erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第7部分

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！


　Judge　Albert　took　his　position　in　front　of　the　scales　and　beckoned　to　Virginia　to　e　and　stand　at　his　side。
　Mason　escorted　the　nervous　defendant　up　to　a　position　beside　the　judge。
　〃e　on　and　get　in　this　picture；　Mason；〃　Judge　Albert　invited。
　〃I　think　I'd　better　not；〃　Mason　said。　〃That　will　make　the　picture　look　posed　and　artificial　and　it　may　not　be　in　the　best　taste　from　the　standpoint　of　legal　ethics；　but　the　picture　of　you　'weighing　the　evidence'　will　attract　a　lot　of　attention。〃
　Judge　Albert　nodded；　said　to　Virginia；　〃Now；　Miss　Baxter；　if　you'll　just　look　at　the　beam　on　the　scales　here；　I'll　bend　over　and　be　adjusting　it…No；　no；　don't　look　at　the　camera；　look　at　the　scales。　Turn　a　little　if　you　want　to　so　you　can　get　your　best　angle　for　the　camera。〃
　Judge　Albert　put　a　hand　on　her　shoulder；　bent　over　and　moved　the　balancing　weight　back　and　forth　on　the　beam；　and　gleeful　photographers　exploded　flash　bulbs　in　rapid　succession。
　Judge　Albert　straightened；　looked　at　Mason；　then　beckoned　to　the　district　attorney　and　led　the　two　attorneys　out　of　earshot　of　the　reporters。
　〃There's　something　very　fishy　about　this　case；〃　Judge　Albert　said。　〃I　would　suggest；　Mr。　Caswell；　that　you　check　very　carefully　on　the　person　who　gave　you　this　information；　or　rather　misinformation　which　resulted　in　a　search　of　that　suitcase。〃
　The　prosecutor　said　hotly；　〃That　person　has　always　been　on　the　up…and…up　with　us；　his　information　has　been　reliable。〃
　〃Well；　it　wasn't　reliable　in　this　case；〃　Judge　Albert　said。
　〃I'm　not　so　certain　about　that；〃　Caswell　retorted。　〃After　all；　it's　not　entirely　impossible　that　the　bags　could　have　been　tampered　with。〃
　〃I　think　they　were；〃　Judge　Albert　said　bitingly；　〃but　I　think　the　tampering　occurred　after　the　bag　was　checked　by　Miss　Baxter　and　before　it　was　taken　off　the　revolving　rack。
　〃After　all；　this　Court　wasn't　born　yesterday　and　after　you　see　defendants　ing　and　going；　day　in　and　day　out；　you　have　an　opportunity　to　learn　something　about　human　nature。　This　young　woman　isn't　a　dope　pusher。〃
　〃And　after　you've　seen　Perry　Mason　pull　grandstand　after　grandstand；〃　Caswell　rejoined；　〃you　learn　something　about　dramatics。　This　scene　the　Court　has　just　participated　in　is　going　to　give　aid　and　fort　to　a　lot　of　persons　who　don't　wish　law　enforcement　any　good。〃
　〃Law　enforcement　had　better　bee　more　efficient　then；〃　Judge　Albert　snapped。　〃There　was　no　objection　to　calling　photographers　to　photograph　this　young　woman　when　her　suitcase　was　opened；　and　heaven　knows　how　much　harm　was　done　her　at　that　time。　I　only　hope　there　will　be　enough　publicity　in　connection　with　the　events　of　the　last　hour　to　more　than　offset　the　unfavorable　publicity　which　was　given　her　at　the　time　of　her　arrest。〃
　〃Well；　don't　worry；〃　Caswell　said　bitterly；　〃this　picture　will　go　out　over　the　wire　services　and　make　about　a　third　of　the　papers　in　the　United　States。〃
　〃Let's　hope　it　does；〃　Judge　Albert　said；　and　turning　on　his　heel；　headed　for　chambers。
　Caswell　walked　away　without　a　word　to　Mason。
　Mason　rejoined　Virginia　Baxter。　〃Want　to　go　in　the　witness　room　where　we　can　sit　down　and　talk　for　a　minute？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Anything；〃　she　said。　〃Anything；　Mr。　Mason。〃
　〃I　just　want　a　word　with　you；〃　Mason　said。
　He　led　her　into　the　witness　room；　held　a　chair　for　her；　sat　down　opposite　her　and　said；　〃Now　look；　who　would　have　it　in　for　you？〃
　〃You　mean　to　try　and　frame　me　on　a　narcotics　charge？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Heavens；　I　don't　know。〃
　〃Your　husband？〃
　〃He　was　very　bitter。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　give　him　a　divorce。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃He　was　a　sneak；　a　liar　and　a　cheat。　He　was　carrying　on　with　another　woman　all　the　time　I　was　working　my　head　off　trying　to　help　us　get　ahead。
　〃He　even　dipped　into　the　joint　account　we　had　in　order　to　help　finance　a　car　for　this　woman；　then　they　had　the　unmitigated　gall　to　tell　me　that　people　couldn't　control　their　emotions；　that　a　man　would　fall　in　love　and　he'd　fall　out　of　love　and　there　was　nothing　that　could　be　done　about　it。〃
　〃How　long　ago　was　this？〃
　〃About　a　year。〃
　〃And　you　didn't　give　him　his　freedom？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You're　still　married？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃How　long　since　you've　seen　him？〃
　〃Not　since　that　big　blowup；　but　he　has　called　me　up　on　the　phone　once　or　twice　and　asked　if　I　had　changed　my　mind。〃
　〃And　why　haven't　you　changed　your　mind？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Because　I'm　not　going　to　let　them　play　fast　and　loose　with　me　that　way。〃
　Mason　said；　〃All　right；　you're　going　to　remain　married　to　him。　What　advantage　will　that　be　to　you？〃
　〃It　won't　be　any　advantage　to　me　but　it　will　keep　them　from　taking　advantage　of　me。〃
　〃In　other　words；　anything　that　will　be　a　detriment　to　the　pair　of　them　will　be　to　your　advantage。　Is　that　the　way　you　feel？〃
　〃Well；　something　like　that。〃
　Mason　regarded　her　steadily。　〃Is　that　the　way　you　want　to　feel？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I　just　wanted　to　gouge　her　eyes　out。　I　wanted　to　hurt　her　in　every　way　I　could。〃
　Mason　shook　his　head。　〃There's　no　percentage　in　that；　Virginia。　Ring　him　up　and　tell　him　that　you've　decided　to　let　him　have　a　divorce；　that　you'll　file　the　divorce　action…there's　nothing　in　your　religion　against　it；　is　there？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃No　children？〃
　〃No。〃
　Mason　spread　his　hands　in　a　little　gesture。　〃There　you　are；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　a　future；　too；　you　know。〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I…〃
　〃Meaning　you've　met　someone　in　whom　you're　interested？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃I　。　。　。　I　have　met　lots　of　people　and；　for　the　most　part；　I　have　been　plenty　sour　on　men。〃
　〃But　lately　you've　met　one　who　seems　to　be　different？〃
　She　laughed　nervously。　〃Must　you　cross…examine　me　now？〃　she　asked。
　Mason　said；　〃Whenever　you've　made　a　mistake　in　life；　the　best　thing　to　do　is　to　wipe　the　slate　clean　and　put　that　mistake　behind　you。
　〃However；　what　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about　was　the　fact　that　someone　is　trying　to　put　you　in　a　position　where　you'll　be　discredited。
　〃I　don't　know　who　it　is；　but　it's　some　person　who　has　a　certain　amount　of　ingenuity　and；　apparently；　some　underworld　connections。
　〃That　person　has　struck　once。　You've　avoided　the　trap；　but　other　traps　can　be　set　and　that　person　can　strike　again。　I　don't　like　it　and　if　there's　any　possibility　it's　your　husband；　I'd　like　to　eliminate　him　from　the　picture。
　〃There　is；　of　course；　the　woman　with　whom　your　husband　was　in　love　and　with　whom；　I　presume；　he　is　now　living。
　〃Do　you　know　her？　Do　you　know　anything　about　her　background？〃
　〃Not　a　thing。　I　know　her　name　and　that's　just　about　all。　My　husband　was　very　careful　that　I　didn't　learn　too　much　about　her。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃here's　my　suggestion。　File　for　a　divorce　on　the　ground　of　desertion　or　cruelty。　Leave　her　name　out　of　it；　get　it　over　with　and　get　your　freedom；　and　if　there　is　anything　out　of　the　ordinary　that　happens　within　the　next　few　days；　anything　suspicious；　any　anonymous　telephone　calls；　anything　that　seems　strange；　call　me　immediately。〃
　Mason　patted　her　shoulder　and　said；　〃You're　free　now。〃
　〃But　what　do　I　do　about　your　fee；　Mr。　Mason？〃
　Mason　said；　〃Send　me　a　check　for　a　hundred　dollars　when　you　get　around　to　it　and　find　it　convenient；　but　don't　worry　about　it。〃
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　There　had　been　a　dearth　of　news　the　night　before　and　as　a　result　the　story　about　〃weighing〃　the　evidence　had　been　given　considerable　prominence。
　Virginia　Baxter　read　the　papers　with　a　growing　sense　of　relief。　The　reporters　had　sensed　that　she　had　been　framed　and　had　done　their　best　to　see　that　her　vindication　was　featured　as　top　news。
　The　newspaper　photographers；　thoroughgoing　professionals；　had　done　an　excellent　job　with　their　cameras；　while　Judge　Albert；　leaning　over　the　scales；　had　placed　a　steadying　and　paternal　hand　on　Virginia's　shoulder。
　It　has　been　truthfully　said　that　one　picture　tells　more　than　ten　thousand　words；　and　in　this　case；　the　jurist's　attitude　left　no　doubt　of　his　faith　in　Virginia　Baxter's　innocence。
　The　headlines　in　one　of　the　newspapers　read；　FORMER　LEGAL　SECRETARY　VINDICATED　IN　DOPE　CASE。
　One　article　made　much　of　the　fact　that　she　had　formerly　been　employed　in　a　law　office。　While　that　office　had　in　reality　done　little　trial　work；　specializing　in　estate　matters；　the　reporter　had　taken　poetic　licen