JК
The Case of the Caretakers Cat :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 133 из 146"
"You had the green Pontiac," Mason said slowly. "You parked it in front of my office. You waited until Ashton came out and then you followed him, driving slowly in the car, didn't you?"
The witness wet his lips, remained silent. Judge Pennymaker leaned forward, his face showing interest. Truslow looked puzzled.
"Go on," Mason said; "answer the question."
"Yes, sir," the witness said finally; "I did."
"And you went to Babson, the crutch maker, and asked him about Ashton's crutch, didn't you?"
Once more, there was a perceptible period of hesitation, then Brandon said slowly, "Yes, sir; I did."
"And found out that Babson had hollowed out a receptacle in Ashton's crutch."
"Yes, sir."
"Why did you do that?"
"I was instructed to."
"Who instructed you?"
"Frank Oafley."
"Did he say why he wanted you to do that?"
"No, sir. He told me to shadow Ashton every time Ashton left the premises. He asked me to find out where Ashton went, report on everyone Ashton saw, and find out how much money Ashton spent. He was particularly anxious about the money."
"When did he tell you that?"
"On the twentieth."
"And when did he tell you you didn't need to shadow Ashton any more?"
"On the evening of the twentythird."
"At what time?"
"At dinner time."
Perry Mason returned to the counsel table, sat down in his chair and smiled over at Truslow.
"That," he said, "is all."
Truslow hesitated, then slowly said, "I think that's all. Dr. Robert Jason will please take the stand."
Dr. Robert Jason took the stand, testified to the fact that the body of Peter Laxter had been exhumed; that he had made a careful post mortem examination for the purpose of determining whether the burns had been inflicted before death or afterwards.
"What did you determine?" Truslow asked.
"The body was almost incinerated, but there were several places where the clothing had protected the flesh. It is an established fact that, where death results from burning, at points where the clothing is tight around the body, there is less damage to the flesh. On these areas I was able to make an examination from which I reached my conclusion."
"What was that conclusion?"
"That the deceased met his death prior to the fire."
"Crossexamine," Truslow announced.
"Did you determine whether the cause of death had been burning or carbon monoxide poisoning?" Mason asked.
Dr. Jason shook his head.
"You had the green Pontiac," Mason said slowly. "You parked it in front of my office. You waited until Ashton came out and then you followed him, driving slowly in the car, didn't you?"
The witness wet his lips, remained silent. Judge Pennymaker leaned forward, his face showing interest. Truslow looked puzzled.
"Go on," Mason said; "answer the question."
"Yes, sir," the witness said finally; "I did."
"And you went to Babson, the crutch maker, and asked him about Ashton's crutch, didn't you?"
Once more, there was a perceptible period of hesitation, then Brandon said slowly, "Yes, sir; I did."
"And found out that Babson had hollowed out a receptacle in Ashton's crutch."
"Yes, sir."
"Why did you do that?"
"I was instructed to."
"Who instructed you?"
"Frank Oafley."
"Did he say why he wanted you to do that?"
"No, sir. He told me to shadow Ashton every time Ashton left the premises. He asked me to find out where Ashton went, report on everyone Ashton saw, and find out how much money Ashton spent. He was particularly anxious about the money."
"When did he tell you that?"
"On the twentieth."
"And when did he tell you you didn't need to shadow Ashton any more?"
"On the evening of the twentythird."
"At what time?"
"At dinner time."
Perry Mason returned to the counsel table, sat down in his chair and smiled over at Truslow.
"That," he said, "is all."
Truslow hesitated, then slowly said, "I think that's all. Dr. Robert Jason will please take the stand."
Dr. Robert Jason took the stand, testified to the fact that the body of Peter Laxter had been exhumed; that he had made a careful post mortem examination for the purpose of determining whether the burns had been inflicted before death or afterwards.
"What did you determine?" Truslow asked.
"The body was almost incinerated, but there were several places where the clothing had protected the flesh. It is an established fact that, where death results from burning, at points where the clothing is tight around the body, there is less damage to the flesh. On these areas I was able to make an examination from which I reached my conclusion."
"What was that conclusion?"
"That the deceased met his death prior to the fire."
"Crossexamine," Truslow announced.
"Did you determine whether the cause of death had been burning or carbon monoxide poisoning?" Mason asked.
Dr. Jason shook his head.