erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第9节
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agreements。 Eight thousand to ten thousand； real estate transactions。〃
〃Well； I didn't disturb anything。 I put all that stuff in packages and tied them up with binder twine。〃
〃Could we take a look？〃 Virginia asked。
〃Why； sure。〃
Julian Bannock led the way into the relative coolness of the barn； redolent with the clean smell of hay。
〃Used to keep this barn pretty full of hay；〃 he said； 〃and had quite a storage problem。 Lately； I've been selling the hay because I haven't been doing much feeding。 Used to have a little dairy business； but they've got so many headaches now that the small dairyman has too much of a problem； too much work； too many regulations。
〃The real big dairies are handling things now with mechanical milkers； feeders and all that sort of thing…I didn't get too much for those filing cases； either。 Could have kept the stuff in the cases； I guess； but I don't know what anybody'd want with all that stuff…thought some of pitching it all out and burning it up； but you talked so much about the files； I thought I'd keep them。〃
〃Well； of course； that was some time ago；〃 Virginia said。 〃As time passes； those files cease to have quite as much importance。〃
〃Well； here we are； over here。 This used to be a tractor shed； but I got room to put these…Well； what do you know！〃
Bannock stopped in surprise before the litter of papers strewn all over the floor。
〃Looks like that fellow left a hell of a mess；〃 he said angrily。
Virginia looked in dismay at the piles of paper。
The man who had been in there had evidently cut the binder twine that had held the papers in different classifications and had pawed through everything looking for the paper he wanted； throwing the other papers helterskelter into a pile which had spread out into an area some six feet in diameter at the bottom and some four feet high。
Virginia； looking at the carbon copies now ragged at the edges from the gnawing of mice； thinking of the care she had taken with those papers when she had typed them； felt like crying。
Julian Bannock； slow to anger； but with a steadily mounting temper； said。 〃Well； by gosh； I'd like to tell that fellow Smith a thing or two！〃
He bent down and picked up a piece of binder twine。 〃Cut through slick and clean with a sharp knife；〃 he said。 〃Somebody'd ought to take that man and teach him a few manners。〃
Virginia； studying the pile of papers； said； 〃He must have been in a terrific hurry。 He was looking for something and he didn't have time to untie the twine； look at each package； and then tie them up again。 He simply took his knife； cut the twine； looked hurriedly for what he wanted； then when he didn't find it； he threw the rest of the papers over on the pile。〃
Julian said thoughtfully； 〃You can see that all right。 I'm kicking myself for not keeping an eye on him。〃
〃How long was he here？〃 Virginia asked。
〃Now； that I can't tell you。 I let him in the barn； showed him where the things were and then left。〃
Virginia reached a sudden decision。 〃Where is the nearest telephone？〃 she asked。
〃Well； one of the neighbors has one and he's real acmodating；〃 Julian said。 〃He lives about two miles down the road。〃
〃I want to make a long distance call；〃 she said； 〃and 。 。 。 I guess it's better not to let anyone hear what I'm saying。 I'll go on in to Bakersfield and put in the call from a booth there。 I'll be back after a while with some big cartons。 I'm going to put those papers in the cartons and then we'll keep them someplace where they're safe。〃
〃Okay；〃 he said； 〃I'll give you a hand when it es to putting them in。 Do you think I should stack them up now and…〃
〃No；〃 she said； 〃there's still some semblance of order。 A good many of the classifications are still segregated。 Somewhere there's a master book which gives the numbers and an index。 That is； it was here。
〃If you don't mind； I'd like to stop at one of the supermarkets and get some big cartons； then e back and try and put this stuff together again so it makes some sort of sense。〃
〃Well； now；〃 he said； 〃if you want to do it； that's fine with me； but it's a lot of work to go through and it's pretty dusty in here。 You're all dressed up neat as a pin and…〃
〃Don't worry；〃 she said； 〃I'm going to get some blue jeans and a blouse in town。 If you don't mind； I'll change my clothes when I get back and get to work。〃
〃Sure thing；〃 he said； 〃we'll give you a place to change in the house； and a chance to take a bath when you're finished。 This is going to be pretty dusty。〃
〃I know it is；〃 she said； laughing； 〃but us ranchers have to get used to a little dust now and then。〃
He grinned at her； thrust out his hand and shook hands。
〃You're all right；〃 he announced。
Virginia returned to her car； drove to Bakersfield and called Perry Mason； just as the lawyer was reaching his office。
〃You wanted me to tell you if anything unusual happened；〃 she said； 〃and this is unusual enough； but I just can't understand the significance。〃
〃Go ahead；〃 Mason said； 〃tell me what it is。〃
〃You'll probably laugh and think my imagination is working overtime。 There's probably no way on earth it can be connected with anything but…Well； here's what happened。〃
She told him about Bannock； the papers； about the man who had called on her； his description and a general but somewhat vague description of the automobile in which he had driven away。 〃A model about two to four years old； I would guess。 I think it was an Oldsmobile；〃 she said。 〃The first figure of the license number was a zero。 I tried to get it but he drove away very fast。〃
〃Where was he parked？〃 Mason asked。 〃Could you see the parking place from which he drove his car？ That might tell us how long he'd been waiting。 I presume parking places right in front of your apartment house are hard to find。〃
〃I'll say they are！〃 she exclaimed。 〃But this man didn't have any trouble。 He parked right in front of the fireplug。〃
〃Then he hadn't been there very long；〃 Mason said。 〃That means he must have followed you home rather than been there waiting。 I would think the police would check that fireplug space rather often。〃
〃They do！ I had a friend who parked just long enough to leave a parcel； yet she got a parking ticket。 It wasn't over a minute。〃
〃You think the first number on the license plate was a zero？〃 Mason asked。
〃Yes； I'm quite certain of that； and I think the last number was a two； but I'm not at all certain of that。〃
〃You're in Bakersfield now？〃 Mason asked。
〃Yes。 I went out to Mr。 Bannock's brother's place to check with him and found that someone had been out there； gone through all the files。〃
〃What do you mean by 'going through them'？〃 Mason asked。
She described the files。
Mason's voice became crisp with authority。
〃Now； this is important； Virginia。 You say the files were all cut open？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Every single bundle？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And their contents spread out？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃No single bundle was intact？〃
〃No。〃
〃You're sure of that？〃
〃Why； yes。 Why is it important； Mr。 Mason？〃
〃Because；〃 Mason said； 〃it indicates a strong probability that the person who is searching didn't find what he was looking for。
〃In other words； if you're looking for a particular paper and you're in a hurry； you cut open bundle after bundle of papers until you find the one you want； then you shove it in your pocket and get away from there fast。 That would leave some bundles that hadn't been cut open。
〃But if； on the other hand； all of the bundles are cut open； it's a pretty good indication that the person didn't find what he was looking for。〃
〃I never thought of that；〃 she said。
〃You're going back to Julian Bannock's？〃
〃Yes； I'm taking some cardboard cartons and am going back and I'll try to make some semblance of order out of those files。〃
〃All right；〃 Mason said； 〃by the time you get back there； we'll find out something about your man who is interested in the files。 。 。 。 Now； tell me； Virginia； what about wills？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃When Bannock would prepare a will it would usually be executed there in the office？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Who would be the subscribing witnesses？〃
〃Oh； I see what you mean。 He would usually sign as one of the subscribing witnesses and I would sign as the other witness。〃
〃And you had a classification of various wills？ In other words； you had a file number designating wills that you had executed in the office？〃
〃Oh； yes； I see what you mean now。 Files numbered five thousand to six thousand were wills。〃
〃All right；〃 Mason said； 〃when you go back take a look at the five to six thousand 'will' file。 See how intact it is。 Tie that file up and bring it here just as fast as you can make it。〃
〃Why that file in particular？〃 she asked。
Mason said； 〃Bannock has been dead for a few years。 Most of the agreements and things that he had drawn would no longer be important； but if some relative wanted to find out what was in a certain will…〃
〃I get you；〃 she interrupted excitedly。 〃Why didn't I think of that。 Of course； that's what it is。〃
〃Don't jump to conclusions；〃 Mason warned。 〃This is just a thought； but I think we'd better take precautions。〃
〃I'm going right back；〃 she promised； 〃and I'll keep that file
