esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第30部分

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　　〃Did　you　see　anybody　hanging　around　the　front　of　the　place？〃　asked　Mason。　〃I'm　not　entirely　certain　that　they　didn't　shadow　Della。〃
　　〃Nobody　that　I　noticed。〃
　　Mason　waved　his　hand　toward　the　woman　who　sat　on　the　bed　with　her　legs　crossed。
　　〃This　is　Eva　Belter；〃　he　said。
　　Drake　grinned　and　looked　at　the　legs。
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　recognized　her　from　a　picture　in　the　paper。〃
　　Eva　Belter　took　the　handkerchief　down　from　her　eyes；　and　stared　up　at　Drake。　She　smiled　ingratiatingly。
　　Della　Street　snapped；　〃Even　your　tears　weren't　genuine！〃
　　Eva　Belter　turned　and　looked　at　her；　her　blue　eyes　suddenly　grown　hard。
　　Perry　Mason　whirled　on　Della。　〃Listen；　Della；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　running　this　show。〃　He　looked　over　at　Paul　Drake。　〃Did　you　bring　the　notebooks　and　pencils；　Paul？〃
　　The　detective　nodded。
　　Mason　took　the　notebooks　and　pencils；　and　passed　them　over　to　Della　Street。
　　〃Can　you　move　the　table　and　take　down　what's　said；　Della？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　can　try；〃　she　said　in　a　choked　voice。
　　〃All　right。　Be　sure　and　get　what　she　says；〃　and　he　jerked　his　thumb　in　the　direction　of　Eva　Belter。
　　Eva　Belter　looked　from　one　to　the　other。　〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　　〃I'm　going　to　get　the　straight　of　this；〃　Mason　told　her。
　　〃You　want　me　here？〃　asked　Paul　Drake。
　　〃Sure；〃　Mason　told　him。　〃You're　a　witness。〃
　　〃You　make　me　nervous；〃　said　Eva　Belter。　〃That's　the　way　they　did　last　night。　They　had　me　in　the　District　Attorney's　office；　and　they　had　people　sitting　there　with　notebooks　and　pencils。　It　makes　me　nervous　to　have　people　take　down　what　I　say。〃
　　Mason　smiled。　〃Yes；　I　should　think　it　would。　Did　they　ask　you　anything　about　the　gun？〃
　　Eva　Belter　widened　her　blue　eyes　in　that　stare　of　innocence　which　made　her　seem　so　young　and　helpless。
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked。
　　〃You　know　what　I　mean；〃　Mason　persisted。　〃Did　they　ask　anything　about　how　you　happened　to　have　the　gun？〃
　　〃How　I　happened　to　have　the　gun？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Mason。　〃Harrison　Burke　gave　it　to　you；　you　know；　and　that's　the　reason　you　had　to　telephone　him…to　tell　him　that　it　was　his　gun　that　had　been　used　in　the　shooting。〃
　　Della　Street's　pencil　was　skipping　rapidly　over　the　page　of　the　notebook。
　　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　Eva　Belter　said　with　dignity。
　　〃Oh；　yes；　you　do；〃　Mason　told　her。　〃You　telephoned　Burke　that　there　had　been　an　accident　or　something；　and　that　his　gun　had　figured　in　it。　He'd　had　the　gun　given　him　by　a　friend　named　Mitchell；　and　he　drove　right　around　and　picked　up　Mitchell。　The　two　of　them　ducked　under　cover。〃
　　〃Why；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　never　heard　of　anything　like　that！〃
　　〃That　line　isn't　going　to　get　you　anywhere；　live；〃　Mason　told　her；　〃because　I　saw　Harrison　Burke；　and　I　have　a　statement　signed　by　him。〃
　　She　stiffened　in　sudden　consternation。
　　〃You　have　a　statement　signed　by　him？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃I　thought　you　were　representing　me。〃
　　〃What's　wrong　with　representing　you　and　having　a　statement　from　Burke？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Nothing；　only　he's　Iying　if　he　said　that　he　ever　gave　me　that　gun。　I　never　saw　it　in　my　life。〃
　　〃That　makes　it　more　simple；〃　Mason　mented。
　　〃What　does？〃
　　〃You'll　see；〃　he　told　her。　〃Now　let's　go　back　and　clear　up　another　point　or　two。　When　you　got　your　purse　it　was　in　your　husband's　desk。　Do　you　remember　that？〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　inquired　in　a　low　cautious　voice。
　　〃When　I　was　there　with　you；〃　Mason　said；　〃and　you　got　your　purse。〃
　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　remember　that！　I'd　put　it　in　the　desk　earlier　in　the　evening。〃
　　〃Fine；〃　said　Mason。　〃Now；　just　between　the　four　of　us；　who　do　you　think　was　in　the　room　with　your　husband　when　the　shot　was　fired？〃
　　She　said；　simply；　〃You　were。〃
　　〃That's　fine；〃　Mason　said　without　enthusiasm。　〃Now；　your　husband　had　been　taking　a　bath　just　before　the　shot　was　fired。〃
　　For　the　first　time　she　seemed　uneasy。　〃I　don't　know　about　that。　You　were　there。　I　wasn't。〃
　　〃Yes；　you　know；〃　Mason　insisted。　〃He　was　in　the　bath；　and　he　got　out　and　put　a　bathrobe　around　him；　without　even　waiting　to　dry　himself。〃
　　〃Did　he？〃　she　asked　mechanically。
　　〃You　know　he　did；　and　the　evidence　shows　he　did。　Now；　how　do　you　suppose　that　I　got　in　to　see　him　if　he　was　in　his　bath？〃
　　〃Why；　I　guess　the　servant　let　you　in；　didn't　he？〃
　　Mason　smiled。　〃The　servant　doesn't　say　so；　does　he？〃
　　〃Well；　I　don't　know。　All　I　know　is　that　I　heard　your　voice。〃
　　〃You'd　been　out　with　Burke；〃　Mason　said；　slowly；　〃and　you　came　in。　You　didn't　carry　your　purse　with　you　while　you　were　wearing　your　evening　clothes；　did　you？〃
　　〃No；　I　didn't　have　it　with　me　then；〃　she　said；　and　suddenly　bit　her　lip。
　　Mason　grinned　at　her。
　　〃Then　how；〃　he　said；　〃did　it　get　in　your　husband's　desk？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　〃You　remember　the　receipts　that　I　gave　you　for　the　amounts　you　paid　on　account　of　fees？〃　Mason　asked。
　　She　nodded　her　head。
　　〃Where　are　they？〃
　　She　shrugged　her　shoulders。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　〃I've　lost　them。〃
　　〃That；〃　Mason　said；　〃clinches　it。〃
　　〃Clinches　what？〃　she　asked。
　　〃The　fact　that　you　killed　him。　You　won't　tell　me　what　happened；　so　I'll　tell　you　what　happened。
　　〃You　had　been　out　with　Burke。　You　came　in；　and　Burke　left　you　at　the　door。　You　went　upstairs；　and　your　husband　heard　you　ing。　He　was　in　the　bath　at　the　time。　He　was　in　a　towering　rage。　He　jumped　out　of　the　bath；　threw　the　robe　around　him；　and　called　to　you　to　e　into　his　suite。　You　went　in　there　and　he　showed　you　the　two　receipts　that　he'd　found　in　your　purse　while　you　were　out。　They　had　my　name　on　them。　I'd　been　there　and　told　him　what　it　was　that　I　was　trying　to　keep　out　of　Spicy　Bits。　He　put　two　and　two　together；　and　knew　who　it　was　that　I　was　representing　right　then。〃
　　〃Why　I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！〃　she　said。
　　He　grinned　at　her。　〃Oh；　yes；　you　did！　You　knew　that　it　was　a　show…down　right　then；　and　you　shot　him。　He　fell；　and　you　rushed　out　of　the　place；　but　you　played　it　pretty　smooth　at　that。　You　dropped　the　gun　on　the　floor；　knowing　that　it　could　be　traced　to　Harrison　Burke　and　could　never　be　traced　any　farther。　You　wanted　to　get　Harrison　Burke　in　it；　so　that　he'd　have　to　get　you　out。　And　you　wanted　to　get　me　in　it　for　the　same　reason。　You　went　down　and　telephoned　Burke　and　told　him　that　something　had　happened；　and　that　his　gun　would　be　found；　that　he'd　better　get　out　and　lie　low；　and　that　his　only　hope　was　to　keep　sending　me　plenty　of　money　so　that　I　would　go　ahead　with　the　case。
　　〃Then　you　telephoned　to　me　and　got　me　to　e　out　there。　You　told　me　that　you　recognized　my　voice　as　the　voice　of　the　man　who　was　in　the　room　with　your　husband　because　you　wanted　my　help；　and　also　because　you　wanted　to　fix　it　so　that　I　couldn't　prove　an　alibi　if　you　wanted　to　spring　this　business　about　recognizing　my　voice　in　the　apartment。
　　〃You　figured　that　if　you　could　drag　me　and　Harrison　Burke　both　into　the　mess；　we'd　get　you　out　while　we　were　getting　ourselves　out。　You　figured　that　I'd　get　busy　and　square　the　thing　some　way；　with　Burke's　money　back　of　me；　and　the　fact　that　I　was　in　a　jam　to　spur　me　on。
　　〃You　figured　that　you　could　pretend　you　didn't　realize　just　how　much　you　had　me　in　your　power　by　saying　that　you　recognized　my　voice　as　that　of　the　man　in　the　room　with　your　husband。
　　〃Also；　you　figured　that　if　you　got　in　a　position　where　they　menced　to　put　the　screws　on　you；　you'd　switch　the　whole　thing　to　me；　and　let　Burke　and　me　fight　it　out　between　us。〃
　　She　was　staring　at　him　now　her　face　chalk…white；　her　eyes　dark　with　panic。
　　〃You've　got　no　right　to　talk　that　way；〃　she　charged。
　　〃The　hell　I　haven't！〃　he　said。　〃I've　got　proof。〃
　　〃What　kind　of　proof？〃
　　He　laughed　harshly。　〃What　do　you　think　I　was　doing　all　the　time　you　were　being　questioned　last　night？〃　he　said。　〃I　got　in　touch　with　Harrison　Burke；　and　we　got　in　touch　with　the　housekeeper。　The　housekeeper　was　trying　to　protect　you；　but　she　knows　that　you　came　in　with　Burke　and　that　your　husband　called　to　you　as　you　went　upstairs。　She　knows　that　he　was　looking　for　you　earlier　in　the　evening；　and　that　he　had　your　purse；　and　had　found　the　two　receipts　with　my　signature　on　them。
　　〃When　you　had　the　receipts　made　out　without　any　name　on　them；　you　thought　it　would　be　all　right。　But　you　forgot　that　my　name　was　signed　to　them；　and　that　as　soon　as　your　husband　knew　the　case　that　I　was　working　on　and　found　the　receipts　in　your　purse；　he　knew　that　you　were　the　woman　in　the　case。〃
　　Her　face　was　twisting　now。　〃You're　my　lawyer。　You　can't　use　all　of　the　things　that　I've　told　you　to　build　up　a　case　against　me。　You've　got　to　be　loyal　to　my　interests。〃
　　He　laughed　bitterly。
　　〃I　suppose　I　should　sit　tight　and　let　you　drag　me　into　the　murder；　so　that　you　can　walk　out；　eh？〃
　　〃I　didn't　say　that。　I　just　want　you　to　be　loyal　to　me。〃
　　〃You're　a　hell　of　a　person　to　talk　of　loyalty。〃
　　She　tried　another　defense。　〃All　that　is　a　mess　of　lies；〃　she　charged；　〃and　you　can't　prove　it。〃
　　Perry　Mason　reached　for　his　hat。
　　〃Maybe　I　can't　prove　it；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　put　in　the　night　making　wild　statements　to　the　District　Attorney。　I'm　going　d