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The Case of the Caretakers Cat :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 132 из 146"
"The cat which has been tagged with the name 'Clinker, and which is now here in court?"
"That's the cat."
"What time was this?"
"Right around eleven o'clock, perhaps two or three minutes after eleven."
"You were driving an automobile?"
"Yes."
"Where had you been prior to the time you saw the defendant?"
"I'd been in Mr. Shuster's office. Mr. Sam Laxter asked me to take him to Mr. Shuster's office. I arrived at Shuster's office shortly before ten o'clock and remained there until a little before eleven, when Mr. Laxter told me I could take the car and go home. I then drove back to the Laxter house, put up the car, entered the house and remained there during the evening."
"Was Mr. Oafley there when you arrived?"
"No, sir; he came in some ten or fifteen minutes later."
"You may inquire," Truslow said.
"Was the defendant carrying a crutch when you saw him?"
"No, sir."
"You're certain it was Clinker that he was carrying?"
"Yes, sir; I saw him very clearly in the lights of the automobile."
"Did he subsequently return to the house?"
"I don't know. I think he did."
"What makes you say that?" Mason inquired.
"I heard a car drive around the driveway and stop at a point opposite the window to Ashton's bedroom. I thought it was the defendant's car, but I didn't look. That is, I thought the motor sounded like the motor on his car."
"How long was the car there?"
The witness leered at Perry Mason. "Two or three minutes," he said. "Plenty long enough for the defendant to pick up a crutch and put it in the car."
The courtroom tittered.
"Exactly," Mason said. "Now if he had driven back to pick up the crutch, why didn't he pick up the cat at the same time? What was the object in carrying the cat in his arms if he was going to return later on with the automobile?"
"I don't know," the witness said after a moment.
"I'm quite certain you don't," Mason observed, getting to his feet. "Now, you'd been taking quite an interest in Charles Ashton, hadn't you?"
"Me, sir?"
"Yes, you."
"Why, I don't think so."
Mason stared steadily at the witness, and Brandon, squirming uncomfortably in the chair, avoided his eyes.
"Do you know when Ashton came to consult me about his cat?"
"I can't say," the witness said.
Mason, staring at him coldly, said. "You're under oath, remember that. When Ashton came to my office, you followed him, didn't you?"
"No, sir.
"The cat which has been tagged with the name 'Clinker, and which is now here in court?"
"That's the cat."
"What time was this?"
"Right around eleven o'clock, perhaps two or three minutes after eleven."
"You were driving an automobile?"
"Yes."
"Where had you been prior to the time you saw the defendant?"
"I'd been in Mr. Shuster's office. Mr. Sam Laxter asked me to take him to Mr. Shuster's office. I arrived at Shuster's office shortly before ten o'clock and remained there until a little before eleven, when Mr. Laxter told me I could take the car and go home. I then drove back to the Laxter house, put up the car, entered the house and remained there during the evening."
"Was Mr. Oafley there when you arrived?"
"No, sir; he came in some ten or fifteen minutes later."
"You may inquire," Truslow said.
"Was the defendant carrying a crutch when you saw him?"
"No, sir."
"You're certain it was Clinker that he was carrying?"
"Yes, sir; I saw him very clearly in the lights of the automobile."
"Did he subsequently return to the house?"
"I don't know. I think he did."
"What makes you say that?" Mason inquired.
"I heard a car drive around the driveway and stop at a point opposite the window to Ashton's bedroom. I thought it was the defendant's car, but I didn't look. That is, I thought the motor sounded like the motor on his car."
"How long was the car there?"
The witness leered at Perry Mason. "Two or three minutes," he said. "Plenty long enough for the defendant to pick up a crutch and put it in the car."
The courtroom tittered.
"Exactly," Mason said. "Now if he had driven back to pick up the crutch, why didn't he pick up the cat at the same time? What was the object in carrying the cat in his arms if he was going to return later on with the automobile?"
"I don't know," the witness said after a moment.
"I'm quite certain you don't," Mason observed, getting to his feet. "Now, you'd been taking quite an interest in Charles Ashton, hadn't you?"
"Me, sir?"
"Yes, you."
"Why, I don't think so."
Mason stared steadily at the witness, and Brandon, squirming uncomfortably in the chair, avoided his eyes.
"Do you know when Ashton came to consult me about his cat?"
"I can't say," the witness said.
Mason, staring at him coldly, said. "You're under oath, remember that. When Ashton came to my office, you followed him, didn't you?"
"No, sir.