erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃We　will　proceed　against　Mr。　Mason　in　the　proper　tribunal　and　at　the　proper　time；　but　in　the　meantime；　we　have　a　right　to　show　what　the　defendant　said　her　attorney　told　her。〃
　Judge　Grayson　looked　down　at　Mason。　〃You　have　an　objection；　Mr。　Mason？〃
　〃Certainly　not；〃　Mason　said。　〃I　have　no　objection　to　bringing　out　the　facts　in　this　case。　At　the　proper　time　I　will　show　that　persons　have　deliberately　framed　a　crime　on　this　defendant　and…〃
　〃Just　a　moment；　just　a　moment；〃　Caswell　interrupted。　〃This　is　not　the　time　for　Perry　Mason　to　put　on　a　defense；　either　for　this　defendant　or　for　himself。　He　will　have　an　opportunity　to　put　on　a　defense　for　the　defendant　when　I　have　finished　my　case　and　he　will　have　an　opportunity　to　defend　himself　before　the　proper　tribunal。〃
　〃I　think　that's　right；〃　Judge　Grayson　ruled。　〃However；　Mr。　Mason　has　an　opportunity　to　argue　this　point　in　regard　to　the　objection。〃
　〃There　hasn't　been　any　objection；〃　Mason　said。　〃I　want　the　witness　to　state　what　the　defendant　told　him；　to　state　everything　the　defendant　told　him。〃
　〃Very　well；　go　ahead；〃　Judge　Grayson　said。　〃I　thought　there　might　be　an　objection　interposed　on　the　ground　that　this　was　calling　for　a　privileged　munication。　However；　I　can　appreciate　that　once　the　client　has　waived　the　privilege　of　the　munication　and　made　a　voluntary　statement…Well；　there　seems　to　be　no　objection；　go　ahead。〃
　〃She　stated　that　the　witness；　George　Eagan；　had　been　the　one　who　called　on　her？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　positively　identified　him？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Cross…examine；〃　Caswell　snapped。
　Mason　said；　〃You　were　talking　with　this　young　woman　late　at　night；　Lieutenant？〃
　〃Yes；　she　was　not　arrested　until　rather　late　in　the　evening。〃
　〃You　knew　that　she　was　my　client？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You　didn't？〃
　〃I　only　knew　what　she　told　me。〃
　〃And　you　didn't　accept　that　as　true？〃
　〃We　never　accept　what　an　accused　defendant　tells　us　to　be　the　truth。　We　investigate　every　phase　of　the　story。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Mason　said。　〃Then　you　aren't　prepared　to　state　that　what　she　told　you　about　what　I　had　advised　her　was　the　truth？〃
　〃Well；〃　Tragg　said；　hesitating；　〃there　were　certain　corroborating　circumstances。〃
　〃Such　as　what？〃
　〃She　gave　us　permission　to　pick　up　the　registered　letter　which　was　sent　to　her　and　to　open　it。〃
　〃And　you　did　that？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　found　the　carbon　copies　of　the　purported　will　just　as　she　had　told　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　for　that　reason　you　became　inclined　to　believe　everything　she　told　you？〃
　〃It　was　a　corroborating　circumstance。〃
　〃Then　why　didn't　you　believe　her　when　she　said　that　I　was　representing　her？〃
　〃Well；　if　it's　material；〃　Tragg　said；　〃I　did。〃
　〃Then　why　didn't　you　notify　me　that　she　was　in　jail？〃
　〃I　told　her　she　could　call　you。〃
　〃And　what　did　she　say？〃
　〃She　said　there　was　no　use。　That　she　couldn't　understand　what　had　happened　but　that　this　chauffeur；　George　Eagan；　was　the　culprit　and　that　she　was　freely　and　voluntarily　telling　us　all　of　these　facts　so　that　we　could　go　and　pick　up　Eagan。〃
　〃And　did　you？〃
　〃Not　that　night。　We　did　the　next　morning。〃
　〃And　what　happened　then？〃
　〃In　the　presence　of　Hamilton　Burger；　the　district　attorney　of　the　County；　and　in　your　presence　there　at　the　consulting　room　of　the　county　jail　we　confronted　the　defendant　with　George　Eagan。　He　said　in　her　presence　that　he　had　never　seen　her　before；　and　she　stated　that　he　wasn't　the　man　who　had　called　on　her。〃
　〃Did　she　make　any　further　statements？〃
　〃She　admitted　that　the　man　who　called　on　her　had　never　told　her　he　was　George　Eagan；　the　chauffeur；　but　said　that　an　identification　had　been　made　from　a　physical　description　and　the　license　number　on　an　automobile。　She　said　that　the　man　who　called　on　her　had　given　the　name　of　George　Menard。〃
　〃And　you　got　the　defendant　to　tell　you　all　this　by　telling　her　that　you　were　investigating　the　murder；　that　you　wanted　to　apprehend　the　guilty　person；　that　you　didn't　think　she　could　be　guilty；　that　she　was　too　nice　a　young　woman　to　be　guilty　of　any　crime　of　this　sort；　that　you　thought　someone　was　trying　to　frame　her　and　that　if　she　would　give　you　the　facts　immediately　and　without　waiting　to　get　in　touch　with　me　in　the　morning；　that　you　would　start　an　investigation　which　would　perhaps　have　everything　all　cleared　up　so　that　she　could　go　home　and　spend　the　night　in　her　own　bed。　Isn't　that　right？〃
　Lieutenant　Tragg　smiled。　〃Well；　I　didn't　say　that　personally；　but　one　of　the　officers　who　was　present　made　statements　to　that　effect。〃
　〃This　was　in　your　presence　and　with　your　approval？〃
　The　lieutenant　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　said　with　a　dry　smile；　〃It　is　routine　in　dealing　with　a　certain　type　of　suspect。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Mason　said；　〃that's　all。〃
　Caswell　said；　〃Will　Carson　Herman　please　take　the　stand。〃
　Herman　proved　to　be　a　tall；　slender　man　with　a　mosquito…beak　nose；　watery　blue　eyes；　a　firm　mouth；　high　cheekbones　and　an　emphatic　way　of　speaking。
　He　testified　that　he　had　been　driving　south　on　the　coast　highway。　That　is；　he　was　headed　between　Oxnard　and　Santa　Monica。　There　were　two　cars　ahead　of　him。　One　of　them　was　a　light…colored　Chevrolet；　the　car　ahead　of　the　Chevrolet　was　a　big；　black　sedan。　He　hadn't　had　an　opportunity　to　make　sure　of　the　make　of　the　car。　〃Did　you　notice　anything　unusual？〃　Caswell　asked。
　〃Yes；　sir；　as　we　approached　a　turnoff　road　the　black　car　swung　far　over　to　the　right；　apparently　wanting…〃
　〃Never　mind　what　you　think　the　driver　wanted；〃　Caswell　interrupted；　〃just　state　what　happened。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　The　black　car　pulled　clean　over　to　the　shoulder　of　the　road。〃
　〃And　then　what　happened？〃
　〃The　Chevrolet　got　almost　even　with　the　car；　then　suddenly　swerved　over。　The　front　of　the　Chevy　hit　the　front　of　the　other　car　a　glancing　blow　and　then　the　driver　swung　the　wheel　sharply　so　that　the　rear　end　of　the　Chevy　came　crashing　against　the　front　of　the　black　sedan。〃
　〃Did　you　see　what　happened　to　the　black　sedan？〃
　〃No；　sir。　I　was　following　rather　close　behind　the　Chevrolet　and　it　all　happened　so　fast　that　we　were　past　the　black　car　before　I　had　a　chance　to　get　a　real　good　look　at　it。　I　saw　it　swerving　and　tottering　and　then　I　was　past　it。〃
　〃Go　on。　Then　what　happened？〃
　〃The　Chevrolet　made　a　screaming　turn　up　to　a　side　road　which　takes　off　up　a　hill〃
　〃What　did　you　do？〃
　〃I　felt　that　it　was　a　hit…and…run；　and　as　a　citizen…〃
　〃Never　mind　what　you　felt；〃　Caswell　again　interrupted；　〃what　did　you　do？〃
　〃I　swung　in　behind　the　Chevrolet　and　tried　to　follow　it　so　I　could　get　the　license　number。〃
　〃Did　you？〃
　〃The　road　was　full　of　curves；　and　I　tried。　I　got　the　last　two　numerals　of　the　license　number；　65。　I　suddenly　realized　the　road　was　lonely　and　realized　my　predicament。　I　decided　to　stop；　turn　around　at　the　first　available　opportunity　and　notify　the　police。
　〃Because　the　road　was　so　lonely　and　winding；　it　was　certain　that　the　driver　of　the　car　ahead　would　know　that　I　was…〃
　〃Never　mind　your　conclusions；〃　Judge　Grayson　interrupted。　〃You　have　been　warned　twice；　Mr。　Herman；　we　are　only　interested　in　facts。　What　did　you　do？〃
　〃I　slowed　to　a　stop　and　watched　the　lights　of　the　car　ahead　disappear。　I　may　say　that　as　the　car　swung　around　so　that　the　headlights　shone　on　the　cut　bank　to　the　side　of　the　road；　I　could　see　that　the　car　had　lost　one　headlight。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean　it　had　lost　a　headlight？〃　Caswell　asked。
　〃Well；　one　headlight　wasn't　working。〃
　〃Then　what？〃
　〃Then　I　proceeded　very　slowly　and　cautiously　until　I　found　a　place　where　I　could　turn　around。　I　then　went　back　down　the　road。　There　was　a　seafood　restaurant　about　three　hundred　yards　from　the　turnoff；　and　I　stopped　at　this　restaurant　and　telephoned　the　California　highway　patrol。　I　reported　the　accident。　They　said　some　motorist　had　already　reported　it　and　they　had　a　radio　car　on　the　way。〃
　〃You　didn't　go　back　to　see　if　the　other　car　had　been　seriously　damaged　or　any　person　was　injured？〃
　〃No；　sir；　I'm　sorry　to　say　that　I　didn't。　I　felt　that　the　first　thing　to　do　was　to　notify　the　highway　patrol。　I　felt　that　if　any　persons　were　injured；　other　motorists　who　had　been　ing　along　the　highway　would　see　the　damaged　car；　stop　and　give　aid。〃
　〃Cross…examine；〃　Caswell　said。
　〃Could　you　see　the　car　ahead　well　enough　to　tell　who　was　driving；　whether　it　was　a　man　or　a　woman；　or　how　many　people　were　in　it？〃
　〃There　was　only　one　person　in　it。　I　couldn't　tell　whether　it　was　a　man　or　a　woman。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Mason　said。　〃That's　all。〃
　Caswell　said；　〃I　will　now　call　Gordon　Kelvin　to　the　stand。〃
　Kelvin　came　forward　with　unhurried　dignity；　took　the　oath　and　testified　that　he　was　a　brother…in…law　of　the　decedent；　Lauretta　Trent。
　〃You　have　been　in　the　courtroom　and　heard　the　testimony　of　the　defendant's　statement　that　she　was　asked　to　participate　in　the　forgery　of　a　carbon　copy　of　a　will？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃What　can　you　tell　us　about　the　estate　of　Lauretta　Trent？〃
　〃That　is　objected　to　as　inpetent；　irrelevant　and　immaterial；〃　Mason　said。
　Caswell　retorted　quickly；　〃If　the　Court　please；　this　is　a　very　material　matter。　I　propose　to　show　that　the　story　told　by　the　defendant　was　a　plete　fabrication；　that　it　had　to　be　a　plete　fabrication　because　the　forgery　of　the　carbon　copy　of　a　will　would　have　done　no　good　at　all。　I　expect　to　show　by　this　witness　that　the　decedent；　Lauretta　Trent；