esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第35章
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〃As a matter of fact； it's such a clumsy forgery； that they can't even get a handwriting expert to testify that it's genuine。 They realize now the position that they're in； but they've already filed the will and made affidavits to the effect that it's genuine。 They don't dare to back up。 It's pretty slick。〃
She got slowly to her feet。
〃You've got to have some proof of this；〃 she said； but her tone was thin and trembling。
Mason nodded his head to Drake。
〃Go in the next room； Drake；〃 he said。 〃You'll find Mrs。 Veitch in there。 Bring her out and let her corroborate what I've said。〃
Drake's face was like a mask。 He got up and walked to the connecting door which led to the adjoining room。 He opened it。
〃Mrs。 Veitch；〃 he called。
There was a rustle of motion。
Mrs。 Veitch； tall； bony； dressed in black； walked into the room with her lack…luster eyes staring straight ahead。
〃Good morning；〃 she said to Eva Belter。
Perry Mason suddenly said； 〃Just one moment； Mrs。 Veitch。 There's one other matter I want to clear up before I have you make your statement to Mrs。 Belter。 If you'll just step back in the other room for a moment； please。〃
Mrs。 Veitch turned and walked back to the room。
Paul Drake flashed Perry Mason a quizzical glance； and shut the door。
Eva Belter took two steps toward the outer door； then suddenly toppled forward。
Perry Mason caught her as she pitched forward。
Drake came up and took her legs。 Together； they carried her to the bed； and laid her down。
Della Street laid down her pencil； gave a little exclamation； and pushed back her chair。
Mason turned on her almost savagely。
〃Stay there！〃 he said。 〃Take down everything that's said！ Don't miss a word！〃
He went to the washstand； sopped a towel in cold water； and slapped it down on Eva Belter's face。 They loosened the front of her dress； and slapped her chest with the towel。
She gasped and recovered consciousness。
She looked up at Mason； and said； 〃Please； Perry； help me。〃
He shook his head。 〃I can't help you；〃 he said； 〃as long as you're trying to give me the double…cross。〃
〃I'll e clean；〃 she wailed。
〃All right。 What happened？〃
〃Just what you said； only I didn't know Mrs。 Veitch knew about it。 I didn't know any one heard George call me or heard the shot。〃
〃How close to him were you when you shot him？〃
〃I was way across the room；〃 she answered tonelessly。 〃Honestly； I didn't intend to do it。 I just shot him on impulse。 I had the gun to use for defense in the event he should attack me。 I was afraid he'd try to kill me。 He had a violent temper； and I knew that if he ever found out about Harrison Burke； he'd do something awful。 As soon as I knew he'd found out； I slipped the gun into my hand。 When he started for me； I screamed and shot。 I guess I dropped the gun right there on the floor。 I wasn't certain about it at the time。 Honestly； the idea of getting Burke into it never occurred to me then。 I was too rattled to think of anything。 I simply ran out into the night。
〃I'm not a fool； and I knew how black things would look for me； particularly in view of the mess that I was in with Harrison Burke on account of the Beechwood Inn murder。
〃I just ran blindly out into the rain and didn't have very much of an idea what I was doing。 I remember grabbing a coat as I went past the hall stand。 But it shows how rattled I was that I didn't even take my own coat。 It was there； but I grabbed an old overcoat that Carl Griffin sometimes wore。 I threw it around me and kept running。 After a while I got my wits about me and decided that I'd better call you。 I didn't know then whether or not he was dead。 But I knew that if I was going to have to face him； I wanted to have you with me。
〃He didn't run after me； so I was afraid that I'd killed him。 It really wasn't premeditated。 It was just on impulse。 He'd found my purse and gone through it。 That was a habit he had； looking for letters。 I wasn't foolish enough to have any letters in there； but I did have those receipts； and he put two and two together。
〃He was taking a bath when I came in。 He heard me； I guess。 He climbed out of the bathtub； and threw the bathrobe around him； and started bellowing for me。 I went up there and he had the receipts。 He accused me of being the woman who was with Harrison Burke； and then he accused me of a lot of things； and said that he was going to throw me out without a penny。 I became hysterical； and grabbed the gun and shot him。 After I got down to the drug store； and was ready to telephone you； I realized that I was going to need somebody to stand back of me。 I didn't have any money of my own。 I told you that。 My husband kept all the money； and only gave me a little at a time。 I knew about the will that was made out in favor of Carl Griffin； and I was afraid that I couldn't get any money out of the estate while it was being tied up in probate。 I knew that Harrison Burke would be afraid of getting his name mixed into the thing； and that he'd leave me flat。 I had to have money； I had to have somebody to stand back of me。 So I rang up Harrison Burke and deliberately mixed him into it。 I told him that something had happened； and that his gun had figured in it。 That I didn't know who the man was that had killed him； but I did know that his gun was on the floor。
〃It was a stall that wouldn't have gone over with you； but it went over with Burke all right。 Burke was frantic。
〃I told him there was only one thing to do； and that was for him to get under cover； and fix it so they couldn't trace the gun to him； if he could。 And in the meantime； to see that you had plenty of money to go ahead and do anything that you could。 Then I telephoned you and got you to e over。
〃While you were driving down there； I got to thinking how much better it would be if I could have you in a position where you were forced to get me out of it in order to save yourself and also； have some kind of an explanation that I could make to the police if the police should start suspecting me。
〃You were right about that。〃 She went on； 〃I knew that they could never convict you； because you were too smart and skillful。 You could get out of it； and I figured that if they got to crowding me too close； I'd give them the information that I did； so that they'd go after you and that would clear me。 If they ever tried to e back on me after you had drawn their fire； I knew that it would be an easy case to beat。〃
Mason looked up at Paul Drake and shook his head。
〃Nice little playmate； isn't she？〃 he said。
There was a knock at the door。
Mason looked at the occupants of the room。 Then tiptoed to the door； and opened it。
Sidney Drumm stood on the threshold。 There was another man back of him。
〃Hello； Perry；〃 he said。 〃We had a devil of a time finding you。 We trailed Della Street to this hotel； but it took us quite a little while to find out what alias you were registered under。 I'm sorry to bother you； but you've got to take a little ride with me。 The District Attorney wants to ask you a few questions。〃
Mason nodded。 〃Walk right in；〃 he said。
Eva Belter gave a little cry。 〃Perry； you've got to protect me！ I came clean。 You've got to stand back of me。〃
Perry looked at her； then turned abruptly to Sidney Drumm。
〃This is a break for you； Sidney；〃 he said。 〃You're going to be able to make the arrest。 This is Eva Belter； who has just confessed to the murder of her husband。〃
Eva Belter screamed； got to her feet and swayed uncertainly。
Drumm looked from one to the other。
〃It's a fact；〃 Paul Drake said。
Mason motioned toward Della Street。
〃It's all down there；〃 he said； 〃in black and white。 We've got witnesses； and we've got her statement taken verbatim。〃
Sidney Drumm whistled under his breath。
〃By God； Perry；〃 he said； 〃that's a lucky break for you！ They were going to charge you with the murder。〃
Mason's voice was savage； 〃There wasn't any luck about it。 I was willing to give her a break as long as she shot square。 But when I read in the paper about her dragging me into it； I made up my mind that I was going to call for a show…dow
