erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第10章

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　agreements。　Eight　thousand　to　ten　thousand；　real　estate　transactions。〃
　〃Well；　I　didn't　disturb　anything。　I　put　all　that　stuff　in　packages　and　tied　them　up　with　binder　twine。〃
　〃Could　we　take　a　look？〃　Virginia　asked。
　〃Why；　sure。〃
　Julian　Bannock　led　the　way　into　the　relative　coolness　of　the　barn；　redolent　with　the　clean　smell　of　hay。
　〃Used　to　keep　this　barn　pretty　full　of　hay；〃　he　said；　〃and　had　quite　a　storage　problem。　Lately；　I've　been　selling　the　hay　because　I　haven't　been　doing　much　feeding。　Used　to　have　a　little　dairy　business；　but　they've　got　so　many　headaches　now　that　the　small　dairyman　has　too　much　of　a　problem；　too　much　work；　too　many　regulations。
　〃The　real　big　dairies　are　handling　things　now　with　mechanical　milkers；　feeders　and　all　that　sort　of　thing…I　didn't　get　too　much　for　those　filing　cases；　either。　Could　have　kept　the　stuff　in　the　cases；　I　guess；　but　I　don't　know　what　anybody'd　want　with　all　that　stuff…thought　some　of　pitching　it　all　out　and　burning　it　up；　but　you　talked　so　much　about　the　files；　I　thought　I'd　keep　them。〃
　〃Well；　of　course；　that　was　some　time　ago；〃　Virginia　said。　〃As　time　passes；　those　files　cease　to　have　quite　as　much　importance。〃
　〃Well；　here　we　are；　over　here。　This　used　to　be　a　tractor　shed；　but　I　got　room　to　put　these…Well；　what　do　you　know！〃
　Bannock　stopped　in　surprise　before　the　litter　of　papers　strewn　all　over　the　floor。
　〃Looks　like　that　fellow　left　a　hell　of　a　mess；〃　he　said　angrily。
　Virginia　looked　in　dismay　at　the　piles　of　paper。
　The　man　who　had　been　in　there　had　evidently　cut　the　binder　twine　that　had　held　the　papers　in　different　classifications　and　had　pawed　through　everything　looking　for　the　paper　he　wanted；　throwing　the　other　papers　helterskelter　into　a　pile　which　had　spread　out　into　an　area　some　six　feet　in　diameter　at　the　bottom　and　some　four　feet　high。
　Virginia；　looking　at　the　carbon　copies　now　ragged　at　the　edges　from　the　gnawing　of　mice；　thinking　of　the　care　she　had　taken　with　those　papers　when　she　had　typed　them；　felt　like　crying。
　Julian　Bannock；　slow　to　anger；　but　with　a　steadily　mounting　temper；　said。　〃Well；　by　gosh；　I'd　like　to　tell　that　fellow　Smith　a　thing　or　two！〃
　He　bent　down　and　picked　up　a　piece　of　binder　twine。　〃Cut　through　slick　and　clean　with　a　sharp　knife；〃　he　said。　〃Somebody'd　ought　to　take　that　man　and　teach　him　a　few　manners。〃
　Virginia；　studying　the　pile　of　papers；　said；　〃He　must　have　been　in　a　terrific　hurry。　He　was　looking　for　something　and　he　didn't　have　time　to　untie　the　twine；　look　at　each　package；　and　then　tie　them　up　again。　He　simply　took　his　knife；　cut　the　twine；　looked　hurriedly　for　what　he　wanted；　then　when　he　didn't　find　it；　he　threw　the　rest　of　the　papers　over　on　the　pile。〃
　Julian　said　thoughtfully；　〃You　can　see　that　all　right。　I'm　kicking　myself　for　not　keeping　an　eye　on　him。〃
　〃How　long　was　he　here？〃　Virginia　asked。
　〃Now；　that　I　can't　tell　you。　I　let　him　in　the　barn；　showed　him　where　the　things　were　and　then　left。〃
　Virginia　reached　a　sudden　decision。　〃Where　is　the　nearest　telephone？〃　she　asked。
　〃Well；　one　of　the　neighbors　has　one　and　he's　real　acmodating；〃　Julian　said。　〃He　lives　about　two　miles　down　the　road。〃
　〃I　want　to　make　a　long　distance　call；〃　she　said；　〃and　。　。　。　I　guess　it's　better　not　to　let　anyone　hear　what　I'm　saying。　I'll　go　on　in　to　Bakersfield　and　put　in　the　call　from　a　booth　there。　I'll　be　back　after　a　while　with　some　big　cartons。　I'm　going　to　put　those　papers　in　the　cartons　and　then　we'll　keep　them　someplace　where　they're　safe。〃
　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　give　you　a　hand　when　it　es　to　putting　them　in。　Do　you　think　I　should　stack　them　up　now　and…〃
　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃there's　still　some　semblance　of　order。　A　good　many　of　the　classifications　are　still　segregated。　Somewhere　there's　a　master　book　which　gives　the　numbers　and　an　index。　That　is；　it　was　here。
　〃If　you　don't　mind；　I'd　like　to　stop　at　one　of　the　supermarkets　and　get　some　big　cartons；　then　e　back　and　try　and　put　this　stuff　together　again　so　it　makes　some　sort　of　sense。〃
　〃Well；　now；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　want　to　do　it；　that's　fine　with　me；　but　it's　a　lot　of　work　to　go　through　and　it's　pretty　dusty　in　here。　You're　all　dressed　up　neat　as　a　pin　and…〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　going　to　get　some　blue　jeans　and　a　blouse　in　town。　If　you　don't　mind；　I'll　change　my　clothes　when　I　get　back　and　get　to　work。〃
　〃Sure　thing；〃　he　said；　〃we'll　give　you　a　place　to　change　in　the　house；　and　a　chance　to　take　a　bath　when　you're　finished。　This　is　going　to　be　pretty　dusty。〃
　〃I　know　it　is；〃　she　said；　laughing；　〃but　us　ranchers　have　to　get　used　to　a　little　dust　now　and　then。〃
　He　grinned　at　her；　thrust　out　his　hand　and　shook　hands。
　〃You're　all　right；〃　he　announced。
　Virginia　returned　to　her　car；　drove　to　Bakersfield　and　called　Perry　Mason；　just　as　the　lawyer　was　reaching　his　office。
　〃You　wanted　me　to　tell　you　if　anything　unusual　happened；〃　she　said；　〃and　this　is　unusual　enough；　but　I　just　can't　understand　the　significance。〃
　〃Go　ahead；〃　Mason　said；　〃tell　me　what　it　is。〃
　〃You'll　probably　laugh　and　think　my　imagination　is　working　overtime。　There's　probably　no　way　on　earth　it　can　be　connected　with　anything　but…Well；　here's　what　happened。〃
　She　told　him　about　Bannock；　the　papers；　about　the　man　who　had　called　on　her；　his　description　and　a　general　but　somewhat　vague　description　of　the　automobile　in　which　he　had　driven　away。　〃A　model　about　two　to　four　years　old；　I　would　guess。　I　think　it　was　an　Oldsmobile；〃　she　said。　〃The　first　figure　of　the　license　number　was　a　zero。　I　tried　to　get　it　but　he　drove　away　very　fast。〃
　〃Where　was　he　parked？〃　Mason　asked。　〃Could　you　see　the　parking　place　from　which　he　drove　his　car？　That　might　tell　us　how　long　he'd　been　waiting。　I　presume　parking　places　right　in　front　of　your　apartment　house　are　hard　to　find。〃
　〃I'll　say　they　are！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃But　this　man　didn't　have　any　trouble。　He　parked　right　in　front　of　the　fireplug。〃
　〃Then　he　hadn't　been　there　very　long；〃　Mason　said。　〃That　means　he　must　have　followed　you　home　rather　than　been　there　waiting。　I　would　think　the　police　would　check　that　fireplug　space　rather　often。〃
　〃They　do！　I　had　a　friend　who　parked　just　long　enough　to　leave　a　parcel；　yet　she　got　a　parking　ticket。　It　wasn't　over　a　minute。〃
　〃You　think　the　first　number　on　the　license　plate　was　a　zero？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Yes；　I'm　quite　certain　of　that；　and　I　think　the　last　number　was　a　two；　but　I'm　not　at　all　certain　of　that。〃
　〃You're　in　Bakersfield　now？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Yes。　I　went　out　to　Mr。　Bannock's　brother's　place　to　check　with　him　and　found　that　someone　had　been　out　there；　gone　through　all　the　files。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean　by　'going　through　them'？〃　Mason　asked。
　She　described　the　files。
　Mason's　voice　became　crisp　with　authority。
　〃Now；　this　is　important；　Virginia。　You　say　the　files　were　all　cut　open？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Every　single　bundle？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　their　contents　spread　out？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃No　single　bundle　was　intact？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You're　sure　of　that？〃
　〃Why；　yes。　Why　is　it　important；　Mr。　Mason？〃
　〃Because；〃　Mason　said；　〃it　indicates　a　strong　probability　that　the　person　who　is　searching　didn't　find　what　he　was　looking　for。
　〃In　other　words；　if　you're　looking　for　a　particular　paper　and　you're　in　a　hurry；　you　cut　open　bundle　after　bundle　of　papers　until　you　find　the　one　you　want；　then　you　shove　it　in　your　pocket　and　get　away　from　there　fast。　That　would　leave　some　bundles　that　hadn't　been　cut　open。
　〃But　if；　on　the　other　hand；　all　of　the　bundles　are　cut　open；　it's　a　pretty　good　indication　that　the　person　didn't　find　what　he　was　looking　for。〃
　〃I　never　thought　of　that；〃　she　said。
　〃You're　going　back　to　Julian　Bannock's？〃
　〃Yes；　I'm　taking　some　cardboard　cartons　and　am　going　back　and　I'll　try　to　make　some　semblance　of　order　out　of　those　files。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃by　the　time　you　get　back　there；　we'll　find　out　something　about　your　man　who　is　interested　in　the　files。　。　。　。　Now；　tell　me；　Virginia；　what　about　wills？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃When　Bannock　would　prepare　a　will　it　would　usually　be　executed　there　in　the　office？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Who　would　be　the　subscribing　witnesses？〃
　〃Oh；　I　see　what　you　mean。　He　would　usually　sign　as　one　of　the　su