esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第21章

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d　out　who　was　really　back　of　the　sheet。　It　turned　out　to　be　a　man　named　Belter　who　lived　out　on　Elmwood　Drive。　You'll　read　about　the　place　and　the　chap　in　the　morning　papers。　I　went　out　to　see　Belter　and　found　he　was　a　tough　customer。　While　I　was　there；　I　ran　into　his　wife。　And　she　was　none　other　than　our　client。　Her　real　name　is　Eva　Belter。〃
　　〃What　was　she　trying　to　do？〃　asked　Della　Street。　〃Double…cross　you？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Mason。　〃She　was　in　a　jam。　She'd　been　places　with　a　man；　and　her　husband　was　on　her　back　trail。　He　didn't　know　who　the　woman　was。　It　was　the　man　he　was　after。　But　he　was　exposing　the　man　through　the　scandal　sheet；　and　eventually　the　identity　of　the　woman　would　have　e　out。〃
　　〃Who　is　this　man？〃　asked　Della　Street。
　　〃Harrison　Burke；〃　he　said；　slowly。
　　She　arched　her　eyebrows　and　was　silent。
　　Mason　lit　a　cigarette。
　　〃What　does　Harrison　Burke　have　to　say　about　it？〃　she　asked　after　a　little　while。
　　Perry　Mason　made　a　gesture　with　his　hands。
　　〃He　was　the　guy　that　kicked　through　with　the　money　in　the　envelope；　the　coin　that　came　into　the　office　this　afternoon　by　messenger。〃
　　〃Oh。〃
　　There　was　silence　for　a　minute　or　two。　Both　were　thinking。
　　〃Well；〃　she　said　at　length；　〃go　on。　What　am　I　going　to　read　about　in　the　papers　tomorrow？〃
　　He　spoke　in　a　monotone。　〃I　went　to　bed；　and　Eva　Belter　called　me　sometime　after　midnight。　Around　twelve　thirty；　I　guess　it　was。　It　was　raining　to　beat　the　band。　She　wanted　me　to　e　out　and　pick　her　up　at　a　drug　store。　She　said　she　was　in　trouble。　I　went　out；　and　she　told　me　that　some　man　had　been　having　an　argument　with　her　husband　and　shot　him。〃
　　〃Did　she　know　the　man？〃　Della　Street　inquired　softly。
　　〃No；〃　said　Mason；　〃she　didn't。　She　didn't　see　him。　She　only　heard　his　voice。〃
　　〃Did　she　know　the　voice？〃
　　〃She　thought　she　did。〃
　　〃Who　did　she　think　it　was？〃
　　〃Me。〃
　　The　girl　looked　at　him　steadily；　her　eyes　not　changing　their　expression　in　the　least。
　　〃Was　it？〃
　　〃No。　I　was　at　home；　in　bed。〃
　　〃Can　you　prove　it？〃　she　asked；　tonelessly。
　　〃Good　Lord；〃　he　said；　impatiently。　〃I　don't　take　an　alibi　to　bed　with　me！〃
　　〃The　lousy　little　double…crosser！〃　More　calmly　she　asked；　〃Then　what　happened？〃
　　〃We　went　out　there；　and　found　her　husband　dead。　A　32…Colt　automatic。　I　got　the　number　of　it。　One　shot；　right　through　the　heart。　He'd　been　taking　a　bath；　and　somebody　shot　him。〃
　　Della　Street's　eyes　widened。　〃Then　she　got　you　out　there　before　she　notified　the　police？〃
　　〃Exactly；〃　said　Mason。　〃The　police　don't　like　that。〃
　　The　girl's　face　was　white。　She　sucked　in　her　breath　to　say　something；　but　thought　better　of　it　and　remained　silent。
　　Perry　Mason　went　on；　in　his　same　monotone：　〃I　had　a　run…in　with　Sergeant　Hoffman。　There's　a　nephew　out　there　that　I　don't　like。　He's　too　much　of　a　gentleman。　The　housekeeper's　concealing　something；　and　I　think　her　daughter　is　Iying。　I　didn't　get　a　chance　to　talk　with　the　other　servants。　The　police　held　me　downstairs　while　they　made　the　investigation　up…stairs。　But　I　had　a　chance　to　look　around　a　little　bit　before　the　police　got　there。〃
　　〃How　bad　was　your　trouble　with　Sergeant　Hoffman？〃　she　asked。
　　〃Bad　enough；〃　he　said；　〃the　way　things　are。〃
　　〃You　mean　you　have　to　stick　up　for　your　client？〃　she　asked；　her　eyes　suspiciously　moist。　〃What's　going　to　happen　next？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　think　that　the　housekeeper　is　going　to　crack。　They　evidently　haven't　gone　after　her　very　hard　yet。　But　they　will。　I　think　she　knows　something。　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　I'm　not　even　sure　that　Eva　Belter　gave　me　the　full　facts　of　the　case。〃
　　〃If　she　did；〃　said　Della　Street；　savagely；　〃it's　the　first　time　since　she's　been　in　here　that　she　hasn't　concealed　something；　and　lied　about　something　else。　And　that　business　of　dragging　you　into　it！　Bah！　The　cat！　I　could　kill　her！〃
　　Mason　waved　his　hand；　depreciatingly。　〃Never　mind　that。　I'm　in　this　now。〃
　　〃Does　Harrison　Burke　know　about　this　murder　business？〃　she　asked。
　　〃I　tried　to　get　him　on　the　telephone。　He's　out。〃
　　〃What　a　sweet　time　for　him　to　be　out！〃　she　exclaimed。
　　Mason　smiled　wearily。　〃Isn't　it？〃
　　They　looked　at　each　other。
　　Della　Street　took　a　quick　breath；　started　speaking　impulsively。
　　〃Look　here；〃　she　said；　〃you're　letting　this　woman　get　you　in　a　funny　position。　You　had　words　with　this　man　who　was　killed。　You　were　fighting　his　paper；　and　when　you　fight；　you　don't　do　it　gently。　That　woman　trapped　you　to　get　you　out　there。　She　wanted　you　to　be　there　when　the　police　came。　She's　getting　ready　to　throw　you　to　the　wolves；　if　it　looks　as　though　her　precious　hands　were　going　to　get　soiled。　Now　are　you　going　to　let　her　get　away　with　that？〃
　　〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　won't　go　back　on　her　until　I　have　to。〃
　　Della　Street's　face　was　white；　her　lips　drawn　into　a　thin；　firm　line。　〃She's　a。。。〃　she　said；　and　stopped。
　　〃She's　a　client；〃　insisted　Perry　Mason；　〃and　she's　paying　well。〃
　　〃Paying　well　for　what？　To　have　you　represent　her　in　a　blackmail　case？　Or　to　take　a　rap　for　murder？〃
　　There　were　tears　in　her　eyes。
　　〃Mr。　Mason；〃　she　said；　〃please　don't　be　so　damned　big　hearted。　Keep　on　the　outside　of　this　thing；　and　let　them　go　ahead　and　do　whatever　they　want　to。　You　simply　act　as　an　attorney　and　e　into　the　case　as　a　lawyer。〃
　　His　voice　was　patient。　〃It's　pretty　late　for　that　now；　isn't　it；　Della？〃
　　〃No；　it　isn't。　You　keep　out　of　it！〃
　　He　smiled　patiently。　〃She's　a　client；　Della。〃
　　〃That's　all　right；〃　she　said；　〃after　you　get　to　court。　You　can　sit　back　and　see　what　happens　at　the　trial。〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　Della；　the　District　Attorney　doesn't　wait　until　he　gets　to　court。　His　representatives　are　out　there　right　now；　talking　with　the　witnesses　and　putting　the　words　in　Carl　Griffin's　mouth　that　will　bee　newspaper　headlines　tomorrow　and　damaging　testimony　by　the　time　the　case　es　to　trial。〃
　　She　recognized　the　futility　of　further　argument。
　　〃You　think　they're　going　to　arrest　the　woman？〃　she　asked。
　　〃I　don't　know　what　they're　going　to　do；〃　he　said。
　　〃Have　they　found　a　motive？〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃they　haven't　found　a　motive。　They　started　looking　for　the　conventional　ones；　and　they　didn't　pan　out；　so　that　stopped　them。　But　when　they　find　out　about　this　other　business；　they'll　have　a　motive　already　made　to　order。〃
　　〃Are　they　going　to　find　out　about　it？〃　she　asked。
　　〃They're　bound　to。〃
　　Della　Street's　eyes　suddenly　widened。　〃Do　you　think；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　Harrison　Burke？　The　man　who　was　out　there　when　the　shot　was　fired？〃
　　〃I've　tried　to　get　Harrison　Burke　on　the　telephone；〃　he　said；　〃and　haven't　been　able　to。　Aside　from　that　I'm　not　even　thinking。　Go　on　out　and　get　on　the　telephone。　Try　him　again。　Keep　trying　his　house　at　ten　minute　intervals　until　you　get　him；　or　get　somebody。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　she　said。
　　〃Also；　ring　up　Paul　Drake。　He'll　probably　be　at　his　office。　If　he　isn't；　try　him　on　that　emergency　telephone　number　we've　got。　He's　doing　some　work　for　me　on　this。〃
　　She　was　once　more　merely　a　secretary。　〃Yes；　Mr。　Mason；〃　she　said；　and　went　into　the　other　office。
　　Perry　Mason　resumed　his　pacing　of　the　floor。
　　After　a　few　minutes；　his　telephone　rang。
　　He　picked　up　the　receiver。
　　〃Paul　Drake；〃　said　Della　Street's　voice。
　　Paul　Drake's　voice　said；　〃Hello；　Perry。〃
　　〃Have　you　got　anything？〃　Mason　asked。
　　〃Yes；　I　got　a　lucky　break　on　that　gun　business；　and　I　can　give　you　the　dope　on　it。〃
　　〃Your　line's　all　clear？　There's　nobody　listening？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Drake；　〃it's　okay。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃hand　it　to　me。〃
　　〃I　don't　suppose　you　care　anything　about　where　the　gun　was　jobbed　or　who　the　dealer　was？〃　asked　Drake。　〃What　you　want　is　the　name　of　the　purchaser。〃
　　〃That's　right。〃
　　〃All　right；　your　gun　was　finally　purchased　by　a　man　named　Pete　Mitchell；　who　gave　his　address　as　thirteen　twenty…two　West　Sixty…ninth　Street。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　said　Mason；　〃have　you　got　any　dope　on　the　other　angle　of　the　case？　About　Frank　Locke？〃
　　〃No；　I　haven't　been　able　to　get　a　report　from　our　southern　agency　yet。　I've　traced　him　back　to　a　southern　state；　Georgia　it　was；　and　the　trail　seems　t