erlestanleygardner.the.caseofthesulkygirl-第38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！


　　　　　　〃Faith　in　you；〃　she　said。
　　　　　　Mason　waved　his　hand。
　　　　　　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃you　folks　get　out　and　let　me　talk　with　Drake。　We'll　see　what　he's　got　to　say。〃
　　　　　　Drake　came　into　the　inner　office；　sat　down；　grinned；　and　rolled　a　cigarette。
　　　　　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I've　got　the　lowdown　for　you。〃
　　　　　　〃All　right；〃　Perry　Mason　said；　〃what　is　it？〃
　　　　　　〃The　rough　shadow　did　it；〃　said　Drake。
　　　　　　〃Never　mind　the　methods；〃　said　Mason。　〃I　want　the　facts。〃
　　　　　　〃Well；〃　said　Drake；　〃the　story　goes　like　this。　This　Mrs。　Mayfield　is　a　hard…boiled　baby。〃
　　　　　　〃I　knew　she　was；〃　said　Mason。　〃She　tried　to　hold　me　up　a　couple　of　times。〃
　　　　　　〃Yes；　I　got　all　the　lowdown　on　that；　too；〃　said　Drake。　〃The　only　trouble　is；　Perry；　that　it　looks　like　hell　for　your　clients。〃
　　　　　　〃How　do　you　mean？〃
　　　　　　〃Well；　in　the　first　place；　Mrs。　Mayfield　doesn't　know　quite　as　much　as　she　tried　to　pretend　she　did。　She　made　the　mistake　of　going　to　bed　at　the　wrong　time。　She　went　to　bed　just　about　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes　before　the　murder　was　mitted。　But　she'd　spent　the　evening　snooping　around。
　　　　　　〃It　all　starts　in　with　the　fact　that　she　found　out　Gleason　and　Frances　Celane　were　married。　She　started　in　trying　to　capitalize　on　that　knowledge。　She　took　quite　a　bit　of　money　from　Frances　Celane；　I　don't　know　how　much；　around　ten　thousand　dollars；　I　think。　And　then；　in　some　way；　Edward　Norton　got　wise　that　Frances　Celane　was　paying　blackmail。　He　got　her　in　and　tried　to　make　her　tell　him　whom　she　was　paying　money　to　and　why。　Naturally；　she　didn't　dare　to　let　him　know。　But　Norton　was　a　pretty　obstinate　individual；　and；　in　order　to　find　out；　he　shut　off　the　girl's　allowance。　That　put　her　in　the　position　of　having　no　money　with　which　to　pay　any　blackmail。
　　　　　　〃On　the　other　hand；　Mrs。　Mayfield　said　that　she　could　capitalize　on　the　information　elsewhere；　and　if　Frances　Celane　wouldn't　give　her　money；　she　was　going　to　sell　the　information　to　some　of　the　charitable　institutions　who　would　benefit　by　the　knowledge。
　　　　　　〃Of　course；　this　was　all　bluff；　but　Frances　Celane　didn't　know　it。　The　whole　situation　came　to　a　head　on　the　night　of　the　murder。　Frances　Celane　had　a　stormy　interview　with　Norton；　and　they　quarreled　bitterly。　Norton　said　that　before　he　went　to　bed　that　night　he　was　going　to　execute　a　written　document　terminating　the　trust　and　giving　to　Frances　Celane　the　annuity　provided　by　the　terms　of　the　trust　and　letting　the　balance　go　to　charity。
　　　　　　〃Whether　that　was　a　bluff　on　his　part　or　not　I　don't　know。　Anyhow；　that's　what　he　said。　Then　Mrs。　Mayfield　went　to　bed。　Next　morning　Frances　Celane　had　money；　lots　of　it。　She　gave　Mrs。　Mayfield　twenty…eight　thousand　dollars　to　keep　quiet。　Mrs。　Mayfield　promised　she　would。
　　　　　　〃Rob　Gleason　was　there　in　the　house　that　night；　and　participated　in　at　least　a　part　of　the　interview　with　Norton。　Norton　was　furious；　and　accused　the　girl　of　all　sorts　of　things。　She　got　mad　and　used　language　that　must　have　raised　a　blister　on　his　ears。
　　　　　　〃Afterwards；　Gleason　went　down　to　the　girl's　room。　That　was　after　Crinston　came；　and　before　the　murder。　Along　about　that　time　Mrs。　Mayfield　went　to　bed。　She　doesn't　know　exactly　what　happened；　except　that　she's　certain　Frances　Celane　didn't　go　out　in　the　Buick　automobile。　Therefore；　she　knows　that　the　alibi　Frances　Celane　was　trying　to　make　was　false。
　　　　　　〃She　went　to　you　and　tried　to　shake　you　down　for　money　to　keep　Frances　Celane　out　of　it。　You　turned　her　down　hard；　so　she　started　concentrating　on　the　girl；　and　actually　collected　from　her。　Then　she　found　out　that　the　money　she'd　taken　from　Frances　Celane　was　in　thousand　dollar　bills　that　were　numbered　consecutively；　and　knew　that　these　bills　would　be　traced　in　the　event　that　she　tried　to　change　them　for　smaller　bills。　So　she　has　these　bills　hidden　and　has　tried　to　create　the　impression　that　Frances　Celane　gave　you　twenty…eight　thousand　dollars　to　apply　on　a　fee。　She　has　told　the　District　Attorney's　office　that　that　is　what　happened；　and　the　District　Attorney's　office　has　been　trying　to　locate　the　twenty…eight　thousand　dollars。　They've　made　examinations　at　your　banks；　and　have　even　gone　so　far　as　to　search　the　office。　They　have　now　e　to　the　conclusion　that　you　must　be　carrying　the　twenty…eight　thousand　dollars　on　your　person。
　　　　　　〃The　District　Attorney　is　intending　to　use　her　as　a　surprise　witness。　She's　going　to　testify　as　to　the　falsity　of　the　girl's　claim　that　she　was　out　in　the　Buick　automobile；　and　also　to　the　quarrel　that　took　place。
　　　　　　〃It's　the　theory　of　the　prosecution　that　a　bitter　quarrel　was　interrupted　by　Arthur　Crinston；　that　the　two　people　hatched　out　this　murder　plot　and　waited　until　Crinston　had　left　to　carry　it　into　execution；　that；　as　soon　as　Crinston　drove　away；　they　dashed　up　to　the　office　and　killed　Mr。　Norton；　then　planted　the　evidence　in　Pete　Devoe's　room　in　order　to　make　it　appear　Devoe　was　the　guilty　party；　in　the　event　the　officers　didn't　fall　for　the　jimmied　window　and　the　footprints　in　the　soft　soil。〃
　　　　　　〃How　about　Graves？〃　asked　Perry　Mason。　〃Have　you　done　anything　with　him？〃
　　　　　　〃I've　done　lots　with　him。　That　girl　has　turned　him　inside　out。　He's　going　to　be　a　bad　man　for　you　to　handle；　but　he　tells　the　girl　that　he's　trying　to　protect　Frances　Celane；　or　that　he　was　trying　to　protect　her　until　the　District　Attorney　brought　pressure　to　bear　on　him。〃
　　　　　　〃Look　here；〃　Mason　said；　〃my　theory　of　this　case　is　that　Norton　gave　Fran　Celane　that　money　before　Crinston　called。　Now；　Graves　must　have　some　information　that'll　support　that　theory。〃
　　　　　　〃That；〃　said　Drake；　〃is　the　worst　part　of　his　testimony。　He　says　he　could　hear　every　word　of　the　conversation；　that　Norton　took　out　his　wallet　and　showed　the　girl　forty　thousand　dollars；　telling　her　he　had　originally　gotten　the　money　to　give　her；　but　that　he　wasn't　going　to　give　her　anything　except　a　small　amount　for　current　expenses。　Then　he　took　out　two　one　thousand　dollar　bills　and　handed　them　to　her。
　　　　　　〃Don　Graves　has　the　idea　the　girl　took　the　one　thousand　dollar　bills；　and　that　she　and　Gleason　planted　those　one　thousand　dollar　bills　in　the　pocket　of　Devoe；　the　chauffeur；　while　Crinston　was　talking　with　Norton；　that　the　girl　and　Gleason　came　back　afterwards　and　killed　Norton；　taking　the　balance　of　the　money　from　his　wallet　to　use　for　the　purpose　of　bribing　the　housekeeper　to　silence　and　paying　you　a　sufficient　cash　retainer　so　you　would　interest　yourself　in　the　case。　That's　the　theory　Graves　has。
　　　　　　〃The　District　Attorney　had　things　planned　so　that　most　of　this　would　e　out　on　cross…examination。　He　was　going　to　slap　you　in　the　face　with　it。　The　fact　that　you've　restricted　your　cross…examination　so　much　has　got　Drumm　worried。　He's　going　to　try　and　bring　out　all　of　this　stuff　on　redirect　examination　now；　asking　permission　to　recall　the　witnesses。〃
　　　　　　Perry　Mason　stretched　his　long　arms；　stared　at　the　detective；　and　laughed。
　　　　　　〃Paul；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　times　when　caution　is　a　vice。〃
　　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　Paul　Drake　asked。
　　　　　　〃I　mean；〃　said　Perry　Mason；　〃that　at　times　it　is　wise　to　stake　everything　on　one　dramatic　blow；　one　crashing　knock…out　punch。　I've　only　got　one　string　to　my　bow　in　this　case。　If　it　breaks；　I'm　finished。　But　if　it　doesn't　break；　I'm　going　to　shoot　an　arrow　right　through　the　bull's…eye　of　the　whole　case。〃
　　　　　　Drake　said：　〃Well；　Perry；　if　you　can　figure　this　thing　out；　you　can　do　a　lot　more　than　I　can。　The　more　I　see　of　it；　the　more　mixed　up　and　confused　it　looks。〃
　　　　　　Perry　Mason　started　pacing　the　floor　back　and　forth。
　　　　　　〃The　thing　that　I'm　afraid　of；〃　he　said；　〃is　that　I'm　not　keeping　my　real　objective　sufficiently　concealed。〃
　　　　　　〃How　do　you　mean？〃　the　detective　inquired。
　　　　　　〃I'm　stalking　a　bunch　of　geese　behind　a　horse；〃　said　Perry　Mason；　〃and　I'm　afraid　the　horse　may　not　be　big　enough　to　give　me　the　concealment　I　want。〃
　　　　　　Paul　Drake　started　for　the　door。
　　　　　　〃Listen；〃　he　said；　as　he　paused；　with　a　hand　on　the　knob　of　the　door；　〃don't　worry　about　that。　I've　seen　a　lot　of　murder　cases　in　my　time；　and　I've　talked　with　a　lot　of　lawyers　who　thought　they　had　a　point　when　they　didn't　have。　If　you　think　you're　going　to　be　able　to　save　either　one　of　your　clients　in　this　case；　you've　got　more　optimism　than　I　have。　I　just　bet　half　of　Della　Street's　salary　for　this　month；　that　your　clients　were　going　to　be　convicted；　and；　after　talking　with　you；　I'm　going　out　and　try　and　get　a　bet　for　the　other　half。　That　shows　how　much　confidence　I've　got。〃
　　　　　　As　he　closed　the　door；　Perry　Mason　was　standing　in　the　center　of　the　office；　with　his　feet　spread　wide　apart；　his　jaw　thrust　forward；　heavy　shoulders　squared；　staring　in　steady　concentration　at　the　closing　door。
　
　
　　　　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE
　
　　　　　　HEADLINES　streamed　across　the　front　page　of　the　Star。
　
　　　　　　WITNESS　TO　MILLIONAIRE'S　MURDER　REFUSES　TO　MAKE　TEST。
　
　　　　　　Perry　Mason；　with　the　paper　propped　up　in　front　of　him　on　the　table；　cracked　his　three…minute　eggs　and　smiled　with　satisfaction。　Down　below　the　large　headlines　were　smaller　headlines：
　
　　　　　　DISPUTE　OVER　VISION　OF　STATE'S　STAR　WITNESS。　DEFENSE　CHALLENGES　TO　MAKE　TEST　AND　PROSECUTION