erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第32部分

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　〃Exactly；〃　Mason　said。　〃And　in　every　one　of　them；　the　will　has　been　drafted　so　that　the　specific　bequests　are　mentioned　and　then；　at　the　close　of　the　will；　the　testator　says　'all　of　the　rest；　residue　and　remainder　of　my　estate；　of　whatsoever　nature　and　wheresoever　situated；　I　give；　devise　and　bequeath　to　。　。　。'〃
　〃That's　right；〃　she　said。
　Mason　said；　〃They　had　a　will。　The　last　page　of　it　is　authentic。　Probably　the　second　page　is　authentic；　the　first　page　is　a　forgery；　typed　on　Bannock's　typewriter　and　on　his　stationery；　but　typed　within　the　last　few　days。
　〃There's　a　substitute　page　in　that　will…and　it　had　to　be　done　on　the　same　typewriter　that　was　used　at　Bannock's　office　and　whoever　forged　it　had　to　have　an　opportunity　to　use　that　typewriter。〃
　〃But　who　forged　it？〃　Della　Street　asked。
　〃On　a　document　of　that　sort；〃　Mason　said；　〃the　person　or　persons　who　made　the　forgery　are　most　apt　to　be　the　persons　who　benefited　by　the　forgery。〃
　〃All　four　of　the　surviving　relatives　are　beneficiaries；〃　she　said。
　〃And　the　doctor；　the　nurse　and　the　chauffeur；〃　Mason　supplemented。
　The　lawyer　was　thoughtfully　silent　for　a　moment；　then　said；　〃There　was　one　thing　about　the　first　case　we　had　for　Virginia　Baxter　that　puzzled　me。〃
　〃What　was　that？〃
　〃The　officer　stating　that　he　couldn't　divulge　the　name　of　the　person　who　had　tipped　them　off；　but　that　person　had　been　thoroughly　dependable　in　his　prior　tip…offs。〃
　〃I　still　don't　get　it；〃　Della　Street　said。
　〃Whoever　wanted　to　forge　that　will　must　have　known　a　police　informer；　bribed　him　to　give　false　information　and　arranged　to　plant　the　dope　in　Virginia's　suitcase。〃
　Mason　pushed　back　his　chair；　jumped　to　his　feet；　looked　around　for　their　waiter。
　〃e　on；　Della；〃　he　said；　〃we　have　work　to　do。〃
　The　waiter　not　being　immediately　available；　Mason　dropped　a　twenty…dollar　bill　and　a　ten…dollar　bill　on　the　table　and　said；　〃That　will　cover　the　check　and　the　tip。〃
　〃But　that's　way　too　much；〃　Della　Street　protested；　〃and　I　have　to　keep　a　record　of　expenses。〃
　〃Don't　keep　a　record　of　these　expenses；〃　Mason　said。　〃Time　is　worth　more　than　keeping　accurate　records。　e　on；　let's　go。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE
　Paul　Drake　was　seated　in　his　cubbyhole　of　an　office；　at　the　end　of　a　long；　narrow　rabbit…warren　runway。　Fourtelephones　were　on　his　desk。　A　paper　plate　with　part　of　a　hamburger　sandwich　and　a　soiled；　greasy　paper　napkin　had　been　pushed　to　one　side。
　Drake　had　a　paper　container　filled　with　coffee　in　front　of　him。　He　was　holding　a　telephone　to　his　ear　and；　intermittently；　sipping　coffee　as　Mason　and　Della　Street　entered。
　〃All　right；〃　Drake　said　into　the　telephone；　〃stay　with　it　as　best　you　can。　Keep　in　touch　with　me。〃
　Drake　hung　up　the　telephone；　regarded　the　lawyer　and　his　secretary　in　dour　appraisal；　said；　〃Okay；　here　you　e　fairly　reeking　of　filet　mignon；　baked　potatoes；　French　fried　onions；　garlic　bread　and　vintage　wine。　I've　gagged　down　another　greasy　hamburger　sandwich；　and　already　my　stomach　is　beginning　to…〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　Mason　interrupted。　〃What　did　you　find　out　about　the　motel；　Paul？〃
　〃Nothing　that'll　help；〃　Drake　said。　〃A　man　checked　in　all　right；　and　his　bed　wasn't　slept　in。　He's　probably　our　man；　but　the　name　and　address　he　gave　were　phony；　the　license　of　the　car　he　wrote　down　was　incorrect…〃
　〃But　it　was　an　Oldsmobile；　wasn't　it？〃　Mason　asked。
　Drake　cocked　an　eyebrow。　〃That's　right；〃　he　said。　〃The　car　was　listed　as　an　Olds。　。　。　。　They　don't　usually　dare　put　a　wrong　make　on　the　register　when　they're　putting　down　the　make　of　the　car；　but　they　do　juggle　the　license　numbers　around；　sometimes　transposing　the　figures　and…〃
　〃The　description？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Nothing　worthwhile；〃　Drake　said。　〃A　rather　heavyset　man　with…〃
　〃Dark　eyes　and　a　mustache；〃　Mason　said。
　Drake　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃How　did　you　get　all　of　this？〃
　〃It　checks；〃　Mason　said。
　〃Go　on；〃　Drake　told　him。
　Mason　said；　〃Paul；　how　many　contacts　do　you　have？　That　is；　intimate　contacts　in　police　circles？〃
　〃Quite　a　few；〃　Drake　said。　〃I　give　them　tips；　they　give　me　tips。　Of　course；　they　wouldn't　let　me　get　away　with　anything。　They'd　bust　me　and　take　my　license　in　a　minute　if　I　did　anything　unethical。　If　that's　what　you're　leading　up　to；　I…〃
　〃No；　no；〃　Mason　said。　〃What　I　want　is　the　name　of　an　informer　police　rely　on　in　dope　cases　who　answers　the　description　of　the　man　who　checked　in　at　the　Saint's　Rest　Motel。〃
　〃That　might　be　hard　to　get；〃　Drake　said。
　〃And　again；　it　might　not；〃　Mason　said。　〃Whenever　they　issue　a　search　warrant　on　the　strength　of　an　informer's　testimony；　or　even　on　the　strength　of　a　tip；　they　have　to　disclose　the　source　of　their　information　if　they　want　to　use　the　evidence　they've　picked　up。　For　that　reason；　there's　quite　a　turnover　in　informers。
　〃After　an　informer　bees　too　well　known；　he　can't　do　any　more　work　because　the　underworld　has　him　spotted　as　a　stool　pigeon。
　〃Now；　my　best　guess　is　that　the　man　we　want　has　been　an　informer；　has　had　his　identity　disclosed　to　some　defense　lawyer　who；　in　turn；　has　tipped　off　the　dope　peddlers；　and　the　stool　pigeon　finds　himself　temporarily　out　of　a　meal　ticket。〃
　〃If　that's　the　case；〃　Drake　said；　〃I　can　probably　find　out　who　he　is　with　the　description　we　have。〃
　Mason　gestured　toward　the　telephones。　〃Get　busy；　Paul。　We're　going　down　to　my　office。〃
　〃How　strong　can　I　go？〃　Drake　asked。
　〃Go　just　as　strong　as　you　have　to　to　get　results；〃　Mason　told　him。　〃This　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death。　I　want　the　information　and　I　want　it　just　as　fast　as　I　can　get　it。　Put　out　a　dozen　men　if　you　have　to；　get　calls　through　to　everybody　you　know；　tell　them　it's　a　matter　of　law　enforcement　and　offer　a　reward　if　you　have　to。〃
　〃Okay；〃　Drake　said；　wearily；　pushing　the　paper　coffee　container　to　one　side；　picking　up　the　telephone　with　his　left　hand；　opening　a　drawer　in　the　desk　with　his　right；　and　taking　out　a　bottle　of　digestive　tablets。
　〃I'll　call　you　as　soon　as　I　get　anything　or；　better　yet；　e　down　to　the　office　and　report。〃
　Mason　nodded。　〃e　on；　Della；〃　he　said；　〃we'll　wait　it　out。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO
　Mason　and　Della　Street　were　in　the　lawyer's　private　office。
　Della　had　the　big　electric　percolator　filled　with　coffee；　waiting　for　Paul　Drake。
　Mason　paced　the　floor　restlessly；　back　and　forth；　his　thumbs　hooked　in　his　belt；　his　head　thrust　slightly　forward。
　At　length　he　stopped　from　sheer　weariness；　dropped　into　a　chair　and　gestured　toward　the　coffee。
　Della　filled　his　cup。
　〃Why　did　you　make　all　this　to…do　about　the　handbag？〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　have　any　information　I　don't？〃
　Mason　shook　his　head。　〃You　know　I　don't。〃
　〃But　I　haven't　heard　anything　about　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　cash。〃
　Mason　said；　〃There's　something　mighty　peculiar　about　this　case；　Della。　Why　wasn't　the　handbag　found　in　the　car？〃
　〃Well；〃　Della　Street　said；　〃with　a　wild　surf；　a　stormy　night；　a　car　toppled　into　the　ocean…〃
　〃The　handbag；〃　Mason　said；　〃would　be　on　the　floor　of　the　car。　Or；　if　it　fell　out；　it　wouldn't　drift　far。　I　didn't　say　the　handbag　had　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　cash；　I　asked　Eagan　if　he　didn't　know　it　had　fifty　thousand　dollars　in　cash。　I　wanted　to　inspire　a　host　of　amateur　divers　to　search　for　that　bag。　I…〃
　Drake's　code　knock　sounded　on　the　door　of　Mason's　office。
　Della　Street　jumped　to　her　feet；　but　Mason　beat　her　to　the　door　and　jerked　it　open。
　Drake；　his　face　showing　lines　of　fatigue；　said；　〃I　think　I've　got　your　man；　Perry。〃
　〃Who　is　it？〃
　〃A　character　by　the　name　of　Hallinan　Fisk。　He　has　been　a　long…time　stoolie　for　the　police　in　one　of　the　suburbs　but　there　was　one　case　where　the　police　had　to　disclose　his　name　and　one　case　where　Fisk　had　to　testify。　Now　he's　a　known　informer。　He　thinks　his　very　life　is　in　danger。　He's　trying　to　get　sufficient　money　from　the　police　undercover　fund　to　leave　the　country。〃
　〃Any　hope　of　success？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Probably　some；〃　Drake　said；　〃but　the　police　don't　have　that　kind　of　money。　This　is　a　dog…eat…dog　world。　It's　not　generally　known；　but　the　police　in　this　outlying　town　sometimes　pay　off　their　informers　by　letting　them　cut　corners。
　〃Fisk　has　been　giving　the　police　information　on　big…time　stuff　and　also　on　dope。　He's　been　making　his　money　out　of　being　a　runner　for　a　bookmaker。　The　police　closed　their　eyes　to