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erlestanleygardner.the.caseofthesulkygirl-第28部分

小说: erlestanleygardner.the.caseofthesulkygirl 字数: 每页4000字

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      〃Paul;〃 he said; 〃if they go into court on that theory; I'm going to bust it wide open。〃
      〃You're not going to bust anything wide open;〃 Drake told him。 〃They've got all kinds of circumstantial evidence。 They've caught the girl in half a dozen lies。 Why did she say that she was out in the Buick sedan when she wasn't? They can prove that the car never left the garage。 Mrs。 Mayfield has worked up that end of the case for them; and the butler will swear positively that the car was there all the time。 They can prove the ownership of the club that killed Norton; and they can prove that the girl had some of the money that came from Norton。。。〃
      Perry Mason jerked to rigid attention。
      〃They can prove the girl had the money?〃 he asked。
      〃Yes;〃 said Drake。
      〃How?〃 asked the lawyer。
      〃I don't know exactly how; but I do know that it's part of their case。 They've got it all worked up。 I think it's through the Mayfield woman。〃
      〃Well;〃 said Mason wearily; 〃we're going to have a chance to find out。 I'm going to force them to bring that case to an immediate trial。〃
      〃Force them to an immediate trial?〃 exclaimed Drake。 〃Why I thought you were stalling for delay。 The newspapers say that you are。〃
      Perry Mason grinned at him。
      〃That;〃 he said; 〃is the way I'm forcing them to a trial。 I'm yelling for continuances; and asking for additional time; as though my clients would be stuck if I didn't get them。 Naturally; they're opposing my continuances。 After I've got the D。A。's office to make that opposition sufficiently vigorous; I'm going to admit that I'm licked; and let them bring the case on for trial。〃
      Drake shook his head。
      〃They won't fall for that one;〃 he said; 〃it's too old。〃
      〃It won't be old the way I dress it up;〃 said Mason。 〃What I want you to do is to play this rough shadow business on Mrs。 Mayfield; and also on Don Graves。 I want to see if we can't frighten some facts out of them。 Neither one of them is telling the truth … not yet。 And I want to find out more about that money; whether the District Attorney had proof or just suspicions。〃
      〃You going to try and saddle the murder off on Mrs。 Mayfield and her husband?〃 asked Drake。
      〃I'm going to represent my client to the best of my ability;〃 Mason insisted。
      〃Yeah; I know that line;〃 the detective told him; 〃but what does it mean?〃
      Mason tapped a cigarette end on the polished surface of the desk。
      〃The way to get to the bottom of a murder;〃 he said; 〃is to pick out any pertinent fact which hasn't been explained; and find the real explanation of that fact。〃
      〃Sure;〃 said Drake; 〃that's another generality。 Get down to earth。 What are you talking about?〃
      〃I'm talking about the reason Norton had for claiming the Buick sedan was stolen;〃 said the lawyer。
      〃What's that got to do with it?〃 Drake wanted to know。
      〃Everything;〃 insisted Perry Mason。 〃That's an unexplained fact in that case; and until we get the explanation of that fact; we haven't got a solution of the murder。〃
      〃That's a good line of hooey for the jury;〃 mented the detective; 〃but it doesn't really mean anything。 You can't explain everything in any case。 You know that。〃
      〃Until you can explain it;〃 doggedly insisted Mason; 〃you haven't got a plete case。 Now remember that the prosecution is going to rest its case on circumstantial evidence。 In order to get a conviction on circumstantial evidence; you've got to exclude every reasonable hypothesis other than that of guilt。〃
      The detective snapped his fingers。
      〃A lot of lawyer talk;〃 he said。 〃That doesn't mean anything to the newspapers; and the newspapers are going to be the ones who will determine whether or not your client gets convicted。〃
      〃Well; before I get done with this case;〃 Mason remarked; 〃the newspapers are going to figure that Buick car is the most important fact in the entire case。〃
      〃But the automobile wasn't stolen。 It didn't leave the garage。〃
      〃That's what the butler says。〃
      Drake's face suddenly became hard with concentrated attention。
      〃You mean that the butler is lying?〃 he asked。
      〃I'm not making any statements right now;〃 said Mason。 Drake spoke in a monotone; as though thinking out loud。
      〃Of course if the butler had taken the car and disconnected the speedometer; and maybe gone for a little drive; and Norton had telephoned the police that the car was stolen; and he wanted the driver picked up; no matter who it might be; and then the butler had e back and found out about that telephone call。。。〃
      His voice trailed off into silence。 He sat motionless for a few minutes; then shook his head sadly。
      〃No; Perry;〃 he said; 〃that won't work。〃
      〃All right;〃 said Mason; smiling; 〃I'm not asking you what'll work and what won't work。 I want facts out of you。 Get the hell off of my desk; and let me go to work。 Put your rough shadows to work just as soon as you can。 I'm anxious to find out what they uncover。〃
      〃You're representing both Gleason and the woman; eh?〃 asked Drake。
      〃Yes; I am now。 Frances Celane is going to stand by her husband。 She's told me to represent him。〃
      〃All right; I'm going to ask you something that's been asked me by a dozen different people。 I hope you won't take any offense; but it's for your own good; because everybody in town is talking about it。 They're saying that if the lawyer for the defense has any sense why doesn't he try to get separate trials and try the man and the woman separately? In that way they'd have to try the man first; and you'd have a chance to find out all their evidence and cross…examine all their witnesses before they got down to a trial of the woman。〃
      〃I couldn't get separate trials for them;〃 said Mason。 〃The court wouldn't allow it。〃
      〃Well; you could at least make the attempt;〃 said the detective。
      〃No;〃 said Mason with a smile; 〃I rather think I'm satisfied the way things are now。 I think we'll try them together。〃
      〃Okay;〃 said Drake; 〃you're the doctor。 I'll get the rough shadows at work just as soon as I can。〃
 
 
      CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
 
      PERRY MASON appeared at the entrance to the visitors' room in the huge jail building。
      〃Robert Gleason;〃 he told the officer in charge。
      〃You're Gleason's attorney?〃 asked the officer。
      〃Yes。〃
      〃You didn't appear for him as his attorney when he first came in。〃
      Perry Mason frowned。 〃I'm his attorney now;〃 he said。 〃Do you want to bring him out; or do you want me to go into court and show that the officers have refused to permit me to talk with my client?〃
      The officer stared at Mason; shrugged his shoulders turned on his heel without a word; and vanished。 Five minutes later he opened a door and escorted Mason into the long room。
      A table ran the length of this room。 Along the middle of the table; stretching to a height of some five feet above it; was a long screen of heavy iron mesh。 The prisoners sat on one side of this screen。 The attorneys sat on the other。 Robert Gleason was seated about half way down the table。 He got to his feet; and smiled eagerly as he saw Perry Mason approaching。 Perry Mason waited until the officer had moved out of earshot; then dropped into the chair; and looked searchingly across at the man accused of murder。 〃Keep your voice low when you answer questions; Gleason;〃 said Mason; 〃and tell me the truth。 No matter what it is; don't be afraid to tell me the exact truth。〃
      〃Yes sir;〃 said Gleason。
      Mason frowned at him。
      〃Did you make a statement to the District Attorney?〃 he asked。
      Gleason nodded his head。
      〃A written statement?〃
      〃It was taken down in shorthand by a court reporter; and then written up and given to me to sign。〃
      〃Did you sign it?〃
      〃I haven't yet。〃
      〃Where is it?〃
      〃It's in my cell。 They gave it to me to read。 That is; they gave me a copy。〃
      〃That's funny;〃 said Mason。 〃Usually they try to rush you into signing it。 They don't let you have a copy。〃
      〃I know;〃 said Gleason; 〃but I didn't fall for that。 They tried to rush me into signing it; and I told them I was going to think it over。〃
      〃It won't do you much good;〃 the lawyer told him; wearily; 〃if you talked in front of a court reporter; he took down everything you said; and he can testify to the conversation from his notes。〃
      〃That's what the District Attorney's office told me;〃 said Gleason。 〃But I'm not signing; just the same。〃
      〃Why not?〃
      〃Because;〃 said Gleason; in a low voice; 〃I think that I'll repudiate what I said。〃
      〃You can't do it;〃 the lawyer told him。 〃Why the devil did you have to shoot off your mouth?〃
      〃I can do it the way I intend to;〃 Gleason told him。
      〃Can do what?〃
      〃Repudiate the confession。〃
      〃All right; show me;〃 said the lawyer。
      〃I intend to take the entire responsibility for the murder;〃 Gleason told him。
      Perry Mason stared at the man through the coarse screen of the partition。
      〃Did you mit the murder?〃 he asked。
      Gleason bit h

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