esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第9章
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lammed against the wall with force that jarred the pictures on their hangings。 Perry Mason strode directly to the massive form of George Belter。
〃I decided to give you a break；〃 he said； 〃and now I've changed my mind。 You publish a word about my client； or about me in your sheet； and you'll go to jail for the next twenty years。 D'you hear？〃
The diamond…hard eyes stared at him with the uncordial glitter of a snake's eyes staring into the face of a man armed with a club。 George Belter's right hand was in his coat pocket。
〃It's a good thing；〃 he said； 〃that you stopped right when you did。 Make a move to lay a hand on me； and I'll blow your heart out！ I've got witnesses to show it's self…defense； and I don't know but what it would be a good thing to do anyway。〃
〃Don't bother；〃 Mason said； evenly； 〃you can't stop me that way。 There are others who know what I know； and know where I am and why。〃
Belter's lip curled。
〃The trouble with you is；〃 he said； 〃that you keep singing the same tune。 You've already played that game for all that it's worth。 If you think that I'm afraid of anything that a cheap； blackmailing ambulance chaser can try to pin on me； you're mistaken。 I'm telling you to get out； for the last time！〃
Mason turned on his heel。 〃All right。 I'm getting out。 I've said all I've got to say。〃
George Belter's sarcastic ment reached his ears as he gained the door。
〃At least twice；〃 said Belter。 〃Some of it you've said three times。〃
5。
Eva Belter sat in Perry Mason's private office； and sobbed quietly into a handkerchief。
Perry Mason sat behind the desk with his coat off； and watched her with wary eyes and an entire absence of sympathy。
〃You shouldn't have done it；〃 she said； between sniffs。
〃How was I supposed to know that？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃He's utterly ruthless；〃 she said。
Mason nodded his head。
〃I'm pretty ruthless myself；〃 he observed。
〃Why didn't you put the ad in the Examiner？〃
〃They wanted too much money。 They seemed to think I was going to play Santy Claus。〃
〃They knew it was important；〃 she wailed。 〃There's a lot at stake。〃
Mason said nothing。
The woman sobbed silently for a moment； then raised her eyes； and stared in mute anguish at Perry Mason。
〃You should never have threatened him；〃 she said。 〃You should never have e to the house。 You can't do anything with him by threats。 Whenever he gets in a corner； he always fights his way out。 He never asks for quarter； and he never gives any。〃
〃Well； what's he going to do about it？〃 asked Mason。
〃He'll ruin you；〃 she sobbed。 〃He'll find every lawsuit that you've got； and accuse you of jury bribing； of suborning perjury； and of unprofessional conduct。 He'll hound you out of the city。〃
〃The minute he puts anything about me in his paper；〃 said Mason； grimly； 〃I'll sue him for libel； and I'll keep on bringing a suit every time he mentions my name。〃
She shook her head with tears on her cheeks。
〃You can't do that；〃 she said； 〃He's too smart。 He's got lawyers who tell him just what he can do； and just what he can't do。 He'll get around behind your back； and frighten the judges who are sitting on your cases。 He'll make the judges give adverse decisions。 He'll keep under cover and fight you at every turn of the road。〃
Perry Mason drummed on the edge of his desk。 〃Baloney；〃 he said。
〃Oh； why；〃 she wailed； 〃did you e out there？ Why didn't you simply put an ad in the paper？〃
Mason got to his feet。
〃Now look here；〃 he said。 〃I've heard enough of this。 I went out there because I thought it was good business to go out there。 That damned paper tried to hold me up； and I won't be held up by anybody。 Your husband may be ruthless； but I'm pretty ruthless myself。 I've never asked for quarter yet。 And I won't give any。〃
He paused to stare down at her accusingly。 〃If you'd been frank with me when you came in here this thing wouldn't have happened。 You had to go and lie about the whole business； and that's the thing that's responsible for the present mess。 It rests on your shoulders； not on mine。〃
〃Don't be cross with me； Mr。 Mason；〃 she pleaded。 〃You're all I've got to depend on now。 It's an awful mess； and you've got to see me through。〃
He sat down once more and said； 〃Don't lie to me then。〃
She looked down at her knees； adjusted the hem of her dress over her stocking； and plaited little folds in the garment with the tips of her gloved fingers。
〃What shall we do？〃 she asked。
〃One of the first things we'll do；〃 he said； 〃is to begin at the beginning； and e clean。〃
〃But you know all there is to know。〃
〃All right then；〃 said Mason； 〃tell me what I know； so that I can check up。〃
She frowned。 〃I don't understand。〃
〃Go ahead；〃 said Mason； 〃spill it。 Tell me the whole business。〃
Her voice was thin and helpless。 She continued to fold the cloth of the skirt over the top of her crossed legs。 She did not look at him as she talked。
〃Nobody；〃 she said； 〃ever knew George Belter's connection with Spicy Bits。 He kept it so much under cover that nobody ever suspected。 Nobody at the office knew； except Frank Locke。 And George could control Locke。 He's got something terrible on him。 I don't know just what it is。 Maybe it's a murder。
〃Anyway； none of our friends have ever suspected。 They all think that George makes his money out of playing the stock market。 I married George Belter seven months ago。 I am his second wife。 I guess I was fascinated by him and his money； but we've never got along well together。 The last two months our relations have been strained。 I was going to sue him for divorce。 I think he knew it。〃
She paused to stare at Perry Mason； and saw no sympathy in his eyes。
〃I was friendly with Harrison Burke；〃 she went on。 〃I met him about two months ago。 It was just a friendship。 Nothing more。 We were out together； and that murder took place。 Of course； if Harrison Burke had to divulge my name； it would have ruined his career politically； because George would have sued me and named him as correspondent right away。 I simply had to hush it up。〃
〃Maybe your husband would never have found out；〃 suggested Mason。 〃The District Attorney is a gentleman。 Burke could have disclosed the facts to the District Attorney； and the District Attorney wouldn't have called you unless you had seen something that made your testimony absolutely necessary。〃
〃You don't understand how they work；〃 she told him。 〃I don't know all of it myself。 But they've got spies everywhere。 They buy pieces of information and run down odds and ends of gossip。 Whenever a man gets prominent enough to attract attention； they go to a lot of trouble to get all the information they can about him。 Harrison Burke is prominent politically； and he's ing up for re…election。 They don't like him； and Burke knows it。 I heard my husband telephoning to Frank Locke； and I knew that they were on the trail of the information。 That was why I came to you。 I wanted to buy them off before they had any idea of who it was that was with him。〃
〃If your friendship with Burke was innocent；〃 said Mason； 〃why don't you go to your husband and tell him what the situation is？ After all； he'd be dragging his own name through the dust。〃
She shook her head； vehemently。
〃You don't know anything at all about it；〃 she warned。 〃You simply don't understand my husband's character。 You showed that in the way you handled him last night。 He's savage and heartless。 He's a fighter。 What's more； he is money…mad。 He knows that if I bring suit for divorce； I will probably get some alimony and a lot of money for attorneys' fees； and suit money。 All that he wants is to get something on me。 If he could get something on me； and at the same time drag Harrison Burke's name through the courts； it would be a wonderful break for him。〃
Perry Mason frowned thoughtfully。 〃There's something funny about that high price they fixed；〃 he remarked。 〃It seems to me that it's too high for political blackmail。 Do you suppose that your husband or Frank Locke suspects who it is they're after？〃
〃No；〃 she said firmly。
There was a moment of sil
