esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第19部分

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　　〃Was　it？〃
　　〃No。　I　was　at　home；　in　bed。〃
　　〃Can　you　prove　it？〃　she　asked；　tonelessly。
　　〃Good　Lord；〃　he　said；　impatiently。　〃I　don't　take　an　alibi　to　bed　with　me！〃
　　〃The　lousy　little　double…crosser！〃　More　calmly　she　asked；　〃Then　what　happened？〃
　　〃We　went　out　there；　and　found　her　husband　dead。　A　32…Colt　automatic。　I　got　the　number　of　it。　One　shot；　right　through　the　heart。　He'd　been　taking　a　bath；　and　somebody　shot　him。〃
　　Della　Street's　eyes　widened。　〃Then　she　got　you　out　there　before　she　notified　the　police？〃
　　〃Exactly；〃　said　Mason。　〃The　police　don't　like　that。〃
　　The　girl's　face　was　white。　She　sucked　in　her　breath　to　say　something；　but　thought　better　of　it　and　remained　silent。
　　Perry　Mason　went　on；　in　his　same　monotone：　〃I　had　a　run…in　with　Sergeant　Hoffman。　There's　a　nephew　out　there　that　I　don't　like。　He's　too　much　of　a　gentleman。　The　housekeeper's　concealing　something；　and　I　think　her　daughter　is　Iying。　I　didn't　get　a　chance　to　talk　with　the　other　servants。　The　police　held　me　downstairs　while　they　made　the　investigation　up…stairs。　But　I　had　a　chance　to　look　around　a　little　bit　before　the　police　got　there。〃
　　〃How　bad　was　your　trouble　with　Sergeant　Hoffman？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Bad　enough；〃　he　said；　〃the　way　things　are。〃
　　〃You　mean　you　have　to　stick　up　for　your　client？〃　she　asked；　her　eyes　suspiciously　moist。　〃What's　going　to　happen　next？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　think　that　the　housekeeper　is　going　to　crack。　They　evidently　haven't　gone　after　her　very　hard　yet。　But　they　will。　I　think　she　knows　something。　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　I'm　not　even　sure　that　Eva　Belter　gave　me　the　full　facts　of　the　case。〃
　　〃If　she　did；〃　said　Della　Street；　savagely；　〃it's　the　first　time　since　she's　been　in　here　that　she　hasn't　concealed　something；　and　lied　about　something　else。　And　that　business　of　dragging　you　into　it！　Bah！　The　cat！　I　could　kill　her！〃
　　Mason　waved　his　hand；　depreciatingly。　〃Never　mind　that。　I'm　in　this　now。〃
　　〃Does　Harrison　Burke　know　about　this　murder　business？〃　she　asked。
　　〃I　tried　to　get　him　on　the　telephone。　He's　out。〃
　　〃What　a　sweet　time　for　him　to　be　out！〃　she　exclaimed。
　　Mason　smiled　wearily。　〃Isn't　it？〃
　　They　looked　at　each　other。
　　Della　Street　took　a　quick　breath；　started　speaking　impulsively。
　　〃Look　here；〃　she　said；　〃you're　letting　this　woman　get　you　in　a　funny　position。　You　had　words　with　this　man　who　was　killed。　You　were　fighting　his　paper；　and　when　you　fight；　you　don't　do　it　gently。　That　woman　trapped　you　to　get　you　out　there。　She　wanted　you　to　be　there　when　the　police　came。　She's　getting　ready　to　throw　you　to　the　wolves；　if　it　looks　as　though　her　precious　hands　were　going　to　get　soiled。　Now　are　you　going　to　let　her　get　away　with　that？〃
　　〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　won't　go　back　on　her　until　I　have　to。〃
　　Della　Street's　face　was　white；　her　lips　drawn　into　a　thin；　firm　line。　〃She's　a。。。〃　she　said；　and　stopped。
　　〃She's　a　client；〃　insisted　Perry　Mason；　〃and　she's　paying　well。〃
　　〃Paying　well　for　what？　To　have　you　represent　her　in　a　blackmail　case？　Or　to　take　a　rap　for　murder？〃
　　There　were　tears　in　her　eyes。
　　〃Mr。　Mason；〃　she　said；　〃please　don't　be　so　damned　big　hearted。　Keep　on　the　outside　of　this　thing；　and　let　them　go　ahead　and　do　whatever　they　want　to。　You　simply　act　as　an　attorney　and　e　into　the　case　as　a　lawyer。〃
　　His　voice　was　patient。　〃It's　pretty　late　for　that　now；　isn't　it；　Della？〃
　　〃No；　it　isn't。　You　keep　out　of　it！〃
　　He　smiled　patiently。　〃She's　a　client；　Della。〃
　　〃That's　all　right；〃　she　said；　〃after　you　get　to　court。　You　can　sit　back　and　see　what　happens　at　the　trial。〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　Della；　the　District　Attorney　doesn't　wait　until　he　gets　to　court。　His　representatives　are　out　there　right　now；　talking　with　the　witnesses　and　putting　the　words　in　Carl　Griffin's　mouth　that　will　bee　newspaper　headlines　tomorrow　and　damaging　testimony　by　the　time　the　case　es　to　trial。〃
　　She　recognized　the　futility　of　further　argument。
　　〃You　think　they're　going　to　arrest　the　woman？〃　she　asked。
　　〃I　don't　know　what　they're　going　to　do；〃　he　said。
　　〃Have　they　found　a　motive？〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃they　haven't　found　a　motive。　They　started　looking　for　the　conventional　ones；　and　they　didn't　pan　out；　so　that　stopped　them。　But　when　they　find　out　about　this　other　business；　they'll　have　a　motive　already　made　to　order。〃
　　〃Are　they　going　to　find　out　about　it？〃　she　asked。
　　〃They're　bound　to。〃
　　Della　Street's　eyes　suddenly　widened。　〃Do　you　think；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　Harrison　Burke？　The　man　who　was　out　there　when　the　shot　was　fired？〃
　　〃I've　tried　to　get　Harrison　Burke　on　the　telephone；〃　he　said；　〃and　haven't　been　able　to。　Aside　from　that　I'm　not　even　thinking。　Go　on　out　and　get　on　the　telephone。　Try　him　again。　Keep　trying　his　house　at　ten　minute　intervals　until　you　get　him；　or　get　somebody。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　she　said。
　　〃Also；　ring　up　Paul　Drake。　He'll　probably　be　at　his　office。　If　he　isn't；　try　him　on　that　emergency　telephone　number　we've　got。　He's　doing　some　work　for　me　on　this。〃
　　She　was　once　more　merely　a　secretary。　〃Yes；　Mr。　Mason；〃　she　said；　and　went　into　the　other　office。
　　Perry　Mason　resumed　his　pacing　of　the　floor。
　　After　a　few　minutes；　his　telephone　rang。
　　He　picked　up　the　receiver。
　　〃Paul　Drake；〃　said　Della　Street's　voice。
　　Paul　Drake's　voice　said；　〃Hello；　Perry。〃
　　〃Have　you　got　anything？〃　Mason　asked。
　　〃Yes；　I　got　a　lucky　break　on　that　gun　business；　and　I　can　give　you　the　dope　on　it。〃
　　〃Your　line's　all　clear？　There's　nobody　listening？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Drake；　〃it's　okay。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃hand　it　to　me。〃
　　〃I　don't　suppose　you　care　anything　about　where　the　gun　was　jobbed　or　who　the　dealer　was？〃　asked　Drake。　〃What　you　want　is　the　name　of　the　purchaser。〃
　　〃That's　right。〃
　　〃All　right；　your　gun　was　finally　purchased　by　a　man　named　Pete　Mitchell；　who　gave　his　address　as　thirteen　twenty…two　West　Sixty…ninth　Street。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　said　Mason；　〃have　you　got　any　dope　on　the　other　angle　of　the　case？　About　Frank　Locke？〃
　　〃No；　I　haven't　been　able　to　get　a　report　from　our　southern　agency　yet。　I've　traced　him　back　to　a　southern　state；　Georgia　it　was；　and　the　trail　seems　to　go　haywire　there。　It　looks　as　though　that's　where　he　changed　his　name。〃
　　〃That's　fine；〃　Mason　said。　〃That's　where　he　had　his　trouble。　How　about　the　rest　of　it？　Do　you　get　anything　on　him？〃
　　〃I've　got　a　line　on　the　jane　at　the　Wheelright　Hotel；〃　Drake　said。　〃It's　a　girl　named　Esther　Linten。　She　lives　there　at　the　Wheelright；　has　room　nine…forty…six；　by　the　month。〃
　　〃What　does　she　do？〃　asked　Mason。　〃Did　you　find　that　out？〃
　　〃Anybody　she　can；　I　guess；〃　Drake　told　him。　〃We　can't　get　very　much　of　a　line　on　her　as　yet；　but　give　us　a　little　time；　and　let　me　get　some　sleep。　A　guy　can't　be　every　place　at　once；　and　work　without　sleep。〃
　　〃You'll　get　used　to　it　after　a　while；〃　Mason　told　him；　grinning；　〃particularly　if　you　keep　working　on　this　case。　You　stay　there　in　the　office　for　five　minutes。　I'll　call　you　back。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　sighed　Drake；　and　hung　up。
　　Perry　Mason　went　out　to　the　outer　office。
　　〃Della；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　remember　when　all　of　the　political　stuff　was　going　around　a　couple　of　years　ago？　We　made　a　file　for　some　of　the　letters？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃there's　a　file　'Political　Letters。'　I　didn't　know　what　you　saved　them　for。〃
　　〃Connections；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　find　a　'Burke…for…Congress…Club'　letter　some　place　in　there。　Get　it　for　me；　and　make　it　snappy。〃
　　She　made　a　dive　for　the　battery　of　files　which　lined　one　side　of　the　office。
　　Perry　Mason　sat　on　the　corner　of　her　desk　and　watched　her。　Only　his　eyes　showed　the　white…hot　concentration　of　thought　which　was　covering　a　dozen　different　angles　of　a　plicated　problem。
　　She　came　to　him　with　a　letter。
　　〃That's　fine；〃　he　said。
　　Printed　in　a　column　on　the　right　hand　margin　was　a　list　of　vice　presidents　of　the　〃Burke…for…Congress…Club。〃　There　were　more　than　a　hundred　names　in　fine　print。
　　Mason　squinted　his　eyes　and　read　down　the　column。　Every　time　he　passed　over　a　name；　he　checked　it　by　moving　his　thumb　nail　down　in　the　sheet。　The　fifteenth　name　was　that　of　P。　J。　Mitchell；　and　the　address　given　at　the　side　of　the　name　was　thirteen　twenty…two　West　Sixty…ninth　Street。
　　Mason　folded　the　letter　abruptly；　and　thrust　it　in　his　pocket。
　　〃Get　me　Paul　Drake　on　the　phone　again；〃　he　said；　and　walked　into　his　inner　office　and　slammed　the　door　shut　behind　him。
　　When　Paul　Drake　came　on　the　line；　he　said；　〃Listen　Paul；　I　want　you　to　do　something　for　me。〃
　　〃Again？〃　asked　Drake。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Mason。　〃You　haven't　got　started　yet。〃
　　〃All　right；　shoot；〃　said　the　detective。
　　〃Listen；〃　Mason　said；　slowly；　〃I　want　you　to　get　in　a　car　and　go　out　to　thirteen　twenty…two　West　Sixty…ninth　Street；　and　get　Pete　Mitchell　out　of　bed。　Now；　you've　got　to　handle　this　carefully　so　that　you　don't　get　yourself　in　a　jam；　and　me　too。　You've　got　to　do　it　along　the　line　of　a　boob　detective　who　talks　too　much。　Don't　ask　Mitchell　any　questions　until　you　give　him　all　the　information；　see？　Tell　him　that　you're　a　detective　and　that　George　Belter　was　murdered　in　his　house　tonight；　and　th