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The Case of the Lucky Legs :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 6 из 154The district attorney here says that he isn't going to wash Cloverdale's dirty linen; that if I want to work up a case against Patton, he'll take some action, but hewon't waste county time and money trying to pull chestnuts out of the fire for Cloverdale; that it was Cloverdale money that was taken, and the representations were all made in Cloverdale."
"What else do you want me to do?" asked Perry Mason.
"I want you," Bradbury said, "to see that I don't get put in jail for blackmail."
"You mean when we find Patton?"
Bradbury nodded and pulled a wallet from his pocket.
"I am prepared to pay," he said, "a retainer of one thousand dollars."
Perry Mason turned to Bradbury.
"You'll need a good detective," he said. "Paul Drake, head of the Drake Detective Bureau, is a very good friend of mine. I'll give you a card to him."
He picked up his desk telephone.
"Della," he said to his secretary, "make a receipt to J.R. Bradbury for one thousand dollars. Get Paul Drake on the line, and then get me Maude Elton, the district attorney's secretary, on the line."
Chapter 2
Maude Elton, the general secretary at the district attorney's office, was reputed to know more about the inside history of criminal matters than any one in the court house. Her complexion was slightly sallow; her features were hardly the kind to get motion picture producers raving over screen tests, but her face showed a quick vitality, an alert watchfulness which made her seem as restless as a canary hopping about in brighteyed scrutiny of a stranger who has approached too close to its cage.
"Hello, Mr. Mason," she said.
Perry Mason grinned at her.
"After seeing some of these dumbbells," he said, "who can't think of anything except getting their powder on smoothly, it's refreshing to look into a pair of eyes like yours."
"I presume," she told him, "that means you're going to try to pump some information out of me that you can't get from any one in the office."
"This is once," he told her, "that your environment has betrayed you."
"Why my environment?"
"Because you always see the seamy side of life. You deal with crooks and with persons who have ulterior motives. My errand today is merely that of a peaceful citizen, a taxpayer if you wish, who comes to the office of a public servant, seeking legitimate information."
She twisted her head slightly to one side as she stared at him.
"I believe you're right, at that," she said.
"I am," he told her.
"You're not kidding?"
"No. On the square."
"Well, I've seen lots of things in my time, but I never expected to see this.
"What else do you want me to do?" asked Perry Mason.
"I want you," Bradbury said, "to see that I don't get put in jail for blackmail."
"You mean when we find Patton?"
Bradbury nodded and pulled a wallet from his pocket.
"I am prepared to pay," he said, "a retainer of one thousand dollars."
Perry Mason turned to Bradbury.
"You'll need a good detective," he said. "Paul Drake, head of the Drake Detective Bureau, is a very good friend of mine. I'll give you a card to him."
He picked up his desk telephone.
"Della," he said to his secretary, "make a receipt to J.R. Bradbury for one thousand dollars. Get Paul Drake on the line, and then get me Maude Elton, the district attorney's secretary, on the line."
Chapter 2
Maude Elton, the general secretary at the district attorney's office, was reputed to know more about the inside history of criminal matters than any one in the court house. Her complexion was slightly sallow; her features were hardly the kind to get motion picture producers raving over screen tests, but her face showed a quick vitality, an alert watchfulness which made her seem as restless as a canary hopping about in brighteyed scrutiny of a stranger who has approached too close to its cage.
"Hello, Mr. Mason," she said.
Perry Mason grinned at her.
"After seeing some of these dumbbells," he said, "who can't think of anything except getting their powder on smoothly, it's refreshing to look into a pair of eyes like yours."
"I presume," she told him, "that means you're going to try to pump some information out of me that you can't get from any one in the office."
"This is once," he told her, "that your environment has betrayed you."
"Why my environment?"
"Because you always see the seamy side of life. You deal with crooks and with persons who have ulterior motives. My errand today is merely that of a peaceful citizen, a taxpayer if you wish, who comes to the office of a public servant, seeking legitimate information."
She twisted her head slightly to one side as she stared at him.
"I believe you're right, at that," she said.
"I am," he told her.
"You're not kidding?"
"No. On the square."
"Well, I've seen lots of things in my time, but I never expected to see this.