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The Case of the Howling Dog :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 28 из 146I don't think he's the type that would poison a dog — however, he's really not responsible."
"Well," said the young woman positively, "I don't know where he got it from, but somebody gave him some poison. I'm willing to swear to that. He was a sick dog until after I gave him the salt, and then he got better."
"What does salt do?" asked Pemberton of Foley.
"It's a powerful and immediate emetic," Foley said.
Pemberton looked back at the girl.
"And you're willing to swear that the dog hasn't been howling?"
"Of course I am."
"If he had howled, would you have heard him?"
"Yes."
"Where do you sleep, in the house?"
"Yes, on the upper floor."
"And who else is in the house?"
"There's Ah Wong, the cook, but he sleeps out over the garage. And then there's Mrs. Foley."
"I think, officer," said Foley, "that it will, perhaps, be better for you to talk with my wife, and she can tell you…"
"I beg your pardon," said Mrs. Benton, "I didn't want to tell you in front of these gentlemen, but your wife isn't here."
Foley stared at her with eyes that showed incredulous surprise.
"Isn't here?" he said. "Good heavens, girl, she couldn't have gone out! She's recovering from influenza."
"Nevertheless, she went out," said Mrs. Benton.
"How did she go? The cars aren't gone."
"In a taxi."
"Good heavens!" said Foley. "The woman will kill herself. What's the idea of going out when she's just recovering from influenza?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Did she say where she was going? Was she going shopping, calling, or what? Did she receive any messages? Was there something urgent? Come on, speak up! Don't be so mysterious."
"She left you a note, sir."
"A note?"
"Yes."
"Where is it?"
"Upstairs in her room. She left it on the dresser and asked me to see that you received it."
Foley stood staring at the woman, his forehead puckered, his eyes suddenly hard.
"Look here," he said, "you're keeping something from me."
The young housekeeper lowered her eyes.
"She took a suitcase with her," she said.
"A suitcase?" Foley exclaimed. "Was she going to a hospital?"
"I don't know. She didn't say. She simply left the note."
Foley looked at the deputy sheriff.
"May I be excused for a moment?" he asked.
"Certainly," said Pemberton, "go right ahead."
Foley strode into the house. Perry Mason looked at Mrs. Benton, studying her face closely.
"Well," said the young woman positively, "I don't know where he got it from, but somebody gave him some poison. I'm willing to swear to that. He was a sick dog until after I gave him the salt, and then he got better."
"What does salt do?" asked Pemberton of Foley.
"It's a powerful and immediate emetic," Foley said.
Pemberton looked back at the girl.
"And you're willing to swear that the dog hasn't been howling?"
"Of course I am."
"If he had howled, would you have heard him?"
"Yes."
"Where do you sleep, in the house?"
"Yes, on the upper floor."
"And who else is in the house?"
"There's Ah Wong, the cook, but he sleeps out over the garage. And then there's Mrs. Foley."
"I think, officer," said Foley, "that it will, perhaps, be better for you to talk with my wife, and she can tell you…"
"I beg your pardon," said Mrs. Benton, "I didn't want to tell you in front of these gentlemen, but your wife isn't here."
Foley stared at her with eyes that showed incredulous surprise.
"Isn't here?" he said. "Good heavens, girl, she couldn't have gone out! She's recovering from influenza."
"Nevertheless, she went out," said Mrs. Benton.
"How did she go? The cars aren't gone."
"In a taxi."
"Good heavens!" said Foley. "The woman will kill herself. What's the idea of going out when she's just recovering from influenza?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Did she say where she was going? Was she going shopping, calling, or what? Did she receive any messages? Was there something urgent? Come on, speak up! Don't be so mysterious."
"She left you a note, sir."
"A note?"
"Yes."
"Where is it?"
"Upstairs in her room. She left it on the dresser and asked me to see that you received it."
Foley stood staring at the woman, his forehead puckered, his eyes suddenly hard.
"Look here," he said, "you're keeping something from me."
The young housekeeper lowered her eyes.
"She took a suitcase with her," she said.
"A suitcase?" Foley exclaimed. "Was she going to a hospital?"
"I don't know. She didn't say. She simply left the note."
Foley looked at the deputy sheriff.
"May I be excused for a moment?" he asked.
"Certainly," said Pemberton, "go right ahead."
Foley strode into the house. Perry Mason looked at Mrs. Benton, studying her face closely.