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that that would keep me in the clear； but it would fix things so she could get the marriage annulled。 The lawyer had an answer of that kind already fixed up； and I signed it。 He's going to file it tomorrow。〃
〃And then rush the annulment through； eh？〃 asked Mason。
Loring nodded。
〃Well；〃 said Mason； 〃it doesn't ever pay to try and lie to people who are trying to get the facts of the case。 Why didn't you tell me that in the first place and save all this trouble？〃
〃The lawyer told me not to；〃 said Loring。
〃Well； he was crazy；〃 Mason said； 〃we've got to make a report on the thing。 So you'd better give us a written statement to that effect； and then we can turn it in when we make our report。〃
Loring hesitated。
〃Or else；〃 suggested Mason； 〃you can e on down to Headquarters and explain it down there。〃
Loring said； 〃No； no。 I'll give you the statement。〃
〃Okay；〃 Mason said； and took a notebook and fountain pen from his pocket。 〃Sit down there on the trunk；〃 he said； 〃and write out the statement。 Make it plete all the way along the line。 Say that you never had another wife； that the lawyer explained to you that he wanted Norma to get a quick annulment； and that he fixed it up that you were to say you had another wife living so that Norma could marry this chap that's going to inherit the fortune。〃
〃That won't get me in any trouble then？〃
〃That's the only way you can keep out of trouble；〃 said Mason。 〃There's no use of my explaining it to you； but you almost got yourself in a pretty serious mess。 It's a good thing you came clean with us。 We were just planning to take you down to Headquarters。〃
Loring sighed。 〃All right；〃 he said； and took the fountain pen。 He sat down and began a laborious scrawl。 Mason stood and watched him； feet planted wide apart； eyes steady and patient。 Drake grinned and lit a cigarette。
It took Loring five minutes to make the statement。 Then he passed it over to Mason。 〃Will this do all right？〃 he asked。 〃I'm not much good at this sort of stuff。〃
Mason took the statement and read it。
〃That's fine；〃 he said； 〃sign it。〃
Loring signed it。
〃All right；〃 said Mason。 〃Now the lawyer wanted you to get out of here； didn't he？〃
〃Yes。 He gave me money and told me that I mustn't be here。 He didn't want me to be where I could be interviewed if anybody should try to find me。〃
〃That's fine；〃 Mason told him。 〃Do you know where you are going？〃
〃Some hotel；〃 said Loring。 〃It didn't make any difference which hotel。〃
〃Okay；〃 Drake said。 〃You e along with us； and we'll get you a room。 You'd better get it under some other name so that you won't be bothered in case anybody should try to look you up。 But you've got to keep in touch with us。 Otherwise there might be some trouble。 We may have to ask you to verify this written statement in the presence of some witness。〃
Loring nodded。
〃The lawyer should have told me about you fellows；〃 he said。 〃He might have got me into an awful mess。〃
〃He certainly should have；〃 Mason agreed。 〃You might have been on your way to Police Headquarters by this time； and it wouldn't have gone easy with you； once you'd got there。〃
〃Did Norma e up here with the lawyer？〃 Drake asked。
〃No；〃 said Loring； 〃her mother came first。 And then the lawyer came。〃
〃You didn't see Norma？〃
〃No； just her mother。〃
〃All right；〃 Mason told him。 〃You e with us； and we'll take you to the hotel we want you to stay at； and get you a room。 You'd better go under the name of Harry LeGrande。〃
〃How about the baggage？〃 asked Loring。
〃We'll take care of the baggage。 We'll send the transfer man after it。 The hotel porter will take care of everything for you。 All you've got to do is to go over there。 We've got a car waiting； and you'd better go over with us right now。〃
Loring wet his lips。 〃Believe me； gentlemen； this is a relief。 I was nervous； sitting there waiting for the man to e with the papers。 I got to wondering afterwards if that lawyer knew everything he was doing。〃
〃He was all right；〃 Mason mented； 〃but he just forgot to tell you a couple of things。 He probably was in a hurry； and excited。〃
〃Yes；〃 Loring admitted； 〃he seemed excited all right。〃
They took him down to the car； and Mason said； 〃We'll go to the Hotel Ripley； Drake。 It's conveniently located。〃
Drake said； 〃Yeah； I understand。〃
They drove in silence to the Hotel Ripley； where Mason was registered under the name of Johnson。 He approached the clerk and said； 〃This is Mr。 LeGrande from Detroit； my home town。 He wants to get a room here for a few days。 I wonder if you can give him one on the same floor that I have？〃
The clerk consulted a card index。 〃Let's see。 You're in 518； Mr。 Johnson？〃
〃That's right；〃 Mason said。
〃I can give him 522。〃
〃That'll be fine； and there's some baggage to take care of。 I'll speak to the porter about it。〃
They went up to the room with Loring。
〃Okay；〃 Mason said to Loring。 〃Now you stay right here； and don't go out。 Be where you can answer the telephone if we should give you a ring。 We've got to make a report to Headquarters。 Then it may be that they'll want to ask you a couple more questions。 But it's going to be all right now that we've got your written statement。 You're in the clear。〃
〃That's fine；〃 Loring said。 〃I'll do just what you say。 The lawyer said to municate with him as soon as I got located。 Should I do that？〃
〃No；〃 said Mason； 〃that's not necessary； because you've municated with us。 Don't municate with anybody。 Just stay right here and wait until you hear from us。 You can't do anything until after we've reported to Headquarters。〃
〃All right；〃 agreed Loring； 〃whatever you say。〃
They went out of the room and closed the door。
Drake turned to Mason and grinned。
〃Boy； what a break！〃 he said。 〃What do we do now？〃
Mason strode toward the elevator。
〃Now we pull a grandstand；〃 he said。
〃Let her go；〃 Drake told him。
Mason stopped in the lobby and called Police Headquarters。 He asked for Sidney Drumm in the Detective Bureau。 After a minute or two； he heard Drumm's voice on the wire。
〃Drumm；〃 he said； 〃this is Mason。 I've got another development in that Belter case； but I've got to have some cooperation on it。 I gave you a break on the arrest of the woman； and I want you to give me a break now。〃
Drumm laughed。 〃I don't know whether you gave it to me or not。 I walked in on it； and you came through to save your own bacon。〃
〃Well； there's no use arguing about it；〃 Mason said。 〃I gave you the dope； and you got the credit。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Drumm； 〃what do you want？〃
〃Round up Sergeant Hoffman and meet me at the foot of Elmwood Drive。 I want to go up to Belter's house with you。 I think I can show you something up there。〃
〃I don't know as I can get the Sergeant。 He may have left already；〃 Drumm protested。 〃It's late。〃
〃If he's left； round him up；〃 Mason told him。 〃And I want you to have Eva Belter out there。〃
〃Gee；〃 said Drumm； 〃that's a big order。 If we take her out now； it'll attract attention。〃
〃It won't if you sneak her out；〃 said Mason。 〃Bring along as many men as you want； only don't make any noise about it。〃
〃I don't know how the Sergeant will look at this thing；〃 Drumm protested； 〃but I don't think there's a chance in a million。〃
〃Well；〃 Mason said； 〃do the best you can。 If he won't bring Eva Belter； get him to e himself。 I'd like to have her there； but I've got to have you two。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Drumm。 〃I'll meet you at the foot of the hill； unless something goes wrong。 I can get him to go if he's here。〃
〃No。 That won't do。 You find out first whether or not you can make the arrangements； and then wait there。 I'll call you back in about five minutes。 If you can go； I'll meet you at the foot of the hill。 If you can't there's no use going on a wild…goose chase。〃
〃Okay； five minutes； then；〃 Drumm said； and hung up。
Drake looked at Mason。 〃You're biting off a pretty big mouthful there； guy。〃
〃That's all right。 I can chew it。〃
〃Do you know what you're doing？〃
〃I think I do。〃
〃If you're trying to work up a defense for the jane； it would be a whole lot better to work it up without the police being there so that you could spring it on them as a surprise。〃
〃This isn't that kind of a defense；〃 said Mason。 〃I want the police there。〃
Drake shrugged his shoulders。
〃It's your funeral；〃 he said。
Mason nodded； walked over to the cigar counter； and bought some cigarettes。 He waited five minutes； and then called Drumm。
Drumm said； 〃I've got Bill Hoffman sold on the idea； Mason； but he won't take Eva Belter out there。 He's afraid you're laying a trap for him。 There are two dozen reporters hanging around the jail； and we couldn't move her any place without having that bunch trailing along。 Hoffman's afraid you might get him out there； and pull a fast one that the newspapers could play up； and he'd be in a sweet spot。 But he's willing to go himself。〃
〃Okay；〃 Mason said； 〃that may work out just as well。 Meet me out at the foot of Elmwood Drive。 We'll be waiting there in a Buick coupe。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Drumm