esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第15节

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　　Suddenly　there　sounded　the　noise　of　a　motor　pounding　up　the　drive。　The　rain　had　ceased；　and　the　moon　was　breaking　through　the　clouds。
　　Above　the　noise　of　the　motor　could　be　heard　a　steady　thump。。。　thump。。。　thump。。。　thump。
　　The　car　came　to　a　stop；　and　a　horn　blared。
　　〃Now　what　the　devil？〃　said　Bill　Hoffman；　and　got　slowly　to　his　feet。
　　Perry　Mason　had　his　head　cocked　on　one　side；　listening。
　　〃Sounds　like　a　flat；〃　he　said。
　　Bill　Hoffman　moved　toward　the　door；　and　Perry　Mason　followed　along　behind　him。
　　Sergeant　Hoffman　opened　the　front　door。
　　There　were　four　or　five　police　cars　parked　in　the　driveway。　The　car　that　had　just　driven　up　was　on　the　outside　of　the　circle　of　parked　cars。　It　was　a　roadster　with　side　curtains　up。　A　vague　form　at　the　wheel　was　staring　at　the　house。　The　white　blur　of　his　face　could　be　seen　through　the　side　curtains　of　the　car。　He　was　holding　one　hand　on　the　horn　which　kept　up　a　steady；　incessant　racket。
　　Sergeant　Hoffman　stepped　out　into　the　light　on　the　porch；　and　the　noise　of　the　horn　ceased。
　　The　door　of　the　roadster　opened；　and　a　voice　called　in　thick　accents：
　　〃Digley。　I　got。。。　flat　tire。。。　can't　change。。。　don't　dare　bend　over。。。　don't　feel　well。　You　e　fixsh　car。。。　fixsh　tire。〃
　　Perry　Mason　remarked　casually；　〃That　probably　will　be　the　nephew；　Carl　Griffin。　We'll　see　what　he　has　to　say。〃
　　Bill　Hoffman　grunted。　〃If　I'm　any　judge　at　this　distance；　he　won't　be　able　to　say　much。〃
　　Together　they　moved　toward　the　car。
　　The　young　man　crawled　out　from　behind　the　steering　wheel；　felt　vaguely　with　a　groping　foot　for　the　step　of　the　roadster；　and　lurched　forward。　He　would　have　fallen；　had　it　not　been　for　his　hand　which　caught　and　held　one　of　the　supports　of　the　top。　He　stood　there；　weaving　uncertainly　back　and　forth。
　　〃Got　flat　tire；〃　he　said。　〃Want　Digley。。。　you're　not　Digley。　There's　two　of　you。。。　not　either　one　of　you　Digley。　Who　the　hell　are　you？　What　you　want　shish　time　of　night？　'Snot　a　nicesh　time　night　for　men　to　e　pay　call。〃
　　Bill　Hoffman　moved　forward。
　　〃You're　drunk；〃　he　said。
　　The　man　leered　at　him　with　owlish　scrutiny。
　　〃Course　I'm　drunk。。。　wash　schpose　I　shtayed　out　for？　Course　I'm　drunk。〃
　　Hoffman　said　patiently：　〃Are　you　Carl　Griffin？〃
　　〃Coursh　I'm　Carl　Griffin。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　said　Bill　Hoffman。　〃You'd　better　snap　out　of　it。　Your　uncle　has　been　murdered。〃
　　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　The　man　who　held　to　the　top　of　the　roadster　shook　his　head　two　or　three　times；　as　though　trying　to　shake　away　some　mental　fog　which　gripped　him。
　　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　more　crisp。
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Your　uncle；〃　said　the　Sergeant。　〃That　is；　I　presume　he's　your　uncle；　George　C。　Belter。　He　was　murdered　an　hour　or　an　hour　and　a　half　ago。〃
　　The　reek　of　whiskey　enveloped　the　man。　He　was　struggling　to　get　his　self…possession。　He　took　two　or　three　deep　breaths；　and　then　said；　〃You're　drunk。〃
　　Sergeant　Hoffman　smiled。　〃No；　Griffin；　we're　not　drunk；〃　he　said；　patiently。　〃You're　the　one　that's　drunk。　You've　been　out　going　places　and　doing　things。　You'd　better　e　in　the　house　and　see　if　you　can　pull　yourself　together。〃
　　〃Did　you　say　'murdered'？〃　asked　the　young　man。
　　〃That's　what　I　said…murdered；〃　repeated　Sergeant　Hoffman。
　　The　young　man　started　walking　toward　the　house。　He　was　holding　his　head　very　erect　with　his　shoulders　back。
　　〃If　he　was　murdered；〃　he　said；　〃it　was　that　damned　woman　that　did　it。〃
　　〃Who　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Sergeant　Hoffman。
　　〃That　baby…faced　bitch　he　married；〃　said　the　young　man。
　　Hoffman　took　the　young　man's　arm　and　turned　back　to　Perry　Mason。
　　〃Mason；〃　he　said；　〃would　you　mind　switching　off　the　motor　on　that　car　and　turning　off　the　lights？〃
　　Carl　Griffin　paused；　and　turned　unsteadily　back。
　　〃Change　tire；　too；〃　he　said；　〃right　front　tire…it's　been　flat　for　miles　and　miles。。。　better　change　it。〃
　　Perry　Mason　switched　off　the　motor　and　lights；　slammed　the　door　on　the　roadster；　and　walked　rapidly　to　catch　up　with　the　pair　ahead　of　him。
　　He　was　in　time　to　open　the　front　door　for　Bill　Hoffman　and　the　man　on　his　arm。
　　Seen　under　the　light　in　the　hallway；　Carl　Griffin　was　a　rather　good…looking　young　man　with　a　face　which　was　flushed　with　drink；　marked　with　dissipation。　His　eyes　were　red　and　bleary；　but　there　was　a　certain　innate　dignity　about　him；　a　stamp　of　breeding　which　made　itself　manifest　in　the　manner　in　which　he　tried　to　adjust　himself　to　the　emergency。
　　Bill　Hoffman　faced　him；　studied　him　carefully。
　　〃Do　you　suppose　that　you　could　sober　up　enough　to　talk　with　us；　Griffin？〃　he　asked。
　　Griffin　nodded。　〃Just　a　minute。。。　I'll　be　all　right。〃
　　He　pushed　away　from　Sergeant　Hoffman　and　staggered　toward　a　lavatory　which　opened　off　the　reception　room　on　the　lower　floor。
　　Hoffman　looked　at　Mason。
　　〃He's　pretty　drunk；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃Sure　he's　drunk；〃　Hoffman　replied；　〃but　it　isn't　like　an　amateur　getting　drunk。　He's　used　to　it。　He　drove　the　car　all　the　way　up　here　with　the　roads　wet；　and　with　a　tire　flat。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　agreed　Mason；　〃he　could　drive　the　car　all　right。〃
　　〃Apparently　no　love　lost　between　him　and　Eva　Belter；〃　Sergeant　Hoffman　pointed　out。
　　〃You　mean　what　he　said　about　her？〃　asked　Mason。
　　〃Sure；〃　said　Hoffman。　〃What　else　would　I　mean？〃
　　〃He　was　drunk；〃　Mason　said。　〃You　wouldn't　suspect　a　woman　on　account　of　the　thoughtless　remark　of　a　drunken　man；　would　you？〃
　　〃Sure；　he　was　drunk；〃　said　Hoffman；　〃and　he　piloted　the　car　up　here；　all　right。　Maybe　he　could　think　straight　even　if　he　was　drunk。〃
　　Perry　Mason　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　　〃Have　it　your　own　way；〃　he　said；　carelessly。
　　From　the　bathroom　came　the　sounds　of　violent　retchings。
　　〃I'll　bet　you　he　sobers　up；〃　remarked　Sergeant　Hoffman；　watching　Perry　Mason　with　wary　eyes；　〃and　says　the　same　thing　about　the　woman　when　he's　sober。〃
　　〃I'll　bet　you　he's　drunk　as　a　lord；　no　matter　whether　he　seems　to　be　sober　or　not；〃　snapped　Mason。　〃Some　of　these　fellows　are　pretty　deceptive　when　it　es　to　carrying　their　booze。　They　get　so　they　can　act　as　sober　as　judges；　but　they　haven't　very　much　of　an　idea　what　they're　doing　or　saying。〃
　　Bill　Hoffman　looked　at　him　with　a　suggestion　of　a　twinkle　in　his　eyes。
　　〃Sort　of　discounting　in　advance　what　ever　it　may　be　that　he's　going　to　say；　eh；　Mason？〃
　　〃I　didn't　say　that。〃
　　Hoffman　laughed。
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃you　didn't　say　it。　Not　in　exactly　those　words。〃
　　〃How　about　getting　him　some　black　coffee？〃　asked　Mason。　〃I　think　I　can　find　the　kitchen　and　put　some　coffee　on。〃
　　〃The　housekeeper　should　be　out　there；〃　Hoffman　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　offend　you；　Mason；　but　I　really　want　to　talk　to　this　man　alone；　anyway。　I　don't　know　exactly　what　your　status　in　this　case　is。　You　seem　to　be　a　friend　of　the　family　and　a　lawyer　both。〃
　　〃That's　all　right；〃　Mason　agreed　readily　enough。　〃I　understand　your　position；　Sergeant。　I　happen　to　be　out　here；　and　I'm　sticking　around。〃
　　Hoffman　nodded。　〃You'll　find　the　housekeeper　in　the　kitchen；　I　think。　Mrs。　Veitch；　her　name　is。　We　had　her　and　her　daughter　upstairs　questioning　them。　Go　on　out　there　and　see　if　they　can　scare　up　some　coffee。　Get　lots　of　black　coffee。　I　think　that　the　boys　upstairs　would　like　it　as　well　as　this　chap；　Griffin。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　Mason　said。　He　went　through　the　folding　doors　from　the　dining　room；　then　pushed　through　a　swinging　door　into　a　serving　pantry；　and　from　there　into　the　kitchen。
　　The　kitchen　was　enormous；　well　lit；　and　well　equipped。　Two　women　were　seated　at　a　table。　They　were　in　straight…backed　chairs；　and　were　sitting　close　to　each　other。　They　had　been　talking　in　low　tones　when　Perry　Mason　stepped　into　the　room；　and　they　ceased　their　conversation　abruptly　and　looked　up。
　　One　of　them　was　a　woman　in　the　late　forties；　with　hair　that　was　shot　with　gray；　deep…set；　lack…luster；　black　eyes　that　seemed　to　have　been　pulled　into　her　face　by　invisible　strings　that　had　worked　the　eyes　so　far　back　into　the　sockets　it　was　hard　to　tell　their　expression。　They　hid　from　sight　back　in　the　shadowed　hollows。　She　had　a　long　face；　a　thin；　firm　mouth；　and　high　cheek　bones。　She　was　dressed　in　black。
　　The　other　woman　was　very　much　younger；　not　over　twenty…two　or　three。　Her　hair　was　jet　black　and　glossy。　Her　eyes　were　a　snapping　black；　and　their　brightness　emphasized　the　dullness　of　the　deep…sunken　eyes　of　the　older　woman。　Her　lips　were　full　and　very　red。　Her　face　had　received　careful　attention　with　rouge　and　powder。　The　eyebrows　were　thin；　black　and　arched；　the　eyelashes　long。
　　〃You're　Mrs。　Veitch？〃　asked　Perry　Mason；　addressing　the　older　woman。
　　She　nodded　in　tight…lipped　silence。
　　The　girl　at　her　side　spoke　in　a　rich；　throaty　voice。
　　〃I'm　Norma　Veitch；　her　daughter。　What　is　it　you　wanted？　Mother's　all　upset。〃
　　〃Yes；　I　know；〃　apologized　Mason。　〃I　wondered　if　we　could　get　some　coffee。　Carl　Griffin　has　just　e　home；　and　I　think　he's　going　to　need　it。　And　there's　a　bunch　of　men　working　on　the　case　upstairs　who　will　want　some。〃
　　Norma　Veitch　got　to　her　feet。　〃Why；　I　guess　so。　It's　all　right　isn't　it；　Mother？〃　she　asked。
　　She　glanced　at　the　older　woman；　and　the　older　woman　nodded