esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第35部分

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　　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　it's　such　a　clumsy　forgery；　that　they　can't　even　get　a　handwriting　expert　to　testify　that　it's　genuine。　They　realize　now　the　position　that　they're　in；　but　they've　already　filed　the　will　and　made　affidavits　to　the　effect　that　it's　genuine。　They　don't　dare　to　back　up。　It's　pretty　slick。〃
　　She　got　slowly　to　her　feet。
　　〃You've　got　to　have　some　proof　of　this；〃　she　said；　but　her　tone　was　thin　and　trembling。
　　Mason　nodded　his　head　to　Drake。
　　〃Go　in　the　next　room；　Drake；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　find　Mrs。　Veitch　in　there。　Bring　her　out　and　let　her　corroborate　what　I've　said。〃
　　Drake's　face　was　like　a　mask。　He　got　up　and　walked　to　the　connecting　door　which　led　to　the　adjoining　room。　He　opened　it。
　　〃Mrs。　Veitch；〃　he　called。
　　There　was　a　rustle　of　motion。
　　Mrs。　Veitch；　tall；　bony；　dressed　in　black；　walked　into　the　room　with　her　lack…luster　eyes　staring　straight　ahead。
　　〃Good　morning；〃　she　said　to　Eva　Belter。
　　Perry　Mason　suddenly　said；　〃Just　one　moment；　Mrs。　Veitch。　There's　one　other　matter　I　want　to　clear　up　before　I　have　you　make　your　statement　to　Mrs。　Belter。　If　you'll　just　step　back　in　the　other　room　for　a　moment；　please。〃
　　Mrs。　Veitch　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　room。
　　Paul　Drake　flashed　Perry　Mason　a　quizzical　glance；　and　shut　the　door。
　　Eva　Belter　took　two　steps　toward　the　outer　door；　then　suddenly　toppled　forward。
　　Perry　Mason　caught　her　as　she　pitched　forward。
　　Drake　came　up　and　took　her　legs。　Together；　they　carried　her　to　the　bed；　and　laid　her　down。
　　Della　Street　laid　down　her　pencil；　gave　a　little　exclamation；　and　pushed　back　her　chair。
　　Mason　turned　on　her　almost　savagely。
　　〃Stay　there！〃　he　said。　〃Take　down　everything　that's　said！　Don't　miss　a　word！〃
　　He　went　to　the　washstand；　sopped　a　towel　in　cold　water；　and　slapped　it　down　on　Eva　Belter's　face。　They　loosened　the　front　of　her　dress；　and　slapped　her　chest　with　the　towel。
　　She　gasped　and　recovered　consciousness。
　　She　looked　up　at　Mason；　and　said；　〃Please；　Perry；　help　me。〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　help　you；〃　he　said；　〃as　long　as　you're　trying　to　give　me　the　double…cross。〃
　　〃I'll　e　clean；〃　she　wailed。
　　〃All　right。　What　happened？〃
　　〃Just　what　you　said；　only　I　didn't　know　Mrs。　Veitch　knew　about　it。　I　didn't　know　any　one　heard　George　call　me　or　heard　the　shot。〃
　　〃How　close　to　him　were　you　when　you　shot　him？〃
　　〃I　was　way　across　the　room；〃　she　answered　tonelessly。　〃Honestly；　I　didn't　intend　to　do　it。　I　just　shot　him　on　impulse。　I　had　the　gun　to　use　for　defense　in　the　event　he　should　attack　me。　I　was　afraid　he'd　try　to　kill　me。　He　had　a　violent　temper；　and　I　knew　that　if　he　ever　found　out　about　Harrison　Burke；　he'd　do　something　awful。　As　soon　as　I　knew　he'd　found　out；　I　slipped　the　gun　into　my　hand。　When　he　started　for　me；　I　screamed　and　shot。　I　guess　I　dropped　the　gun　right　there　on　the　floor。　I　wasn't　certain　about　it　at　the　time。　Honestly；　the　idea　of　getting　Burke　into　it　never　occurred　to　me　then。　I　was　too　rattled　to　think　of　anything。　I　simply　ran　out　into　the　night。
　　〃I'm　not　a　fool；　and　I　knew　how　black　things　would　look　for　me；　particularly　in　view　of　the　mess　that　I　was　in　with　Harrison　Burke　on　account　of　the　Beechwood　Inn　murder。
　　〃I　just　ran　blindly　out　into　the　rain　and　didn't　have　very　much　of　an　idea　what　I　was　doing。　I　remember　grabbing　a　coat　as　I　went　past　the　hall　stand。　But　it　shows　how　rattled　I　was　that　I　didn't　even　take　my　own　coat。　It　was　there；　but　I　grabbed　an　old　overcoat　that　Carl　Griffin　sometimes　wore。　I　threw　it　around　me　and　kept　running。　After　a　while　I　got　my　wits　about　me　and　decided　that　I'd　better　call　you。　I　didn't　know　then　whether　or　not　he　was　dead。　But　I　knew　that　if　I　was　going　to　have　to　face　him；　I　wanted　to　have　you　with　me。
　　〃He　didn't　run　after　me；　so　I　was　afraid　that　I'd　killed　him。　It　really　wasn't　premeditated。　It　was　just　on　impulse。　He'd　found　my　purse　and　gone　through　it。　That　was　a　habit　he　had；　looking　for　letters。　I　wasn't　foolish　enough　to　have　any　letters　in　there；　but　I　did　have　those　receipts；　and　he　put　two　and　two　together。
　　〃He　was　taking　a　bath　when　I　came　in。　He　heard　me；　I　guess。　He　climbed　out　of　the　bathtub；　and　threw　the　bathrobe　around　him；　and　started　bellowing　for　me。　I　went　up　there　and　he　had　the　receipts。　He　accused　me　of　being　the　woman　who　was　with　Harrison　Burke；　and　then　he　accused　me　of　a　lot　of　things；　and　said　that　he　was　going　to　throw　me　out　without　a　penny。　I　became　hysterical；　and　grabbed　the　gun　and　shot　him。　After　I　got　down　to　the　drug　store；　and　was　ready　to　telephone　you；　I　realized　that　I　was　going　to　need　somebody　to　stand　back　of　me。　I　didn't　have　any　money　of　my　own。　I　told　you　that。　My　husband　kept　all　the　money；　and　only　gave　me　a　little　at　a　time。　I　knew　about　the　will　that　was　made　out　in　favor　of　Carl　Griffin；　and　I　was　afraid　that　I　couldn't　get　any　money　out　of　the　estate　while　it　was　being　tied　up　in　probate。　I　knew　that　Harrison　Burke　would　be　afraid　of　getting　his　name　mixed　into　the　thing；　and　that　he'd　leave　me　flat。　I　had　to　have　money；　I　had　to　have　somebody　to　stand　back　of　me。　So　I　rang　up　Harrison　Burke　and　deliberately　mixed　him　into　it。　I　told　him　that　something　had　happened；　and　that　his　gun　had　figured　in　it。　That　I　didn't　know　who　the　man　was　that　had　killed　him；　but　I　did　know　that　his　gun　was　on　the　floor。
　　〃It　was　a　stall　that　wouldn't　have　gone　over　with　you；　but　it　went　over　with　Burke　all　right。　Burke　was　frantic。
　　〃I　told　him　there　was　only　one　thing　to　do；　and　that　was　for　him　to　get　under　cover；　and　fix　it　so　they　couldn't　trace　the　gun　to　him；　if　he　could。　And　in　the　meantime；　to　see　that　you　had　plenty　of　money　to　go　ahead　and　do　anything　that　you　could。　Then　I　telephoned　you　and　got　you　to　e　over。
　　〃While　you　were　driving　down　there；　I　got　to　thinking　how　much　better　it　would　be　if　I　could　have　you　in　a　position　where　you　were　forced　to　get　me　out　of　it　in　order　to　save　yourself　and　also；　have　some　kind　of　an　explanation　that　I　could　make　to　the　police　if　the　police　should　start　suspecting　me。
　　〃You　were　right　about　that。〃　She　went　on；　〃I　knew　that　they　could　never　convict　you；　because　you　were　too　smart　and　skillful。　You　could　get　out　of　it；　and　I　figured　that　if　they　got　to　crowding　me　too　close；　I'd　give　them　the　information　that　I　did；　so　that　they'd　go　after　you　and　that　would　clear　me。　If　they　ever　tried　to　e　back　on　me　after　you　had　drawn　their　fire；　I　knew　that　it　would　be　an　easy　case　to　beat。〃
　　Mason　looked　up　at　Paul　Drake　and　shook　his　head。
　　〃Nice　little　playmate；　isn't　she？〃　he　said。
　　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。
　　Mason　looked　at　the　occupants　of　the　room。　Then　tiptoed　to　the　door；　and　opened　it。
　　Sidney　Drumm　stood　on　the　threshold。　There　was　another　man　back　of　him。
　　〃Hello；　Perry；〃　he　said。　〃We　had　a　devil　of　a　time　finding　you。　We　trailed　Della　Street　to　this　hotel；　but　it　took　us　quite　a　little　while　to　find　out　what　alias　you　were　registered　under。　I'm　sorry　to　bother　you；　but　you've　got　to　take　a　little　ride　with　me。　The　District　Attorney　wants　to　ask　you　a　few　questions。〃
　　Mason　nodded。　〃Walk　right　in；〃　he　said。
　　Eva　Belter　gave　a　little　cry。　〃Perry；　you've　got　to　protect　me！　I　came　clean。　You've　got　to　stand　back　of　me。〃
　　Perry　looked　at　her；　then　turned　abruptly　to　Sidney　Drumm。
　　〃This　is　a　break　for　you；　Sidney；〃　he　said。　〃You're　going　to　be　able　to　make　the　arrest。　This　is　Eva　Belter；　who　has　just　confessed　to　the　murder　of　her　husband。〃
　　Eva　Belter　screamed；　got　to　her　feet　and　swayed　uncertainly。
　　Drumm　looked　from　one　to　the　other。
　　〃It's　a　fact；〃　Paul　Drake　said。
　　Mason　motioned　toward　Della　Street。
　　〃It's　all　down　there；〃　he　said；　〃in　black　and　white。　We've　got　witnesses；　and　we've　got　her　statement　taken　verbatim。〃
　　Sidney　Drumm　whistled　under　his　breath。
　　〃By　God；　Perry；〃　he　said；　〃that's　a　lucky　break　for　you！　They　were　going　to　charge　you　with　the　murder。〃
　　Mason's　voice　was　savage；　〃There　wasn't　any　luck　about　it。　I　was　willing　to　give　her　a　break　as　long　as　she　shot　square。　But　when　I　read　in　the　paper　about　her　dragging　me　into　it；　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　was　going　to　call　for　a　show…dow