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The Case of the Velvet Claws :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
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“See you later,” Mason told him, and slipped the receiver back on its hook.
Chapter 19
The four men pushed their way up the steps of theBelterMansion.
Sergeant Hoffman frowned at Mason. “Now listen, no funny business. I’m trusting you on this.”
“Just keep your eyes and ears open, and if you think I’m uncovering something, go ahead and follow up the lead. Any time you think I’m trying to give you the doublecross, you can walk out.”
Hoffman said, “That’s fair.”
“Let’s remember one or two things before we start,” cautioned Mason. “I met Mrs. Belter at the drug store down at the foot of the hill. We came up together. She didn’t have her keys with her, and she didn’t have her purse. She’d left the door unlocked when she came out so she could get back in. She told me that the door was unlocked. When I tried the door it was locked. The night latch was on.”
Drumm said, “She’s such a liar, that if she told me a door was open, I’d know it was locked.”
“That’s all right, too,” Mason said, doggedly insistent, “but remember that she didn’t have her keys with her, and she went out in the rain. She was bound to figure on getting back in some way.”
“Maybe she was too rattled,” Hoffman pointed out.
“Not that baby,” Mason remarked.
“All right, go on,” said Hoffman, interested. “What’s next?”
“When I went in,” said Mason, “there was an umbrella in the stand, which was wet. There was a pool of water which had drained down from it on the floor underneath. You probably noticed it when you came.”
Sergeant Hoffman’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes,” he said, “come to think of it, I did notice it. What about it?”
“Nothing,” said Mason, “yet.” He reached out his finger and pushed the bell button.
After a few minutes the door was opened by the butler, who stared at them.
“Carl Griffin home?” asked Mason.
The butler shook his head. “No, sir,” he said, “he’s out. He had a business appointment, sir.”
“Mrs. Veitch, the housekeeper’s here?”
“Oh, yes, sir; of course, sir.”
“And her daughter, Norma?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All right,” said Mason, “we’re going up to Belter’s study. Don’t say anything to anybody about the fact that we’re here. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” said the butler.
“See you later,” Mason told him, and slipped the receiver back on its hook.
Chapter 19
The four men pushed their way up the steps of theBelterMansion.
Sergeant Hoffman frowned at Mason. “Now listen, no funny business. I’m trusting you on this.”
“Just keep your eyes and ears open, and if you think I’m uncovering something, go ahead and follow up the lead. Any time you think I’m trying to give you the doublecross, you can walk out.”
Hoffman said, “That’s fair.”
“Let’s remember one or two things before we start,” cautioned Mason. “I met Mrs. Belter at the drug store down at the foot of the hill. We came up together. She didn’t have her keys with her, and she didn’t have her purse. She’d left the door unlocked when she came out so she could get back in. She told me that the door was unlocked. When I tried the door it was locked. The night latch was on.”
Drumm said, “She’s such a liar, that if she told me a door was open, I’d know it was locked.”
“That’s all right, too,” Mason said, doggedly insistent, “but remember that she didn’t have her keys with her, and she went out in the rain. She was bound to figure on getting back in some way.”
“Maybe she was too rattled,” Hoffman pointed out.
“Not that baby,” Mason remarked.
“All right, go on,” said Hoffman, interested. “What’s next?”
“When I went in,” said Mason, “there was an umbrella in the stand, which was wet. There was a pool of water which had drained down from it on the floor underneath. You probably noticed it when you came.”
Sergeant Hoffman’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes,” he said, “come to think of it, I did notice it. What about it?”
“Nothing,” said Mason, “yet.” He reached out his finger and pushed the bell button.
After a few minutes the door was opened by the butler, who stared at them.
“Carl Griffin home?” asked Mason.
The butler shook his head. “No, sir,” he said, “he’s out. He had a business appointment, sir.”
“Mrs. Veitch, the housekeeper’s here?”
“Oh, yes, sir; of course, sir.”
“And her daughter, Norma?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All right,” said Mason, “we’re going up to Belter’s study. Don’t say anything to anybody about the fact that we’re here. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” said the butler.