esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第7部分

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　　Mason's　eyes　became　hard。　His　body　seemed　to　lean　forward　slightly　from　the　hips。
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　not　asking　you；　I'm　telling　you。〃
　　〃Telling　me　what？〃　Belter　asked。
　　〃Telling　you　that　I'm　an　attorney；　and　I'm　representing　a　client　that　Spicy　Bits　is　trying　to　blackmail；　and　I　don't　like　the　set…up。　I'm　telling　you　that　I　don't　intend　to　pay　the　price　that's　demanded；　and　I'm　telling　you　further　that　I　don't　intend　to　pay　a　damned　cent。　I'm　not　going　to　buy　any　advertising　in　your　sheet；　and　your　sheet　isn't　going　to　publish　the　story　about　my　client。　Get　that；　and　get　it　straight！〃
　　Belter　sneered。　〃It　serves　me　right；〃　he　said；　〃for　seeing　the　first　shyster　ambulance　chaser　that　es　pounding　at　the　door。　I　should　have　had　the　butler　kick　you　out。　You're　either　drunk　or　crazy。　Or　both。　Personally；　I　have　an　idea　it's　both。　Now　are　you　going　to　get　out；　or　shall　I　call　the　police？〃
　　〃I'll　get　out；〃　Mason　said；　〃when　I　finish　what　I　was　saying。　You've　kept　in　the　background　in　this　thing；　and　had　Locke　for　your　goat　to　stand　out　in　front　and　take　it。　You've　sat　back　and　raked　in　the　cash。　You've　received　dividends　out　of　blackmail。　All　right。　Here's　where　you　get　an　assessment。〃
　　Belter　stood　staring　at　Mason；　saying　nothing。
　　〃I　don't　know　whether　you　know　who　I　am；　or　whether　you　know　what　I　want；〃　Mason　went　on；　〃but　you　can　find　out　pretty　quick　by　getting　in　touch　with　Locke。　I'm　telling　you　that　if　Spicy　Bits　publishes　anything　about　my　client；　I'll　rip　off　the　mask　of　the　man　who　owns　the　damned　rag！　Do　you　get　that？〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Belter　remarked。　〃You've　made　your　threat。　Now　I'll　make　mine。　I　don't　know　who　you　are；　and　I　don't　give　a　damn。　Maybe　your　reputation　is　sufficiently　spotless　so　that　you　can　afford　to　go　around　and　make　threats。　Then　again；　maybe　it　isn't。　Perhaps　you'd　better　watch　some　of　your　own　fences　before　you　start　throwing　mud　over　other　people's。〃
　　Mason　nodded　curtly。　〃Of　course；　I　expected　that；〃　he　said。
　　〃Well；〃　Belter　said；　〃you　won't　be　disappointed　then。　But　don't　think　that's　an　admission　that　I'm　mixed　up　with　Spicy　Bits。　I　don't　know　a　damned　thing　about　it。　And　I　don't　want　to。　Now　get　out！〃
　　Mason　turned　and　walked　through　the　door。
　　The　butler　was　on　the　threshold。　He　spoke　to　Belter。
　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　but　your　wife　wants　very　much　to　see　you　before　she　goes　out；　and　she's　just　leaving。〃
　　Belter　walked　toward　the　door。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Take　a　good　look　at　this　man；　Digley。　If　you　ever　see　him　on　the　place　again；　throw　him　off。　Call　a　cop　if　you　have　to。〃
　　Mason　turned　and　stared　at　the　butler。
　　〃Better　call　two　cops；　Digley；〃　he　observed。　〃You　might　need　'em。〃
　　He　walked　down　the　stairs；　conscious　of　the　fact　that　the　other　two　men　were　descending　immediately　behind　him。　As　he　reached　the　lower　hallway；　a　woman　glided　out　from　a　corner　near　the　door。
　　〃I　hope　I　didn't　interrupt　you；　George；〃　she　said；　〃but。。。〃
　　Her　eyes　met　those　of　Perry　Mason。
　　She　was　the　woman　who　had　called　on　Mason　at　his　office；　and　given　the　name　of　Eva　Griffin。
　　Her　face　drained　of　color。　The　blue　eyes　became　dark　with　sudden　panic。　Then；　by　an　effort；　she　controlled　the　expression　of　her　face；　and　the　blue　eyes　enlarged　to　that　wide…eyed　stare　of　baby　innocence　which　she　had　practiced　when　she　had　been　in　the　office　with　Mason。
　　Mason's　face　showed　nothing　whatever。　He　stared　at　the　woman　with　eyes　that　were　perfectly　calm　and　serene。
　　〃Well？〃　asked　Belter。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　〃Nothing；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　sounded　thin　and　frightened。　〃I　just　didn't　know　you　were　busy。　I'm　sorry　I　disturbed　you。〃
　　Belter　said；　〃Don't　mind　him。　He's　just　a　shyster　who　got　in　under　false　pretenses…and　is　leaving　in　a　hurry。〃
　　Mason　whirled　on　his　heel。
　　〃Listen；　you；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　going　to　tell　you。。。〃
　　The　butler　grabbed　his　arm。　〃This　way；　sir；〃　he　said。
　　Mason's　powerful　shoulders　swung　in　a　pivot　that　was　like　the　swing　of　a　golf　professional。　The　butler　was　hurled　across　the　hallway　and　slammed　against　the　wall　with　force　that　jarred　the　pictures　on　their　hangings。　Perry　Mason　strode　directly　to　the　massive　form　of　George　Belter。
　　〃I　decided　to　give　you　a　break；〃　he　said；　〃and　now　I've　changed　my　mind。　You　publish　a　word　about　my　client；　or　about　me　in　your　sheet；　and　you'll　go　to　jail　for　the　next　twenty　years。　D'you　hear？〃
　　The　diamond…hard　eyes　stared　at　him　with　the　uncordial　glitter　of　a　snake's　eyes　staring　into　the　face　of　a　man　armed　with　a　club。　George　Belter's　right　hand　was　in　his　coat　pocket。
　　〃It's　a　good　thing；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　stopped　right　when　you　did。　Make　a　move　to　lay　a　hand　on　me；　and　I'll　blow　your　heart　out！　I've　got　witnesses　to　show　it's　self…defense；　and　I　don't　know　but　what　it　would　be　a　good　thing　to　do　anyway。〃
　　〃Don't　bother；〃　Mason　said；　evenly；　〃you　can't　stop　me　that　way。　There　are　others　who　know　what　I　know；　and　know　where　I　am　and　why。〃
　　Belter's　lip　curled。
　　〃The　trouble　with　you　is；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　keep　singing　the　same　tune。　You've　already　played　that　game　for　all　that　it's　worth。　If　you　think　that　I'm　afraid　of　anything　that　a　cheap；　blackmailing　ambulance　chaser　can　try　to　pin　on　me；　you're　mistaken。　I'm　telling　you　to　get　out；　for　the　last　time！〃
　　Mason　turned　on　his　heel。　〃All　right。　I'm　getting　out。　I've　said　all　I've　got　to　say。〃
　　George　Belter's　sarcastic　ment　reached　his　ears　as　he　gained　the　door。
　　〃At　least　twice；〃　said　Belter。　〃Some　of　it　you've　said　three　times。〃
　　
　　
　　　5。
　　
　　Eva　Belter　sat　in　Perry　Mason's　private　office；　and　sobbed　quietly　into　a　handkerchief。
　　Perry　Mason　sat　behind　the　desk　with　his　coat　off；　and　watched　her　with　wary　eyes　and　an　entire　absence　of　sympathy。
　　〃You　shouldn't　have　done　it；〃　she　said；　between　sniffs。
　　〃How　was　I　supposed　to　know　that？〃　asked　Perry　Mason。
　　〃He's　utterly　ruthless；〃　she　said。
　　Mason　nodded　his　head。
　　〃I'm　pretty　ruthless　myself；〃　he　observed。
　　〃Why　didn't　you　put　the　ad　in　the　Examiner？〃
　　〃They　wanted　too　much　money。　They　seemed　to　think　I　was　going　to　play　Santy　Claus。〃
　　〃They　knew　it　was　important；〃　she　wailed。　〃There's　a　lot　at　stake。〃
　　Mason　said　nothing。
　　The　woman　sobbed　silently　for　a　moment；　then　raised　her　eyes；　and　stared　in　mute　anguish　at　Perry　Mason。
　　〃You　should　never　have　threatened　him；〃　she　said。　〃You　should　never　have　e　to　the　house。　You　can't　do　anything　with　him　by　threats。　Whenever　he　gets　in　a　corner；　he　always　fights　his　way　out。　He　never　asks　for　quarter；　and　he　never　gives　any。〃
　　〃Well；　what's　he　going　to　do　about　it？〃　asked　Mason。
　　〃He'll　ruin　you；〃　she　sobbed。　〃He'll　find　every　lawsuit　that　you've　got；　and　accuse　you　of　jury　bribing；　of　suborning　perjury；　and　of　unprofessional　conduct。　He'll　hound　you　out　of　the　city。〃
　　〃The　minute　he　puts　anything　about　me　in　his　paper；〃　said　Mason；　grimly；　〃I'll　sue　him　for　libel；　and　I'll　keep　on　bringing　a　suit　every　time　he　mentions　my　name。〃
　　She　shook　her　head　with　tears　on　her　cheeks。
　　〃You　can't　do　that；〃　she　said；　〃He's　too　smart。　He's　got　lawyers　who　tell　him　just　what　he　can　do；　and　just　what　he　can't　do。　He'll　get　around　behind　your　back；　and　frighten　the　judges　who　are　sitting　on　your　cases。　He'll　make　the　judges　give　adverse　decisions。　He'll　keep　under　cover　and　fight　you　at　every　turn　of　the　road。〃
　　Perry　Mason　drummed　on　the　edge　of　his　desk。　〃Baloney；〃　he　said。
　　〃Oh；　why；〃　she　wailed；　〃did　you　e　out　there？　Why　didn't　you　simply　put　an　ad　in　the　paper？〃
　　Mason　got　to　his　feet。
　　〃Now　look　here；〃　he　said。　〃I've　heard　enough　of　this。　I　went　out　there　because　I　thought　it　was　good　business　to　go　out　there。　That　damned　paper　tried　to　hold　me　up；　and　I　won't　be　held　up　by　anybody。　Your　husband　may　be　ruthless；　but　I'm　pretty　ruthless　myself。　I've　never　asked　for　quarter　yet。　And　I　won't　give　any。〃
　　He　paused　to　stare　down　at　her　accusingly。　〃If　you'd　been　frank　with　me　when　you　came　in　here　this　thing　wouldn't　have　happened。　You　had　to　go　and　lie　about　the　whole　business；　and　that's　the　thing　that's　responsible　for　the　present　mess。　It　rests　on　your　shoulders；　not　on　mine。〃
　　〃Don't　be　cross　with　me；　Mr。　Mason；〃　she　pleaded。　〃You're　all　I've　got　to　depend　on　now。　It's　an　awful　mess；　and　you've　got　to　see　me　through。〃
　　He　sat　down　once　more　and　said；　〃Don't　lie　to　me　then。〃
　　She　looked　down　at　her　knees；　adjusted　the　hem　of　her　dress　over　her　stocking；　and　plaited　little　folds　in　the　garment　with　the　tips　of　her　gloved　fingers。
　　〃What　shall　we　do？〃　she　asked。
　　〃One　of　the　first　things　we'll　do；〃　he　said；　〃is　to　begin　at　the　beginning；　and　e　clean。〃
　　〃But　you　know　all　there　is　to　know。〃
　　〃All　right　then；〃　said　Mason；　〃tell　me　what　I　know；　so　that　I　can　check　up。〃
　　She　frowned。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　　〃Go　ahead；〃　said　Mason；　〃spill　it。　Tell　me　the　whole　business。〃
　　Her　voice　was　thin　and　helpless。　She　continued　to　fold　the　cloth　of　the　skirt　over　the　top　of　her　crossed　legs。　She　did　not　look　at　him　as　she　talked。
　　〃Nobody；〃　she　said；　〃ever　knew　George　Belter's　connection　with　Spicy　Bits。　He　kept　it　so　much　under　cover　that　nobody　ever　suspected。　Nobody　at　the　office　knew；　except　Frank　Locke。　And　George　could　control　Locke。　He's　got　something　terrible　on　him。　I　don't　know　just　what　it　is。　Maybe　it's　a　murder。
　　〃Anyway；　none　of　our　friends　have　ever　suspected。　They　all　think　that　George　makes　his　money　out　of　playing　the　stock　market。　I　married　George　Belter　seven　months　ago。　I　am　his　second　wife。　I　guess　I　was　fascinated　by　him　and　his　money；　but　we've　never　got　along　well　together。　The　last　two　months　our　relations　have　been　strained。　I　was　going　to　sue　him　for　divorce。　I　think　he　knew　it。〃
　　She　paused　to　stare　at　Perry　Mason；　and　saw　no　sympathy　in　his　eyes。
　　〃I　was　friendly　with　Harrison　Burke；〃　she　went　on。　〃I　met　him　about　two　months　ago。　It　was　just　a　friendship。　Nothing　more。　We　were　out　together；　and　that　murder　took　place。　Of　course；　if　Harrison　Burke　had　to　divulge　my　name；　it　would　have　ruined　his　career　politically；　because　George　would　have　sued　me　and　named　him　as　correspondent　right　away。　I　simply　had　to　hush