JК
The Case of the Caretakers Cat :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 38 из 146"
"What did he say when you told him about it?"
"He said there was no way exhaust fumes could start a fire; that I'd just make trouble if I said anything about it, and to keep quiet."
"Whom else did you tell?"
"I told Winifred's boy friend—not Harry Inman—but the other one."
"You mean Douglas Keene?"
"That's right—Douglas Keene."
"Who's Harry Inman?"
"He was a boy who was rushing her. I think she favored him, but, as soon as he found out she wasn't going to get any money, he dropped her like a hot potato."
"What did Douglas Keene say when you told him?"
"Douglas Keene said he thought it was evidence of the greatest importance. He asked me a lot of questions about where the different pipes led, and wanted to know if the pipe into which the tube was running ran up to Peter Laxter's bedroom."
"Did it?"
"I think it did."
"Then what?"
"He advised me to tell the authorities what I'd seen."
"Did you do it?"
"Not yet. I was waiting for… a friend… I wanted to get his advice before I did anything which would cause trouble."
"What time was this that you encountered Sam Laxter in the garage?"
"About half past ten, I guess."
"That was several hours before the fire."
"Yes."
"Do you know whether Sam came in the house immediately after that?"
"No, I don't. I was so angry when he made that crack I walked out to keep from slapping him."
"But he must have returned to the house before the fire because he was in pajamas and robe when you were aroused by the fire."
"Yes, that's so."
"And he was fully clothed when you saw him there in the car?"
"I think so, yes."
"Now, you say that you turned on the lights?"
"Yes. Why?"
"The lights in the garage were off?"
"Yes."
"The door was closed?"
"Yes."
"Then the last person driving a car into that garage must have closed the door behind him, is that right?"
"Yes, of course."
"And the light switch was near the small door."
"Within a few inches of it. Why?"
"Because," Mason said slowly, "if Laxter had driven his car into that garage, he must necessarily have left the car, gone to the garage door, closed it, switched off the lights and then returned to his own car. After all, one doesn't drive cars into garages through closed doors.
"What did he say when you told him about it?"
"He said there was no way exhaust fumes could start a fire; that I'd just make trouble if I said anything about it, and to keep quiet."
"Whom else did you tell?"
"I told Winifred's boy friend—not Harry Inman—but the other one."
"You mean Douglas Keene?"
"That's right—Douglas Keene."
"Who's Harry Inman?"
"He was a boy who was rushing her. I think she favored him, but, as soon as he found out she wasn't going to get any money, he dropped her like a hot potato."
"What did Douglas Keene say when you told him?"
"Douglas Keene said he thought it was evidence of the greatest importance. He asked me a lot of questions about where the different pipes led, and wanted to know if the pipe into which the tube was running ran up to Peter Laxter's bedroom."
"Did it?"
"I think it did."
"Then what?"
"He advised me to tell the authorities what I'd seen."
"Did you do it?"
"Not yet. I was waiting for… a friend… I wanted to get his advice before I did anything which would cause trouble."
"What time was this that you encountered Sam Laxter in the garage?"
"About half past ten, I guess."
"That was several hours before the fire."
"Yes."
"Do you know whether Sam came in the house immediately after that?"
"No, I don't. I was so angry when he made that crack I walked out to keep from slapping him."
"But he must have returned to the house before the fire because he was in pajamas and robe when you were aroused by the fire."
"Yes, that's so."
"And he was fully clothed when you saw him there in the car?"
"I think so, yes."
"Now, you say that you turned on the lights?"
"Yes. Why?"
"The lights in the garage were off?"
"Yes."
"The door was closed?"
"Yes."
"Then the last person driving a car into that garage must have closed the door behind him, is that right?"
"Yes, of course."
"And the light switch was near the small door."
"Within a few inches of it. Why?"
"Because," Mason said slowly, "if Laxter had driven his car into that garage, he must necessarily have left the car, gone to the garage door, closed it, switched off the lights and then returned to his own car. After all, one doesn't drive cars into garages through closed doors.