　Mason　said；　〃This　is　a　preliminary　hearing。　It　is　usually　a　matter　of　routine　for　the　judge　to　bind　a　defendant　over　to　the　higher　court。　When　he　does　that；　he　quite　frequently　increases　the　amount　of　bail。　Sometimes　he　makes　the　bail　almost　prohibitive。　You're　going　to　have　to　face　that　possibility。〃
　〃I　just　can't　raise　any　more　bail；　Mr。　Mason；　that's　all；　unless　I　sell　my　real　property　at　a　loss。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Mason　said。　〃I'm　just　telling　you　what　may　happen。　However；　real　property　in　your　name　will　influence　a　judge　in　fixing　the　amount　of　bail。〃
　〃You　don't　hold　out　much　hope　of　。　。　。　getting　me　out　on　this　preliminary　hearing？〃
　〃Ordinarily；〃　Mason　said；　〃the　judge　binds　the　defendant　over　if　the　prosecutor　wants　to　go　ahead　with　the　case　in　the　higher　court。　Sometimes；　of　course；　we　get　a　break。
　〃It's　almost　unheard　of　to　put　a　defendant　on　the　stand　at　the　time　of　a　preliminary　examination；　but　if　I　think　there's　even　a　faint　chance　of　getting　the　judge　to　dismiss　the　case；　I'm　going　to　put　you　on　the　stand　so　he　can　take　a　look　at　you　and　see　the　kind　of　a　person　you　really　are。〃
　〃That　horrid　newspaper　story；〃　she　said；　〃…and　that　picture！〃
　〃From　the　city　editor's　standpoint；　it　was　a　wonderful　picture；〃　Mason　said。　〃It　showed　surprise　and　consternation　on　your　face　and；　as　far　as　your　case　is　concerned；　the　picture　may　do　you　some　good。〃
　〃But　it　blasted　my　reputation；〃　she　said。　〃My　friends　are　avoiding　me　in　a　big　way。〃
　Mason　started　to　say　something　but　checked　himself　as　the　door　of　the　judge's　chambers　opened。
　〃Stand　up；〃　Mason　said。
　Every　person　in　the　courtroom　arose　as　Judge　Cortland　Albert　took　his　seat　at　the　bench；　then　glanced　appraisingly　at　the　defendant。
　〃This　is　the　time　heretofore　fixed　for　the　preliminary　hearing　in　the　case　of　the　People　versus　Virginia　Baxter。　Are　you　ready　to　proceed？〃
　〃Ready　for　the　defendant；〃　Mason　said。
　Jerry　Caswell；　one　of　the　younger　trial　deputies　who　was　frequently　sent　in　to　handle　preliminary　hearings　and　who　was　eagerly　trying　to　make　a　record　which　would　attract　the　attention　of　his　superiors；　was　on　his　feet。
　〃The　prosecution；〃　he　announced　dramatically；　〃is　always　ready！〃
　He　waited　a　moment；　then　seated　himself。
　〃Call　your　first　witne