JК
The Case of the Velvet Claws :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 78 из 149”
She widened her eyes, let her face take on that look of synthetic innocence she affected and said: “I told you what happened.”
He shook his head. “No, you didn’t.”
“Are you accusing me of lying?”
He sighed. “For God’s sake, forget that stuff and get down to earth.”
“Exactly what is it you want to know?”
“You had on your glad rags last night,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. You were all dolled up in your evening gown, without any back, and with your satin shoes, and Sundaygotomeeting stockings.”
“Well?”
“And your husband had been taking a bath.”
“Well, what of that?”
“You didn’t dress up just on your husband’s account,” he said.
“Of course not.”
“Do you dress every evening?”
“Sometimes.”
“As a matter of fact,” he said, “you were out last night, and didn’t get back in until shortly before your husband was murdered. Isn’t that right?”
She shook her head vigorously. Once more her manner became frigidly dignified.
“No,” she said, “I was in all evening.”
Perry Mason looked at her with cold, searching eyes.
“The housekeeper told me when I was down in the kitchen getting some coffee that she heard your maid tell you that somebody had rung up with a message about some shoes,” he ventured.
It was obvious that Eva Belter was taken by surprise but she controlled herself with an effort.
“Why, what’s wrong with that?” she asked.
“Tell me first,” said Mason, “whether or not your maid did bring you such a message.”
“Why, yes,” said Eva Belter, casually, “I think she did. I can’t be certain. I had some shoes that I was very anxious to get, and there has been some trouble about them. I think that Marie received some message about them, and told me what it was. The events crowded it out of my mind.”
“Do you know anything at all about how they hang people?” Perry Mason asked abruptly.
“What do you mean?” she demanded.
“For murder,” he went on. “It usually happens along in the morning. They come down to the death cell and read the death warrant. Then they strap your hands behind your back, and strap a board along your back, so that you can’t cave in. They start a march down the corridor to the scaffold. There are thirteen steps that you have to climb, and then you walk over and stand on a trap.
She widened her eyes, let her face take on that look of synthetic innocence she affected and said: “I told you what happened.”
He shook his head. “No, you didn’t.”
“Are you accusing me of lying?”
He sighed. “For God’s sake, forget that stuff and get down to earth.”
“Exactly what is it you want to know?”
“You had on your glad rags last night,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. You were all dolled up in your evening gown, without any back, and with your satin shoes, and Sundaygotomeeting stockings.”
“Well?”
“And your husband had been taking a bath.”
“Well, what of that?”
“You didn’t dress up just on your husband’s account,” he said.
“Of course not.”
“Do you dress every evening?”
“Sometimes.”
“As a matter of fact,” he said, “you were out last night, and didn’t get back in until shortly before your husband was murdered. Isn’t that right?”
She shook her head vigorously. Once more her manner became frigidly dignified.
“No,” she said, “I was in all evening.”
Perry Mason looked at her with cold, searching eyes.
“The housekeeper told me when I was down in the kitchen getting some coffee that she heard your maid tell you that somebody had rung up with a message about some shoes,” he ventured.
It was obvious that Eva Belter was taken by surprise but she controlled herself with an effort.
“Why, what’s wrong with that?” she asked.
“Tell me first,” said Mason, “whether or not your maid did bring you such a message.”
“Why, yes,” said Eva Belter, casually, “I think she did. I can’t be certain. I had some shoes that I was very anxious to get, and there has been some trouble about them. I think that Marie received some message about them, and told me what it was. The events crowded it out of my mind.”
“Do you know anything at all about how they hang people?” Perry Mason asked abruptly.
“What do you mean?” she demanded.
“For murder,” he went on. “It usually happens along in the morning. They come down to the death cell and read the death warrant. Then they strap your hands behind your back, and strap a board along your back, so that you can’t cave in. They start a march down the corridor to the scaffold. There are thirteen steps that you have to climb, and then you walk over and stand on a trap.