erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第31节

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plant　the　stuff　I　was　to　put　in　the　suitcase。
　〃I　thought　that　was　all　I　was　going　to　have　to　do。
　〃But　that's　the　way　it　is　with　a　broad。　You　get　tangled　up　with　them　and　they're　always　on　your　neck。　So　I　had　to　take　this　girl's　automobile　and　wait　until　George　came　along　and　then　ram　the　car。　I　hated　to　do　it；　but　George　had　been　high…hatting　me　of　late　and…Well；　a　guy　has　to　live。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Tragg　said；　〃what　did　you　do？〃
　〃I　did　what　I　was　told　to；〃　Fisk　said；　trembling。　〃I　was　to　give　it　a　good　sideswipe。　I　didn't　know　it　was　going　out　of　control　and…I　thought　I　was　just　framing　a　hit…andrun。　。　。　。　Well；　that's　the　truth　and　now　I've　got　it　off　my　chest。〃
　〃That　was　Virginia　Baxter's　car　you　were　using？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃That's　right。　I　was　told　she'd　be　up　at　the　Saint's　Rest　and　given　the　license　number　of　her　automobile。　She　hadn't　much　more　than　got　into　her　room　and　got　settled　down　than　I　left　my　car　and　took　hers。　Then；　as　soon　as　I'd　done　the　job；　I　came　back　up　and　parked　her　car　and　took　mine。
　〃The　parking　stall　her　car　had　been　in　had　been　taken　by　somebody　else；　so　I　had　to　park　the　Baxter　car　in　a　new　stall。　I　was　told　to　be　awfully　careful　with　that　car；　to　give　the　Lauretta　Trent　car　a　shove　with　the　front　end　of　the　car；　but　to　hit　it　hard　with　the　back　end　so　the　Baxter　car　would　run　all　right。〃
　〃And　how　much　did　you　get　for　that？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Promises。　I　was　hot。　I've　got　enemies　and　I've　got　to　get　where　they　can't　take　me　for　a　one…way　ride。　This　broad　promised　me　twenty…five　hundred；　and　she　gave　me　two　hundred　in　cash。　I　don't　know　how　you　found　out　about　me；　but　。　。　。　by　God；　if　you　put　me　on　a　witness　stand　and　the　newspapers　publish　this　stuff；　my　life　won't　be　worth　a　snap　of　my　fingers。　。　。　。　Hell；　they're　gunning　for　me　right　now。　。　。　。　You　said　there　were　two　torpedoes　that　came　up　the　stairs？〃
　Mason　nodded。
　Fisk　held　out　his　wrists。　〃Take　me　into　custody；　Lieutenant；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　all　the　protection　you　can。　I　stand　a　chance　of　beating　a　rap；　but　you　can't　beat　the　big　boy's　torpedoes。〃
　〃Who's　the　big　boy？〃　Tragg　asked。
　Fisk；　shivering　with　apprehension；　said；　〃I've　never　ratted　on　him。　Always　the　little　guys　and　always　the　outsiders；　but　if　it　es　to　a　showdown　and　I　have　to；　I　have　to…Get　me　in　a　cell　where　I'm　by　myself；　give　me　protection　and　a　chance　to　take　it　on　the　lam　and　I'll　tell。〃
　Tragg　looked　at　Mason；　said；　〃Well；　it　seems　there's　butter　on　both　sides　of　your　bread。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE
　Mason；　Della　Street　and　Paul　Drake　returned　to　the　lawyer's　office　shortly　before　midnight。
　The　assistant　janitor　who　operated　the　elevator　after　hours　said；　〃There's　been　a　woman　trying　to　see　you；　Mr。　Mason；　says　it's　a　matter　of　great　importance。　I　told　her　that　you　said　you'd　be　back；　no　matter　how　late　it　was；　and　she　said　she'd　wait。〃
　〃Where　is　she？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Walking　around　somewhere。　She's　been　back　four　or　five　times　and　asked　if　you'd　returned　yet。　I　told　her　'no；'　and　she　said　she'd　be　back。〃
　〃What　does　she　look　like？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Rather　aristocratic…looking。　Sixty…odd。　Gray　hair。　Nice　clothes。　Quiet　voice…not　a　crook；　but　something　is　sure　worrying　her。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said。　〃I'll　be　up　in　the　office。　I'm　going　to　be　there　long　enough　for　Virginia　Baxter　to　join　me；　then　we're　calling　it　a　day。〃
　〃And　what　a　day！〃　Paul　Drake　said。
　〃Virginia　Baxter！〃　the　elevator　operator　said。　〃You　mean　the　girl　they're　trying　for　murder？〃
　〃She's　being　released；〃　Mason　said。　〃Lieutenant　Tragg's　delivering　her　here　in　a　police　car。〃
　〃Well；　what　do　you　know？〃　the　operator　said；　appraising　Mason　wonderingly。　〃You　got　her　out；　eh？〃
　〃_We_　got　her　out；〃　Mason　said；　grinning。　〃Let's　go。〃
　The　elevator　shot　up　to　Mason's　floor。
　Drake　said；　〃Okay；　I'll　duck　into　my　office　and　button　things　up；　Perry。　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　that　nurse？〃
　Mason　grinned。　〃Our　friend　Lieutenant　Tragg　is　taking　the　initiative　there。　You'll　be　reading　in　the　papers　about　Tragg's　brilliant　deductive　reasoning；　probably　that　Tragg　gave　Perry　Mason　an　opportunity　to　acpany　him　when　he　uncovered　the　key　witness　in　the　Trent　murder　case。〃
　〃Yes；　I　suppose　he'll　grab　all　the　credit；〃　Drake　said。
　〃Tragg　won't；　but　the　department　will。　That's　the　way　the　game　has　to　be　played。　See　you　in　the　morning；　Paul。〃
　Mason　took　Della　Street's　arm　and　led　her　down　to　the　office。
　He　fitted　his　key　to　the　door　of　his　private　office；　switched　on　the　lights；　yawned　prodigiously　and　walked　over　to　the　electric　coffee　percolator。
　〃How　long　will　it　be？〃　Della　Street　asked。
　〃Shouldn't　be　over　ten　or　fifteen　minutes；〃　Mason　said。　〃Tragg　will　have　her　out　of　there　and　leave　it　to　me　to　keep　her　out　of　circulation。　Tragg　doesn't　want　anything　interfering　with　his　big　story　that'll　hit　the　papers。　He…〃
　A　timid　knock　sounded　on　the　corridor　door。
　Mason　went　to　the　door　and　opened　it。
　A　tall　white…haired　woman　said；　〃This　is　Mr。　Mason？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Mason　said。
　〃I　couldn't　wait　any　longer；〃　she　said。　〃I　had　to　e　to　you。〃
　She　turned　toward　Della　Street　inquiringly。
　〃My　secretary；　Della　Street；〃　Mason　explained；　and　then　added；　with　only　a　moment's　perceptible　hesitancy；　〃and　unless　I'm　very　much　mistaken；　Della；　this　is　Lauretta　Trent。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　she　said。　〃I　couldn't　let　things　go　to　a　point　where　that　poor　girl　was　convicted。　I　had　to　e　to　you。
　〃I'm　hoping　there's　some　way　you　can　protect　me　until　we　can　find　out　who　is　trying　to　murder　me。〃
　〃Sit　down；〃　Mason　said。
　She　said；　〃I　am　very　na？ve；　Mr。　Mason；　I　wasn't　at　all　suspicious　until　Dr。　Alton　asked　the　nurse　to　get　samples　of　my　hair　and　fingernails。
　〃At　one　time　I　had　done　some　research　work　in　poisoning　symptoms。　I　decided　to　get　out　of　there　and　get　out　fast。
　〃Then　when　that　car　deliberately　rammed　us　off　the　road　and　George　Eagan　yelled；　'Jump'…well；　I　jumped。　I　got　skinned　up　a　bit　but；　fortunately；　I　had　seen　that　car　was　going　to　hit　us　and　I　was　all　ready　with　my　hand　on　the　door　latch。
　〃I　didn't　have　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　my　handbag；　the　way　you　said　in　court；　but　I　had　enough　cash　so　I　could　take　care　of　myself。
　〃I　saw　that　George　was　hurt。　I　went　to　the　highway　and；　almost　immediately；　a　motorist　stopped。　He　took　me　down　the　road　to　the　café。　I　called　the　highway　patrol　and　reported　the　accident。　They　promised　to　have　a　car　there　right　away。
　〃I　just　decided　it　was　a　good　time　to　lie　low　and　let　things　start　to　unscramble。　I　wanted　to　find　out　who　was　back　of　all　this。〃
　〃And　you　found　out？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃When　that　will　was　read　in　court…I　was　never　so　shocked　in　my　life。〃
　〃That　will；　I　take　it；　was　spurious。〃
　〃Absolutely！〃　she　snapped。　〃One；　or　perhaps　two；　pages　of　it　were　genuine；　the　rest　had　been　substituted。　What　I　said　in　my　will　was　that；　since　I　had　e　to　the　conclusion　that　all　of　my　relatives　were　barnacles　simply　waiting　for　me　to　die　and　without　gumption　enough　to　get　out　and　do　anything　for　themselves；　I　was　going　to　give　my　two　sisters　a　bequest　that　would　be　small　enough　so　the　men　would　have　to　go　to　work。
　〃I　had　that　will　in　what　I　thought　was　a　safe　place。　They　must　have　found　it；　got　the　staples　out　of　the　pages；　substituted　those　forged　pages　and　decided　to　get　rid　of　me。〃
　〃Apparently；〃　Mason　said；　〃you're　due　for　a　shock。　Your　relatives　weren't　the　ones　who　were　trying　to　hurry　up　your　death；　but　the　nurse；　who　was　a　good　typist；　evidently　arranged　with　Kelvin　to　plant　a　spurious　will…probably　on　a　percentage　basis　with　possibilities　for　unlimited　blackmail　after　that。
　〃And　in　case　Virginia　Baxter　remembered　the　terms　of　the　real　will；　they　planned　to　have　her　in　such　a　position　her　testimony　would　be　worthless。
　〃I'm　glad　you're　all　right。　When　they　failed　to　find　your　handbag　in　the　car；　I　had　an　idea　you　were　alive。
　〃You've　given　Virginia　Baxter　a　bad　time；　but　it's　nothing　that　can't　be　cured。
　〃We're　waiting　for　Virginia　Baxter　to　join　us　now。〃
　Lauretta　Trent　opened　her　handbag。　〃Fortunately；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　my　checkbook　with　me。　If　I　made　a　check　for　twenty…five　thousand　dollars　to　you；　Mr。　Mason；　would　that　take　care　of　your　fee？　And；　of　course；　a　check　for　fifty　thousand　to　your　client　to　pensate　her　for　all　she's　been　through。〃
　Mason　grinned　at　Della　Street。　〃I　think　if　you　make　out　the　checks；　Mrs。　Trent；　Virginia　Baxter　will　be　here　by　the　time　you've　got　them　signed；　and　she　can　give　you　her　answer　personally。〃



　
　
　
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