“Yes, sir.”
“In other words, the men, at your suggestion, signed the empty envelope and you inserted the contents at a much later date.”
“Not at a much later date, pretty soon afterwards.”
“You yourself have said that the purse and the contents were placed in the different envelopes at the same time, and you have stated that the purse was placed in the envelope after it had been thoroughly dried.”
“Well, the stuff was in my possession all the time. Nothing happened to it,” the sheriff said.
“Where did you leave the purse?”
“In my office.”
“And you didn’t stay in your office till the purse dried?”
“Well, I put it in front of an electric heater so it would dry out more rapidly.”
“And how long did it take to dry out?”
“I tell you I don’t know.”
“But it may have been a day or two later when you put this purse in the envelope.”
“If you’re going to be technical about it, I don’t know.”
“Thank you,” Mason said, smiling. “I’m going to be technical about it.
“And now, Your Honor,” Mason said, turning to Judge Garey, “it appears that the whereabouts of this purse cannot adequately be explained, and that it is quite possible that the clipping could have been inserted among the contents of this envelope at any time during a two-day period while the purse was drying out. The Court will notice that there is no appreciable evidence of salt water on the clipping.”
“The clipping was inside of a little case,” the sheriff said. “Sort of a compact arrangement.”
Judge Garey frowned thoughtfully, said, “I don’t think there has been any attempt to mislead the Court, but it certainly must be apparent to the sheriff that having all of these signatures on this envelope is exceedingly misleading. It now appears the parties signed an empty envelope and then gave it into the custody of the sheriff with the understanding that the evidence would be placed in it The Court is not prepared to rule on the admissibility of the purse at the present time, but will take the matter under advisement
“It is approaching the hour for adjournment, Mr. District Attorney, and … “
“I have just a few more questions of this witness.”
“Very well”
Gloster’s manner had lost its triumphant assurance. He was on the defensive now and unquestionably angry about it
“What else did you do when you went aboard the defendant’s boat that night, Sheriff?”
“I looked the place over.”
“What did you find?”
“I found a skirt that was soaking wet with salt water, and on the front of that skirt at a position where the right knee would be, in case a person wearing the skirt knelt over, I found a spot which still contained a little pinkish color.”
“What did you do with that?”
“I turned that over to a laboratory technician to determine whether or not it was blood.”
“Now, then, Your Honor,” Gloster said, smiling, Tm quite willing to have a recess taken.”
“Very well,” Judge Garey said. “The Court will adjourn until ten o’clock tomorrow morning.”
Chapter 15
DOROTHY FENNER LOOKED ANXIOUSLY AROUND FOR THE matron. “Ill see you in the morning,” che said.
“Just a minute,” Mason told her. “I want to ask you a question… Dorothy, look at me … Dorothy, turn around and look up here.”
She hesitated a moment, then her lips began to twitch
“No, no,” Mason said, “you little fool. Don’t start crying. People are looking at you. Tell me, did you go down there? Did you … “
She lowered her eyes.
Mason said, “Let’s pretend that we’re talking about some casual matter. Here.” He took a letter from his brief case, thrust it in front of her, and said, “Pretend to be reading this. Now tell me, did you go down there?”
“I … I … “
Mason said, “If you start bawling now, with newspaper people and spectators watching you, you’re signing a one-way ticket to the death cell. Now tell me the truth. Did you go down there?”
“Yes,” she said, almost in a whisper.
“Keep talking.”
She said, “He was going to make a settlement. He made it sound so convincing … I went down there just like he told me to. I found the gate open just as he said it would be. I walked in, went around to the side entrance, entered the study and found him lying there on the floor in a big pool of blood. I ran over to him and spoke to him. He didn’t answer. I knelt down and felt his skin and then I knew he was dead. And just about that time I heard someone scream behind me.
“I had enough presence of mind not to look around, so that person never did see my face. I simply dashed out through the French doors and out toward the landing wharf.
“Then I knew I was trapped on the island. I could hear this woman behind me running, screaming back across the bridge to the mainland. I only had a matter of minutes and I worked fast. I remembered there was a current interrupter which would shut off the burglar alarm at the landing float for about three minutes, in case Mr. Alder wanted to go out in one of the speedboats. So I pushed this current interrupter, ran out on the pier, and found a small boat tied up by a painter. I jumped in and cast loose the painter. When I jumped in I must have dropped my purse but I was too excited to realize it or know anything about it at the time.
“I knew there was a big spot of blood on my skirt and it had soaked through to the stocking.
“I rowed out into the bay, then just before I got to my yacht I stood up and slipped the skirt off and scrubbed the spot out of it as best I could. Then I boarded my yacht, hurriedly changed into dungarees, jumped into the boat, rowed ashore, shipped the oars and kicked the boat loose. Then I walked to the bus terminal and got aboard a bus. It wasn’t until I got started to town that I realized that I’d lost my purse. However, I always carry a spare key to my apartment and a dollar bill in the top of my stocking. That’s mad money. So I managed to get home all right.”
“Anyone see you come in?” Mason asked.
She said, “I was frightened. I went around through the back entrance down to the trunk room and went up to my apartment that way. There’s not a soul in the world can prove that I wasn’t in that apartment.”
Mason said angrily, “In addition to being a poor liar, you’re a little fool. Why did you He to me?”
“Honestly, Mr. Mason,” she said, “I feel terribly about this. I wouldn’t let you down for anything in the world. Well, I felt absolutely certain I could get away with it and that no one would ever know—and then I felt if you were going to have to defend me you could do a better job if you … well, I thought it would perhaps rob you of some of your assurance if … “
Mason interrupted, “I asked you repeatedly if you had left your apartment and every time you assured me that … “
“I know. Honestly, Mr. Mason, if I had had any idea I dropped that purse where it could have been found … I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry,” Mason said indignantly. “Why, you little …”
The lawyer took a deep breath, said more calmly, “People are watching us. Nod your head as though the contents of that letter were just what you expected.”
She nodded her head.
Mason smilingly returned the letter to his brief case, patted her encouragingly on the back, said under his breath, “Well, you’re in it now, and you’ve got me in it too.”
“I tell you he was dead when I got there,” she said. “I … “
“You’ve already told enough lies,” Mason observed smilingly. “Go back to your cell and keep your mouth shut. I’ll try and salvage something from the wreckage, because I’m in a spot where I have to. You have me in this right along with you. No wonder Claud Gloster has been triumphant! I suppose he’s even got a witness who saw you on the bus going back to town.”