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The Case of the Howling Dog :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 25 из 146"Foley represents one side of the controversy, and Perry represents the folks on the other side. It started out with a complaint over a howling dog, and now it's gone into a question of espionage, homicidal mania, and whatnot. Go on out and find out what it's all about. Talk with witnesses and then make a report to me. I'll take action, depending on what's disclosed by your report."
"Who are the witnesses?" Pemberton asked.
Foley held up his fingers and checked them off.
"To begin with," he said, "there's Cartright, who claims the dog howls, and Cartright's housekeeper. She may claim that she heard the dog howl, but if you'll talk with her, you'll find she's deaf as a post, and couldn't hear it thunder. Then there's my wife, who's been quite ill with influenza, but is getting better now. She's in bed, but she can talk with you. She knows the dog didn't howl. There's Ah Wong, my Chinese manservant, and Thelma Benton, my housekeeper. They can all tell you that the dog didn't howl. Then there's the dog himself."
"The dog going to tell me he didn't howl?" asked Pemberton, grinning.
"The dog can show you that he's quite contented, and that there isn't a howl in his system," smiled Foley, reaching in his pocket and taking out a leather cigar case. "How about a cigar?"
"Thanks," said Pemberton, taking a cigar.
"You?" asked Foley, extending the case to Mason.
"Thanks," said Mason, "I'll stick with my cigarettes."
"I've given this case a lot of time," said Dorcas, suggestively, "and…"
"Okay, Pete," Bill Pemberton boomed goodnaturedly, "we're on our way right now. Come on, fellows."
Chapter 4
As the sheriff's car swung into the curb, Bill Pemberton said: "Is that the house?"
"That's it," Foley answered, "but don't park here. Go on in the driveway. I'm putting an addition onto my garage, and the contractors have got things littered up here. They're finishing up this afternoon, and then I won't be troubled with them. It's been a nuisance."
"Whom do we talk with first?" asked Pemberton.
"You can suit yourself," Foley said with dignity, "but I think that after you have talked with my wife, you won't need to bother with any more witnesses."
"No," Pemberton said, "we're going to see them all. How about the Chinese cook? Is he home?"
"Certainly," Foley answered. "Keep right on the driveway if you want to, and we'll have him come out to his room. You'll probably want to see where he sleeps. It's over the garage."
"You're building an addition on that?"
"On the garage, not on the room," Foley said.
"Who are the witnesses?" Pemberton asked.
Foley held up his fingers and checked them off.
"To begin with," he said, "there's Cartright, who claims the dog howls, and Cartright's housekeeper. She may claim that she heard the dog howl, but if you'll talk with her, you'll find she's deaf as a post, and couldn't hear it thunder. Then there's my wife, who's been quite ill with influenza, but is getting better now. She's in bed, but she can talk with you. She knows the dog didn't howl. There's Ah Wong, my Chinese manservant, and Thelma Benton, my housekeeper. They can all tell you that the dog didn't howl. Then there's the dog himself."
"The dog going to tell me he didn't howl?" asked Pemberton, grinning.
"The dog can show you that he's quite contented, and that there isn't a howl in his system," smiled Foley, reaching in his pocket and taking out a leather cigar case. "How about a cigar?"
"Thanks," said Pemberton, taking a cigar.
"You?" asked Foley, extending the case to Mason.
"Thanks," said Mason, "I'll stick with my cigarettes."
"I've given this case a lot of time," said Dorcas, suggestively, "and…"
"Okay, Pete," Bill Pemberton boomed goodnaturedly, "we're on our way right now. Come on, fellows."
Chapter 4
As the sheriff's car swung into the curb, Bill Pemberton said: "Is that the house?"
"That's it," Foley answered, "but don't park here. Go on in the driveway. I'm putting an addition onto my garage, and the contractors have got things littered up here. They're finishing up this afternoon, and then I won't be troubled with them. It's been a nuisance."
"Whom do we talk with first?" asked Pemberton.
"You can suit yourself," Foley said with dignity, "but I think that after you have talked with my wife, you won't need to bother with any more witnesses."
"No," Pemberton said, "we're going to see them all. How about the Chinese cook? Is he home?"
"Certainly," Foley answered. "Keep right on the driveway if you want to, and we'll have him come out to his room. You'll probably want to see where he sleeps. It's over the garage."
"You're building an addition on that?"
"On the garage, not on the room," Foley said.