Эрл Гарднер - The Case of the Spurious Spinster

“Not as far as I’m concerned.”

“Then why aren’t you willing to answer a few simple questions so that we can get the real facts? Do you have any idea what it means to a woman to go to prison? A woman only has a few of the golden years in her life when she’s attractive. Even at the best, when she can get lots of vitamins, fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and mental stimulation she begins to fade after a few years.

“Think of what it means to a young, attractive woman to have the prison doors close on her and to realize that as she endures that treadmill existence her beauty is slipping through her fingers.”

Lowry said, “There hasn’t any beauty slipped through your fingers, ma’am, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

Della Street gave him her most dazzling smile. “I don’t mind your saying so,” she said, “but it seems to me you’re a fair man, you’re a square shooter, you’re the type of individual who scorns subterfuge and deceit. Now it’s my best guess that you’ve had to do things that you didn’t want to do and that has worried you. In fact, I think you’re worried right now. Mr. Mason is a very clever lawyer. There’s just a chance he could help you.”

“I don’t need any help,” Lowry said.

“Perhaps you think you don’t, but there are all sorts of angles to a thing like this,” Della Street went on. “Remember that Endicott Campbell is very much interested in saving his own skin.”

Lowry looked across at Perry Mason and said, “She’s a pretty dam good saleswoman.”

“Convincing you?” Mason asked, smiling.

“Not yet.”

“She should have convinced you by this time,” Mason told him, “because she’s telling the truth.”

“She sure makes it sound convincing.”

“The truth is always convincing,” Della Street said. “There’s something unmistakable about the truth. Now I’m going to risk getting thrown out of here right on the sidewalk by telling you that you’ve got yourself to think of. You’re an outdoor man, I can tell that by looking at you. You’re accustomed to the big spaces, you’re accustomed to wind on your face, you’re accustomed to sunlight, you’re accustomed to lots of fresh air. Don’t think for a minute that you’re completely in the clear in this thing, Mr. Lowry.

“I’ve told you what it would mean to a young woman to go to prison but do you realize what it means to an outdoor man to go to prison, to be shut up within stone walls, to be deprived of sunlight, of air, of freedom? Do you realize how many people of that sort contract prison tuberculosis?”

Lowry’s face flushed. “Say,” he said angrily, “what are you doing? Threatening me?”

Della Street looked him straight in the eyes and said, “ I’m not threatening you, Mr. Lowry, I’m warning you. You’re a pretty good specimen of manhood. I wouldn’t like to see you spend the next ten years behind bars. I’m also going to tell you something else. My boss, Mr. Mason, is a pretty smart individual. If you tell him your story perhaps he can help you.”

Lowry doggedly shook his head.

Della Street whirled to Mason, lowered her right eye in a wink, said, “All right, Chief, let’s go.”

“Now wait a minute,” Lowry said. “I’m thinking things over a little bit.”

“You’d better think fast then,” Mason said, following up Della Street’s lead.

There was silence for several seconds, then Lowry again shook his head. “Nope,” he said, “I’m not talking.”

“All right,” Mason said to Della Street, “get your notebook, Della.”

Della Street took a notebook out of her purse.

“Put down the date and the time,” Mason said, “and take this statement: This is dictated in the presence of Ken Lowry, Manager of the Mojave Monarch. We called on Mr. Lowry and asked him to tell us something about the operation of the mine. We pointed out to him that a young woman was being charged with a crime, that she was innocent; that circumstances had conspired against her and that she was quite possibly the victim of a frame-up. Mr. Lowry would make absolutely no statement. He wouldn’t tell us anything about the operation of the mine, he wouldn’t divulge the location of the mine, he wouldn’t tell us how long it had been shut down; he refused to discuss anything, thereby indicating his own bias and that he was trying to cover up the true facts.”

“Now wait a minute,” Lowry said. “Since you’re writing that down you just put in there that I said I’m not covering up anything, that I’ve simply been instructed not to discuss the matter with anyone and particularly with Perry Mason.”

“Who gave you those instructions?” Mason asked.

“Endicott Campbell, if you want to know.”

“All right,” Mason said grimly, “before I get done with Endicott Campbell he may not be giving anyone instructions. And if you want to tie in with him, go ahead. But before you plunge along in blind loyalty to Campbell you’d better find out something about what Campbell has been doing and find out what the facts are.

“I’ll probably be cross-examining you in court, Mr. Lowry. Don’t say that I didn’t give you every opportunity.”

Mason opened the door of the car.

Lowry said angrily, “All right, you’ve given me every opportunity. I don’t have to talk to you and I’m not going to.”

Della Street turned to him, put her hand impulsively on his arm. “Listen, Mr. Lowry,” she said, “please let’s not misunderstand each other.”

“I’m not misunderstanding anybody.”

“Perhaps we’re misunderstanding you. But let me put it to you this way. You’ve had an opportunity to see Endicott Campbell. You’ve known him for some time and—”

“Yesterday was the first time I ever set eyes on him,” Lowry said.

“All right,” Della Street went on, glancing significantly at Perry Mason. “You probably pride yourself on judging character. How do you judge Endicott Campbell? Would you go out on a prospecting trip with him? Would you like to have him as a partner?”

“I pick my own partners,” Lowry said, “and I pick ’em carefully.”

“No, you don’t,” Della Street said. “Endicott Campbell picked you as a partner and he’s sold you a bill of goods. You’re his partner in this thing right now, just the same as though you were partners in a mining enterprise.”

“He isn’t any partner of mine,” Lowry said.

“That’s what you think,” Mason said. “Campbell came out here. He handed you a razzle-dazzle and told you not to talk and now you’re refusing to give out pertinent information — information that we’re entitled to, information that you should give out in order to protect yourself, to say nothing of this young woman.”

“Now wait a minute, wait a minute,” Lowry said. “This thing sort of gets me when you put it that way. I tell you, the guy isn’t my partner.”

“And I tell you he is,” Mason said. “He’s hypnotized you into a partnership. You’re playing right along with him. You’re following his instructions and doing exactly what he’s told you to do. You’re not his partner in a mine, you’re his partner in something that may be a criminal enterprise and the partnership may leave you in a lot of trouble.”

For the first time Lowry turned, took his eyes off his visitors, looked out through the windshield, down the long street.

“Why should I tell you anything?” he asked.

“Why shouldn’t you?” Mason said. “Unless you have something to conceal. I’ll put it another way. Why should you go into partnership with Campbell just because he comes out and tells you what he wants you to do?”

“Because in a way I’m working for Campbell.”