esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第21章
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〃A detective？〃
〃No； a lawyer。〃
〃Huh。〃
〃I happen to represent Mrs。 Eva Belter；〃 he went on。 〃Does that mean anything to you？〃
〃Not a damn thing。〃
〃Well；〃 he protested； 〃don't get hard about it。 You might at least be sociable。〃
She made a grimace； spat forth a swift ment； 〃I hate to have my sleep interrupted at this hour in the morning； and I hate men who e busting in the way you did。〃
Mason ignored her statement。 〃Did you know that Frank Locke didn't own Spicy Bits？〃 he asked casually。
〃Who's Frank Locke； and what's Spicy Bits？〃
He laughed at her。
〃Frank Locke；〃 he said； 〃is the man who's been signing the checks on the special account of Spicy Bits； which you've been cashing every two weeks。〃
〃You're one of these smart guys； ain't you？〃 she said。
〃I get around；〃 Mason admitted。
〃Well； what about it？〃
〃Locke was just a figurehead。 A man by the name of Belter owned the paper。 Locke did what Belter told him to。〃
She stretched up her arms and yawned。 〃Well； what's that to me？ Have you got a cigarette？〃
Mason handed her a cigarette。 She came close to him while he applied the match； then strolled over and sat down on the bed； tucked her feet up in under her； and hugged her knees。
〃Go on；〃 she said； 〃if it interests you。 I reckon I can't get to sleep until after you leave。〃
〃You're not going to sleep any more today。〃
〃No？〃
〃No。 There's a morning paper outside the door。 Would you like to see it？〃
〃Why？〃
〃It tells all about the murder of George C。 Belter。〃
〃I hate murders before breakfast。〃
〃You might like to read about this one anyway。〃
〃All right；〃 she said； 〃go get me the paper。〃
He shook his head at her。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃you get the paper。 Otherwise； when I open the door something might happen； and I'd get pushed out。〃
She got up； puffing placidly at the cigarette； crossed to the door； opened it； reached out and picked up the paper。
The headlines screamed the news of the Belter murder。 She walked back to the bed； sat down with her feet tucked in under her； legs crossed； and read through the paper； smoking as she read。
〃Well；〃 she said。 〃I still don't see that it's anything in my young life。 Some guy got bumped。 It's too bad； but he probably had it ing to him。〃
〃He did；〃 said Mason。
〃Well； why should that make me lose my beauty sleep？〃
〃If you'll use your noodle；〃 he explained patiently； 〃you'll find out that Mrs。 Belter has e into a position where she controls all of the property in the estate and I happen to represent Mrs。 Belter。〃
〃Well？〃
〃You've been blackmailing Frank Locke；〃 he said； 〃and Locke has been embezzling trust funds in order to pay the blackmail。 That special account of Spicy Bits was an account that was given him to use in purchasing information。 He's been handing it over to you。〃
〃I'm in the clear；〃 she said； tossing the paper to the floor； 〃I didn't know anything at all about it。〃
He laughed at her。
〃How about the blackmail？〃
〃I don't know what you're talking about。〃
〃Oh； yes； you do； Esther。 You are shaking him down on account of this Georgia business。〃
That remark registered with her。 Her face changed color； and； for the first time； there was a startled look in her eyes。
Mason went on to press his advantage。
〃That；〃 he said； 〃wouldn't look pretty。 You may have heard of pounding a felony。 It's a crime in this state； you know。〃
She appraised him watchfully。 〃You're not a dick； just a lawyer？〃
〃Just a lawyer。〃
〃Okay；〃 she said。 〃What do you want？〃
〃Now you're mencing to talk turkey。〃
〃I'm not talking； I'm listening。〃
〃You were with Frank Locke last night；〃 he said。
〃Who says I was？〃
〃I do。 You went out with him； then came back here； and he stayed until long in the morning。〃
〃I'm free； white； and twenty…one；〃 she said； 〃and this is my home。 I guess I've got a right to entertain men friends if I want to。〃
〃Sure you have；〃 he said。 〃The next question is； have you got sense enough to know which side of your bread has got the butter？〃
〃How do you mean？〃
〃What did you do last night after you got back to the room？〃
〃Talked about the weather； of course。〃
〃That's fine；〃 he told her。 〃You had some drinks sent up； and sat and chatted； and then you got sleepy and went to sleep。〃
〃Who says that？〃 she asked。
〃That's what I say；〃 he explained； 〃and that's what you're going to say。 You got sleepy and passed out。〃
Her eyes were thoughtful。 〃How do you mean？〃
Mason spoke as though he had been a teacher coaching a pupil。 〃You were tired and you'd been drinking。 You got into your pajamas and went to sleep about eleven…forty； and you don't know anything that happened after that。 You don't know when Frank Locke left。〃
〃What good does it do me if I say I went to sleep？〃 she inquired。
Mason's tone was casual。 〃I think Mrs。 Belter would be very much inclined to overlook the matter of the embezzled account if you went to sleep as I mentioned。〃
〃Well； I didn't go to sleep。〃
〃You'd better think it over。〃
She stared at him with her big； appraising eyes and said nothing。
Mason crossed to the telephone and gave the number of Paul Drake's Detective Agency。
〃You know who this is； Paul；〃 he said； when he heard Drake's voice。 〃What have you got； anything？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Drake； 〃I've got something on the broad。〃
〃Spill it；〃 said Mason。
〃She won a beauty contest in Savannah；〃 said Drake。 〃She was under age at the time。 There was another kid living with her in an apartment。 A man got the kid in a jam； and then killed her。 He tried to cover up the crime and made a bum job of it。 He was arrested and tried。 This girl switched her testimony at the last minute and gave him a break。 He got a hung jury on the first trial； and managed to escape before they tried him again。 He's still a fugitive from justice。 His name is Cecil Dawson。 I'm looking him up for description and fingerprints； and any more dope I can get。 I have an idea that he may be the man you want。〃
〃Okay；〃 Mason said； as though he had expected just that。 〃That es in pretty handy right now。 Stay with it； and I'll get in touch with you a little later。〃
He hung up the telephone and turned back to the girl。
〃Well；〃 he asked； 〃what is it； yes or no？〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I told you that before； and I don't change my mind。〃
He stared at her； steadily。 〃You know； the funny part of it is；〃 he said； slowly； 〃that it goes farther back than just the blackmail。 It goes back to the time that you changed your testimony； and gave Dawson an opportunity to get a hung jury。 When he's brought back and tried on that murder charge； the fact that you have been here with him and taking these checks from him will put you in kind of a tough spot on a perjury prosecution。〃
Her face lost its color。 Her eyes were big； dark and staring。 Her mouth sagged open and she breathed heavily through it。
〃My God！〃 she said。
〃Exactly；〃 said Mason。 〃You were asleep last night。〃
She kept her eyes on him and asked； 〃Would that square it？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Mason told her。 〃It would square things at this end。 I don't know whether anybody's going to make a squawk about the Georgia business or not。〃
〃All right。 I was asleep。〃
Mason got up and moved toward the door。
〃You want to remember that；〃 he said。 〃Nobody knows about this except me。 If you tell Locke that I was here； or the proposition I made you； I'll see that you get the works everywhere along the line。〃
〃Don't be silly；〃 she said。 〃I know when I've had enough。〃
He walked out and closed the door behind him。
He got in his car and drove to Sol Steinburg's Pawnshop。
Steinburg was fat； with shrewd； twinkling eyes； a skull cap； and thick； curling lips； which were twisted in a perpetual smile。
He beamed on Perry Mason； and said； 〃Well； well； well。 It's been a long time since I've seen you； my friend。〃
Mason shook hands。 〃It certainly has； Sol。 And now I'm in trouble。〃
The pawnbroker nodded and rubbed his hands together。
〃Whenever they get in trouble；〃 he said； 〃they e to Sol Steinburg's place。 What is your trouble； my friend？〃
〃Listen；〃 said Mason； 〃I want you to do something for me。〃
The skull cap nodded in vigorous assent。
〃I'd do anything I could for you； y'understand。 Of course； business is business。 And if it's a business matter； you've got to e to me on a business basis； and take business treatment。 But if it ain't business y'understand； I'd do anything I could。〃
Mason's eyes twinkled。 〃It's business for you； Sol；〃 he said； 〃because you're going to make fifty dollars out of it。 But you don't have to invest anything。〃
The fat man broke out in laughter。
〃That；〃 he proclaimed； 〃is the kind of business I like to talk…when I don't have to invest anything； and make a fifty dollar profit already； I know it's a good business。 What do I do？〃
〃Let me see the register of revolvers you've sold；〃 Mason told him。
The man fished under a counter and produced a well…thumbed booklet； in which had been registered the style and make of the weapon； the number； the person to whom it was sold； and the signature of the purchaser。
Mason thumbed the pages until he found a 32…Colt automatic。
〃That's the one；〃 he said。
Steinburg leaned over the book； and stared at the registration。
〃What about it？〃
〃I'm ing in here with a man sometime today； or tomorrow；〃 said Mason； 〃and； as soon as you look at him； you nod your head vigorously； and say； 'That's the man； that's the man； that's the man； all right。' I'll ask you if you're sure it's the man and you get more and more certain。 He'll deny it； and the more he denies it； the more certain you get。〃
Sol Steinburg pursed his thick lips。 〃That might be serious。〃
Mason shook his head。
〃It would be if you said it in court；〃 he admitted； 〃but you're not going to say it in court。 You're not going to say it to anybody except this man。 And you're not going to say what it was he did。 Simply identify him as being the man。 Then you go in the back part of the store； and leave me with the firearm register here。 Do you understand？〃
〃Sure； sure；〃 said Steinburg。 〃I understand it fine。 All except one thing。〃
〃What's that？〃 asked Mason。
〃Where the fifty dollars is ing from。〃
Mason slapped his pants pocket。 〃Right here； Sol。〃 He pulled out a roll of bills from which he took fifty dollars； and handed it to the pawnbroker。
〃Anybody you e in with？〃 he asked。 〃Is that it？〃
〃Anybody I e in with；〃 Mason said。 〃I won't e in here unless I've got the right man。 I may have to dress the act up a little bit； but you follow my lead。 Is that okay？〃
The pawnbroker's caressing fingers folded the fifty dollars。
〃My friend；〃 he said； 〃whatever you do is all right with me。 I say whatever I am supposed to say； and I say it loud； y'understand。〃
〃That's fine；〃 said Mason。 〃Don't get shaken in your identification。〃
The skull cap twisted； as Sol Steinburg shook his head in vigorous negation。
Perry Mason walked out； whistling。
14。
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