JК
The Case of the Velvet Claws :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 77 из 149“You mean that he showed them a will, and said it was in his handwriting. There was nothing to prevent Griffin from tearing up that will, and substituting a forged one. Was there?”
He looked at her in cold appraisal.
“Listen,” he said, “you’re saying lots of words. Do you know what they mean?”
“Of course, I know what they mean.”
“Well,” he told her, “that’s a dangerous accusation to make, unless you’ve got something to back it up with.”
“I haven’t got anything to back it up with—yet,” she said, slowly.
“All right, then,” he warned, “don’t make the accusation.”
Her voice was edged with impatience. “You keep telling me that you’re my lawyer, and I’m to tell you everything. And then when I tell you everything, you start scolding me.”
“Oh, forget it,” he said, and handed her back the will. “You can save that injured innocence until you get into court. Now tell me about this will. How did you get it?”
“It was in his study,” she said, slowly. “The safe was unlocked. I sneaked out the will and then locked the safe.”
“You know that isn’t even funny,” he told her.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Of course not.”
“Why?”
“Because the police would probably keep a guard in the room. In any event they would have noticed if the safe had been open and inventoried the contents.”
She lowered her eyes, then said slowly, “Do you remember when we went back there? You were looking at the dead body, feeling of the bathrobe?”
“Yes,” he said, his eyes narrowed.
“All right. I slipped it out of the safe then. The safe was open. I locked it. You were examining the body.”
He blinked. “By God,” he said, “I believe you did! You were over there near the desk and the safe. Why did you do it? Why didn’t you tell me what you were up to?”
“Because I wanted to see if the will was in my favor, or whether I could destroy it. Do you think I should destroy it?”
His answer was an explosive, “No!”
She remained silent for several minutes.
“Well,” she asked at length, “is there anything else?”
“Yes,” he said, “sit down over there on the bed where I can look at you. Now I want to know some things. I didn’t ask them before the officers had talked with you because I was afraid I’d get you all rattled. I wanted you to have all the poise you could have when you were talking with them. But now the situation is different. I want to know exactly what happened.
He looked at her in cold appraisal.
“Listen,” he said, “you’re saying lots of words. Do you know what they mean?”
“Of course, I know what they mean.”
“Well,” he told her, “that’s a dangerous accusation to make, unless you’ve got something to back it up with.”
“I haven’t got anything to back it up with—yet,” she said, slowly.
“All right, then,” he warned, “don’t make the accusation.”
Her voice was edged with impatience. “You keep telling me that you’re my lawyer, and I’m to tell you everything. And then when I tell you everything, you start scolding me.”
“Oh, forget it,” he said, and handed her back the will. “You can save that injured innocence until you get into court. Now tell me about this will. How did you get it?”
“It was in his study,” she said, slowly. “The safe was unlocked. I sneaked out the will and then locked the safe.”
“You know that isn’t even funny,” he told her.
“You don’t believe me?”
“Of course not.”
“Why?”
“Because the police would probably keep a guard in the room. In any event they would have noticed if the safe had been open and inventoried the contents.”
She lowered her eyes, then said slowly, “Do you remember when we went back there? You were looking at the dead body, feeling of the bathrobe?”
“Yes,” he said, his eyes narrowed.
“All right. I slipped it out of the safe then. The safe was open. I locked it. You were examining the body.”
He blinked. “By God,” he said, “I believe you did! You were over there near the desk and the safe. Why did you do it? Why didn’t you tell me what you were up to?”
“Because I wanted to see if the will was in my favor, or whether I could destroy it. Do you think I should destroy it?”
His answer was an explosive, “No!”
She remained silent for several minutes.
“Well,” she asked at length, “is there anything else?”
“Yes,” he said, “sit down over there on the bed where I can look at you. Now I want to know some things. I didn’t ask them before the officers had talked with you because I was afraid I’d get you all rattled. I wanted you to have all the poise you could have when you were talking with them. But now the situation is different. I want to know exactly what happened.