esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第2部分

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ut　of　the　back　door。〃
　　〃Anybody　see　you？〃　asked　Mason。
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃Nobody　that　I　know。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃go　on　from　there。〃
　　She　looked　up　at　him　and　said；　abruptly：　〃Do　you　know　Frank　Locke？〃
　　He　nodded　his　head。　〃You　mean　the　one　that　edits　Spicy　Bits？〃
　　She　clamped　her　lips　together　in　a　firm　line；　and　nodded　her　head　in　silent　assent。
　　〃What　about　him？〃　asked　Perry　Mason。
　　〃He　knows　about　it；〃　she　said。
　　〃Going　to　publish　it？〃　he　asked。
　　She　nodded。
　　Perry　Mason　fingered　a　paper　weight　on　his　desk。　His　hand　was　well　formed；　long　and　tapering；　yet　the　fingers　seemed　filled　with　petent　strength。　It　seemed　the　hand　could　have　a　grip　of　crushing　force　should　the　occasion　require。
　　〃You　can　buy　him　off；〃　he　said。
　　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　can't。　You've　got　to。〃
　　〃Why　can't　Harrison　Burke？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Don't　you　understand？〃　she　said。　〃Harrison　Burke　might　explain　his　having　been　at　the　Beechwood　Inn　with　a　married　woman。　But　he　could　never　explain　paying　hush　money　to　silence　a　scandal　sheet　from　publishing　the　fact。　He's　got　to　keep　out　of　this。　They　may　trap　him。〃
　　Perry　Mason　drummed　with　his　fingers　on　the　top　of　the　desk。
　　〃And　you　want　me　to　square　the　thing？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　want　you　to　square　it。〃
　　〃How　high　would　you　pay？〃
　　She　rushed　on　in　swift　conversation　now；　leaning　toward　him　and　talking　rapidly。
　　〃Listen；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　going　to　tell　you　something。　Remember　what　it　is；　but　don't　ask　me　how　I　happened　to　know。　I　don't　think　you　can　buy　Frank　Locke　off。　You've　got　to　go　higher。　Frank　Locke　pretends　to　own　Spicy　Bits。　You　know　the　kind　of　a　publication　it　is。　It's　just　a　blackmailing　sheet；　and　that's　all　it's　for。　They　are　in　the　market　for　all　they　can　get。　But　Frank　Locke　is　only　a　figurehead。　There's　somebody　behind　him。　Somebody　who　is　higher。　Somebody　who　really　owns　the　paper。　They've　got　a　good　attorney　who　tries　to　keep　them　clear　of　blackmailing　charges　and　libel　suits。　But　in　case　anything　ever　went　wrong；　Frank　Locke　is　there　to　take　all　the　blame。〃
　　She　quit　talking。
　　There　was　a　moment　or　two　of　silence。
　　〃I'm　listening；〃　said　Perry　Mason。
　　She　bit　her　lip　for　a　moment；　then　raised　her　eyes　once　more；　and　continued　speaking　in　the　same　rapid　tone。　〃They've　found　out　about　Harrison　being　there。　They　don't　know　who　the　woman　was　that　was　with　him。　But　they're　going　to　publish　the　fact　that　he　was　there；　and　demand　that　the　police　bring　him　in　as　a　witness。　There's　some　mystery　about　the　shooting。　It　looks　as　though　some　one　had　trapped　this　man　into　a　hold…up　so　that　he　could　be　shot；　without　too　many　questions　being　asked。　The　police　and　the　District　Attorney　are　going　to　grill　every　one　who　was　there。〃
　　〃And　they're　not　going　to　grill　you？〃　asked　Perry　Mason。
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　they're　going　to　leave　us　out　of　it。　Nobody　knows　I　was　there。　The　officer　knows　Harrison　was　there。　That's　all。　I　gave　him　an　assumed　name。〃
　　〃Well？〃　asked　Mason。
　　〃Don't　you　see？〃　she　said。　〃If　they　put　pressure　to　bear　on　the　officers；　they'll　have　to　question　Harrison。　And　then　he'll　have　to　tell　them　who　the　woman　was　that　was　with　him。　Or　else　it　will　appear　worse　than　it　really　was。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　there　wasn't　anything　wrong　with　it。　We　had　a　right　to　be　there。〃
　　He　drummed　with　his　fingers　on　his　desk　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　looked　at　her　steadily。
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃let's　not　have　any　misunderstanding　about　this。　You're　trying　to　save　Harrison　Burke's　political　career？〃
　　She　looked　at　him　meaningly。
　　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　want　any　misunderstanding　about　it。　I'm　trying　to　save　myself。〃
　　He　continued　to　drum　with　his　fingertips　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　said：　〃It's　going　to　take　money。〃
　　She　opened　her　handbag。　〃I　came　prepared　for　that。〃
　　Perry　Mason　watched　her　while　she　counted　out　the　currency；　and　arranged　it　in　piles　along　the　edge　of　the　desk。
　　〃What's　that？〃　he　asked。
　　〃That's　on　account　of　your　fee；〃　she　said。　〃When　you　find　out　how　much　it's　going　to　take　to　keep　the　thing　secret；　you　can　get　in　touch　with　me。〃
　　〃How　do　I　get　in　touch　with　you？〃
　　〃You　put　a　personal　in　the　Examiner：　'E。　G。　Negotiations　ready　to　conclude；'　and　you　sign　that　with　your　initials。　Then　I'll　e　to　your　office。〃
　　〃I　don't　like　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　like　to　pay　blackmail。　I'd　rather　work　some　other　way　around　it。〃
　　〃What　other　way　would　there　be？〃　she　asked。
　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　don't　know。　Sometimes　there　are　other　ways。〃
　　She　said；　hopefully：　〃I　can　tell　you　one　thing　about　Frank　Locke。　There's　something　in　his　past　life　that　he's　afraid　of。　I　don't　know　exactly　what　it　is。　I　think　perhaps　he　was　sent　to　prison　once；　or　something　of　that　sort。〃
　　He　looked　at　her。
　　〃You　seem　to　know　him　pretty　well。〃
　　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　never　saw　him　in　my　life。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　so　much　about　him？〃
　　〃I　told　you　you　weren't　to　ask　me　that。〃
　　He　drummed　again　with　his　powerful　fingers　on　the　edge　of　the　desk。
　　〃Can　I　say　that　I　am　representing　Harrison　Burke？〃　he　asked。
　　She　shook　her　head　emphatically。
　　〃You　can't　say　that　you're　representing　anybody。　That　is；　you　can't　use　any　names。　You　know　how　to　handle　that。　I　don't。〃
　　〃When　do　you　want　me　to　start　in？〃
　　〃Right　away。〃
　　Perry　Mason　pressed　a　button　on　the　side　of　his　desk。　After　a　moment　or　two；　the　door　to　the　outer　office　opened　and　Della　Street　came　in　carrying　a　notebook。
　　The　woman　in　the　chair　sat　back　with　a　detached；　impersonal　air；　the　manner　of　one　whose　business　is　not　to　be　discussed　in　any　way　before　servants。
　　〃You　wanted　something？〃　asked　Della　Street。
　　Perry　Mason　reached　in　the　upper　right…hand　drawer　of　his　desk；　and　took　out　a　letter。
　　〃This　letter；〃　he　said；　〃is　all　right；　with　the　exception　of　one　thing　that　I　want　in　it。　I'll　write　that　in　in　pen　and　ink。　And　then　you　can　re…type　the　letter。　I'm　going　to　be　out　on　important　business　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　And　I　don't　know　just　when　I'll　be　back　to　the　office。〃
　　Della　Street　asked：　〃Can　I　get　in　touch　with　you　anywhere？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃I'll　get　in　touch　with　you；〃　he　said。
　　He　drew　the　letter　toward　him　and　scribbled　on　the　margin。　She　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　walked　around　the　desk　so　that　she　could　look　over　his　shoulder。
　　Perry　Mason　wrote　on　the　letter：　〃Go　back　to　the　outer　office。　Ring　Drake's　Detective　Bureau；　and　ask　for　Paul　Drake。　Get　him　to　shadow　this　woman　when　she　leaves　the　office。　But　don't　let　her　know　she's　being　tailed。　Tell　him　I　want　to　find　out　who　she　is；　that　it's　important。〃
　　He　took　a　blotter；　blotted　the　note；　and　handed　it　to　Della　Street。
　　〃Have　that　attended　to　right　away；〃　he　said；　〃so　that　I　can　sign　it　before　I　go　out。〃
　　She　took　the　letter　casually。　〃Very　well；〃　she　said；　and　left　the　office。
　　Perry　Mason　turned　to　the　woman。　〃I've　got　to　know　something　about　how　high　I　can　go　on　this　thing；〃　he　told　her。
　　〃What　would　you　consider　reasonable？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Nothing　at　all；〃　he　said　crisply。　〃I　don't　like　to　pay　money　for　blackmail。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　she　remarked；　〃but　you　must　have　had　some　experience。〃
　　〃Spicy　Bits；〃　he　told　her；　〃will　charge　everything　they　think　the　traffic　will　bear。　What　I'm　trying　to　get　at　is；　how　much　will　it　bear？　If　they　want　too　much　I'll　try　stalling　them　along。　If　they　are　willing　to　be　reasonable；　I　can　handle　it　quickly。〃
　　〃You've　got　to　handle　it　quickly。〃
　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃we're　getting　away　from　the　question。　How　much？〃
　　〃I　could　raise　five　thousand　dollars；〃　she　ventured。
　　〃Harrison　Burke　is　in　politics；〃　he　told　her。　〃From　all　I　can　hear；　he　isn't　in　politics　for　his　health。　He　runs　with　the　reform　crowd；　and　that　makes　his　patronage　all　the　more　valuable　to　the　other　crowd。〃
　　〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃　she　asked　him。
　　〃I'm　getting　at　the　fact　that　Spicy　Bits　probably　won't　consider　five　thousand　a　drop　in　the　bucket。〃
　　〃I　could　raise　nine　or　perhaps　ten；〃　she　said；　〃in　a　pinch。〃
　　〃It'll　be　a　pinch；〃　he　told　her。
　　She　bit　her　lower　lip　between　her　teeth。
　　〃Suppose　something　turns　up　and　I　need　to　municate　with　you　without　waiting　for　the　ad　to　be　published　in　the　paper？〃　he　asked。　〃Where　can　I　get　in　touch　with　you？〃
　　She　shook　her　head　swiftly　and　positively。
　　〃You　can't。　That's　one　thing　that　we've　got　to　have　understood。　Don't　try　to　reach　me　at　my　address。　Don't　try　to　telephone　me。　Don't　try　to　find　out　who　my　husband　is。〃
　　〃You're　living　with　your　husband？〃

　　She　snapped　him　a　swift　look。
　　〃Of　course　I　am；　otherwise　where　would　I　get　the　money？〃
　　There　was　a　knock　at　the　outer　door　of　the　office；　and　Della　Street　thrust　her　head　and　shoulders　into　the　room。
　　〃I　have　that　matter　attended　to　so　you　can　sign　the　letter　any　time　you　want；　Mr。　Mason；〃　she　said。
　　Perry　Mason　got　to　his　feet；　looked　meaningly　at　the　woman。
　　〃All　right；　Mrs。　Griffin。　I'll　do　the　best　I　can。〃
　　She　arose　from　her　chair；　took　a　step　toward　the　door；　paused；　and　looked　at　the　money　on　the　table。
　　〃Do　I　get　a　receipt　for　the　money？〃　she　asked。
　　〃You　do　if　you　want　it。〃
　　〃I　think　I　would　like　to　have　it。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　meaningly；　〃if　you　would　like　to　have　in　your　purse；　a　receipt　made　out　to　Eva　Griffin　for　a　retainer；　and　signed　by　Perry　Mason；　it's　quite　all　right　with　me。〃
　　She　frowned；　and　then　said：　〃Don't　make　it　that　way。　Make　a　receipt　to　the　effect　that　the　holder　of　this　receipt　has　paid　you　the　amount　mentioned；　as　a　retainer。〃
　　He　scowled；　scooped　up　the　money　with　his　swiftly　petent　hands；　and　beckoned　to　Della　Street。
　　〃Here；　Della；〃　he　said；　〃take　this　money。　Give　Mrs。　Griffin　a　ledger　page；　and　make　a　receipt　to　the　effect　that　the　account　listed　in　our　ledger；　under　that　page　number；　is　credited　with　five　hundred　dollars。　Mark　on　the　receipt　that　that　amount　is　by　way　of　retainer。〃
　　〃Can　you　tell　me　what　your　total　fees　will　be？〃　asked　the　woman。
　　〃It'll　depend　on　the　amount　of　the　work；〃　he　said。　〃They'll　be　high；　but　fair。　And　they'll　depend　on　results。〃
　　She　nodded；　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said：　〃I　guess