erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第30节

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　〃I'm　waiting　for　you　at　the　office　at　the　head　of　the　stairs；〃　Mason　told　him。　〃This　is　a　walk…up　rooming　house；　second　floor　only…over　a　bunch　of　hock　shops　and　honkytonks。〃
　〃I　thought　I　knew　the　dump；〃　Tragg　said。　〃We'll　be　there。〃
　Mason　stood　waiting　by　the　phone　booth。
　Two　men　came　up　the　stairs；　paused　at　the　office；　looked　furtively　around　them；　saw　Mason　standing　there；　started　toward　him。
　The　lawyer　moved　a　step　or　two　forward。
　The　men　looked　at　his　height；　at　his　shoulders；　looked　at　each　other；　then　wordlessly　turned；　walked　back　to　the　head　of　the　stairs　and　went　down　to　the　street。
　A　few　moments　later；　Tragg；　acpanied　by　a　uniformed　officer；　came　to　the　head　of　the　stairs；　paused　and　looked　up　and　down　the　corridor。
　Mason　came　striding　forward。
　Tragg　paused　by　the　counter；　waiting　for　him；　looking　at　the　lawyer　with　kindly；　quizzical　eyes。
　〃All　right；　Perry；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　it　this　time？　Here's　your　cat's…paw。　Where's　the　chestnut　you　want　pulled　out　of　the　fire？〃
　Mason　said；　〃Room　five。〃
　〃How　hot　is　the　chestnut？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Mason　said；　〃but　once　we　get　in　and　shake　him　down；　I　think　we'll　find　the　solution　of　the　Lauretta　Trent　murder　case。〃
　〃You　don't　think　we　have　it　already？〃
　〃I　know　you　don't　have　it　already；〃　Mason　said。
　Tragg　sighed。　〃I　could　have　saved　myself　a　trip　if　I'd　only　been　properly　skeptical；〃　he　said。　〃What's　more；　the　office　takes　a　dim　view　of　our　running　around　on　the　hunches　of　defense　attorneys　trying　to　undermine　cases　the　district　attorney　is　prosecuting　in　court。
　〃Played　up　in　newspapers；　it　wouldn't　make　a　very　nice　story；　now；　would　it？〃
　〃Have　I　ever　left　you　in　the　middle　of　a　story　in　the　newspapers　that　didn't　look　good？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Not　yet；〃　Tragg　said。　〃I　don't　want　you　to　start。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　told　him；　〃you've　e　this　far；　e　on　down　to　room　five。〃
　Tragg　sighed；　said　to　the　officer；　〃Okay；　we'll　take　a　look。　That's　all　we're　doing；　taking　a　look。〃
　Mason　led　the　way　down　to　where　Paul　Drake　and　Della　Street　were　waiting。
　〃Well；　well；〃　Tragg　said；　〃we　seem　to　have　a　quorum。〃
　Mason　banged　on　the　door　again。
　〃Go　away；〃　the　voice　inside　said。
　Mason　said；　〃Lieutenant　Tragg　of　Homicide　and　an　officer。〃
　〃You　got　a　warrant？〃
　〃We　don't　need　a　warrant；〃　Mason　said。　〃We…〃
　〃Now；　just　a　minute；〃　Tragg　interrupted；　〃I'll　do　my　own　talking。　What's　this　all　about？〃
　Mason　said；　〃This　man　registered　under　the　name　of　Canton　Jasper　at　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel。　He's　also　the　stoolie　who　gave　the　police　the　bum　steer　on　the　dope　in　Virginia　Baxter's　suitcase。　He's　waiting　for　police　funds　to　get　out　of　town。
　〃He's　been　a　professional　informer　for　the　dope　squad　and…You　want　me　to　stay　here　and　yell　the　whole　business　out　in　the　corridors；　Fisk？〃
　There　was　a　sound　of　a　bolt　on　the　door；　then　a　chair　being　moved。　The　door　opened　to　the　limit　of　a　safety　chain。　Obsidian　black　eyes　peered　out　anxiously；　came　to　rest　on　the　police　officer's　uniform；　then　looked　at　Tragg。
　〃Let　me　see　your　credentials；〃　he　demanded。
　Tragg　slipped　a　leather　container　from　his　pocket；　held　it　where　the　man　could　see　it。
　The　man　said；　〃Look　up　and　down　the　corridor。　Anybody　there？〃
　〃Not　now；〃　Mason　said；　〃but　a　couple　of　torpedoes　came　up　a　few　minutes　ago。　They　started　down　to　your　room　and　then　turned　back　when　they　saw　I　was　a　witness。〃
　Shaking　hands　fumbled　with　the　chain　on　the　catch　on　the　door。
　The　door　opened。
　〃e　in；　e　in；〃　Fisk　said。
　The　little　group　walked　into　the　room…a　bedraggled　place　with　a　cheap；　sagging　bed；　a　paper…thin　carpet　in　which　holes　had　been　worn　in　front　of　the　cheap；　pine　dresser；　its　wavy　mirror　distorting　reflections。
　There　was　one　cushioned　chair；　one　cane…bottomed；　straight…backed　chair。
　Fisk　said；　〃What　is　it？　You　fellows　have　got　to　give　me　protection。〃
　Mason　said；　〃What　was　the　idea　of　framing　Virginia　Baxter　on　that　dope；　and　why　did　you　go　to　the　Saint's　Rest　and　take　her　car？〃
　〃Who　are　you？〃　Fisk　asked。
　〃I'm　her　lawyer。〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　need　your　type　of　mouthpiece。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　mouthpiece；〃　Mason　told　him。　〃I'm　a　lawyer。　And　here；　my　friend；　is　a　subpoena　for　you　to　appear　in　court　tomorrow　and　testify　as　a　witness　in　the　case　of　Peopie　versus　Baxter。〃
　〃Say；　what　kind　of　a　dodge　are　you　pulling　on　me？〃　Tnagg　asked。　〃Getting　me　down　here　just　so　you　could　serve　a　subpoena。〃
　〃That's　all；〃　Mason　told　him　cheerfully；　〃unless　you　want　to　use　your　head。　If　you　do；　you　can　cover　yourself　with　glory。〃
　〃You　can't　serve　me　with　any　subpoena；〃　Fisk　said。　〃I　only　opened　the　door　for　the　law。〃
　〃How　e　your　fingerprints　are　all　over　Virginia　Baxter's　car？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Phooey；　you　won't　find　a　fingerprint　on　the　thing。〃
　〃And；〃　Mason　said；　〃when　the　officers　went　to　Virginia　Baxter's　apartment　to　search　it　on　the　strength　of　your　representation　that　there　was　dope　hidden　there；　you　managed　to　fix　the　door　so　you　could　get　back　in　with　the　person　who　did　the　typewriting　on　Virginia's　typewriter。〃
　〃Words；　words；　words；〃　Fisk　said。　〃I　get　so　tired　of　having　people　try　to　frame　things　on　me。　Listen；　lawyer；　I've　been　worked　over　by　experts。　You　amateurs　don't　stand　a　chance。〃
　〃You　wore　gloves　in　handling　Virginia　Baxter's　car；〃　Mason　said；　〃but　you　didn't　have　gloves　on　in　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel。　Your　fingerprints　are　all　over　the　room。〃
　〃So　what？　Sure；　I　admit　I　was　at　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel。〃
　〃And　registered　under　an　assumed　name。〃
　〃Lots　of　people　do　that。〃
　〃And　gave　a　phony　license　number。〃
　〃I　wrote　it　down　according　to　the　best　way　I　could　remember　it。〃
　Mason；　looking　at　the　man；　said　suddenly；　〃Good　heavens；　no　wonder！　There's　a　family　resemblance。　What's　your　relationship　to　George　Eagan？〃
　For　a　moment　the　black　eyes　looked　at　Mason　with　cold　defiance。
　〃That；〃　Mason　said；　〃is　something　we　can　check。〃
　Fisk　seemed　to　grow　smaller　inside　of　his　coat；　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　his　half…brother。　I'm　the　black　sheep　of　the　family。〃
　〃And；〃　Mason　said；　〃you　switched　license　numbers　with　Eagan's　automobile　and　of　course　Eagan　didn't　notice…that　was　just　in　case　anyone　tried　to　identify　you　through　the　license　number。〃
　〃Got　any　proof？〃　Fisk　asked。
　〃I　don't　need　it；〃　Mason　said。　〃By　the　time　I　put　you　on　the　witness　stand　tomorrow　and　the　newspapers　publish　your　picture　and　the　history　of　your　activities　as　a　stool　pigeon　and　double…crosser；　the　underworld　will　take　care　of　you　a　lot　better　than　I　can。　e　on；　folks；　let's　go。〃
　Mason　turned　and　started　to　the　door。
　For　a　long　moment　Fisk　stood　there；　then　he　grabbed　Mason's　coat　sleeve。　〃No；　no！　Now；　look；　look；　we　can　square　this　thing。〃
　He　turned　from　Mason　to　Lieutenant　Tragg。　〃I've　given　you　folks　the　breaks；〃　he　said。　〃You　folks　can　help　me　out。　Get　this　mouthpiece　off　my　neck。　Get　me　out　of　town。〃
　Tragg；　studying　the　man　intently；　said；　〃You　tell　us　the　whole　story　and　we'll　see　what　we　can　do。　But　we're　not　buying　anything　blindfolded。〃
　Fisk　said；　〃Look；　I've　been　in　trouble；　lots　of　trouble；　lots　of　times　in　trouble。　George　had　to　get　me　out　of　it　once　when　I　was　in　bad　trouble。〃
　〃Who's　George？〃　Tragg　asked。
　〃George　Eagan；　Lauretta　Trent's　chauffeur。〃
　Mason　and　Tragg　exchanged　glances；　then　Tragg　turned　to　Fisk　and　said；　〃All　right；　e　on；　what　happened？〃
　〃Well；　I　lost　out　with　the　police　and　lost　all　my　connections　and　I　was　up　against　it。　That　was　when　this　woman　came　to　me　who　had　helped　out　before。〃
　〃What　woman？〃
　〃The　nurse；　Anna　Fritch。　I'd　dated　her　once　or　twice　and　I'd　furnished　her　with　dope　over　a　period　of　years。〃
　〃Go　on；〃　Tragg　said。
　〃She　was　teamed　up　with　Kelvin。　Kelvin　thought　he　was　going　to　get　the　bulk　of　the　Trent　estate…he　and　his　brother…in…law；　and　their　wives；　of　course。　So　he　got　this　nurse　to　hurry　the　old　gal　over　the　divide。
　〃They　made　three　passes　with　arsenic。　They　didn't　dare　to　kill　her　with　arsenic；　but　she　had　a　bad　pump　and　the　idea　was　that　all　the　upchucking　from　a　small　dose　would　make　the　pump　give　out。
　〃Then　while　the　old　dame　was　being　sick　the　last　time；　Kelvin　found　the　will。　He　damn　near　dropped　dead　from　the　shock。
　〃So　he　had　to　change　the　will。　They　tracked　down　the　lawyer's　typewriter。　The　nurse　was　a　good　typist。　If　she　had　plenty　of　time　she　swore　she　could　make　a　forgery　they'd　never　detect；　but　she　needed　the　lawyer's　typewriter　and　stationery。
　〃That　meant　they　wanted　not　only　to　get　Virginia　Baxter　discredited　so　she　couldn't　spill　their　apples　if　she　remembered　the　terms　of　the　real　will；　but　they　wanted　her　in　the　cooler。
　〃They　also　wanted　to　either　get　Bannock's　carbon　copy　of　the　real　will　or　else　scramble　things　so　no　one　could　ever　get　to　first　base　by　going　to　the　old　files…but　they　didn't　think　up　this　angle　until　later　when　I　raised　the　question。
　〃Anyhow；　first　thing　was　to　get　this　Baxter　woman　in　the　clink　and　get　her　convicted　of　a　dope　charge。
　〃Well；　I　did　what　I　was　supposed　to。　I　bribed　a　guy　to　let　me　out　to　the　plane　to　get　my　baggage　on　the　ground；　that　it　was　an　important　shipment。　I　spotted　the　broad's　bag　as　soon　as　it　came　off　the　plane；　then　said　I'd　lost　my　tags。　They　told　me　I　had　to　identify　the　contents；　so　I　got　the　suitcases　opened　and　then　said　I'd　made　a　mistake　and；　in　the　confusion；　managed　to　plant　the　s