erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第20节

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　Virginia　Baxter　suddenly　burst　out　angrily。　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　〃I've　taken　all　I'm　going　to　take。　This　is　just　another　frame…up！
　〃I　didn't　have　any　accident　along　the　road；　I　didn't　run　into　Lauretta　Trent's　car；　and　as　far　as　that　chauffeur　is　concerned；　he's　a　plain　liar。
　〃He's　been　after　me　to　make　a　forged　will　for　Lauretta　Trent　and…〃
　〃Easy；　easy；〃　Mason　interrupted。
　〃I'm　not　going　to　take　it　easy；〃　she　stormed。　〃This　chauffeur　paid　me　to　make　a　forged　will。　He's　been　planning　murder　and…〃
　〃Shut　up！〃　Mason　snapped。
　Virginia　turned　indignant　eyes　on　him。　〃I　don't　have　to　keep　quiet　and…〃
　〃You　let　me　do　the　talking　for　a　minute；　Virginia。〃
　The　officer　said；　〃You　representing　this　woman？〃
　〃I　am　now；〃　Mason　said。
　The　traffic　officer　went　over　to　his　automobile；　picked　up　the　microphone。　This　time；　he　left　the　door　open　so　they　could　hear　what　he　said。
　〃Auburn；　at　Car　two…fifteen。　I'm　reporting　from　the　scene　of　the　accident　at　this　motel。
　〃You　can't　tell　a　thing　about　the　condition　of　this　car　Virginia　Baxter　was　driving　because　Perry　Mason　slammed　into　it　with　his　automobile。　Apparently；　Perry　Mason　is　representing　her　as　her　attorney；　and　she　says　George　Eagan；　the　Trent　chauffeur；　paid　her　to　make　a　forged　will　and　has　been　planning　a　murder。
　〃That's　her　story。〃
　The　voice　that　came　over　the　intermunicating　system　was　loud　enough　for　everyone　to　hear。　It　was　a　crisp　voice；　filled　with　authority。　It　said；　〃This　is　the　chief　investigator　of　the　D。A。's　office。　Bring　that　girl　in　for　questioning。　She'll　probably　be　charged　with　first…degree　murder。　But　let's　get　the　story　before　Mason　mixes　up　any　more　of　the　evidence。〃
　〃Very　well；　sir；〃　the　officer　said。
　〃Start　now；〃　the　crisp　voice　manded；　〃and　I　mean　now！〃
　〃Shall　I　give　her　a　chance　to　get　her　things　and…〃
　The　voice　interrupted。　〃Now。〃
　Mason　said　in　an　undertone；　〃This　is　just　what　I　was　afraid　of；　Virginia。　You're　mixed　up　in　some　sort　of　a　plot。　Now；　for　heaven's　sake；　keep　quiet。　Don't　tell　them　anything　unless　I　am　present。〃
　〃That's　going　to　make　it　look　all　the　worse；〃　she　whispered。　〃They'll　find　that　registered　letter　I　sent　myself　and…〃
　The　officer　interrupted；　〃Right　in　this　car；　Miss　Baxter；　please。〃
　〃I'm　certainly　entitled　to　get　my　things；〃　she　said。　〃I…〃
　〃Under　the　circumstances；〃　the　officer　interrupted；　〃you're　under　arrest。　If　I　have　to；　I　can　put　handcuffs　on　you。〃
　〃What's　going　to　happen　with　this　driveway　blocked？〃　the　manager　asked。　She　had　been　standing　as　an　openmouthed　spectator　but　had　finally　gotten　her　breath　restored。
　〃We'll　send　a　wrecking　car；〃　the　officer　said。　〃In　the　meantime；　I　have　other　things　to　do。〃
　He　slammed　the　door　of　the　car；　started　the　motor；　skidded　out　of　the　exit；　hit　the　highway；　turned　on　his　red　light；　and　the　manager；　Della　and　Mason　listened　to　the　scream　of　his　siren　vanishing　in　the　distance。
　Mason　surveyed　the　wreckage　ruefully。　〃Well；〃　he　told　Della；　〃we　are；　for　the　moment；　immobilized。　The　first　thing　to　do　is　to　arrange　for　transportation。〃
　
　CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN
　It　was　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。　Mason　paced　the　attorney's　room　at　the　jail　impatiently。
　A　policewoman　brought　Virginia　Baxter　in；　then　discreetly　withdrew　out　of　earshot。
　Mason　said；　〃I　understand　you　told　the　police　everything；　Virginia。〃
　She　said；　〃They　kept　after　me　until　way　late…it　must　have　been　nearly　midnight。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Mason　said　sympathetically。　〃They　told　you　that　they　wanted　to　clear　you　so　you　could　go　home　and　go　to　bed；　that　if　you'd　only　tell　them　the　truth　they'd　investigate　it　and；　if　it　checked　out；　they'd　release　you　immediately；　that；　of　course；　if　you　refused　to　say　anything　that　was　your　privilege　but；　in　their　own　minds；　it　would　show　them　that　you　were　guilty　and　they'd　stop　trying　to　clear　you。　In　that　event　they'd　go　home　and　go　to　bed　and　leave　you　in　jail。〃
　Her　eyes　widened　with　surprise。　〃How　did　you　know　what　they　said？〃　she　asked。
　Mason　merely　smiled。　〃What　did　you　tell　them；　Virginia？〃
　〃I　told　them　everything。〃
　Mason　said；　〃Hamilton　Burger；　the　district　attorney；　and　Lieutenant　Tragg　told　me　they　wanted　me　here　this　morning；　that　they　were　going　to　ask　you　some　questions　that　they　thought　I　should　hear。　Now；　that　means　something　pretty　devastating。　They　evidently　have　some　unpleasant　surprises　for　you。
　〃It　also　means　that　you　finally　told　them　you　wanted　to　get　in　touch　with　me　and　they　then　plied　with　the　law　by　putting　through　a　call　to　my　office。〃
　〃That's　exactly　what　happened；〃　she　said。　〃I　told　them　everything　last　night　because　they　said　they'd　investigate　and；　if　I　was　telling　the　truth；　I　could　go　home　and　go　to　bed。
　〃Right　after　I'd　told　them　everything；　they　simply　got　up　and　said；　'Well；　Virginia；　we'll　investigate；'　and　started　to　walk　out。
　〃I　told　them　that　they　said　I　could　go　home　and　go　to　bed；　and　they　said；　Why；　of　course　I　could；　but　not　tonight。　It　would　be　the　next　night…that　it　would　take　a　day　to　investigate。〃
　〃Then　what？〃
　〃I　didn't　sleep　hardly　a　wink…being　behind　bars　for　the　second　time…Mr。　Mason；　what　is　the　matter？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Mason　told　her；　〃but　a　great　deal　depends　on　whether　you've　told　me　the　truth　or　whether　you're　lying。〃
　〃Why　should　I　lie　to　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Mason　said；　〃but　you've　certainly　been　mixed　up　in　some　bizarre　adventures；　if　one　believes　your　story。〃
　〃And　suppose　one　doesn't　believe　it？〃
　〃Well；〃　Mason　said；　〃I'm　afraid　the　district　attorney　and　Lieutenant　Tragg　of　the　Homicide　Squad　are　two　people　who　don't　believe　you。〃
　〃Would　you　expect　them　to？〃
　〃Sometimes　they　believe　people；〃　Mason　said。　〃They're　actually　trying　to　do　a　job。　They're　trying　to　do　justice　but　of　course　they　don't　like　to　have　unsolved　homicides。〃
　〃What　about　the　homicide？〃　she　asked。
　Mason　said；　〃George　Eagan；　the　chauffeur；　was　driving　Lauretta　Trent　down　the　coast　highway。　They　were　ing　south　from　Ventura。
　〃Mrs。　Trent　told　the　chauffeur　that　she'd　tell　him　where　to　turn　off；　that　they　were　going　to　a　motel　up　in　the　mountains。
　〃They　approached　the　turnoff　leading　up　to　the　motel　where　you　were　waiting。　So　far　the　facts　seem　to　indicate　that　Lauretta　Trent　was　the　one　who　telephoned　you　and　asked　you　to　wait　for　her　there。〃
　〃She　did；　Mr。　Mason。　She　did。　I　told　you…〃
　〃You　don't　know；〃　Mason　interrupted。　〃All　you　know　is　that　a　feminine　voice　told　you　that　it　was　Lauretta　Trent　speaking　and　you　were　to　go　up　there　and　wait　at　the　motel。
　〃Anyway；　just　as　the　chauffeur　was　preparing　to　make　the　left　turn；　a　car　came　up　behind　him　fast。　He　swung　to　the　right　of　the　road　so　as　to　let　the　second　car　get　by。　However；　that　car　swung　over　and　crowded　the　Trent　car　right　off　the　road　and　over　the　edge。
　〃There　was　an　angry　surf；　and　the　chauffeur；　George　Eagan；　knew　there　was　deep　water　down　there。　He　yelled　to　Mrs。　Trent　to　jump　and　he　flung　the　car　door　open　and　jumped　himself。　He　apparently　hit　his　head　on　a　rock。　In　any　event　he　was　unconscious　for　some　period　of　time。
　〃When　he　came　to；　there　was　no　sign　of　the　Trent　automobile。　The　highway　patrol　was　there。　The　highway　police　got　a　tow　car；　sent　down　divers　and　located　the　Trent　car。　They　got　grappling　hooks　on　it；　used　a　winch；　brought　it　to　the　surface。　There　was　no　sign　of　Mrs。　Trent；　but　the　door　on　the　left…hand；　rear　side　of　the　car　was　unlocked　and　open。　Evidently　she　had　opened　that　door　before　the　car　went　over　the　grade　and　rolled　into　the　surf。
　〃They　may　never　recover　her　body。　There　are　treacherous　currents　there　and　a　terrific　undertow。　Skin　divers　who　went　down　there　looking　around　had　a　hard　time　wrestling　with　the　currents。　A　body　could　have　been　carried　out　to　sea　or　swept　down　the　coast。　There's　a　terrific　riptide　at　that　point。〃
　〃But　why　pick　on　me？〃
　〃The　chauffeur　got　a　quick　look　at　the　rear　end　of　the　car　that　hit　him。　The　description　matches　your　car。　A　man　who　was　two　cars　behind　got　a　look　at　the　last　two　figures　on　the　license　plate　and　they're　the　same　as　yours。〃
　〃But　I　didn't　leave　the　motel；〃　she　said。
　Mason　said；　〃They　picked　up　some　glass　at　the　place　where　the　car　had　been　crowded　over　the　road。　There　were　fragments　of　a　glass　headlight。　Then　the　police　went　up　to　the　motel　where　I　ran　into　you　with　my　car　and　examined　the　glass　up　there。　They　found　a　piece　that　had　broken　out　of　your　headlight。　The　broken　piece　fits　exactly　into　the　lens　on　your　headlight。　Then　the　broken　piece　of　glass　that　they　found　down　where　Lauretta　Trent　was　crowded　off　the　road　also　fits　into　the　piece　of　glass　that　came　out　of　that　same　headlight。　By　putting　the　whole　thing　together；　they　have　patched　up　the　glass　fragments　like　a　jigsaw　puzzle　and　have　virtually　everything。　There　is　only　one　small；　triangular　piece　of　glass　that　is　missing。〃
　〃But　that　chauffeur；〃　Virginia　Baxter　said；　〃why　should　they　believe　him　when　he　did　all　those　things？〃
　〃That；〃　Mason　said；　〃is　something　I　don't　understand　myself。　You　told　them　about　the　chauffeur？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃About　his　wanting　to　bribe　you　to　forge　a　copy　of　the　will？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　about　the　way　you　made　the　carbon　copies　and　mailed　them　to　yourself？〃
　〃Yes。　I　told　them　everything；　Mr。　Mason。　I　realize　now　that　I　shouldn't　have；　but　once　I　started　talking…well；　I　was　jus