Erle Gardner - The Case of the Rolling Bones

“You don’t think she did it, do you, Paul?” Mason asked.

“Her boy friend did,” Drake said, with the complete detachment of one who is discussing a problem which holds no personal interest for him.

Inez Colton said indignantly, “This is an outrage! What do you mean by tricking me in this way? You said you wanted matches.”

“Forget it, sister,” Mason said. “I’m trying to do you a favor. This guy,” indicating Drake with a sideways gesture of his head, “is hard. If you don’t think he’s hard, just cross him. I claim you didn’t know what you were getting into, that you were in love, and that it’s up to us to give you a chance to come clean before we do anything drastic.”

“What do you mean — drastic?” she asked, and there was a slight quaver in her voice.

Drake laughed scornfully.

Mason said, “Now listen, Paul, let’s be fair about this thing. She may not have been mixed up in that murder.”

“Then what did she run away for?”

“To protect her boy friend, of course.”

“Well, you know the law. If she gives aid to a murderer to shield him, she becomes an accessory after the fact. And how about this talk Milicant had over the telephone...”

Mason said, “Now wait a minute, Paul. I’m going to be firm about this. You’re not going to condemn this young woman until we hear her side of the story.”

Mason turned expectantly to Inez Colton.

For a second or two, it seemed that she was on the point of rushing into swift speech. Then her eyes became hard and suspicious. She seemed to lower a veil over her thoughts. “What do you want?” she asked.

Mason said, “The truth.”

“I have done nothing wrong.”

“Come on, come on,” Drake said. “Let’s have it.”

Mason said, “Shut up, Paul. I’m going to insist that you have a chance to tell your story, Inez.”

There was doubt in her eyes. She glanced appealingly at Della Street, then said, “Well...”

As she hesitated, Drake said, “We have a witness who saw Jason Carrel when he left your apartment, so there’s no good trying to cover up.”

She whirled to face Drake. Her eyes narrowed slightly. Her muscles became poised, tense. “Jason Carrel leaving my apartment?” she asked.

“That’s right,” Drake said.

“Who are you and what do you want?”

“I’m a detective,” Drake said.

“Well, you’re barking on the wrong track, Mr. Detective. Jason Carrel was never in my apartment. I see it all now. You two are trying to run a bluff, figuring you’ll get me to talk. Thank you. I have nothing to say.”

Mason said, “Suit yourself,” and handed the subpoena to Paul Drake.

Drake, crossing over to her, said, “Under those circumstances, you get a subpoena to appear in court tomorrow morning at ten o’clock and testify on behalf of the defendant in the case of the People versus Alden Leeds.”

“But I can’t come to court. I mustn’t.”

Drake shrugged his shoulders, “That’s your funeral, sister.” “But I don’t know anything that would help anyone. I know nothing whatever about that murder.”

“Save it for the witness stand,” Drake said.

“All right, I will,” she said defiantly, “and don’t think my testimony is going to help Alden Leeds any, because it won’t.”

“What do you know about Alden Leeds?” Drake asked.

“That’s none of your business. Put me on the witness stand, and I’ll tell.”

Drake said conversationally, “Too bad about Jason Carrel. He said he didn’t know you. Unfortunately, he was testifying under oath in a murder trial, and a court reporter took down what he said.”

There was a triumphant glitter in her eyes. “Put me on the witness stand,” she challenged. “I dare you!”

Abruptly, Mason, who had been watching her carefully, said, “I’m afraid, Miss Colton, that you’re getting a wrong impression. Mr. Drake isn’t very familiar with the various Leeds relatives, and apparently he’s made the mistake of confusing Jason Carrel with Harold Leeds... What you mean, Paul, is that Harold committed the murder.”

Inez Colton winced as though Mason’s words had been a physical blow. Consternation showed in her eyes. She said, in a stammering half whisper, “He... told me... you didn’t know.”

Mason’s low laugh was filled with calm confidence. “He really thought that?” he asked. “It’s what we wanted him to think, of course, until we had him trapped. That’s why I refrained from asking Jason Carrel whether he had loaned his car to his cousin.”

“Then you’re... you’re Perry Mason, the lawyer who’s representing Alden Leeds?”

Mason nodded.

“You can’t pin it on Harold.”

Mason said patiently, “ We’re not pinning anything on anyone — but Harold can never convince a jury he didn’t do it.”

She said, “Harold went downstairs to see him, and he was dead.”

“Went alone?” Mason asked.

“Yes.”

“And told you he was dead?”

She nodded, in tight-lipped silence.

“Why didn’t you notify the authorities?” Mason asked.

“As far as that’s concerned, why didn’t Alden?”

“ I’m asking about you ,” Mason said conversationally.

“For the very good and sufficient reason that we couldn’t afford to mix into it. We didn’t think anyone knew. How did you find out?”

Mason said, “Finding out things is our business, Miss Colton. Don’t you think you’d better make a complete statement?”

Della Street, who had unobtrusively slipped her shorthand book from her purse and taken notes of the conversation, now shifted her position so that the notebook rested on the arm of the chair.

“There’s nothing to tell. I... We...”

She broke off as a gentle tapping sounded on the panels of the door. Without making any move to answer, she raised her voice and said, “I have nothing to say. Even if you do accuse Harold Leeds of murdering Milicant, you can’t...”

Mason upset his chair, jumped to his feet and made for the door.

Inez Colton screamed.

Mason jerked the door open, said to the figure which was sprinting down the corridor, “Come back here, Harold, and face the music. Running away isn’t going to do you any good.” Harold Leeds paused uncertainly, turned a wan, frightened face toward Perry Mason. “The house is watched, you fool,” Mason said. “Come back here and face the music.”

A door in one of the apartments opened. A fat, blonde woman with startled eyes stared wordlessly from Mason to Harold Leeds.

“Come back,” Mason said. “Don’t leave Inez to face the music alone.”

Harold Leeds turned and walked slowly back toward Mason.

“Come on,” Mason said. “Hurry up. Don’t act so much like a dog coming to take a licking. You’ve played a man’s game. Now face the results like a man.”

Harold Leeds glanced appealingly at the blonde woman in the doorway who was regarding them with startled, curious eyes. It was as though he hoped someone would come to his rescue, that he might wake up and find it was all a horrible nightmare.

As Leeds came closer, Mason took his arm, escorted him to the door of Inez Colton’s apartment. Drake was sitting very much as Mason had left him. Inez Colton was in the chair, sobbing quietly. Della Street had changed her position slightly so that her raised knee partially concealed the shorthand notebook.

Drake said conversationally, “Figured you could handle the situation out there, Perry. Thought I’d better keep an eye on the one here.”

“Oh, Harold,” Inez Colton said tearfully. “ Why did you do it? You promised you wouldn’t come near me.”