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erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第13部分

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gned and witnessed wills that were executed in the office。 Mr。 Bannock signed; and I signed。
 〃If they should call me and ask me if I signed this will as a witness; I would have to tell them that this will was pletely spurious; that I prepared it only recently and…〃
 He interrupted her; smiling。 〃Why don't you just leave all that to me; Mrs。 Baxter?〃 he asked。 〃Just pick up the five hundred dollars and start typing。〃
 〃I'm afraid I'd be too nervous to do anything while you were here。 I'd have to work out the terms of the wills and then you could e back later。〃
 He shook his head firmly。 〃I want to take these documents with me;〃 he said; 〃and I haven't very much time。〃
 Virginia Baxter hesitated; then remembering Mason's instructions; went to the drawer of the desk; picked out some of the old legal paper bearing Delano Bannock's imprint; put in new carbon paper; racheted the paper into the typewriter and started typing。
 Thirty minutes later when she had finished; her visitor pocketed the carbon copies of the two documents; said; 〃Now; destroy those originals; Virginia。 In fact; I'll destroy them right now。〃
 He picked up all the originals and copies; folded them and put them in his pocket。
 He walked to the door; paused to nod to Virginia Baxter。 〃You're a good girl;〃 he said。
 She watched him until he had entered the elevator; then she slammed the door; raced for the telephone; called Mason's office and hurriedly reported what had happened。
 〃Do you have any copies?〃 Mason asked。
 〃Only the carbon paper;〃 she said。 〃He was smart enough to take the originals as well as the copies; but I followed your suggestion and put in a fresh sheet of carbon paper with each page and he didn't notice what I was doing。 You see; I prepared all the pages with the carbon paper inserts in advance; putting out a half a dozen pages on my desk at one time and taking a fresh sheet of carbon paper from the box for each page。 So I have a set of carbons; and by holding them up to the light; it's easy to read what was written。〃
 〃All right;〃 Mason said; 〃bring those carbon copies up to my office just as fast as you can get here。〃
 
 CHAPTER ELEVEN
 Virginia sat across the desk from Mason; who carefully examined the pages of carbon。
 He turned to Della Street。 〃Della;〃 he said; 〃take some cardboard the size of these pages of carbon paper so the carbon paper won't get folded or wrinkled; put these in an envelope and seal the envelope。〃
 When Della had done this; Mason said to Virginia; 〃Now; write your name several times across the seal。〃
 〃What's that for?〃
 〃To show that it hasn't been steamed open or tampered with。〃
 Mason watched her while she wrote her name。
 〃Now then;〃 he said; 〃don't bother with your car because you won't be able to find a parking place and time is running against you。
 〃Take a taxicab。 Rush this envelope to the post office; address it to yourself and send it by registered mail。〃
 〃Then what?〃 she asked。
 〃Now; listen very carefully;〃 Mason said。 〃When this envelope is delivered to you by registered mail; don't open it。 Leave it sealed just as it is。〃
 〃Oh; I see;〃 she said; 〃you want to be able to show the date that I…〃
 〃Exactly;〃 Mason said。
 She picked up the envelope; started for the door。
 〃How are you fixed for provisions in your apartment?〃 Mason asked。
 〃Why; I 。 。 。 I have butter; bread; canned goods and some meat。 。 。 。〃
 〃Enough to last you for twenty…four hours if necessary?〃
 〃Yes; indeed!〃
 Mason said; 〃Mail that letter; go back to your apartment; stay there; keep the safety chain on the door。 Don't admit anyone。 If anyone calls to see you; tell him that you're entertaining a visitor and can't be disturbed。 Then get his name and telephone me。〃
 〃Why?〃 she asked。 〃Do you think I'm in 。 。 in any danger?〃
 〃I don't know;〃 Mason said。 〃All I know is that there's a possibility。 Someone tried to frame you and discredit you。 I don't want that to happen again。〃
 〃Neither do I;〃 she said vehemently。
 〃All right;〃 Mason told her; 〃on your way to the post office。 Then go back to your apartment and stay there。〃
 When she had left; Della Street looked at Mason with raised eyebrows。 〃Why should she be in any danger?〃
 Mason said; 〃Figure it out for yourself。 A will is made。 There are two subscribing witnesses。 One of them is dead。 An attempt was made to put the other in a position where her testimony would have been discredited。 Now; a new plan is in operation。〃
 〃But those spurious wills; they can't mean anything。〃
 〃How do you know?〃 Mason asked。 〃Suppose two more people die; then what happens?〃
 〃What two people?〃 she asked。
 〃Lauretta Trent and Virginia Baxter。 Perhaps a fire destroys the home of Lauretta Trent。 Presumably the will has been destroyed in the conflagration。
 〃People look for the carbon copies of the wills prepared by Bannock to establish the contents of the burnt will。 They find two wills。 The effect of those wills is to indicate that Lauretta Trent was suspicious of her relatives and the people who surrounded her。
 〃Now then; Delano Bannock is dead。 Suppose Virginia Baxter should also die。〃
 Della Street blinked her eyes rapidly。 〃Good heavens 。 。 。 are you going to notify the police?〃
 〃Not yet;〃 Mason said; 〃but probably within a matter of hours。 However; there are a lot of factors involved; and an attorney can't go around making accusations of this sort unless he has something more definite on which to base them。〃
 〃But it won't take much more?〃 Della Street asked。
 〃It will take very little more;〃 Mason said。
 
 CHAPTER TWELVE
 It was just before Mason was closing the office that Dr。 Alton telephoned。
 〃Is it all right if I e up for just a few minutes?〃 Dr。 Alton asked。 〃I've had a terrific work load this afternoon with an office full of patients and I'm just this minute getting free。〃
 〃I'll wait;〃 Mason said。
 〃I'll be there within ten minutes;〃 Dr。 Alton promised。
 Mason hung up the phone; turned to Della Street; 〃Any particular plans for this evening; Della? Can you wait with me for Dr。 Alton?〃
 〃I'll be glad to;〃 she said。
 〃After that;〃 Mason told her; 〃we can go out for dinner。〃
 〃Now; those words are music to a secretary's ears;〃 she told him; 〃but may I remind you; you don't as yet have any retainer in this case which would cover expenses。〃
 〃We're casting bread on the waters;〃 Mason said; 〃and don't let the matter of expense cramp your style。 Just don't look at the right side of the menu。〃
 〃My figure;〃 she sighed。
 〃Perfect;〃 Mason said。
 She smiled。 〃I'll go out in the outer office and wait for Dr。 Alton。〃
 〃Bring him right in; as soon as he es;〃 Mason told her。
 Della Street went to the outer office and a few minutes later returned; opening the door and saying; 〃Dr。 Ferris Alton。〃
 Dr。 Alton came bustling forward; radiating intense nervous energy。
 He grasped Mason's hand; said; 〃I'm very pleased indeed to meet you; Mr。 Mason。 I have to discuss this case with you; personally; which is the reason I'm bothering you。
 〃Incidentally; I have here two sterile phials containing the material you wanted; some clippings from the fingernails and some hair that has been pulled out by the roots。
 〃Now; I can either have this processed or you can。〃
 〃Better let me do it;〃 Mason said。 〃It will attract less attention that way; and I have some connections which will give me a report within a very short time。〃
 〃Well; I'd be very glad to have you do it;〃 Dr。 Alton said; 〃but now that you've planted the suspicion in my mind; I have an uneasy feeling that we're going to have positive reactions; that there will be at least two areas in the hair that will show arsenic。
 〃The first attack took place approximately seven and a half months ago…too long a time; I'd guess; for any traces of the poison to remain。 But the second was five weeks ago; and the last one about a week ago。〃
 〃Did you get a dietary history?〃 Mason asked。
 〃I wasn't utterly na?ve;〃 Dr。 Alton said。 〃I wanted to find out if this was the result of an allergy or; as I suspected; contaminated food。
 〃On all occasions; she had eaten Mexican food。〃
 〃Who cooked it?〃 Mason asked。
 〃She has a chauffeur; a George Eagan; who has been with her for some time。 She is very much attached to him…in a business way; of course。 He is young enough…Well; I believe there's quite a discrepancy in ages 。 。 。 oh; say fifteen years or so。
 〃He drives her everyplace and he is the one in charge of the outdoor cooking; whenever they have a barbecue; he does the steaks and the potatoes; does the cooking and the serving; toasts the French bread and all the rest of it。 I gather he's very expert。
 〃He's also expert in cooking; the Mexican foods I mentioned are cooked out of doors。〃
 〃Wait a minute;〃 Mason said; 〃she would hardly have the Mexican food cooked just for herself。 There must have been others present。〃
 Dr。 Alton said; 〃In getting a case history; I wasn't even suspicious of poisoning。 Therefore; I asked only about what my patient had been eating。 I didn't ask about others。 I believe other relatives were also present。 Eagan; the chauffeur; did the cooking。 Apparently no one else besides Lauretta Trent had any symptoms。〃
 〃I s
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