erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第31章

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　〃Question　number　three：　Why　did　anyone　go　to　Virginia　Baxter　and　ask　her　to　type　two　fraudulent　wills？
　〃The　obvious　answer　to　that；　of　course；　is　that　he　intended　to　plant　those　carbon　copies　somewhere　where　they　could　be　used　to　his　advantage。
　〃Next　question：　Why　could　those　spurious　carbon　copies　be　used　to　his　advantage？　What　did　he　expect　to　gain　by　them？〃
　Mason；　pacing　the　floor；　paused；　shook　his　head　and　said；　〃And　the　answer　to　that　question　is　not　obvious。
　〃Then　we　have　the　question：　Why　did　Lauretta　Trent　want　to　talk　with　Virginia　Baxter？
　〃The　obvious　answer　to　that　is　that　she　knew；　in　some　way；　conspirators　were　trying　to　use　Virginia　Baxter。　Probably；　she　knew　about　the　spurious　wills。　Or　perhaps　she　just　wanted　to　interrogate　Virginia　about　the　location　of　the　carbon　copies　of　the　wills　Bannock　had　drawn。
　〃There　again；　however；〃　Mason　went　on；　〃we　run　up　against　a　blank　wall；　because　why　would　Lauretta　Trent　bother　about　any　will　which　she　was　supposed　to　have　executed　years　ago？　If　she　had　wanted　to　make　certain　her　will　was　the　way　she　wanted　it；　she　would　have　gone　to　an　attorney　and　inside　of　an　hour　have　had　a　new　will　properly　executed。〃
　Mason　paced　the　floor　for　a　few　minutes；　then　said；　〃Those　are　the　questions；　Della。〃
　〃Well；　it　seems　to　me　you've　got　most　of　the　answers；〃　she　said。
　〃The　obvious　answers；〃　Mason　said；　〃but　are　they　the　right　answers？〃
　〃They　certainly　seem　logical；〃　Della　Street　said　encouragingly。
　〃We'll　put　one　more　question；〃　Mason　said。　〃Why　in　that　moment　of　supreme　danger　did　Lauretta　Trent　grab　her　handbag？　Or；　putting　it　another　way；　why　wasn't　Lauretta　Trent's　handbag　found　in　the　automobile　when　the　car　was　fished　out　of　the　ocean？〃
　〃Perhaps　she　had　the　strap　of　her　handbag　over　her　arm；〃　Della　Street　said。
　〃She　wouldn't　have　been　riding　with　the　strap　over　her　arm；〃　Mason　said。　〃Even　if　she'd　picked　it　up　at　the　time　of　the　collision；　when　she　was　catapulted　into　cold　ocean　water　she　would　at　least　have　tried　to　swim。　When　you　try　to　swim；　you're　using　your　arms；　and　when　you're　using　your　arms　under　water；　a　handbag　strap　isn't　going　to　stay　over　your　arm。〃
　〃Well；〃　Della　Street　said；　〃we　have　a　rather　imposing　list　of　questions。〃
　Mason　paced　the　floor　for　a　few　minutes；　said；　〃You　know；　Della；　when　you're　trying　to　recall　a　name　and　can't　do　it；　you　sometimes　think　about　something　else　and　then　the　name　pops　into　your　mind。　I　think　I'll　try　thinking　about　something　else　for　a　while　and　see　what　happens　with　these　questions。〃
　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　〃what　else　would　you　like　to　think　about？〃
　〃You；〃　he　told　her；　grinning。　〃Let's　drive　out　someplace　where　we　can　have　a　cocktail　and　a　nice；　quiet　dinner。
　〃How　about　going　to　one　of　the　mountain　resorts　where　we　can　sit　in　a　dining　room　looking　out　over　the　lights　of　the　city　and　feel　far　removed　from　everyone　and　anything？〃
　〃And　I　take　it；〃　Della　Street　said；　pushing　back　her　secretarial　chair　and　putting　a　plastic　cover　on　the　typewriter；　〃we　take　this　list　of　questions　and　answers　with　us？〃
　〃We　take　those　with　us；〃　Mason　said；　〃but　we　try　not　to　think　about　them　until　after　dinner。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY
　Della　Street；　seated　across　the　table　from　Perry　Mason；　regarded　him　solicitously。
　The　lawyer　had　eaten　his　broiled　steak　mechanically；　as　though　hardly　knowing　what　he　was　putting　in　his　mouth。　Now；　he　was　sipping　after…dinner　black　coffee；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　dancing　couples　who　glided　over　the　floor。　His　gaze　was　not　following　any　particular　couple　but　his　eyes　were　focused　on　the　sea　of　lights　visible　in　the　valley　below　through　one　of　the　big　windows。
　Della　Street's　hand　crept　across　the　table；　rested　reassuringly　on　the　lawyer's　hand。　Her　fingers　tightened。
　〃You're　worried；　aren't　you？〃
　His　eyes　swiftly　flashed　to　hers；　blinked　as　he　got　her　in　focus；　and　his　sudden　smile　was　warm。　〃Just　thinking；　that's　all；　Della。〃
　〃Worried？〃　she　asked。
　〃All　right；　worried。〃
　〃About　your　client；　or　about　yourself？〃
　〃Both。〃
　〃You　can't　let　it　get　you　down；〃　she　said；　her　hand　still　resting　on　his。
　Mason　said；　〃A　lawyer　isn't　like　a　doctor。　A　doctor　has　scores　of　patients；　some　of　them　young　and　curable；　some　of　them　old　and　suffering　from　diseases　that　are　incurable。　It's　the　nature　of　life　that　individuals　move　in　a　stream　from　birth　to　death。　A　doctor　can't　get　so　wrapped　up　in　his　patients　that　he　suffers　for　them。
　〃A　lawyer　is　different。　He　has　relatively　fewer　clients。　Most　of　their　troubles　are　curable；　if　a　lawyer　only　knew　exactly　what　to　do。　But　whether　they're　curable　or　not；　a　lawyer　can　always　better　his　client　somewhere　along　the　line　if　he　can　get　the　right　bination。〃
　〃How　about　yourself？〃　she　asked。
　Mason　grinned　and　said；　〃I　led　with　my　chin。　I　knew；　of　course；　that　someone　had　taken　Virginia's　car　and　that　it　had　bee　involved　in　an　accident。　I　felt　that　it　was　a　trap　and　someone　had　made　an　attempt　to　frame　her。
　〃If　that　had　been　the　case；　I　was　perfectly　justified　in　doing　what　I　did。
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　was　justified　anyway。　I　didn't　know　any　crime　had　been　mitted。　I　did　know　that　an　attempt　had　been　made　to　frame　a　crime　on　Virginia　a　short　time　earlier　and　I　was　trying　to　protect…Of　course；　if　I'd　known　a　murder　had　been　mitted　and　the　car　had　been　involved；　then　my　actions　would　have　been　criminal。　After　all；　it's　a　question　of　intent。〃
　The　lawyer　glanced　back　to　the　dance　floor；　his　eyes　followed　a　couple　for　a　moment；　then　again　became　focused　on　the　distance。
　Abruptly　he　turned　to　Della　Street　and　put　his　hand　over　hers。　〃Thanks　for　your　loyalty；　Della；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　not　much　on　putting　those　things　into　words。　I　guess　perhaps　I　take　you　too　much　for　granted；　like　the　air　I　breathe　and　the　water　I　drink；　but　that　doesn't　mean　I　don't　appreciate　all　you　do。〃
　He　stroked　her　fingers。
　〃Your　hands；〃　he　said；　〃are　wonderfully　reassuring。　You　have　petent　hands；　feminine　hands　but；　nevertheless；　strong　hands。〃
　She　laughed　self…consciously。　〃Years　of　typing　have　strengthened　the　fingers。〃
　〃Years　of　loyalty　have　strengthened　the　meaning。〃
　She　gave　his　hand　a　quick　squeeze；　then；　aware　that　they　were　attracting　attention；　abruptly　withdrew　her　hand。
　Mason　started　to　look　at　the　distant　sea　of　light　again　then；　suddenly；　his　eyes　widened。
　〃An　idea？〃　she　asked。
　〃Good　heavens；〃　Mason　said。　He　was　silent　for　several　moments；　then　said；　〃Thanks　for　the　inspiration；　Della。〃
　She　raised　inquiring　eyebrows。
　〃Did　I　suggest　something？〃　she　asked。
　〃Yes；　what　you　said　about　typing。〃
　〃It's　like　piano　playing；〃　she　said。　〃It　strengthens　the　hand　and　fingers。〃
　Mason　said；　〃Our　second　question：　Why　did　they　want　to　frame　a　crime　on　Virginia　Baxter。　The　answer　I　gave　you　is　wrong。〃
　〃I　don't　get　it；〃　she　said。　〃It's　the　most　logical　answer　in　the　world。　It　seems　that　would　be　the　only　reason　they　could　possibly　have　for　framing　a　crime　on　her；　then　her　subsequent　testimony　could　be　impeached　if　she　had　been　convicted　of…〃
　Mason　interrupted　with　a　shake　of　his　head。　〃They　didn't　want　to　convict　her；〃　he　said。　〃They　wanted　to　be　sure　that　she　would　be　out　of　the　way。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃They　wanted　to　get　into　her　apartment；　get　her　stationery　and　her　typewriter。〃
　〃But　they　knew　she　was　on　a　plane　and…〃
　〃They　probably　didn't　know　it　in　time；〃　Mason　interrupted。　〃She'd　only　been　to　San　Francisco　and　had　been　away　overnight。　They　had　to　be　absolutely　certain　that　they　would　have　access　to　the　typewriter　and　Bannock's　stationery　and　be　absolutely　certain　that　Virginia　wouldn't　be　home　until　they　had　done　what　they　intended　to　do。〃
　〃And　what　did　they　intend　to　do？〃　Della　asked。
　Mason；　his　face　flushed　with　animation　as　his　mind　speeded　over　the　situation；　said；　〃Good　Lord；　Della；　I　should　have　seen　it　all　a　long　time　ago。　Did　you　notice　anything　peculiar　about　that　will？〃
　〃You　mean　the　way　in　which　she　left　the　property？〃
　〃No。　The　way　in　which　the　will　was　drawn；〃　Mason　said。　〃Notice　that　the　residuary　clause　was　on　the　first　page。　。　。　。　How　many　wills　have　you　typed；　Della？〃
　〃Heaven　knows；〃　she　said；　laughing。　〃With　all　my　experience　in　a　law　office；　I've　typed　plenty。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Mason　said。　〃And　in　every　one　of　them；　the　will