erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第24章

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　〃I　don't　know　yet　who　she's　teamed　up　with。　I　don't　know　who　administered　the　poison　to　Lauretta　Trent；　but　I　do　know　that　it　was　your　client's　car　that　crowded　her　off　the　road；　and　your　client　has　told　enough　lies　to　make　her　exceedingly　vulnerable。
　〃At　least　we'll　get　her　bound　over　while　we're　looking　for　the　other　conspirator。
　〃And　now；　we'll　leave　you　alone　with　your　client。〃
　Burger　nodded　to　Lieutenant　Tragg；　and　the　pair　walked　out；　closing　the　door　behind　them。
　Mason　turned　to　Virginia　Baxter。
　She　said；　〃There's　been　a　horrible　mistake　somewhere；　Mr。　Mason。　That　man　has　the　general　physical　characteristics　of　the　chauffeur…I　mean；　the　man　I　talked　with；　the　one　who　gave　me　the　name　of　Menard。　。　。　。　Of　course；　you　were　the　one　who　told　me　he　was　Lauretta　Trent's　chauffeur。〃
　〃That；〃　Mason　said；　〃was　on　the　strength　of　the　physical　description　plus　the　license　number　of　the　automobile　he　was　driving。　You're　sure　it　was　an　Oldsmobile？〃
　〃Yes。　It　wasn't　a　new　Olds　but　I　certainly　thought　that's　what　it　was。　。　。　。　Of　course；　I　could　have　made　a　mistake　in　the　license　number；　that　is；　I　could　have　been　wrong　on　the　last　or　something　like　that；　but　the　first　figure　was　a　zero。〃
　Mason　shook　his　head；　〃No；　Virginia；　that　would　be　too　much　of　a　coincidence。　But　you　could　have　been　victimized　by　someone　who　inveigled　you　into　doing　his　dirty　work　for　him。　Suppose　you　try　telling　me　the　truth　for　a　change。〃
　〃But　I　have　told　you　the　truth。〃
　〃_I'll_　tell　you　something；〃　Mason　said。　〃If　you　insist　on　telling　that　story；　you're　going　to　be　bound　over　for　trial　on　a　charge　of　murder；　and　if　someone　is　using　you　as　a　cat'spaw　and　you　don't　give　me　an　opportunity　to　get　you　into　the　clear　by　telling　me　exactly　what　happened；　you're　in　very；　very　serious　trouble。〃
　She　shook　her　head。
　〃Well？〃　Mason　asked。
　She　hesitated　a　moment。
　〃I've　told　you　the　truth；〃　she　said　at　length。
　Mason　said；　〃If　it's　the　truth；　someone　with　a　diabolically　clever　mind　has　carefully　inveigled　you　into　a　trap。〃
　〃It's　。　。　。　it's　the　truth；〃　she　said。
　Mason　said；　〃I'm　your　attorney。　If　you　nsist　that　a　story　is　the　truth；　no　matter　how　weird　or　bizarre　it　sounds；　I　have　to　believe　you　and　not　show　the　slightest　doubt　when　we　get　to　court。〃
　〃But　you　don't　really　believe　me？〃　she　asked。
　Mason　regarded　her　thoughtfully。　〃If　you　were　on　a　jury　and　a　defendant　told　a　story　like　that；　would　you　believe　her？〃
　Virginia　Baxter　started　to　cry。
　〃Would　you？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃No；〃　she　sobbed；　〃it　sounds　too　。　。　。　too…just　too　much　of　a　series　of　improbable　things。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Mason　said。　〃Now　then；　you　have　one　defense　and　only　one　defense。　Either　tell　me　the　absolute　truth　and　let　me　take　it　from　there；　or　stay　with　this　improbable　story。　If　you　do　that；　I'm　going　to　have　to　adopt　the　position　that　some　shrewd；　diabolically　clever　individual　is　deliberately　framing　you　for　murder。　And　the　way　events　have　been　taking　place；　he's　very　apt　indeed　to　have　you　convicted。〃
　She　looked　at　him　with　tearstained　eyes。
　〃Of　course；　you　realize　my　predicament；〃　Mason　said。　〃Once　I　adopt　the　position　that　you're　being　framed；　if　even　the　slightest　part　of　your　story　turns　out　to　be　false；　you'll　be　swept　along　into　the　penitentiary　on　a　tide　of　adverse　public　opinion。　The　slightest　falsehood　will　pletely　ruin　your　chances。〃
　She　nodded。　〃I　can　see　that。〃
　〃Now　then；〃　Mason　said；　〃in　view　of　that　situation　and　in　view　of　that　statement；　do　you　want　to　change　your　story？〃
　〃I　can't　change　it；〃　she　said。
　〃You　mean　because　you're　stuck　with　it？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃I　just　can't　change　it；　Mr。　Mason；　because　it's　the　truth。　That's　all。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　told　her；　〃I'll　take　it　from　there　and　do　the　best　I　can　with　it。　Sit　tight。〃
　The　lawyer　walked　out。
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN
　Jerry　Caswell；　the　deputy　district　attorney　who　had　prosecuted　Virginia　on　the　charge　of　possessing　narcotics　and　apparently　firmly　believed　that　there　had　been　a　miscarriage　of　justice　in　that　case；　had　requested　the　district　attorney's　office　to　be　permitted　to　present　the　People's　case　against　Virginia　Baxter　at　the　preliminary　hearing。
　Now　he　entered　upon　his　duties　with　a　personalized　zest　and　a　grim　determination　that　Perry　Mason　was　not　going　to　get　any　advantage　because　of　ingenuity　or　quick　thinking。
　As　his　first　witness；　he　called　George　Eagan。
　The　chauffeur　took　the　stand；　testified　as　to　his　name；　address　and　occupation。
　〃Could　you　tell　us　what　you　were　doing　on　Wednesday　night？〃　Caswell　asked。
　〃I　was　driving　Lauretta　Trent　in　her　automobile。　We　had　been　to　Ventura　and　were　returning　along　the　coast　highway。〃
　〃Did　you　have　any　fixed　destination　in　mind？〃
　〃Mrs。　Trent　told　me　that　she　intended　to　turn　off　to　go　up　to　a　motel　that　was　up　in　the　hills　near　a　lake。　She　said　she　would　tell　me　what　road　to　take。〃
　〃She　didn't　tell　you　what　road　she　intended　to　take？〃
　〃No；　just　that　she　would　tell　me　when　to　make　the　turn。〃
　〃Now　then；　are　you　familiar　with　the　motel　known　as　the　Saint's　Rest　and　the　road　leading　to　it？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　The　turnoff　is　approximately　three　hundred　yards　to　the　north　of　the　Sea　Crest　Café。〃
　〃When　you　approached　that　turnoff　on　Wednesday　night；　what　happened？〃
　〃Mrs。　Trent　asked　me　to　slow　down　slightly。〃
　〃And　then　what？〃
　〃Well；　I　realized；　of　course；　that　she　was　going　to…〃
　〃Never　mind　what　you　thought；〃　Caswell　interrupted。　〃Just　confine　yourself　to　answering　questions　as　to　facts。　What　happened？〃
　〃Well；　there　were　headlights　ing　behind　and；　since　I…Well；　I　don't　know　how　to　express　it　without　saying　what　I　was　thinking；　but　I　was　preparing　for　a　left　turn　so　I　turned…〃
　〃Never　mind　what　you　were　preparing　for；　state　what　you　did。〃
　〃Well；　I　swung　far　over　to　the　right…hand　side　of　the　road；　just　as　far　as　I　could　get；　and　waited　for　this　car　to　pass。〃
　〃And　did　the　car　pass　you？〃
　〃Not　in　the　normal　manner。〃
　〃What　did　happen？〃
　〃The　car　suddenly　swerved；　its　front　end　hit　the　front　end　of　my　car；　then　the　driver　jerked　the　steering　wheel　so　that　the　hind　end　swung　over　and　crashed　hard　against　the　front　end　of　my　car。　It　knocked　my　front　end　way　over；　and　the　car　went　out　of　control。〃
　〃And　what　happened？〃
　〃I　fought　the　steering　wheel；　trying　to　keep　the　car　from　going　over　the　bank；　but　I　felt　the　car　going。　I　shouted　to　Lauretta　Trent　to　open　the　door　and　jump；　and　I　opened　my　door　and　jumped。〃
　〃Then　what　happened？〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　happened　immediately　after　that。〃
　〃You　were　unconscious？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Do　you　know　when　you　regained　consciousness？〃
　〃No。　I　had　no　way　of　knowing　the　exact　time。　I　know　about　the　time　of　the　accident　but　I　didn't　look　at　my　watch　to　determine　the　time　until　sometime　later。　I　was　upset　and　excited　and　I　was　feeling　bad。　I　had　a　terrific　headache　and　I　was　。　。　。　well；　I　was　groggy。〃
　〃How　long　do　you　think　you　were　unconscious？〃
　〃Objected　to　as　inpetent；　irrelevant　and　immaterial　and　no　proper　foundation　laid；　calling　for　a　conclusion　of　the　witness；〃　Mason　said。
　〃The　objection　is　sustained；〃　Judge　Grayson　ruled。
　〃Oh；　if　the　Court　please；〃　Caswell　said；　〃there　are　certain　ways　by　which　a　person　can　tell　how　long　he　has　been　out…certain　bits　of　circumstantial　evidence。〃
　〃Let　him　give　the　circumstantial　evidence　then　and　not　the　conclusions　he　has　drawn　from　that　evidence。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　Caswell　said。　〃Now；　when　you　regained　consciousness；　what　was　your　position？〃
　〃I　was　sprawled　out　on　the　ground；　face　down。〃
　〃How　near　the　road　were　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know　the　exact　distance；　probably　about　ten　feet；　I　would　estimate。〃
　〃Who　was　there？〃
　〃An　officer　of　the　highway　patrol　was　bending　over　me。〃
　〃Did　he　assist　you　to　your　feet？〃
　〃Not　right　away。　He　turned　me　over。　They　gave　me　some　sort　of　a　stimulant；　then　they　asked　me　if　I　could　move　any　toes。　I　could。　Then　they　asked　me　if　I　could　move　my　fingers。　I　could。　Then　they　had　me　move　my　legs　slowly；　then　my　arms。　Then　they　helped　me　to　a　sitting　position；　then　to　my　feet。〃
　〃Do　you　know　where　they　had　started　from？〃
　〃Only　from　what　they　told　me。〃
　〃How　long　was　it　after　you　regained　consciousness　before　you　were　helped　to　your　feet？〃
　〃A　couple　of　minutes。〃
　〃And　then　you　looked　for　the　Trent　car？〃
　〃Y