esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第14部分

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　　He　was　in　time　to　open　the　front　door　for　Bill　Hoffman　and　the　man　on　his　arm。
　　Seen　under　the　light　in　the　hallway；　Carl　Griffin　was　a　rather　good…looking　young　man　with　a　face　which　was　flushed　with　drink；　marked　with　dissipation。　His　eyes　were　red　and　bleary；　but　there　was　a　certain　innate　dignity　about　him；　a　stamp　of　breeding　which　made　itself　manifest　in　the　manner　in　which　he　tried　to　adjust　himself　to　the　emergency。
　　Bill　Hoffman　faced　him；　studied　him　carefully。
　　〃Do　you　suppose　that　you　could　sober　up　enough　to　talk　with　us；　Griffin？〃　he　asked。
　　Griffin　nodded。　〃Just　a　minute。。。　I'll　be　all　right。〃
　　He　pushed　away　from　Sergeant　Hoffman　and　staggered　toward　a　lavatory　which　opened　off　the　reception　room　on　the　lower　floor。
　　Hoffman　looked　at　Mason。
　　〃He's　pretty　drunk；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃Sure　he's　drunk；〃　Hoffman　replied；　〃but　it　isn't　like　an　amateur　getting　drunk。　He's　used　to　it。　He　drove　the　car　all　the　way　up　here　with　the　roads　wet；　and　with　a　tire　flat。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　agreed　Mason；　〃he　could　drive　the　car　all　right。〃
　　〃Apparently　no　love　lost　between　him　and　Eva　Belter；〃　Sergeant　Hoffman　pointed　out。
　　〃You　mean　what　he　said　about　her？〃　asked　Mason。
　　〃Sure；〃　said　Hoffman。　〃What　else　would　I　mean？〃
　　〃He　was　drunk；〃　Mason　said。　〃You　wouldn't　suspect　a　woman　on　account　of　the　thoughtless　remark　of　a　drunken　man；　would　you？〃
　　〃Sure；　he　was　drunk；〃　said　Hoffman；　〃and　he　piloted　the　car　up　here；　all　right。　Maybe　he　could　think　straight　even　if　he　was　drunk。〃
　　Perry　Mason　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　　〃Have　it　your　own　way；〃　he　said；　carelessly。
　　From　the　bathroom　came　the　sounds　of　violent　retchings。
　　〃I'll　bet　you　he　sobers　up；〃　remarked　Sergeant　Hoffman；　watching　Perry　Mason　with　wary　eyes；　〃and　says　the　same　thing　about　the　woman　when　he's　sober。〃
　　〃I'll　bet　you　he's　drunk　as　a　lord；　no　matter　whether　he　seems　to　be　sober　or　not；〃　snapped　Mason。　〃Some　of　these　fellows　are　pretty　deceptive　when　it　es　to　carrying　their　booze。　They　get　so　they　can　act　as　sober　as　judges；　but　they　haven't　very　much　of　an　idea　what　they're　doing　or　saying。〃
　　Bill　Hoffman　looked　at　him　with　a　suggestion　of　a　twinkle　in　his　eyes。
　　〃Sort　of　discounting　in　advance　what　ever　it　may　be　that　he's　going　to　say；　eh；　Mason？〃
　　〃I　didn't　say　that。〃
　　Hoffman　laughed。
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃you　didn't　say　it。　Not　in　exactly　those　words。〃
　　〃How　about　getting　him　some　black　coffee？〃　asked　Mason。　〃I　think　I　can　find　the　kitchen　and　put　some　coffee　on。〃
　　〃The　housekeeper　should　be　out　there；〃　Hoffman　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　offend　you；　Mason；　but　I　really　want　to　talk　to　this　man　alone；　anyway。　I　don't　know　exactly　what　your　status　in　this　case　is。　You　seem　to　be　a　friend　of　the　family　and　a　lawyer　both。〃
　　〃That's　all　right；〃　Mason　agreed　readily　enough。　〃I　understand　your　position；　Sergeant。　I　happen　to　be　out　here；　and　I'm　sticking　around。〃
　　Hoffman　nodded。　〃You'll　find　the　housekeeper　in　the　kitchen；　I　think。　Mrs。　Veitch；　her　name　is。　We　had　her　and　her　daughter　upstairs　questioning　them。　Go　on　out　there　and　see　if　they　can　scare　up　some　coffee。　Get　lots　of　black　coffee。　I　think　that　the　boys　upstairs　would　like　it　as　well　as　this　chap；　Griffin。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　Mason　said。　He　went　through　the　folding　doors　from　the　dining　room；　then　pushed　through　a　swinging　door　into　a　serving　pantry；　and　from　there　into　the　kitchen。
　　The　kitchen　was　enormous；　well　lit；　and　well　equipped。　Two　women　were　seated　at　a　table。　They　were　in　straight…backed　chairs；　and　were　sitting　close　to　each　other。　They　had　been　talking　in　low　tones　when　Perry　Mason　stepped　into　the　room；　and　they　ceased　their　conversation　abruptly　and　looked　up。
　　One　of　them　was　a　woman　in　the　late　forties；　with　hair　that　was　shot　with　gray；　deep…set；　lack…luster；　black　eyes　that　seemed　to　have　been　pulled　into　her　face　by　invisible　strings　that　had　worked　the　eyes　so　far　back　into　the　sockets　it　was　hard　to　tell　their　expression。　They　hid　from　sight　back　in　the　shadowed　hollows。　She　had　a　long　face；　a　thin；　firm　mouth；　and　high　cheek　bones。　She　was　dressed　in　black。
　　The　other　woman　was　very　much　younger；　not　over　twenty…two　or　three。　Her　hair　was　jet　black　and　glossy。　Her　eyes　were　a　snapping　black；　and　their　brightness　emphasized　the　dullness　of　the　deep…sunken　eyes　of　the　older　woman。　Her　lips　were　full　and　very　red。　Her　face　had　received　careful　attention　with　rouge　and　powder。　The　eyebrows　were　thin；　black　and　arched；　the　eyelashes　long。
　　〃You're　Mrs。　Veitch？〃　asked　Perry　Mason；　addressing　the　older　woman。
　　She　nodded　in　tight…lipped　silence。
　　The　girl　at　her　side　spoke　in　a　rich；　throaty　voice。
　　〃I'm　Norma　Veitch；　her　daughter。　What　is　it　you　wanted？　Mother's　all　upset。〃
　　〃Yes；　I　know；〃　apologized　Mason。　〃I　wondered　if　we　could　get　some　coffee。　Carl　Griffin　has　just　e　home；　and　I　think　he's　going　to　need　it。　And　there's　a　bunch　of　men　working　on　the　case　upstairs　who　will　want　some。〃
　　Norma　Veitch　got　to　her　feet。　〃Why；　I　guess　so。　It's　all　right　isn't　it；　Mother？〃　she　asked。
　　She　glanced　at　the　older　woman；　and　the　older　woman　nodded　her　head　once　more。
　　〃I'll　get　it；　Mother；〃　said　Norma　Veitch。
　　〃No；〃　said　the　older　woman；　speaking　in　a　voice　that　was　as　dry　as　the　rustling　of　corn　husks。　〃I'll　get　it。　You　don't　know　where　things　are。〃
　　She　pushed　back　her　chair　and　walked　across　the　kitchen　to　a　cupboard。　She　slid　back　a　door　and　took　down　a　huge　coffee　percolator　and　a　can　of　coffee。　Her　face　was　absolutely　expressionless；　but　she　moved　as　though　she　were　very　tired。
　　She　was　flat…chested　and　flat…hipped　and　walked　with　springless　steps。　Her　entire　manner　was　that　of　dejection。
　　The　girl　turned　to　Mason　and　flashed　him　a　smile　from　her　full　red　lips。
　　〃You're　a　detective？〃　she　asked。
　　Mason　shook　his　head。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　the　man　that　was　here　with　Mrs。　Belter。　I'm　the　one　that　called　the　police。〃
　　Norma　Veitch　said；　〃Oh；　yes。　I　heard　something　about　you。〃
　　Mason　turned　to　the　mother。
　　〃I　can　make　the　coffee　all　right；　Mrs。　Veitch；　if　you　don't　feel　able。〃
　　〃No；〃　she　said　in　that　same　dry；　expressionless　voice。　〃I　can　make　it　all　right。〃
　　She　poured　coffee　into　the　container；　put　water　in　the　percolator；　walked　over　to　the　gas　stove；　lit　the　gas；　looked　at　the　percolator　for　a　moment；　then　walked　with　her　peculiar；　flat…footed　gait　back　to　the　chair；　sat　down；　folded　her　hands　on　her　lap；　and　lowered　her　eyes　so　that　she　was　staring　at　the　top　of　the　table。　She　continued　to　stare　there　in　fixed　intensity。
　　Norma　Veitch　looked　up　at　Perry　Mason。　〃My；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　horrible。　Wasn't　it？〃
　　Mason　nodded；　remarked　casually；　〃You　didn't　hear　the　shot；　I　presume？〃
　　The　girl　shook　her　head。
　　〃No；　I　was　sound　asleep。　In　fact；　I　didn't　wake　up　until　after　the　officers　came。　They　got　Mother　up；　and　I　guess　they　didn't　know　that　I　was　sleeping　in　the　adjoining　room。　They　wanted　to　look　through　Mother's　room　while　she　was　upstairs；　I　guess。　Anyway；　the　first　thing　I　knew；　I　woke　up　and　there　was　a　man　standing　by　the　bed　looking　down　at　me。〃
　　She　lowered　her　eyes　and　tittered　slightly。
　　One　gathered　that　she　had　not　found　the　experience　unpleasant。
　　〃What　happened？〃　asked　Mason。
　　〃They　acted　as　though　they　thought　they　had　discovered　the　nigger　in　the　woodpile；〃　she　said。　〃They　made　me　put　on　clothes　and　wouldn't　even　let　me　out　of　their　sight　while　I　was　dressing。　They　took　me　upstairs；　and　gave　me　what　they　call　a　third　degree；　I　guess。〃
　　〃What　did　you　tell　them？〃　asked　Mason。
　　〃Told　them　the　truth；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　went　to　bed　and　went　to　sleep；　and　woke　up　to　find　somebody　staring　down　at　me。〃　She　seemed　rather　pleased　as　she　added；　〃They　didn't　believe　me。〃
　　Her　mother　sat　at　the　table；　hands　folded　on　her　lap；　eyes　staring　steadily　in　fixed　intensity　at　the　center　of　the　table。
　　〃And　you　didn't　hear　anything；　or　see　anything？〃　asked　Perry　Mason。
　　〃Not　a　thing。〃
　　〃Have　you　any　ideas　about　it？〃
　　She　shook　her　head。
　　〃None　that　would　bear　repeating。〃
　　He　glanced　at　her　sharply。
　　〃Have　you　any　that　wouldn't　bear　repeating？〃　he　inquired。
　　She　nodded　her　head。
　　〃Of　course；　I've　only　been　around　here　a　week　or　so；　but　in　that　time。。。〃
　　〃Norma！〃　said　her　mother；　in　a　voice　which　had　suddenly　lost　its　dry　huskiness　and　cracked　like　the　lash　of　a　whip。
　　The　girl　lapsed　into　abrupt　silence。
　　Perry　Mason　glanced　at　the　older　woman。　She　had　not　so　much　as　raised　her　eyes　from　the　table　when　she　spoke。
　　〃Did　you　hear　anything；　Mrs。　Veitch？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　am　a　servant。　I　hear　nothing；　and　I　see　nothing。〃
　　〃Rather　mendable　for　one　who　is　a　servant；　as　far　as　minor　matters　are　concerned；〃　he　observed；　〃but　I　think　you　will　find　the　law　has　ideas　of　its　own　upon　the　matter；　and　that　you　will　be　required　to　see　and　to　hear。〃
　　〃No；〃　she　said；　without　so　much　as　moving　a　muscle　of　her　head。　〃I　saw　nothing。〃
　　〃And　heard　nothing？〃
　　〃And　heard　nothing。〃
　　Perry　Mason　scowled。　Somehow　he　sensed　that　the　woman　was　concealing　something。
　　〃Did　you　answer　those　questions　in　just　that　way　when　you　were　questioned　upstairs？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　think；〃　she　said；　〃the　coffee　is　about　ready　to　start　percolating。　You　can　turn　the　fire　down　as　soon　as　it　does；　so　that　it　doesn't　boil　over。〃
　　Mason　turned　to　the　coffee。　The　percolator　was　specially　designed　to　heat　a　maximum　of　water　in　a　small　amount　of　time；　and　the　fire　under　it　was　a　blue　flame　of　terrific　heat。　Steam　was　mencing　to　rise　from　the　water。
　　〃I'll　watch　the　coffee；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　am　interested　to　know　whether　or　not　you　answered　the　questions　in　exactly　that　way　when　you　were　upstairs。〃
　　〃What　way？〃　she　countered。
　　〃The　way　you　answered　them　here。〃
　　〃I　told　them　the　same　thing；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　saw　nothing　and　heard　nothing。〃
　　Norma　Veitch　giggled。　〃That's　her　story；〃　she　said；　〃and　she　sticks　to　it。〃
　　The　mother　snapped；　〃Norma！〃
　　Mason　stared　at　them　both；　his　thoughtful　face　apparently　absolutely　placid。　Only　his　eyes　were　hard　and　calculating。
　　〃You　know；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　a　lawyer。　If　you　have　anything　to　confide　in　me；　now　would　make　a