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Locke said； curiously； 〃Listen； you're playing a hell of a deep game。 I'd like to know what it is。〃
Mason looked at him innocently。
〃Why no； Locke；〃 he said； 〃I'm just representing a client； and sort of messing around here； trying to find out something。 I had some detectives who chased down the number on the gun。 I guess we got it a little bit in advance of the police； because they are going about it as a matter of routine。 And I did some single…shooting on it。〃
Locke laughed。 〃Save that；〃 he said； 〃and tell it to somebody who appreciates it。 You don't fool me any with that damned innocent stuff。〃
Mason shrugged his shoulders。
〃Well； Locke；〃 he said； 〃I'm sorry。 I may get in touch with you later on。 In the meantime； I'd be awfully careful about mentioning anything at all about Mrs。 Belter's business； or about my business； and that goes double for anything connected with this Beechwood Inn business； or Harrison Burke。〃
〃Hell；〃 said Locke； 〃you don't need to rub it in。 I'm off of that stuff for life。 I know when I'm licked。 What are you going to do about that Georgia business？ Anything？〃
〃I'm not a detective or an officer。 I'm simply a lawyer。 I'm representing Mrs。 Belter。 That's all。〃
The cage dropped them into the lobby of the hotel； and Mason went to the door and signaled a taxi。
〃So long； Locke；〃 he said。 〃I'll see you later。〃
As the cab drove away； Locke was standing in the doorway； leaning up against the building for support。 His face was pale and his lips twisted into a frozen smile。
15。
Perry Mason sat in his room at the hotel。 There were dark circles under his eyes； and his face was gray with fatigue。 The eyes； however； were steady in their calm concentration； dominating the entire face。
Morning sunlight was streaming in through the windows。 The bed was littered with newspapers。 Headlines streamed across them news of the Belter murder； which had developed enough interesting angles to betray to the news…skilled reporters that a major sensation was due to break。
The Examiner carried headlines which monopolized the front page。 〃MURDER BARES ROMANCE。〃 Underneath in smaller headlines： NEPHEW OF VICTIM ENGAGED TO HOUSEKEEPER'S DAUGHTER。 SECRET ROMANCE BARED BY POLICE。…WILL CONTEST FILED IN BELTER ESTATE。 DISINHERITED WIDOW CLAIMS WILL FORGERY…POLICE TRACE GUN TO MISSING MAN…WIDOW'S CHANCE REMARK STARTS SEARCH FOR LAWYER。〃
These headlines appeared over different articles on the front page of the paper。 The inside page showed pictures of Eva Belter sitting with her knees crossed； a handkerchief to her eyes。 There were headlines with the by…line of a well…known sob sister； 〃WIDOW WEEPS AS POLICE QUESTION。〃
Reading the newspapers； Mason had kept abreast of the situation。 He had learned that the police had traced the gun to one Pete Mitchell； who had mysteriously disappeared immediately after the shooting； but who had a perfect alibi covering the time when the crime had actually been mitted。 It was the assumption of the police that Mitchell was shielding some one to whom he had given the gun。
No names were mentioned； but Mason was able to realize that the police were getting close to Harrison Burke。 He had also read； with increasing interest； about a chance remark which Eva Belter had made which had caused the police to start seeking an attorney who had represented her； and who had mysteriously disappeared from his office。 The police were confidently predicting that the mystery would be solved within another twenty…four hours； and the man who fired the fatal shot be behind the bars。
Somebody knocked at the door。
Perry Mason put down the newspaper he was reading； cocked his head on one side； and listened。
The knock was repeated。
Mason shrugged his shoulders； walked to the door； twisted the key； and opened it。
Della Street was in the hall。
She pushed her way into the room； slammed the door behind her； and locked it。
〃I told you not to risk it；〃 Mason told her。
She turned around and looked at him。 Her eyes were slightly blood…shot； with dark circles under them； and her face was haggard。
〃I don't care；〃 she said。 〃It was all right。 I managed to ditch them。 I've been playing tag with them for an hour。〃
〃You can't ever tell about those fellows； Della。 They're clever。 Sometimes they let you think you've got away in order to find out where you wanted to go。〃
〃They didn't slip anything over on me；〃 she said in a voice that told of raw nerves。 〃I tell you they don't know where I am。〃
He caught the note of hysteria in her voice。 〃Well； I'm glad you're here。 I was just wondering who I could get to take down some stuff。〃
〃What stuff？〃
〃Some stuff that's going to e up。〃
She made a gesture toward the newspapers on the bed。
〃Chief；〃 she said； 〃I told you that she was going to get you into trouble。 She came into the office and signed those papers。 There were a bunch of reporters hanging around； of course； and they started going after her。 Then the detectives took her down to Headquarters for further questioning。 You can see what she did。〃
Mason nodded。 〃That's all right。 Don't get excited； Della。〃
〃Get excited？ Do you know what she did？ She made the statement down there that she recognized your voice。 That you were the man that was in the room with Belter when the shot was fired。 And then she pulled a fainting fit； and a lot of hysterics； and stuff of that sort。〃
〃That's all right； Della；〃 he said soothingly。 〃I knew she was going to do that。〃
Della stared at him with wide eyes。
〃You did？〃 she asked。 〃I thought I was the one who knew that！〃
He nodded。 〃Sure you did； Della。 So did I。〃
〃She's a rat and a liar！〃 Della Street said。
Mason shrugged his shoulders and walked to the telephone。 He gave the number of Drake's Detective Bureau； and got Paul Drake on the line。
〃Listen； Paul；〃 he said； 〃make sure you're not tailed； and sneak over to Room 518 in the Hotel Ripley。 Better bring a couple of stenographer's notebooks； and a bunch of pencils along with you。 Will you？〃
〃Right away？〃 asked the detective。
〃Right away；〃 he said。 〃It's eight forty…five now； and I'm expecting a show to start at nine。〃
He hung up the telephone。
Della Street was curious。 〃What is it； chief？〃 she asked。
〃I'm expecting Eva Belter to be here at nine o'clock；〃 he said briefly。
〃I don't want to be here when that woman's here；〃 Della Street said。 〃I can't trust myself around her。 She's double…crossed you all the way from the start。 I want to kill her。 She's such a sleek little gutter rat。〃
He put his hand on her shoulder。 〃Sit down and take it easy； Della。 There's going to be a show…down。〃
There was a sound at the door。 The knob turned； the door opened； and Eva Belter walked in。
She looked at Della Street； and said； 〃Oh； you're both here。〃
〃Apparently；〃 Mason said； 〃you've been doing some talking。〃 He gestured； as he spoke； toward the newspapers which were piled on the bed。
She walked over to him； ignoring the other woman； placed her hands on his shoulders； looked up in his eyes。 〃Perry；〃 she said； 〃I neve