esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第23章

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u're　going　to　stand　off　and　be　snooty；　I've　got　to　go　out　and　pry　around　a　little　bit。〃
　　〃Sure；〃　Mason　admitted；　〃I　understand　that。　That's　your　business。　You've　got　your　profession；　and　I've　got　mine。〃
　　〃That　means；　I　take　it；〃　said　Drumm；　〃that　you're　going　to　be　snooty。〃
　　〃That　means；〃　said　Mason；　〃that　you've　got　to　find　out　your　facts　on　the　outside。〃
　　〃So　long；　Perry。〃
　　〃So　long；　Sidney。　Drop　in　again　some　time。〃
　　〃Don't　worry；　I　will。〃
　　Sidney　Drumm　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　　The　girl　moved　impulsively　toward　Perry　Mason。
　　He　waved　her　back　with　a　motion　of　his　hand；　and　said；　〃Take　a　look　in　that　outer　office　and　make　sure　he's　gone。〃
　　She　moved　toward　the　door；　but；　before　her　hand　touched　the　knob；　it　turned；　and　flung　open。　Sidney　Drumm　thrust　his　head　into　the　room　again。
　　He　surveyed　them　and　grinned。
　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃you　didn't　fall　for　that　one。　All　right　Perry；　this　time　I'll　go　out。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Perry　Mason。　〃Good…by！〃
　　Drumm　closed　the　door；　and　a　moment　later　slammed　the　door　of　the　outer　office。
　　It　was　then　about　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。
　　
　　
　　　11。
　　
　　Perry　Mason　pulled　his　hat　down　on　his　head　and　slipped　into　his　overcoat　which　was　still　damp　enough　to　give　forth　a　smell　of　wet　wool。
　　〃I'm　going　out　and　chase　down　a　few　clews；〃　he　told　Della　Street。　〃Sooner　or　later　they're　going　to　start　narrowing　the　circle；　and　then　I　won't　be　able　to　move。　I've　got　to　do　everything　while　I　can　still　move　around。　You　stick　right　here　and　hold　the　fort。　I　can't　leave　word　where　you　can　reach　me；　because　I'm　afraid　to　have　you　call　me。　But　I'll　call　you　every　once　in　a　while　and　ask　if　Mr。　Mason　is　in。　I'll　tell　you　my　name　is　Johnson；　that　I'm　an　old　friend　of　his；　and　ask　if　he　left　any　message。　You　can　manage　to　let　me　know　what's　going　on　without　letting　on　who　I　am。〃
　　〃You　think　that　they'll　have　the　telephone　line　tapped？〃
　　〃They　may。　I　don't　know　just　where　this　thing　is　going　to　lead。〃
　　〃And　they'll　have　a　warrant　out　for　you？〃
　　〃Not　a　warrant；　but　they'll　want　to　ask　me　some　more　questions。〃
　　She　looked　at　him　sympathetically；　tenderly；　said　nothing。
　　〃Be　careful；〃　he　said；　and　walked　out　of　the　office。
　　It　was　still　dark　when　he　entered　the　lobby　of　the　Hotel　Ripley；　and　asked　for　a　room　with　bath。　He　registered　under　the　name　of　Fred　B。　Johnson；　of　Detroit；　and　was　given　room　518；　for　which　he　was　required　to　pay　in　advance；　inasmuch　as　he　had　no　baggage。
　　He　went　to　the　room；　pulled　the　curtains；　ordered　four　bottles　of　ginger　ale；　with　plenty　of　ice；　and　got　a　quart　of　whiskey　from　the　bellboy。　Then　he　sat　in　the　overstuffed　chair；　with　his　feet　on　the　bed；　and　smoked。
　　The　door　was　unlocked。
　　He　was　smoking　for　more　than　half　an　hour；　lighting　one　cigarette　from　the　tip　of　the　other；　when　the　door　opened。　Eva　Belter　came　in　without　knocking。
　　She　closed　the　door　behind　her；　locked　it；　and　smiled　at　him。　〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad　that　you　were　here　all　right。〃
　　Perry　Mason　kept　his　seat。　〃You're　sure　you　weren't　followed？〃　he　asked。
　　〃No；　they　didn't　follow　me。　They　told　me　that　I　was　going　to　be　a　material　witness　and　that　I　mustn't　leave　town；　or　do　anything　without　municating　with　the　police。　Tell　me；　do　you　think　they'll　arrest　me？〃
　　〃That　depends；〃　he　said。
　　〃Depends　on　what？〃
　　〃Depends　on　lots　of　things。　I　want　to　talk　with　you。〃
　　〃All　right〃　she　said。　〃I　found　the　will。〃
　　〃Where　did　you　find　it？〃
　　〃In　his　desk。〃
　　〃What　did　you　do　with　it？〃
　　〃Brought　it　with　me。〃
　　〃Let's　see　it。〃
　　〃It's　just　like　I　thought　it　was；〃　she　said；　〃only　I　didn't　e　off　as　well　as　I　had　expected。　I　thought　that　he　would　at　least　leave　me　enough　to　let　me　go　to　Europe　and　look　around；　and。。。　and　sort　of　get　readjusted。〃
　　〃You　mean　and　get　yourself　another　man。〃
　　〃I　didn't　say　any　such　thing！〃
　　〃I　didn't　talk　about　what　you　said。　I　was　talking　about　what　you　meant；〃　Mason　told　her；　still　using　that　calmly　detached　tone　of　voice。
　　Her　face　became　dignified。
　　〃Really；　Mr。　Mason；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　the　conversation　is　wandering　rather　far　afield。　Here　is　the　will。〃
　　He　stared　thoughtfully　at　her。　〃If　you're　going　to　drag　me　into　murder　cases；〃　he　said；　〃you'd　better　not　try　those　upstage　tactics。　They　don't　work。〃
　　She　drew　herself　up　haughtily；　then　suddenly　laughed。　〃Of　course　I　meant　I　wanted　to　get　another　husband；〃　she　said。　〃Why　shouldn't　I？〃
　　〃All　right。　Why　did　you　deny　it　then？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　couldn't　help　it。　It's　just　something　in　me　that　resents　having　people　know　too　much　about　me。〃
　　〃You　mean；〃　he　told　her；　〃that　you　hate　the　truth。　You'd　rather　build　up　a　protective　barrier　of　falsehoods。〃
　　She　flushed。
　　〃That's　not　fair！〃　she　blazed。
　　He　stretched　out　his　hand；　without　answering　her；　and　took　the　paper　from　her　hand。　He　read　it　slowly。
　　〃All　in　his　handwriting？〃　he　asked。
　　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　don't　think　it　is。〃
　　He　looked　at　her　closely。
　　〃It　seems　to　be　all　in　the　same　handwriting。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　it's　his　writing。〃
　　He　laughed。　〃That　won't　get　you　any　place；〃　he　said。　〃Your　husband　showed　the　will　to　Carl　Griffin　and　Arthur　Atwood；　Griffin's　attorney；　and　told　them　that　it　was　his　will　and　in　his　handwriting。〃
　　The　woman　shook　her　head　impatiently。　〃You　mean　that　he　showed　them　a　will；　and　said　it　was　in　his　handwriting。　There　was　nothing　to　prevent　Griffin　from　tearing　up　that　will；　and　substituting　a　forged　one。　Was　there？〃
　　He　looked　at　her　in　cold　appraisal。
　　〃Listen；〃　he　said；　〃you're　saying　lots　of　words。　Do　you　know　what　they　mean？〃
　　〃Of　course；　I　know　what　they　mean。〃
　　〃Well；〃　he　told　her；　〃that's　a　dangerous　accusation　to　make；　unless　you've　got　something　to　back　it　up　with。〃
　　〃I　haven't　got　anything　to　back　it　up　with…yet；〃　she　said；　slowly。
　　〃All　right；　then；〃　he　warned；　〃don't　make　the　accusation。〃
　　Her　voice　was　edged　with　impatience。　〃You　keep　telling　me　that　you're　my　lawyer；　and　I'm　to　tell　you　everything。　And　then　when　I　tell　you　everything；　you　start　scolding　me。〃
　　〃Oh；　forget　it；〃　he　said；　and　handed　her　back　the　will。　〃You　can　save　that　injured　innocence　until　you　get　into　court。　Now　tell　me　about　this　will。　How　did　you　get　it？〃
　　〃It　was　in　his　study；〃　she　said；　slowly。　〃The　safe　was　unlocked。　I　sneaked　out　the　will　and　then　locked　the　safe。〃
　　〃You　know　that　isn't　even　funny；〃　he　told　her。
　　〃You　don't　believe　me？〃
　　〃Of　course　not。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃Because　the　police　would　probably　keep　a　guard　in　the　room。　In　any　event　they　would　have　noticed　if　the　safe　had　been　open　and　inventoried　the　contents。〃
　　She　lowered　her　eyes；　then　said　slowly；　〃Do　you　remember　when　we　went　back　there？　You　were　looking　at　the　dead　body；　feeling　of　the　bathrobe？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　narrowed。
　　〃All　right。　I　slipped　it　out　of　the　safe　then。　The　safe　was　open。　I　locked　it。　You　were　examining　the　body。〃
　　He　blinked。　〃By　God；〃　he　said；　〃I　believe　you　did！　You　were　over　there　near　the　desk　and　the　safe。　Why　did　you　do　it？　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　what　you　were　up　to？〃
　　〃Because　I　wanted　to　see　if　the　will　was　in　my　favor；　or　whether　I　could　destroy　it。　Do　you　think　I　should　destroy　it？〃
　　His　answer　was　an　explosive；　〃No！〃
　　She　remained　silent　for　several　minutes。
　　〃Well；〃　she　asked　at　length；　〃is　there　anything　else？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃sit　down　over　there　on　the　bed　where　I　can　look　at　you。　Now　I　want　to　know　some　things。　I　didn't　ask　them　before　the　officers　had　talked　with　you　because　I　was　afraid　I'd　get　you　all　rattled。　I　wanted　you　to　have　all　the　poise　you　could　have　when　you　were　talking　with　them。　But　now　the　situation　is　different。　I　want　to　know　exactly　what　happened。〃
　　She　widened　her　eyes；　let　her　face　take　on　that　look　of　synthetic　innocence　she　affected　and　said：　〃I　told　you　what　happened。〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　you　didn't。〃
　　〃Are　you　accusing　me　of　Iying？〃
　　He　sighed。　〃For　God's　sake；　forget　that　stuff　and　get　down　to　earth。〃
　　〃Exactly　what　is　it　you　want　to　know？〃
　　〃You　had　on　your　glad　rags　last　night；〃　he　said。
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃