esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第26部分

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It　was　this　Georgia　business　that　you　mentioned　that　bothered　me。　I　don't　want　to　have　anybody　go　into　that。　I　think　you've　got　the　wrong　idea　about　it；　but　it's　something　that's　a　closed　chapter　in　my　life。〃
　　Mason　smiled；　and　said；　〃Oh；　no；　it　isn't；　Locke。　Murder　never　outlaws；　you　know；　and　they　can　always　bring　you　back　for　another　trial。〃
　　Locke　pushed　himself　away　from　Mason's　side。　His　lips　were　twitching；　and　his　eyes　were　filled　with　panic。　〃I　can　beat　that　case　if　they　try　me　in　Savannah。　But　if　you　spring　it　here　in　connection　with　another　murder　case；　they'd　make　short　work　of　me；　and　you're　just　smooth　enough　to　know　it。〃
　　Mason　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃Incidentally；　Locke；〃　he　said；　〃I　presume　that　you've　been　embezzling　money　from　the　accounts　to　keep　this　thing　going；〃　and　he　jerked　his　thumb　back　toward　the　room　they　had　quitted。
　　〃Well；〃　said　Locke；　〃guess　again。　That's　one　place　where　you　can't　do　a　damn　thing。　Nobody　on　earth　knows　what　my　understanding　was　with　George　Belter；　except　George　Belter。　It　wasn't　in　writing。　It　was　just　an　understanding　between　us。〃
　　〃Well；　be　careful　what　you　say；　Locke；〃　Mason　warned；　〃and　remember　that　Mrs。　Belter　is　the　owner　of　the　paper　now。　You'd　better　have　an　understanding　with　her　before　you　pay　out　any　more　money。　Your　accounts　will　have　to　be　audited　in　court　now；　you　know。〃
　　Locke　swore　under　his　breath。　〃So　that's　it；　is　it？〃
　　〃That's　it；〃　Mason　said。　〃I'm　going　to　leave　you　when　we　get　out　of　the　hotel；　Locke。　Don't　go　back　and　try　to　beat　up　that　woman；　because　anything　she　might　say　wouldn't　make　a　particle　of　difference。　I　don't　know　whether　Sol　Steinburg　is　right　in　identifying　you　as　the　man　who　bought　the　murder　gun　in　this　case　or　not。　But；　even　if　he　isn't；　all　we　need　to　do　is　to　simply　pass　the　word　to　the　Georgia　authorities；　and　you　go　back　for　another　trial。　Maybe　you　beat　the　rap；　maybe　you　don't；　but　you're　out　of　the　picture　here。〃
　　Locke　said；　curiously；　〃Listen；　you're　playing　a　hell　of　a　deep　game。　I'd　like　to　know　what　it　is。〃
　　Mason　looked　at　him　innocently。
　　〃Why　no；　Locke；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　just　representing　a　client；　and　sort　of　messing　around　here；　trying　to　find　out　something。　I　had　some　detectives　who　chased　down　the　number　on　the　gun。　I　guess　we　got　it　a　little　bit　in　advance　of　the　police；　because　they　are　going　about　it　as　a　matter　of　routine。　And　I　did　some　single…shooting　on　it。〃
　　Locke　laughed。　〃Save　that；〃　he　said；　〃and　tell　it　to　somebody　who　appreciates　it。　You　don't　fool　me　any　with　that　damned　innocent　stuff。〃
　　Mason　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　　〃Well；　Locke；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　sorry。　I　may　get　in　touch　with　you　later　on。　In　the　meantime；　I'd　be　awfully　careful　about　mentioning　anything　at　all　about　Mrs。　Belter's　business；　or　about　my　business；　and　that　goes　double　for　anything　connected　with　this　Beechwood　Inn　business；　or　Harrison　Burke。〃
　　〃Hell；〃　said　Locke；　〃you　don't　need　to　rub　it　in。　I'm　off　of　that　stuff　for　life。　I　know　when　I'm　licked。　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　that　Georgia　business？　Anything？〃
　　〃I'm　not　a　detective　or　an　officer。　I'm　simply　a　lawyer。　I'm　representing　Mrs。　Belter。　That's　all。〃
　　The　cage　dropped　them　into　the　lobby　of　the　hotel；　and　Mason　went　to　the　door　and　signaled　a　taxi。
　　〃So　long；　Locke；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　see　you　later。〃
　　As　the　cab　drove　away；　Locke　was　standing　in　the　doorway；　leaning　up　against　the　building　for　support。　His　face　was　pale　and　his　lips　twisted　into　a　frozen　smile。
　　
　　
　　　15。
　　
　　Perry　Mason　sat　in　his　room　at　the　hotel。　There　were　dark　circles　under　his　eyes；　and　his　face　was　gray　with　fatigue。　The　eyes；　however；　were　steady　in　their　calm　concentration；　dominating　the　entire　face。
　　Morning　sunlight　was　streaming　in　through　the　windows。　The　bed　was　littered　with　newspapers。　Headlines　streamed　across　them　news　of　the　Belter　murder；　which　had　developed　enough　interesting　angles　to　betray　to　the　news…skilled　reporters　that　a　major　sensation　was　due　to　break。
　　The　Examiner　carried　headlines　which　monopolized　the　front　page。　〃MURDER　BARES　ROMANCE。〃　Underneath　in　smaller　headlines：　NEPHEW　OF　VICTIM　ENGAGED　TO　HOUSEKEEPER'S　DAUGHTER。　SECRET　ROMANCE　BARED　BY　POLICE。…WILL　CONTEST　FILED　IN　BELTER　ESTATE。　DISINHERITED　WIDOW　CLAIMS　WILL　FORGERY…POLICE　TRACE　GUN　TO　MISSING　MAN…WIDOW'S　CHANCE　REMARK　STARTS　SEARCH　FOR　LAWYER。〃
　　These　headlines　appeared　over　different　articles　on　the　front　page　of　the　paper。　The　inside　page　showed　pictures　of　Eva　Belter　sitting　with　her　knees　crossed；　a　handkerchief　to　her　eyes。　There　were　headlines　with　the　by…line　of　a　well…known　sob　sister；　〃WIDOW　WEEPS　AS　POLICE　QUESTION。〃
　　Reading　the　newspapers；　Mason　had　kept　abreast　of　the　situation。　He　had　learned　that　the　police　had　traced　the　gun　to　one　Pete　Mitchell；　who　had　mysteriously　disappeared　immediately　after　the　shooting；　but　who　had　a　perfect　alibi　covering　the　time　when　the　crime　had　actually　been　mitted。　It　was　the　assumption　of　the　police　that　Mitchell　was　shielding　some　one　to　whom　he　had　given　the　gun。
　　No　names　were　mentioned；　but　Mason　was　able　to　realize　that　the　police　were　getting　close　to　Harrison　Burke。　He　had　also　read；　with　increasing　interest；　about　a　chance　remark　which　Eva　Belter　had　made　which　had　caused　the　police　to　start　seeking　an　attorney　who　had　represented　her；　and　who　had　mysteriously　disappeared　from　his　office。　The　police　were　confidently　predicting　that　the　mystery　would　be　solved　within　another　twenty…four　hours；　and　the　man　who　fired　the　fatal　shot　be　behind　the　bars。
　　Somebody　knocked　at　the　door。
　　Perry　Mason　put　down　the　newspaper　he　was　reading；　cocked　his　head　on　one　side；　and　listened。
　　The　knock　was　repeated。
　　Mason　shrugged　his　shoulders；　walked　to　the　door；　twisted　the　key；　and　opened　it。
　　Della　Street　was　in　the　hall。
　　She　pushed　her　way　into　the　room；　slammed　the　door　behind　her；　and　locked　it。
　　〃I　told　you　not　to　risk　it；〃　Mason　told　her。
　　She　turned　around　and　looked　at　him。　Her　eyes　were　slightly　blood…shot；　with　dark　circles　under　them；　and　her　face　was　haggard。
　　〃I　don't　care；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　all　right。　I　managed　to　ditch　them。　I've　been　playing　tag　with　them　for　an　hour。〃
　　〃You　can't　ever　tell　about　those　fellows；　Della。　They're　clever。　Sometimes　they　let　you　think　you've　got　away　in　order　to　find　out　where　you　wanted　to　go。〃
　　〃They　didn't　slip　anything　over　on　me；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　that　told　of　raw　nerves。　〃I　tell　you　they　don't　know　where　I　am。〃
　　He　caught　the　note　of　hysteria　in　her　voice。　〃Well；　I'm　glad　you're　here。　I　was　just　wondering　who　I　could　get　to　take　down　some　stuff。〃
　　〃What　stuff？〃
　　〃Some　stuff　that's　going　to　e　up。〃
　　She　made　a　gesture　toward　the　newspapers　on　the　bed。
　　〃Chief；〃　she　said；　〃I　told　you　that　she　was　going　to　get　you　into　trouble。　She　came　into　the　office　and　signed　those　papers。　There　were　a　bunch　of　reporters　hanging　around；　of　course；　and　they　started　going　after　her。　Then　the　detectives　took　her　down　to　Headquarters　for　further　questioning。　You　can　see　what　she　did。〃
　　Mason　nodded。　〃That's　all　right。　Don't　get　excited；　Della。〃
　　〃Get　excited？　Do　you　know　what　she　did？　She　made　the　statement　down　there　that　she　recognized　your　voice。　That　you　were　the　man　that　was　in　the　room　with　Belter　when　the　shot　was　fired。　And　then　she　pulled　a　fainting　fit；　and　a　lot　of　hysterics；　and　stuff　of　that　sort。〃
　　〃That's　all　right；　Della；〃　he　said　soothingly。　〃I　knew　she　was　going　to　do　that。〃
　　Della　stared　at　him　with　wide　eyes。
　　〃You　did？〃　she　asked。　〃I　thought　I　was　the　one　who　knew　that！〃
　　He　nodded。　〃Sure　you　did；　Della。　So　did　I。〃
　　〃She's　a　rat　and　a　liar！〃　Della　Street　said。
　　Mason　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　walked　to　the　telephone。　He　gave　the　number　of　Drake's　Detective　Bureau；　and　got　Paul　Drake　on　the　line。
　　〃Listen；　Paul；〃　he　said；　〃make　sure　you're　not　tailed；　and　sneak　over　to　Room　518　in　the　Hotel　Ripley。　Better　bring　a　couple　of　stenographer's　notebooks；　and　a　bunch　of　pencils　along　with　you。　Will　you？〃
　　〃Right　away？〃　asked　the　detective。
　　〃Right　away；〃　he　said。　〃It's　eight　forty…five　now；　and　I'm　expecting　a　show　to　start　at　nine。〃
　　He　hung　up　the　telephone。
　　Della　Street　was　curious。　〃What　is　it；　chief？〃　she　asked。
　　〃I'm　expecting　Eva　Belter　to　be　here　at　nine　o'clock；〃　he　said　briefly。
　　〃I　don't　want　to　be　here　when　that　woman's　here；〃　Della　Street　said。　〃I　can't　trust　myself　around　her。　She's　double…crossed　you　all　the　way　from　the　start。　I　want　to　kill　her。　She's　such　a　sleek　little　gutter　rat。〃
　　He　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。　〃Sit　down　and　take　it　easy；　Della。　There's　going　to　be　a　show…down。〃
　　There　was　a　sound　at　the　door。　The　knob　turned；　the　door　opened；　and　Eva　Belter　walked　in。
　　She　looked　at　Della　Street；　and　said；　〃Oh；　you're　both　here。〃
　　〃Apparently；〃　Mason　said；　〃you've　been　doing　some　talking。〃　He　gestured；　as　he　spoke；　toward　the　newspapers　which　were　piled　on　the　bed。
　　She　walked　over　to　him；　ignoring　the　other　woman；　placed　her　hands　on　his　shoulders；　looked　up　in　his　eyes。　〃Perry；〃　she　said；　〃I　never　felt　so　rotten　about　anything　in　my　life。　I　don't　know　how　I　happened　to　say　it。　They　got　me　down　at　Headquarters　and　barked　questions　at　me。　Everybody　shrieked　questions。　I　never　saw　anything　like　it。　I　didn't　dream　that　it　would　be　anything　at　all　like　that。　I　tried　to　protect　you；　but　I　couldn't。　It　slipped　out；　and　just　as　soon　as　I　made　the　first　slip；　they　all　started　piling　on　me。　They　made　threats；　and　told　me　they'd　name　me　as　an　accessory。〃
　　〃What　did　you　tell　them？〃　asked　Mason。
　　She　looked　in　his　eyes；　then　went　over　to　the　bed；　sat　down；　took　out　her　handkerchief　from　her　purse；　and　started　to　cry。
　　Della　Street　moved　two　swift　steps　toward　her；　but　Mason　caught　her　arm　and　pushed　her　back。
　　〃I'm　handling　this；〃　he　said。
　　Eva　Belter　continued　to　sob　into　her　handkerchief。
　　〃Go　ahead；〃　said　Mason。　〃What　did　you　tell　them？〃
　　She　shook　her　head。
　　〃Never　mind　that　sob　stuff；〃　he　said；　〃it　doesn't　go　over　so　big　right　now。　We're　in　a　jam　and　you'd　better　tell　me　what　you　said。〃
　　She　sobbed。　〃I　just　t…t…t…told　them　that　I　heard　your　v…v…