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〃Nothing； only he's Iying if he said that he ever gave me that gun。 I never saw it in my life。〃
〃That makes it more simple；〃 Mason mented。
〃What does？〃
〃You'll see；〃 he told her。 〃Now let's go back and clear up another point or two。 When you got your purse it was in your husband's desk。 Do you remember that？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 she inquired in a low cautious voice。
〃When I was there with you；〃 Mason said； 〃and you got your purse。〃
〃Oh； yes； I remember that！ I'd put it in the desk earlier in the evening。〃
〃Fine；〃 said Mason。 〃Now； just between the four of us； who do you think was in the room with your husband when the shot was fired？〃
She said； simply； 〃You were。〃
〃That's fine；〃 Mason said without enthusiasm。 〃Now； your husband had been taking a bath just before the shot was fired。〃
For the first time she seemed uneasy。 〃I don't know about that。 You were there。 I wasn't。〃
〃Yes； you know；〃 Mason insisted。 〃He was in the bath； and he got out and put a bathrobe around him； without even waiting to dry himself。〃
〃Did he？〃 she asked mechanically。
〃You know he did； and the evidence shows he did。 Now； how do you suppose that I got in to see him if he was in his bath？〃
〃Why； I guess the servant let you in； didn't he？〃
Mason smiled。 〃The servant doesn't say so； does he？〃
〃Well； I don't know。 All I know is that I heard your voice。〃
〃You'd been out with Burke；〃 Mason said； slowly； 〃and you came in。 You didn't carry your purse with you while you were wearing your evening clothes； did you？〃
〃No； I didn't have it with me then；〃 she said； and suddenly bit her lip。
Mason grinned at her。
〃Then how；〃 he said； 〃did it get in your husband's desk？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃You remember the receipts that I gave you for the amounts you paid on account of fees？〃 Mason asked。
She nodded her head。
〃Where are they？〃
She shrugged her shoulders。
〃I don't know；〃 she said； 〃I've lost them。〃
〃That；〃 Mason said； 〃clinches it。〃
〃Clinches what？〃 she asked。
〃The fact that you killed him。 You won't tell me what happened； so I'll tell you what happened。
〃You had been out with Burke。 You came in； and Burke left you at the door。 You went upstairs； and your husband heard you ing。 He was in the bath at the time。 He was in a towering rage。 He jumped out of the bath； threw the robe around him； and called to you to e into his suite。 You went in there and he showed you the two receipts that he'd found in your purse while you were out。 They had my name on them。 I'd been there and told him what it was that I was trying to keep out of Spicy Bits。 He put two and two together； and knew who it was that I was representing right then。〃
〃Why I never heard of such a thing！〃 she said。
He grinned at her。 〃Oh； yes； you did！ You knew that it was a show…down right then； and you shot him。 He fell； and you rushed out of the place； but you played it pretty smooth at that。 You dropped the gun on the floor； knowing that it could be traced to Harrison Burke and could never be traced any farther。 You wanted to get Harrison Burke in it； so that he'd have to get you out。 And you wanted to get me in it for the same reason。 You went down and telephoned Burke and told him that something had happened； and that his gun would be found； that he'd better get out and lie low； and that his only hope was to keep sending me plenty of money so that I would go ahead with the case。
〃Then you telephoned to me and got me to e out there。 You told me that you recognized my voice as the voice of the man who was in the room with your husband because you wanted my help； and also because you wanted to fix it so that I couldn't prove an alibi if you wanted to spring this business about recognizing my voice in the apartment。
〃You figured that if you could drag me and Harrison Burke both into the mess； we'd get you out while we were getting ourselves out。 You figured that I'd get busy and square the thing some way； with Burke's money back of me； and the fact that I was in a jam to spur me on。
〃You figured that you could pretend you didn't realize just how much you had me in your power by saying that you recognized my voice as that of the man in the room with your husband。
〃Also； you figured that if you got in a position where they menced to put the screws on you； you'd switch the whole thing to me； and let Burke and me fight it out between us。〃
She was staring at him now her face chalk…white； her eyes dark with panic。
〃You've got no right to talk that way；〃 she charged。
〃The hell I haven't！〃 he said。 〃I've got proof。〃
〃What kind of proof？〃
He laughed harshly。 〃What do you think I was doing all the time you were being questioned last night？〃 he said。 〃I got in touch with Harrison Burke； and we got in touch with the housekeeper。 The housekeeper was trying to protect you； but she knows that you came in with Burke and that your husband called to you as you went upstairs。 She knows that he was looking for you earlier in the evening； and that he had your purse； and had found the two receipts with my signature on them。
〃When you had the receipts made out without any name on them； you thought it would be all right。 But you forgot that my name was signed to them； and that as soon as your husband knew the case that I was working on and found the receipts in your purse； he knew that you were the woman in the case。〃
Her face was twisting now。 〃You're my lawyer。 You can't use all of the things that I've told you to build up a case against me。 You've got to be loyal to my interests。〃
He laughed bitterly。
〃I suppose I should sit tight and let you drag me into the murder； so that you can walk out； eh？〃
〃I didn't say that。 I just want you to be loyal to me。〃
〃You're a hell of a person to talk of loyalty。〃
She tried another defense。 〃All that is a mess of lies；〃 she charged； 〃and you can't prove it。〃
Perry Mason reached for his hat。
〃Maybe I can't prove it；〃 he said； 〃but you put in the night making wild statements to the District Attorney。 I'm going down and make a statement now。 When I get done they'll have a pretty good idea of the real facts of the case。 What with telephoning to Harrison Burke about the gun； and telling him to get out； and the motive that you had in order to keep your husband from discovering your affair with Burke； the police will have a pretty good case。〃
〃But I didn't gain anything by his death。〃
〃That's another slick thing；〃 he said coldly； 〃that is just like everything else you did。 It's just slick enough to look good on the face； but not clever enough to really get by。 The forgery of that will was a good job。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Exactly what I said；〃 he snapped。 〃Your husband told you that you were disinherited； or else you found the will in his safe。 At any rate； you knew the terms of the will； and you knew where it was kept。 You tried to figure some way of getting around that will。 You knew that if you destroyed it； it wouldn't do you any good because Carl Griffin and Arthur Atwood； his lawyer； had seen the will； and that your husband had told them about it。 If it was missing they'd suspect you。
〃But you figured that if you could trap Griffin into claiming under the will and then prove that the will was a forgery； you'd have Griffin in a questionable position。 So you went ahead and forged the will that your husband had drawn； making the forgery crude enough to be easily detected； but copying the will word for word。 Then you planted your forged will where you could get it whenever you wanted to。
〃When you had me at the house； examining the body； you pretended to be overe with emotion。 You wouldn't e near the body。 But while I was busy looking things over； you got the original will and destroyed it。 You planted your forged copy。 Naturally Griffin and his lawyer walked into the trap and claimed that the will was the original holographic will of George Belter； because they knew the terms of the genuine will。
〃As a matter of fact； it's such a clumsy forgery； that they can't even get a handwriting expert to testify that it's genuine。 They realize