erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第20部分

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n…law　won't　notice　me　in　case　they　should　start　out　on　a　search　for　Lauretta。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　is　going　on？〃　Della　asked。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Mason　said；　〃but　quite　obviously　there's　a　tie…in　between　the　wills　that　were　prepared　in　Bannock's　office　and　the　attitude　of　the　various　potential　heirs。〃
　Della　said；　〃It's　pretty　convenient　for　the　chauffeur。　He　inherits　under　the　will。　He　does　all　the　outdoor　cooking。　Lauretta　Trent　likes　highly　spiced　foods　and　every　once　in　a　while　she　has　a　violent　digestive　disturbance。　Perhaps　nothing　which　would　be　fatal　in　itself；　but　。　。　。　well；　a　violent　nausea　may　bring　on　a　fatal　heart　attack。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Mason　mented。
　〃There's　a　service　station　and　a　phone　booth　down　that　side　Street；〃　Della　Street　exclaimed。　〃I　just　had　a　glimpse　of　it　as　we　drove　by。〃
　〃That's　for　us；〃　Mason　said。
　They　made　a　U…turn；　drove　down　the　side　street　and　into　the　service　station。
　Della　entered　the　booth；　called　Information　and　got　the　number　of　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel　while　Mason　was　giving　instructions　to　the　attendant　to　fill　the　car　with　gasoline。
　Mason　was　just　entering　the　phone　booth　when　Della　made　the　connection　and　asked　for　Unit　14。
　She　eased　out　of　the　booth　while　Mason　stepped　in　past　her　and　took　the　telephone　from　Della's　hand。
　〃Hello。　Virginia？〃　he　asked　when　he　heard　his　client's　voice。
　〃Yes。　Is　this　Mr。　Mason？〃
　〃Yes。　Tell　me　what　happened。〃
　Virginia　Baxter　said；　〃I　know　that　you　told　me　to　stay　home；　but　the　phone　rang　and　it　was　Lauretta　Trent。　She　asked　me　if　I　would　mind　meeting　with　her　tonight　to　discuss　a　very　important　and　very　confidential　matter。　I　told　her　that　it　would　be　inconvenient　and　that　I　was　supposed　to　stay　home。
　〃So　she　told　me　that　she'd　make　it　well　worth　my　while。　That　she　would　pay　all　my　expenses　and　give　me　five　hundred　dollars。　But　the　understanding　was　I　must　refrain　from　municating　with　anyone。　Just　go　up　there　and　wait　for　her。〃
　〃And　you　did？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃I　did。　That　five　hundred　dollars　and　all　expenses　looked　as　big　to　me　as　a　mountain　of　pure　gold。
　〃I　realized　I　should　have　telephoned　you　but　she　specifically　stated　that　I　wasn't　to　get　in　touch　with　anyone。　Not　to　let　a　single　soul　on　earth　know　where　I　was。〃
　〃So？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃So　I　came　up　here　and　I've　been　here　for　something　over　an　hour　and　she　hasn't　shown　up　or　sent　me　any　message。　I　began　to　think　about　the　fact　that　I'd　let　you　down　and　so　I　decided　to　call　you　and　tell　you　where　I　was。
　〃I　called　Paul　Drake's　office。　They　told　me　that　you　were　out　at　Lauretta　Trent's　so　I　called　there　and　the　nurse　put　you　on　the　phone。〃
　〃You　hold　everything；〃　Mason　said。　〃We're　on　our　way　out　to　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel。　If　Lauretta　Trent　shows　up　before　we　get　there；　hold　her　there。〃
　〃But　how　can　I　hold　her？〃
　〃Make　some　excuse；〃　Mason　said。　〃Tell　her　that　you　have　some　very　important　information　for　her。　If　you　have　to；　tell　her　that　I'm　on　my　way　out。
　〃Tell　her　that　you　want　to　talk　with　her　privately。　Tell　her　the　whole　story；　starting　with　your　arrest　and　all　about　the　carbon　copies　of　the　files　from　Delano　Bannock's　office。〃
　〃You　think　my　arrest　was　connected　with　that？〃
　〃Very　much　so；〃　Mason　said。　〃I　think　the　idea　was　that　you　were　to　be　put　in　such　a　position　that　your　testimony　could　be　discredited　if　it　became　necessary　to　discredit　it。〃
　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　wait。〃
　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃I'm　in　my　room　here　at　the　motel。〃
　〃You've　been　there　for　how　long？〃
　〃More　than　an　hour。〃
　〃And　your　car？〃
　〃It's　outside　in　the　parking　lot。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃we're　ing　right　out。〃
　The　lawyer　hung　up　the　phone；　gave　his　credit　card　to　the　attendant　at　the　service　station；　said　to　Della　Street；　〃e　on；　Della；　we're　going　to　start　getting　things　_un_scrambled。〃
　They　drove　down　to　Santa　Monica；　then　up　along　the　beach　where　a　high；　angry　surf　was　pounding　on　their　left。　Mason　slowed　to　look　for　his　turnoff；　then　took　a　dirt　road　which　branched　off　and　curled　upward　in　a　series　of　twisting　curves。
　Mason　fed　gas　to　the　car　and　handled　the　wheel　with　deft　skill；　keeping　well　within　the　limits　of　safety；　yet　saving　every　precious　second　possible。
　As　Mason's　car　wound　its　way　up　the　tortuous　road；　Della　Street　said；　〃What　are　you　going　to　tell　Lauretta　Trent　if　she's　there　ahead　of　us；　Perry？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Mason　said。　〃I'll　have　to　remember　that　she's　not　my　client。〃
　〃The　chauffeur　will　probably　be　with　her。〃
　Mason　nodded。
　〃And　if　he　should　find　out　that　Dr。　Alton　has　now　changed　his　diagnosis　and　knows　that　she　has　been　subjected　to　arsenic　poisoning；　the　man　could　be　dangerous。　Lauretta　Trent　may　never　get　back　home。〃
　Mason　said；　〃If　I　can't　talk　with　her　privately　I　simply　might　put　her　in　even　more　danger　telling　her　about　the　poison。　I　am　not　under　any　obligation　to　tell　Lauretta　Trent　anything；　nor　under　obligation　to　withhold　anything。　I　can；　of　course；　ask　her　to　call　Dr。　Alton　and　let　him　break　the　news　to　her。〃
　〃And　then　what？〃
　〃Then；〃　Mason　said；　〃George　Eagan；　the　chauffeur；　wouldn't　necessarily　know　anything　about　what　has　been　said。　But　if　she　cares　enough　for　him　to　make　him　a　beneficiary　under　the　will；　it　will　probably　take　a　lot　more　than　a　mere　telephone　conversation　to　turn　her　against　him；　and　if　I　tell　her　anything；　it　will　turn　her　against　me。〃
　〃But　Dr。　Alton　is　also　a　beneficiary　under　the　will。〃
　〃We　don't　know　that。〃
　〃He　seems　to　think　so；〃　she　said。
　Mason　smiled　and　said；　〃Also　he　thought　the　first　attacks　were　acute　food　poisoning。　Let's　see　what　we　can　do　to　take　care　of　our　client　first。　She's　our　main　responsibility。　If　Lauretta　Trent　wants　to　see　her；　it's　for　a　reason。　Let's　find　out　the　reason　and　take　it　from　there。〃
　The　road　straightened　out　on　a　mesa　and；　within　a　short　distance；　Mason　saw　the　lights　of　the　motel。
　〃Strange　place　for　a　motel；〃　Della　Street　said。
　〃It's　for　people　going　up　to　the　lake　for　boating　and　for　fishermen；〃　Mason　said。　〃There　just　isn't　room　for　a　motel　on　the　main　highway。　It's　ocean　on　one　side　and　sheer　bluff　on　the　other。〃
　Mason　stopped　his　car　in　the　parking　place；　and　they　walked　down　the　long　line　of　cabins　and　came　to　Unit　14。
　He　tapped　on　the　door。
　Virginia　Baxter　flung　the　door　open。　〃My　gosh；　am　I　glad　to　see　you！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Won't　you　e　in？〃
　〃Where's　Lauretta　Trent？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃I　haven't　heard　another　word　from　her；　not　a　word。〃
　〃But　she　asked　you　to　e　out　here？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃She　said　she　had　something　to　tell　me。　Something　of　the　greatest　importance　to　me。〃
　〃And　when　did　this　conversation　take　place？〃
　〃Well；　let's　see　。　。　。　I　left　your　office　and　went　to　a　branch　post　office　that　wasn't　too　far　from　my　apartment。　I　sent　the　letter　to　myself；　registered　mail。　I　had　a　malted　milk；　went　to　my　apartment　and　hadn't　been　there　more　than　。　。　。　oh；　an　hour　or　an　hour　and　a　half；　when　the　phone　rang　and　Lauretta　Trent　told　me　who　she　was　and　asked　me　if　I　would　meet　her。〃
　〃Up　here　at　this　motel？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃She　gave　you　directions　how　to　get　here　or　did　you　know　the　place？〃
　〃No；　she　told　me　exactly　how　to　drive　to　get　here　and　wanted　me　to　assure　her　that　I'd　be　leaving　right　away　and　wouldn't　tell　a　soul。〃
　〃What　time　did　she　say　she'd　meet　you？〃
　〃She　didn't　give　me　a　fixed　time；　but　said　she'd　be　here　within　an　hour　after　I　arrived。〃
　Mason　said；　〃You　met　Lauretta　Trent　when　she　was　in　the　law　office　where　you　worked？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　were　a　witness　to　one　of　her　wills？〃
　〃I　think　there　were　two　wills；　Mr。　Mason；　and　I　can't　specifically　remember　being　a　witness；　but　I　remember　drawing　up　the　wills…that　is；　doing　the　typing…and　I　remember　there　was　some　peculiar　provision　in　the　wills；　something　about　her　relatives…there　was　something　unusual　about　it。　She　didn't　trust　her　relatives；　I　know　that…that　is；　she　felt　they　were　just　waiting　for　her　to　die　and　that　their　interest　in　her　was　purely　selfish。　I've　been　trying　my　best　to　think　what　it　was　that　was　in　at　least　one　of　the　wills；　but　somehow　I　just　can't　seem　to　get　it　clear　in　my　mind。　I　have　that　vague　recollection…You　must　remember　that　we　drew　lots　of　wills　in　the　office。〃
　Mason　said；　〃Right　at　the　moment　I　am　not　primarily　concerned　with　whether　you