erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第6部分

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　〃And　after　you've　seen　Perry　Mason　pull　grandstand　after　grandstand；〃　Caswell　rejoined；　〃you　learn　something　about　dramatics。　This　scene　the　Court　has　just　participated　in　is　going　to　give　aid　and　fort　to　a　lot　of　persons　who　don't　wish　law　enforcement　any　good。〃
　〃Law　enforcement　had　better　bee　more　efficient　then；〃　Judge　Albert　snapped。　〃There　was　no　objection　to　calling　photographers　to　photograph　this　young　woman　when　her　suitcase　was　opened；　and　heaven　knows　how　much　harm　was　done　her　at　that　time。　I　only　hope　there　will　be　enough　publicity　in　connection　with　the　events　of　the　last　hour　to　more　than　offset　the　unfavorable　publicity　which　was　given　her　at　the　time　of　her　arrest。〃
　〃Well；　don't　worry；〃　Caswell　said　bitterly；　〃this　picture　will　go　out　over　the　wire　services　and　make　about　a　third　of　the　papers　in　the　United　States。〃
　〃Let's　hope　it　does；〃　Judge　Albert　said；　and　turning　on　his　heel；　headed　for　chambers。
　Caswell　walked　away　without　a　word　to　Mason。
　Mason　rejoined　Virginia　Baxter。　〃Want　to　go　in　the　witness　room　where　we　can　sit　down　and　talk　for　a　minute？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Anything；〃　she　said。　〃Anything；　Mr。　Mason。〃
　〃I　just　want　a　word　with　you；〃　Mason　said。
　He　led　her　into　the　witness　room；　held　a　chair　for　her；　sat　down　opposite　her　and　said；　〃Now　look；　who　would　have　it　in　for　you？〃
　〃You　mean　to　try　and　frame　me　on　a　narcotics　charge？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Heavens；　I　don't　know。〃
　〃Your　husband？〃
　〃He　was　very　bitter。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　give　him　a　divorce。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃He　was　a　sneak；　a　liar　and　a　cheat。　He　was　carrying　on　with　another　woman　all　the　time　I　was　working　my　head　off　trying　to　help　us　get　ahead。
　〃He　even　dipped　into　the　joint　account　we　had　in　order　to　help　finance　a　car　for　this　woman；　then　they　had　the　unmitigated　gall　to　tell　me　that　people　couldn't　control　their　emotions；　that　a　man　would　fall　in　love　and　he'd　fall　out　of　love　and　there　was　nothing　that　could　be　done　about　it。〃
　〃How　long　ago　was　this？〃
　〃About　a　year。〃
　〃And　you　didn't　give　him　his　freedom？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You're　still　married？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃How　long　since　you've　seen　him？〃
　〃Not　since　that　big　blowup；　but　he　has　called　me　up　on　the　phone　once　or　twice　and　asked　if　I　had　changed　my　mind。〃
　〃And　why　haven't　you　changed　your　mind？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Because　I'm　not　going　to　let　them　play　fast　and　loose　with　me　that　way。〃
　Mason　said；　〃All　right；　you're　going　to　remain　married　to　him。　What　advantage　will　that　be　to　you？〃
　〃It　won't　be　any　advantage　to　me　but　it　will　keep　them　from　taking　advantage　of　me。〃
　〃In　other　words；　anything　that　will　be　a　detriment　to　the　pair　of　them　will　be　to　your　advantage。　Is　that　the　way　you　feel？〃
　〃Well；　something　like　that。〃
　Mason　regarded　her　steadily。　〃Is　that　the　way　you　want　to　feel？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I　just　wanted　to　gouge　her　eyes　out。　I　wanted　to　hurt　her　in　every　way　I　could。〃
　Mason　shook　his　head。　〃There's　no　percentage　in　that；　Virginia。　Ring　him　up　and　tell　him　that　you've　decided　to　let　him　have　a　divorce；　that　you'll　file　the　divorce　action…there's　nothing　in　your　religion　against　it；　is　there？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃No　children？〃
　〃No。〃
　Mason　spread　his　hands　in　a　little　gesture。　〃There　you　are；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　a　future；　too；　you　know。〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I…〃
　〃Meaning　you've　met　someone　in　whom　you're　interested？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃I　。　。　。　I　have　met　lots　of　people　and；　for　the　most　part；　I　have　been　plenty　sour　on　men。〃
　〃But　lately　you've　met　one　who　seems　to　be　different？〃
　She　laughed　nervously。　〃Must　you　cross…examine　me　now？〃　she　asked。
　Mason　said；　〃Whenever　you've　made　a　mistake　in　life；　the　best　thing　to　do　is　to　wipe　the　slate　clean　and　put　that　mistake　behind　you。
　〃However；　what　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about　was　the　fact　that　someone　is　trying　to　put　you　in　a　position　where　you'll　be　discredited。
　〃I　don't　know　who　it　is；　but　it's　some　person　who　has　a　certain　amount　of　ingenuity　and；　apparently；　some　underworld　connections。
　〃That　person　has　struck　once。　You've　avoided　the　trap；　but　other　traps　can　be　set　and　that　person　can　strike　again。　I　don't　like　it　and　if　there's　any　possibility　it's　your　husband；　I'd　like　to　eliminate　him　from　the　picture。
　〃There　is；　of　course；　the　woman　with　whom　your　husband　was　in　love　and　with　whom；　I　presume；　he　is　now　living。
　〃Do　you　know　her？　Do　you　know　anything　about　her　background？〃
　〃Not　a　thing。　I　know　her　name　and　that's　just　about　all。　My　husband　was　very　careful　that　I　didn't　learn　too　much　about　her。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃here's　my　suggestion。　File　for　a　divorce　on　the　ground　of　desertion　or　cruelty。　Leave　her　name　out　of　it；　get　it　over　with　and　get　your　freedom；　and　if　there　is　anything　out　of　the　ordinary　that　happens　within　the　next　few　days；　anything　suspicious；　any　anonymous　telephone　calls；　anything　that　seems　strange；　call　me　immediately。〃
　Mason　patted　her　shoulder　and　said；　〃You're　free　now。〃
　〃But　what　do　I　do　about　your　fee；　Mr。　Mason？〃
　Mason　said；　〃Send　me　a　check　for　a　hundred　dollars　when　you　get　around　to　it　and　find　it　convenient；　but　don't　worry　about　it。〃
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　There　had　been　a　dearth　of　news　the　night　before　and　as　a　result　the　story　about　〃weighing〃　the　evidence　had　been　given　considerable　prominence。
　Virginia　Baxter　read　the　papers　with　a　growing　sense　of　relief。　The　reporters　had　sensed　that　she　had　been　framed　and　had　done　their　best　to　see　that　her　vindication　was　featured　as　top　news。
　The　newspaper　photographers；　thoroughgoing　professionals；　had　done　an　excellent　job　with　their　cameras；　while　Judge　Albert；　leaning　over　the　scales；　had　placed　a　steadying　and　paternal　hand　on　Virginia's　shoulder。
　It　has　been　truthfully　said　that　one　picture　tells　more　than　ten　thousand　words；　and　in　this　case；　the　jurist's　attitude　left　no　doubt　of　his　faith　in　Virginia　Baxter's　innocence。
　The　headlines　in　one　of　the　newspapers　read；　FORMER　LEGAL　SECRETARY　VINDICATED　IN　DOPE　CASE。
　One　article　made　much　of　the　fact　that　she　had　formerly　been　employed　in　a　law　office。　While　that　office　had　in　reality　done　little　trial　work；　specializing　in　estate　matters；　the　reporter　had　taken　poetic　license　and　had　written　that　while　Virginia　Baxter　had　been　working　on　criminal　cases　which　Delano　Bannock　was　defending；　it　probably　had　never　occurred　to　her　in　even　her　wildest　dreams　that　the　time　would　e　when　she　herself　would　stand　before　the　bar　of　justice　accused　of　a　serious　crime。
　It　was　from　an　article　in　another　evening　paper　that　Virginia　received　a　shock。
　The　reporter　had　done　some　background　investigation　and　the　article　stated　that　Colton　Baxter；　estranged　husband　of　Virginia　Baxter；　was；　by　coincidence；　an　employee　of　the　very　airline　which　had　checked　the　suitcase　to　its　destination。　He　was　not　immediately　available　for　ment。
　Virginia　read　that　twice；　then　impulsively　reached　for　the　telephone　and　called　Mason's　office。　Suddenly；　realizing　the　hour；　she　was　about　to　hang　up　when；　'to　her　surprise；　she　heard　Della　Street's　voice　on　the　line。
　〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry。　I　didn't　realize　how　late　it　was。　This　is　Virginia　Baxter。　I　read　something　in　the　paper　that　startled　me　and　。　。　。　I　never　thought　about　it　being　so　long　after　five。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　talk　with　Mr。　Mason？〃　Della　Street　asked。　〃Just　a　minute　and　I'll　connect　you。　I　think　he　wants　to　talk　with　you；　too。〃
　A　moment　later；　Mason's　voice　said；　〃Hello；　Virginia。　I　suppose　you've　read　the　papers　and　learned　that　your　husband　was　located　by　one　of　the　reporters。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　Mr。　Mason。　That　makes　it　just　as　clear　as　day。　Don't　you　see　what　happened？　Colton　planted　that　stuff　in　my　suitcase　and　then　tipped　off　the　newspapers。　If　I　had　been　convicted；　he　could　then　have　had　perfect　grounds　for　divorce。　He'd　claim　that　I　had　been　a　dope　fiend　all　the　time　we　were　married；　that　I　had　been　dealing　in　dope　and　that　he　had　left　me　because　of　that。〃
　〃So；〃　Mason　said；　〃what　do　you　want　to　do？〃
　〃I　want　to　have　him　arrested。〃
　〃You　can't　arrest　him　without　proof；〃　Mason　said。　〃All　you　have　so　far　is　surmise。〃
　〃How　much　would　it　cost　to　get　proof？〃
　〃You'd　have　to　employ　a　private　detective　and　he'd　charge　you　probably　a　minimum　of　fifty　dollars　a　day　and　expenses；　and　then　the　chances　are　he'd　be　unable　to　get　anything　except　more　grounds　for　surmise。〃
　〃I　have　a　little　money。　I'd　。　。　。　I'd　spend　it　in　order　to　catch　him…〃
　〃Not　through　me；　you　wouldn't；〃　Mason　interrupted。　〃As　a　client　of　mine　I　wouldn't　let　you　spend　that　amount　of　money　for　that　purpose。　Even　if　you　got　some　evidence　it　would　only　leave　you　exactly　where　you　are　now；　with　good　grounds　for　divorce。
　〃Why　don't　you　just　wash　your　hands　of　that　man；　get　rid　of　him；　dissolve　the　marriage　and　begin　all　over　again。
　〃If　you　had　religious　reasons　for　not　getting　a　divorce；　I　would　probably　handle　it　in　another　way；　but　you're　going　to　get　a　divorce　sooner　or　later　and…〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　give　him　that　satisfaction。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃That's　what　he's　wanted　all　along；　a　divorce。〃
　Mason　said；　〃You're　not　doing　yourself　a　particle　of　good。　All　you're　doing　is　some　real　or　fancied　harm　to　your　husband。　For　all　you　know　you　may　be　playing　into　his　hands　right　now。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃He's　playing　around　with　this　other　woman；〃　Mason　said。　〃He　keeps　telling　her　that　if　he　could　ever　get　a　divorce　he'd　marry　her；　but　you　won't　give　him　a　divorce。　The　woman　knows　all　this　is　true。
　〃But　suppose　you　give　him　a　divorce；　then　he's　in　a　position　where　he　is　not　only　free　to　marry　this　woman；　but　he　has　to　do　it　to　make　good　on　his　promises。　He　may　not　really　want　to　marry　her。
　〃It　may　be　that　your　husband　is　in　exactly　the　position　he　wants　to　be　in。〃
　〃I　had　never　thought　of　it　that　way；〃　she　said；　slowly；　but　then　added　quickly；　〃Then　why　did　he　plant　the　dope　in　my　suitcase？〃
　〃If　he　did；　it　was　probably　because　he　wanted　to　have　you　thoroughly　discredited；〃　Mason　said。　〃Yours　was　one　of　those　marriages　that　has　been　dissolved　in　hatred。　You'd　better　quit　looking　back　over　your　shoulder；　turn　around　and　face　the　future。〃
　〃Well；　I…I'll　sleep　on　it　and　let　you　know　in　the　morning。〃
　〃Do　that；〃　Mason　said。
　〃I'm　sorry　I　disturbed　you　at　this　hour。〃
　〃Not　at　all。　We　were　w