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〃What is it you want？〃 asked Locke。
〃You know what I want；〃 said Mason。
Locke flung out his hands in a gesture of surrender。
〃All right；〃 he said； 〃that's understood。 Anything else？〃
Mason shook his head。 〃Not right now。 It might be well to remember that Eva Belter is the real owner of the paper now。 Personally； I think it would be a good plan to consult with her before you publish anything which might be distasteful to her。 You e out every two weeks； don't you？〃
〃Yes； our publication day is next Thursday。〃
〃Anything may happen between now and then； Locke；〃 Mason told him。
Locke said nothing。
Mason turned to the girl。
〃I'm sorry we disturbed you； Miss；〃 he said。
〃That's all right；〃 she said。 〃If the damn fool wanted me to lie； why didn't he say so？ What was his idea in telling me he wanted me to tell the truth？〃
Locke whirled on her。 〃You are lying； Esther。 You know damned well you didn't pass out when you went to bed。〃
She shrugged her shoulders。
〃Maybe I didn't；〃 she said； 〃but I can't remember anything。 Lots of times when I get plastered； I can't remember what happened all during that evening。〃
Locke said meaningly； 〃Well； you'd better get over that habit。 It might prove fatal。〃
She flared at him。 〃I should think you'd have a bellyful of having friends who had things fatal happen to them！〃
He went white。 〃Shut up； Esther。 Can't you get the sketch？〃
〃Shut up yourself； then！ I'm not a girl that you can talk to that way。〃
Mason interposed。 〃Well； never mind； it's all settled now； anyway。 e on； Locke； let's get going。 I think you'd better e with me after all。 I've got some more things I want to say to you。〃
Locke walked to the door； paused； looked at Esther Linten with his mild brown eyes gleaming malevolence； and then stepped out into the corridor。
Mason stepped up behind him without even looking back at the girl； and closed the door。 He took Locke's arm and piloted him toward the elevator。
〃I just want you to know；〃 said Locke； 〃that that frame…up was so damned crude that it wasn't even funny。 It was this Georgia business that you mentioned that bothered me。 I don't want to have anybody go into that。 I think you've got the wrong idea about it； but it's something that's a closed chapter in my life。〃
Mason smiled； and said； 〃Oh； no； it isn't； Locke。 Murder never outlaws； you know； and they can always bring you back for another trial。〃
Locke pushed himself away from Mason's side。 His lips were twitching； and his eyes were filled with panic。 〃I can beat that case if they try me in Savannah。 But if you spring it here in connection with another murder case； they'd make short work of me； and you're just smooth enough to know it。〃
Mason shrugged his shoulders。 〃Incidentally； Locke；〃 he said； 〃I presume that you've been embezzling money from the accounts to keep this thing going；〃 and he jerked his thumb back toward the room they had quitted。
〃Well；〃 said Locke； 〃guess again。 That's one place where you can't do a damn thing。 Nobody on earth knows what my understanding was with George Belter； except George Belter。 It wasn't in writing。 It was just an understanding between us。〃
〃Well； be careful what you say； Locke；〃 Mason warned； 〃and remember that Mrs。 Belter is the owner of the paper now。 You'd better have an understanding with her before you pay out any more money。 Your accounts will have to be audited in court now； you know。〃
Locke swore under his breath。 〃So that's it； is it？〃
〃That's it；〃 Mason said。 〃I'm going to leave you when we get out of the hotel； Locke。 Don't go back and try to beat up that woman； because anything she might say wouldn't make a particle of difference。 I don't know whether Sol Steinburg is right in identifying you as the man who bought the murder gun in this case or not。 But； even if he isn't； all we need to do is to simply pass the word to the Georgia authorities； and you go back for another trial。 Maybe you beat the rap； maybe you don't； but you're out of the picture here。〃
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