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〃Yes；〃 she said in a weak voice。
〃All right； what happened？〃
〃He kept insisting that he wanted to see George。 I told him that it would be suicidal even to go near George。 He said that he wouldn't mention my name at all。 He thought that if he could go to George and explain the circumstances to him； and tell him that he was willing to do anything after he was elected George would order Frank Locke to lay off the publicity。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason； 〃now we are getting someplace。 He wanted to go see your husband； and you tried to keep him from doing it。 Is that it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Why；〃 he asked； 〃did you want to keep him from doing it？〃
She said slowly； 〃I was afraid that he would mention my name。〃
〃Did he？〃 asked Mason。
〃I don't know；〃 she said； and then suddenly added： 〃That is； of course not； he didn't see George at all。 He talked with me； and I convinced him that he mustn't talk with George。 And then he left the house。〃
Perry Mason chuckled。 〃You thought of that trap just a little bit too late； young lady。 So you don't know whether or not he mentioned your name to George； eh？〃
She said sullenly： 〃I told you he didn't see him。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I know； but the fact is that he did see him。 He went upstairs to his study and talked with him。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃Because；〃 he said； 〃I've got a theory about this thing； and I want to run it down。 I've got a pretty good idea of what happened。〃
〃What did happen？〃 she asked。
He grinned at her。
〃You know what happened；〃 he told her。
〃No； no；〃 she said； 〃what was it that happened？〃
His voice was a steady； expressionless monotone。 〃So Harrison Burke went upstairs and talked with your husband；〃 he droned。 〃How long was he up there？〃
〃I don't know。 Not over fifteen minutes。〃
〃That's better。 And you didn't see him after he came down？〃
〃No。〃
〃Now； as a matter of fact；〃 he inquired； 〃was there a shot fired while Harrison Burke was up there； and then did he run down the stairs； and out of the house without saying anything to you？〃
She shook her head emphatically。 〃No；〃 she said； 〃Burke left before my husband was shot。〃
〃How long before？〃
〃I don't know； perhaps fifteen minutes。 Perhaps longer。 Perhaps not quite so long。〃
〃And now；〃 he pointed out； 〃Harrison Burke can't be found。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Exactly what I said。 He can't be found。 He doesn't answer his telephone。 He isn't at his residence。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃I kept trying to get him on the telephone； and I sent detectives out to his residence。〃
〃Why did you do that？〃
〃Because I knew he was going to be implicated in the shooting。〃
She widened her eyes again。 〃How could that be？〃 she asked。 〃Nobody knows that he was out at the house except us。 And of course we wouldn't tell； because that would make the situation that much worse for everybody。 He left before the other man came； who fired the shot。〃
Perry Mason held her eyes in a steady gaze。 〃It was his gun that fired the shot；〃 he said； slowly。
She stared at him； her eyes startled。
〃What makes you say that？〃 she asked。
〃Because；〃 he told her； 〃there was a number on the gun。 That number can be traced from the factory to the wholesaler； from the wholesaler to the retailer； and from the retailer to the man who bought the gun。 It was a fellow named Pete Mitchell； who lives at thirteen twenty…two West Sixty…ninth Street； and was a close friend of Harrison Burke's。 The police are rounding up Mitchell； and when they get him； he'll have to explain what he did with the gun。 That is； that he gave it to Burke。〃
She put a hand to her throat。
〃How can they trace guns like that？〃
〃There's a record kept of everything。〃
〃I knew that we should have done something with that gun；〃 she said almost hysterically。
He said； 〃Yes； and then you would have put your head in the noose。 You've got yourself to think of。 Your own position in this is none too pretty。 You want to save Burke； of course； if you can。 But the thing that I'm trying to bring out is； that if Burke did the thing； you'd better e clean and tell me。 Then； if we can keep Burke out of it； we will。 But I don't want you to get in the position where they build up a case against you； while you're trying to shield Burke。〃
She started to pace the floor； twisting her handkerchief in her fingers。
〃Oh； my God！〃 she said。 〃Oh； my God！ Oh； my God！〃
〃I don't know whether or not it's ever occurred to you；〃 he said； 〃but there's a penalty for being an accessory after the fact； or for pounding a felony。 Now； we don't either one of us want to get in that position。 What we want to do is to find out who did this thing； and find it out before the police do。 I don't want them to frame a murder charge on you； and I don't want them to frame one on me。 If Burke is guilty； the thing to do is to get in touch with Burke； and get him to surrender himself； and rush the case through to a trial before the District Attorney's office can get too much evidence。 I'm going to take steps to see that Locke keeps quiet； and call off this blackmail article in Spicy Bits。〃
She stared at him for a moment； and then asked； 〃How are you going to do that？〃
He smiled at her。 〃In this game；〃 he said； 〃I'm the one that has to know everything。 The less you know； the less you stand a chance of telling。〃
〃You can trust me。 I can keep a secret；〃 she told him。
〃You're a good liar；〃 he said judiciously； 〃if that's what you mean。 But this is once where you won't have to lie； because you won't know what's going on。〃
〃But Burke didn't do it；〃 she insisted。
He frowned at her。
〃Now listen；〃 he said； 〃that's the reason I wanted to get in touch with you。 If Burke didn't do it； who did？〃
She shifted her eyes。 〃I told you some man had a conference with my husband。 I don't know who he was。 I thought it was you。 It sounded like your voice。〃
He got to his feet； and his face darkened。
〃Listen；〃 he said； 〃if you go trying that kind of a game on me； I'll throw you to the wolves。 You've tried that game once。 That's enough。〃
She started to cry and sobbed。 〃I c…c…can't help it。 You asked me。 There's nobody listening。 I t…t…t…told you who it w…w…was。 I heard your v…v…voice。 I won't t…t…tell the p…p…police； not even if they t…t…torture me！〃
He took her by the shoulders and slammed her down on the bed。 He pulled her hands from her face and stared at her eyes。 There was no trace of tears in them。
〃Now listen；〃 he said； 〃you didn't hear my voice； because I wasn't there at all。 And cut out that sobbing act…unless you've got an onion in your handkerchief！〃
〃Then it was somebody whose voice sounded like yours；〃 she insisted。
He scowled at her。
〃Are you in love with Burke？〃 he asked。 〃And trying to put me in a position where you can throw me over in case I can't square the thing for Burke？〃
〃No。 You wanted me to tell the truth； and I'm telling it。〃
〃I'm tempted to get up and walk out on you； and leave you with the whole mess on your hands；〃 he threatened。
She said； demurely； 〃Then； of course； I'd have to tell the police whose voice it was I heard in that room。〃
〃So that's your little game； eh？〃
〃I haven't any game。 I'm telling the truth。〃 Her voice was sweet； but she didn't meet his eyes。
Mason sighed。 〃I never went back on a client yet； guilty or innocent；〃 he said。 〃I'm trying to remember that。 But； by God！ It's a temptation to walk out on you！〃
She sat on the bed and twisted her handkerchief about her fingers。
In a moment he began to talk； 〃On my way back down the hill； after I'd left your house； I stopped to talk with the clerk in the drug store where you telephoned to me。 He was watching you when you went in the telephone booth； which was only natural。 A woman in evening clothes； with a man's coat on； who is sopping wet； and goes into a telephone booth； in an all night drug store； after midnight； is naturally going to attract some attention。 Now this clerk told me that you called two telephone numbers。〃
Wide…eyed she looked at him； but she said nothing。
〃Who did you call besides me？〃 he asked。
〃Nobody；〃 she said； 〃the clerk's mistaken。〃
Perry Mason put on his hat and pulled it low down over his forehead。 He turned to Eva Belter and said savagely； 〃I'm going to get you out of this somehow。 I don't know just how。 But I'm going to get you out of it。 And； by God； it's going to cost you money！〃
He jerked open the door； went out into the hall； and slammed the door behind him。 The first light of dawn was coloring the eastern sky。
12。
The first rays of the early morning sun were gilding the tops of the buildings； when Perry Mason got hold of Harrison Burke's housekeeper。
She was fifty…seven or eight years old； heavily fleshed； filled with animosity。 Her eyes were sparkling with hostility。
〃I don't care who you are；〃 she said； truculently。 〃I tell you that he isn't here。 I don't know where he is。 He was out until around midnight； then he got a telephone call； and went out again。 After that； the telephone kept ringing all night。 I didn't answer it；