JК
The Case of the Velvet Claws :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 35 из 149She’s got that snobbycomplex.”
“Lots of people are like that, Della.”
“I know, but she’s different. She doesn’t know what honesty means. She loves trickery. She’d turn on you in a second if it would be to her advantage.”
Perry Mason’s face was thoughtful.
“It wouldn’t be to her advantage,” he remarked, his voice preoccupied.
Della Street stared at him for a moment, then softly closed the door and left him alone.
Chapter 6
Harrison Burke was a tall man who cultivated an air of distinction. His record in Congress had been mediocre, but he had identified himself as “The Friend of the People” by sponsoring legislation which a clique of politicians pushed through the house, knowing that it would never pass the upper body, or, if it did, that it would be promptly vetoed by the President.
He was planning his campaign for the Senate by adroitly seeking to interest the more substantial class of citizens and impress them with the fact that he was, at heart, conservative. He was trying to do this without in any way sacrificing his following among the common people, or his reputation as being a friend of the people.
He looked at Perry Mason, his eyes shrewd, and appraising, and remarked: “But I don’t understand what you’re driving at.”
“All right,” Mason said, “if I’ve got to hand it to you straight from the shoulder, I’m talking about the night of the Beechwood stickup, and your presence in theInn with a married woman.”
Harrison Burke winced as though he had been struck a blow. He took a deep breath that was a gasp, then deliberately set his face in lines that he doubtless thought were wooden.
“I think,” he said in his deep, booming voice, “that you have been misinformed. And inasmuch as I am exceedingly busy this afternoon, I will have to ask you to excuse me.”
Perry Mason’s expression was a mixture of disgust and resentment. Then he took a step toward the politician’s desk and stared down at the man’s face.
“You’re in a jam,” he said, slowly, “and the quicker you get done pulling that line of hooey, the quicker we can talk about getting out of it.”
“But,” protested Burke, “I don’t know anything about you. You haven’t any credentials, or anything.”
“This is a case,” Mason answered, “where you don’t need any credentials except knowledge. I’ve got the knowledge. I’m representing the woman who was with you on that occasion.
“Lots of people are like that, Della.”
“I know, but she’s different. She doesn’t know what honesty means. She loves trickery. She’d turn on you in a second if it would be to her advantage.”
Perry Mason’s face was thoughtful.
“It wouldn’t be to her advantage,” he remarked, his voice preoccupied.
Della Street stared at him for a moment, then softly closed the door and left him alone.
Chapter 6
Harrison Burke was a tall man who cultivated an air of distinction. His record in Congress had been mediocre, but he had identified himself as “The Friend of the People” by sponsoring legislation which a clique of politicians pushed through the house, knowing that it would never pass the upper body, or, if it did, that it would be promptly vetoed by the President.
He was planning his campaign for the Senate by adroitly seeking to interest the more substantial class of citizens and impress them with the fact that he was, at heart, conservative. He was trying to do this without in any way sacrificing his following among the common people, or his reputation as being a friend of the people.
He looked at Perry Mason, his eyes shrewd, and appraising, and remarked: “But I don’t understand what you’re driving at.”
“All right,” Mason said, “if I’ve got to hand it to you straight from the shoulder, I’m talking about the night of the Beechwood stickup, and your presence in theInn with a married woman.”
Harrison Burke winced as though he had been struck a blow. He took a deep breath that was a gasp, then deliberately set his face in lines that he doubtless thought were wooden.
“I think,” he said in his deep, booming voice, “that you have been misinformed. And inasmuch as I am exceedingly busy this afternoon, I will have to ask you to excuse me.”
Perry Mason’s expression was a mixture of disgust and resentment. Then he took a step toward the politician’s desk and stared down at the man’s face.
“You’re in a jam,” he said, slowly, “and the quicker you get done pulling that line of hooey, the quicker we can talk about getting out of it.”
“But,” protested Burke, “I don’t know anything about you. You haven’t any credentials, or anything.”
“This is a case,” Mason answered, “where you don’t need any credentials except knowledge. I’ve got the knowledge. I’m representing the woman who was with you on that occasion.