Эрл Гарднер - The Case of the Lonely Heiress

Dolores said, “Don’t think you can get your lawyer to front for you. Have I got to start getting rough all over again?”

Mason said, “I’m interested in what happened with Rose Keeling.”

“Well, suppose you go ask Rose Keeling. She should have a very vivid recollection of what happened.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t.”

“You mean she’s skipped out?”

“Rose Keeling,” Mason said, “is no longer with us. She was murdered at approximately eleven-forty this morning.”

In the silence that followed, the little noises made by the gas furnace as the metal of the heating system expanded in the growing heat sounded as clear as pistol shots.

Robert Caddo said sharply, “Damn it, Dolores, I told you that one of these days your temper would get the best of youl Now you’ve really done it.”

“Shut up,” she said.

Mason said, “Perhaps if you’d tell me more about your visit with Rose Keeling...”

“Phooey,” she said. “What are you trying to do, pin a murder charge on me?”

Mason said, “I have reason to believe that the murderer must have entered the place very shortly after you left.”

She said, “Wait a minute. Where do you fit into this picture?”

Mason said, “I’m trying to investigate...”

“You’re interested in finding out about the murder?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Mason said, “I’m an attorney. I’m trying to clear it up.”

She said, “You’re an attorney and you’re representing someone. When you started in on this case, you were representing my husband. Bob, you haven’t asked Mason to do anything about the murder, have you?”

Caddo shook his head, but said, “Really, my love, this is serious. Mr. Mason is one of the best lawyers and...”

“And Mason is representing someone right now,” Dolores said. “He’s trying to pin something on me so he can protect someone else.”

“But, my love, you admitted you were there,” Caddo said.

“Well, he’s juggling things around so that it makes it appear that the murder was committed right at the time I was there... What kind of monkey business is this, anyway?”

Mason said, “I’m simply trying to get the facts, that’s all. You didn’t kill her, did you?”

“Phooey,” she said. “I threw ink on her and tore off a few of her clothes and then I tried to give her a good spanking, but she got away from me and ran into the bathroom and locked herself in... I think, Bob, we won’t do any more talking.”

Mason said, “It would be of considerable assistance if you would tell me...”

“Well, I won’t!” Dolores Caddo said.

“If I could apprehend the real murderer, it would keep some innocent person from being falsely accused.”

“Yes, I know,” Dolores said. “But suppose you get big-hearted about this other person and try to pin things on me? ”

“You’ve already said you were there, my love,” Caddo said in a panic. “You’d better go ahead and explain now. Otherwise Mason will go to the police.”

“Let him go to the police,” Dolores said.

“I can, you know,” Mason told her.

“Phooey!”

“I mean it.”

“There’s a phone. Go to it.”

Mason walked over to the telephone, said, “It suits me just as well this way as the other.”

He picked up the receiver, dialed police headquarters, asked for the Homicide Department and wanted to know who was in charge.

“Who is this talking?” a voice asked.

“Perry Mason.”

“Wait a minute. Lieutenant Tragg just dropped in. I’ll put him on.”

Mason heard Tragg’s voice saying, “Yes, Mason what is it?”

“You must be working overtime.”

“I am — thanks to you.”

Mason said, “Perhaps I can give you a break this time.”

“Your breaks aren’t the kind we’re looking for.”

“This one is,” Mason said. “I’m talking from the home of Robert Caddo, who runs the Lonely Lovers Publications, Inc., and puts out a magazine entitled ‘Lonely Hearts Are Calling.’ He...”

“I know all about him,” Tragg said. “The rackets department had him up once or twice.”

Mason said, “Robert Caddo had been interested in Rose Keeling. Dolores Caddo found out about it. She went to Rose Keeling’s flat at eleven-thirty and, according to her own statement, beat up on Rose Keeling and threw some ink around. Rose Keeling shut herself in the bathroom. Dolores Caddo says she isn’t doing any more talking. Are you interested?”

Tragg’s voice showed eagerness. “Where are you?”

“At Caddo’s residence.”

“This isn’t some frame-up, trying to spring your client?”

“I’m telling you the truth.”

“I’m coming right down,” Tragg said. “Hold everything.”

He slammed up the phone. Mason dropped the receiver into place.

“Well?” Dolores Caddo said.

Mason said, “Lieutenant Tragg was somewhat skeptical.”

“Probably thinks you’re trying to get some of your clients out of trouble.”

“Perhaps.”

“What’s he going to do?” Caddo asked.

“We’ll have to let subsequent events determine that.”

Mrs. Caddo said, “Well, mix a drink, Bob. We don’t have to neglect the social amenities just because this lawyer is trying to pin a murder on me.”

“I wish you’d talk frankly to us, my love,” Caddo said, his voice sharp with anxiety. “You know, love, you have this ungovernable temper and...”

“Why, if you aren’t joining the procession!” Dolores said. “Don’t think you can get rid of me and have that Marlow woman by pinning a murder on me. You two-timing buzzard! I want a Scotch and soda. And get some of that good Scotch. Don’t use any more of that prune-juice combination.”

“But, my love, if you were there and...”

“Get that drink!”

“My love, won’t you please...”

"All right," she said, “I’ll get it myself,” and started for the kitchen.

Caddo said in a low voice to Mason, “Look here, Mr. Mason, can’t we square this somehow?”

“I’d like to have your wife tell exactly what happened,” Mason said, “I think it’s the best way to...”

“Bob!” Dolores called angrily. “What have you done with that Scotch?”

“Just a moment, my love. Just a moment, just a moment,” Caddo said, and with ludicrous haste ran toward the kitchen, the bathrobe trailing out behind him.

A few moments later he was back. “Just why did you come here, Mr. Mason?”

“I wanted to get the facts.”

“But you must have had some way of knowing that Dolores was there. There must have been something...”

“Well, there was.”

“What was it?”

Mason shrugged his shoulders and said, “What difference does it make? She says she was there. I found the evidence. The police will find the evidence.”

Caddo walked over to stand on the register, which was now spewing out heat from the gas furnace. The hot air billowed the bathrobe into flapping motion.

“Well,” Mason said at length, “what do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know,” Caddo said.

Mrs. Caddo brought in a tray with glasses, put the tray in front of Mason and said, “Take your pick, just so you’ll know that you’re not being poisoned.”

Mason picked the middle glass.

Dolores took the tray over to her husband, then took the remaining drink, placed the tray on the table, and sat down.

They sipped their drinks for a few moments in silence.

Caddo started to say something. His wife frowned him into silence.

The sound of a siren cut through the night. The scream descended into a low-throated growl and a car slid to a stop in front of the house.