erlestanleygardner.the.caseofthesulkygirl-第2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！
She seemed suddenly to have lost her protective poise。 Her voice rose； 〃Well； I've heard a lot about you；〃 she said。 〃They say that some lawyers tell people what they can do and what they can't do； but that you always fix things so a person can do what he wants to。〃
Mason smiled； the smile of wisdom garnered from bitter experience； of knowledge amassed from the confidences of thousands of clients。
〃Perhaps；〃 he said； 〃that's partially true。 A man can nearly always think his way out of any situation in which he finds himself。 It's merely a paraphrase of the old saying that where there's a will there's a way。〃
〃Well；〃 she told him； 〃there's a will in this case。 I want the way。〃
〃Whom do you want to marry？〃 he asked abruptly。
The eyes did not waver； but stared steadily at him in dark appraisal。
〃Rob Gleason；〃 she said。
〃Does your uncle know him？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Does he approve of him？〃
〃No。〃
〃You love him？〃
〃Yes。
〃He knows of this provision in the will？〃
Her eyes lowered。
〃I think perhaps he does now。 But he didn't；〃 she said。
〃What do you mean he didn't？〃 asked the lawyer。
There could be no question now that the eyes were avoiding his。
〃Just an expression；〃 she said； 〃I didn't mean anything by it。〃
Perry Mason studied her intently for a few minutes。
〃And I take it you want to marry him very much。〃
She looked at him then； and said in a voice that was vibrant with feeling： 〃Mr。 Mason； don't make any mistake about it。 I am going to marry Rob Gleason。 You can take that as being final。 You have got to find some way by which I can do it。 That's all！ I'm leaving that end of it up to you。 I'm putting myself in your hands。 I am going to get married。〃
He started to say something； then paused to study her carefully before he spoke。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃you seem to know pretty much what you want。〃
〃I do；〃 she flared。
〃Suppose then； you e back at this time to…morrow morning。 In the meantime I will have looked up the court records。〃
She shook her head。
〃To…morrow morning；〃 she protested； 〃is too long。 Can't you do it this afternoon？〃
Perry Mason's patient eyes dwelt steadily on her face。
〃Perhaps；〃 he said。 〃Will four o'clock suit you？〃
She nodded。
〃Very well；〃 he told her； getting to his feet。 〃e back then。 You can leave your name and address with my secretary in the outer office。〃
〃I've already done that；〃 she told him； arising from the chair and smoothing the line of her skirt。 〃I'll be back at four。〃
She didn't look back as she walked across the office； opened the door and swept out into the outer room。
Perry Mason sat at his desk； narrowing his eyes in thoughtful appraisal； as he watched the door through which the young woman had gone。
After a moment he extended a sturdy forefinger； and jabbed a button on the side of his desk。
A young man with unruly hair； and a face that seemed pathetically eager； popped his head through the doorway leading from a law library； then entered the room。
〃Frank；〃 said Perry Mason； 〃go up to the court house and find the papers in the Celane Estate。 A Frances Celane was given property amounting to more than a million dollars in trust。 The name of the trustee is Edward Norton。 Check the decree of distribution； and also the will。 Make copies of the trust provisions； then get back here as soon as you can。〃
The boy blinked his eyes swiftly； twice。
〃Celane？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 said Mason。 〃Carl Celane。〃
〃And Norton？〃
〃Yes； Edward Norton；〃 said Mason。
〃Thank you；〃 said the boy。 He turned abruptly； crossed the office with nervous； self…conscious haste； as though painfully aware of the gaze of Perry Mason； and plunged into the outer office。
Perry Mason rang for his secretary。
Della Street； his secretary； was about twenty…seven years old。 Her manner radiated assurance and efficiency。 She pushed open the door from the outer office。
〃You rang？〃 she asked。
〃Yes；〃 he told her； 〃e in。〃
She stepped into the office and closed the door gently behind her。
〃Let's check our impressions；〃 he said； 〃about that girl。〃
〃How do you mean？〃 she asked。
He stared at her moodily。
〃I think；〃 he said； 〃that I put the words in your mouth。 You said she looked trapped or sulky。 Now I am wondering which it was。〃
〃Does it make a lot of difference？〃 asked Della Street。
〃I think it does；〃 he told her。 〃In your impressions you are usually right and you had a chance to see her when she wasn't posing。 She started to pose as soon as she came into my office。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Della Street； 〃she's the type that would be good at posing。〃
〃She sat down in the chair；〃 he told her； 〃and figured just how to hold her head； just how to cross her knees and arrange her skirt； just what kind of an expression to put on her face。〃
〃Did she tell you the truth？〃 asked Della Street。
〃None of them tell the truth the first time；〃 he told her； 〃at least the women don't。 That's why I want to know just what kind of an impression she made on you。 Did she look trapped； or did she look sulky？〃
Della Street spoke thoughtfully； as though weighing her words carefully。
〃She looked both trapped and sulky；〃 she said； 〃as though she got caught in some kind of a trap and had turned sulky。〃
〃Are you sure；〃 he asked； 〃that it wasn't panic？〃
〃How do you mean？〃 she wanted to know。
〃Lots of people；〃 he said； 〃try to put on a poker face when they are in a panic and when they try to put on a poker face they look sulky。〃
〃And you think she was in a panic？〃 asked Della Street。
〃Yes；〃 he said； slowly。 〃I think she was in a panic。 I think she's a self…willed little devil who nearly always gets her own way and who has an ungovernable temper。 I think she's caught in some sort of a trap and is trying to get out。 When we know her better we'll find out more about her temper。〃
〃A hell…cat？〃 asked Della Street。
He twisted his lips in a smile。
〃Let's call her a hell…kitten；〃 he said。
CHAPTER TWO
DELLA STREET pushed open the door of Perry Mason's private office。 There was something almost surreptitious in her demeanor as she slipped through the door and carefully closed it behind her。
Perry Mason was seated at his desk。 His eyes squinted carefully。
〃Why the secrecy？〃 he asked。
She advanced a step or two into the room and looked at him； then turned to glance at the door and made certain that it was closed。
〃There's a man in the outer office who gives his name as Robert Gleason。〃
〃What does he want？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃He wants information about Miss Celane。〃
〃The one who has just been here？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You didn't tell him she had just been here？〃
〃Certainly not。〃
〃What did he say？〃
〃He said that he wanted to see you。 I asked him what the nature of his business was and he said it was about a client of yours。 I told him that he would have to give me the name of the client and tell me something of the nature of the business。 He said that it was about Miss Celane and he was very anxious to see you about her。〃
〃All right；〃 Mason said； 〃what did you tell him？〃
〃I told him that I wasn't familiar with the names of your clients； that he would have to be more specific concerning his business。 He's frightfully excited。〃
〃What's he excited about？〃 asked Mason。 〃The girl； his business； or what？〃
〃I don't know。 He's excited and nervous。〃
Mason squared his shoulders as though reaching a sudden decision。
〃Send him in；〃 he said； 〃I want to talk with him。〃
She nodded and turned； holding the door open。
〃You may e in；〃 she said。
There was the rustle of motion。 A man came into the room who radiated restlessness。 He was a thin man with a very pointed nose and large ears。 He walked with nervous jerky steps。 He was in the late twenties or early thirties。
〃You're Mason； the lawyer？〃 he asked； his voice quick with impatience。
Perry Mason surveyed him with patient eyes peering out from under heavy eyebrows。
〃Sit down；〃 he said。
His visitor hesitated； then sat down on the edge of one of the straight…backed chairs。
〃Now； what did you want？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃I want to find out whether Frances Celane called on you to…day。〃
Perry Mason's face was patiently appraising。
〃This is a law office and not an information bureau； Mr。 Gleason；〃 he said。
Gleason jumped nervously to his feet； made three swift strides to the window； stood against the light for a moment； then whirled to stare at the lawyer。
His eyes were dark and smouldering。 He seemed to be fighting some overpowering emotion。
〃Never mind the wisecracks；〃 he said。 〃I've got to know whether or not Fran Celane was here talking with you。〃
Perry Mason's voice did not change its expression
