esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第4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　thought　perhaps　you'd　send　your　girl　to　try　and　spot　her。　She　seemed　relieved　when　the　elevator　got　down。
　　〃She　walked　to　the　corner；　and　I　tagged　along　behind；　keeping　a　few　people　between　her　and　me。　She　ducked　into　the　department　store　across　the　street；　walked　right　along　as　though　she　knew　exactly　what　she　wanted　to　do；　and　went　into　the　Women's　Rest　Room。
　　〃She　looked　sort　of　funny　when　she　went　in　there；　and　I　had　an　idea　maybe　it　was　a　dodge；　so　I　hunted　up　an　attendant；　and　asked　him　if　there　was　any　other　way　out　of　the　Women's　Rest　Room。　It　seems　there　are　three　ways　out。　There's　a　way　that　goes　into　the　beauty　parlor。　There's　a　way　into　the　manicuring　room；　and　a　way　into　the　cafe。〃
　　〃Which　way　did　she　take？〃　asked　Mason。
　　〃She　took　the　beauty　parlor　just　about　fifteen　seconds　before　I　covered　it。　I　figured　she'd　simply　used　the　dressing　room　stuff　as　a　blind。　She　knew　that　a　man　couldn't　follow　her　in　there；　and　she'd　evidently　figured　it　all　out　in　advance。　I　found　out　this　much；　she　had　a　car　parked　in　front　of　the　beauty　parlor　street　exit；　with　a　chauffeur　sitting　at　the　wheel。　The　car　was　a　big　Lincoln；　if　that'll　help　you　any。〃
　　〃It　won't；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃I　didn't　think　it　would；〃　grinned　Drake。
　　
　　
　　　2。
　　
　　Frank　Locke　had　coarse；　mahogany　skin；　and　wore　a　tweed　suit。
　　His　skin　didn't　have　the　tanned　appearance　which　es　from　outdoor　sports；　but　looked　rather　as　though　it　had　absorbed　so　much　nicotine　that　it　had　bee　stained。　His　eyes　were　a　mild　brown；　the　color　of　milk　chocolate；　and　absolutely　without　sheen。　They　seemed　dead　and　lifeless。　His　nose　was　big；　and　his　mouth　weak。　To　a　casual　observer；　he　seemed　utterly　mild　and　innocuous。
　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　talk　here。〃
　　Perry　Mason　shook　his　head。　〃No；　you've　got　this　place　rigged　up　with　all　sorts　of　dictographs。　I'll　talk　where　I　know　that　you're　the　only　one　that'll　hear　what　I'm　going　to　say。〃
　　〃Where？〃　asked　Frank　Locke。
　　〃You　can　e　to　my　office；〃　said　Mason；　without　hope　or　enthusiasm　in　his　tone。
　　Frank　Locke　laughed；　and　his　laugh　was　gratingly　mirthless。　〃Now　I'll　tell　one；〃　he　said。
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Mason。　〃Put　on　your　hat；　and　start　out　with　me。　We'll　agree　on　some　place。〃
　　〃How　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Locke；　his　eyes　suddenly　suspicious。
　　〃We'll　pick　a　hotel；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃One　that　you've　picked　out　already？〃　asked　Locke。
　　〃No；〃　said　Mason；　〃we'll　get　a　cab　and　tell　him　to　drive　us　around。　If　you're　that　suspicious；　you　can　pick　the　hotel　yourself。〃
　　Frank　Locke　hesitated　a　minute；　then　said：　〃Excuse　me　a　moment。　I'll　have　to　see　if　it's　all　right　for　me　to　leave　the　office。　I've　got　some　things　that　I've　been　working　on。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Mason；　and　sat　down。
　　Frank　Locke　jumped　up　from　behind　the　desk　and　left　the　room。　He　left　the　door　open　as　he　went　out。　From　the　outer　offices　came　the　clack　of　busy　typewriters；　the　hum　of　voices。　Perry　Mason　sat　and　smoked　placidly。　His　face　held　that　expression　of　absorbed　concentration　which　was　so　typical　of　him。
　　He　waited　almost　ten　minutes。　Then　Frank　Locke　came　in；　wearing　his　hat。
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　leave　now。〃
　　The　two　men　left　the　building　together；　hailed　a　cruising　cab。
　　〃Drive　around　the　business　section；〃　said　Perry　Mason。
　　Locke　regarded　the　attorney　with　those　chocolate　brown　eyes　of　his；　which　seemed　to　contain　no　expression　whatever。
　　〃Maybe　we　could　talk　here；〃　he　said。
　　Mason　shook　his　head。　〃I　want　to　talk　where　I　don't　have　to　yell。〃
　　Locke　grinned　and　said：　〃I'm　used　to　being　yelled　at。〃
　　Mason　said；　grimly：　〃When　I　yell；　I　mean　business。〃
　　Locke　lit　a　cigarette；　with　a　bored　air。
　　〃Yeah？〃　he　said　casually。
　　The　cab　turned　to　the　left。　〃There's　a　hotel；〃　said　Mason。
　　Locke　grinned。　〃I　see　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　like　it　because　you　picked　it　out；　and　because　it's　too　near。　I'm　going　to　pick　the　hotel。〃
　　Perry　Mason　said：　〃Okay。　Go　ahead　and　pick　one。　Just　don't　tell　the　driver　where　to　go。　Let　him　drive　around　and　you　can　pick　any　hotel　that　he　drives　by。〃
　　Locke　laughed。　〃Getting　cautious；　ain't　we？〃
　　Perry　Mason　nodded。
　　Locke　tapped　on　the　glass。　〃We'll　get　out　here；〃　he　said；　〃at　the　hotel。〃
　　The　cab　driver　looked　at　him　with　mild　surprise　but　braked　the　car　to　a　stop。　Mason　flipped　him　a　fifty　cent　piece；　and　the　two　men　walked　into　the　lobby　of　the　cheap　hotel。
　　〃How　about　the　parlor？〃　asked　Locke。
　　〃Suits　me；〃　said　Mason。
　　They　walked　across　the　lobby；　took　the　elevator　to　the　mezzanine　floor；　walked　past　the　manicurist's　room；　and　sat　down　in　chairs　that　faced　each　other；　with　a　smoking　stand　in　between。
　　〃All　right；〃　said　Locke；　〃you're　Perry　Mason；　an　attorney。　You're　representing　somebody；　and　you　want　something。　Shoot！〃
　　Mason　said：　〃I　want　something　kept　out　of　your　paper。〃
　　〃Lots　of　people　do；〃　said　Locke。　〃What　do　you　want　out？〃
　　Mason　said：　〃Well；　let's　discuss　procedure　first。　Are　you　willing　to　talk　a　straight　money　proposition？〃
　　Locke　shook　his　head　emphatically。
　　〃We're　not　a　blackmailing　sheet；〃　he　said。　〃We　sometimes　extend　favors　to　our　advertisers。〃
　　〃Oh；　that's　it；　is　it？〃　said　Mason。
　　〃That's　it；〃　said　Locke。
　　〃What　would　I　advertise？〃　asked　Mason。
　　Locke　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃We　don't　care；〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　need　to　advertise　anything；　if　you　don't　want　to。　We　sell　you　the　space。　That's　all。〃
　　〃I　see；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃Okay。　What　is　it　you　want？〃
　　〃There　was　a　murder　at　the　Beechwood　Inn　last　night。　That　is；　there　was　a　shooting。　I　don't　know　whether　it　was　a　murder　or　not。　I　understand　that　the　man　who　was　shot　was　trying　to　hold　up　the　joint。〃
　　Frank　Locke　turned　his　dispassionate　milk…chocolate　eyes　upon　the　attorney。
　　〃Well？〃　he　asked。
　　Mason　continued：　〃I　understand　there's　some　mystery　about　the　thing。　That　is；　the　District　Attorney　is　going　to　make　quite　an　investigation。〃
　　Locke　said：　〃You　still　haven't　told　me　anything。〃
　　〃I'm　telling　you；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃Okay。　Go　ahead。〃
　　〃Somebody　told　me；〃　continued　Mason；　〃that　the　list　of　witnesses　that　was　handed　to　the　District　Attorney　might　not　be　plete。〃
　　Locke　stared　at　him。
　　〃Who　do　you　represent？〃　he　asked。
　　〃A　possible　advertiser　in　your　paper；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃All　right。　Go　on。　Let's　hear　the　rest　of　it；〃　Locke　invited。
　　〃You　know　the　rest　of　it；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃Even　if　I　did；　I　wouldn't　admit　it；〃　Locke　replied。　〃I　don't　do　anything　except　sell　advertising　space。　You've　got　to　e　out　in　the　open。　You're　the　one　that　es　all　the　way。　I　don't　budge　an　inch。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　Mason　said。　〃As　an　advertiser　in　your　paper；　I　wouldn't　like　to　see　it　mix　into　that　murder　too　closely。　That　is；　I　wouldn't　like　to　have　it　mention　the　name　of　any　witness　who　might　have　been　there；　but　whose　name　wasn't　included　on　the　list　which　was　given　to　the　District　Attorney。　I　would　particularly　dislike　to　see　your　paper　e　out　with　the　name　of　some　prominent　witness　whose　name　had　been　omitted　from　that　list；　and　ask　why　he　was　not　summoned　as　a　witness　and　questioned。　And；　still　speaking　as　an　advertiser；　I　would　dislike　very　much　to　see　any　ment　made　in　any　way　about　this　witness　having　a　panion　with　him；　or　any　surmises　as　to　the　identity　of　that　panion。　Now　then；　how　much　is　advertising　space　going　to　cost　me？〃
　　〃Well；〃　said　Locke；　〃if　you're　going　to　dictate　the　policies　of　the　paper；　you'll　have　to　take　quite　a　bit　of　advertising。　It　would　have　to　be　handled　under　a　contract。　I　would　draw　up　an　advertising　contract　with　you；　and　agree　to　sell　you　the　space　over　a　period　of　time。　The　agreement　would　contain　a　clause　for　liquidated　damages　in　the　event　you　broke　the　contract。　Then；　if　you　didn't　want　to　take　all　the　advertising；　you　could　pay　over　the　sum　of　liquidated　damages。〃
　　Perry　Mason　said：　〃I　could　pay　over　that　sum　just　as　soon　as　I　broke　the　contract？〃
　　〃Sure；〃　said　Locke。
　　〃And　I　could　break　the　contract　just　as　soon　as　it　was　drawn　up；　eh？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Locke。　〃We　wouldn't　like　that。　You'd　have　to　wait　a　day　or　two。〃
　　〃There'd　be　no　action　taken　while　I　was　waiting；　of　course；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃Of　course。〃
　　Mason　took　out　a　cigarette　case；　fished　out　a　cigarette　with　his　long；　capable　fingers；　lit　it；　and　surveyed　Locke　with　eyes　that　were　cold　and　uncordial。
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I've　said　everything　I　came　to　say。　Now　I'm　listening。〃
　　Locke　got　up　from　his　chair　and　took　several　paces　up　and　down　the　floor。　His　head　was　thrust　forward；　and　his　chocolate　colored　eyes　blinked　rapidly。
　　〃I've　got　to　think　this　thing　over；〃　he　said。
　　Mason　took　out　his　watch　and　looked　at　it。　〃All　right；　you've　got　ten　minutes　to　do　your　thinking　in。〃
　　〃No；　no；〃　said　Locke。　〃It's　going　to　take　a　little　while　to　think　it　over。〃
　　〃No；　it　isn't；〃　said　Mason。
　　〃I　say　it　is。〃
　　〃You've　got　ten　minutes；〃　insisted　Mason。
　　〃You're　the　one　that　came　to　me；〃　said　Locke。　〃I　didn't　e　to　you。〃
　　Mason　said：　〃Don't　be　foolish。　Remember　that　I'm　representing　a　client。　You've　got　to　make　a　proposition　to　me；　and　I've　got　to　see　that　it's　transmitted　to　my　client。　And　it　isn't　going　to　be　easy　to　get　in