“You see, Freel, there are a flock of alibis in this case. Some of them are nice alibis. The alibis stay put, but the time of the murder doesn’t: it keeps jumping around.
“Now you’re a nice little guy, but you have too much of an appetite — for money. You’re money hungry, money crazy. You’re getting along in years and you can’t get jobs now — not the clerical jobs you’re fitted to handle. That bothered you. You wanted money so you could have security. That’s a laugh, Freel. Security — for you!”
Freel started twisting his fingers, worried eyes regarding Mason apprehensively, but he said nothing.
Mason smoked leisurely, regarding Freel as one might look at an interesting specimen in an aquarium. Over at the table, Della Street sat motionless, keeping herself in the background, effacing her presence from Freel’s consciousness.
“So,” Mason said, “you were offered money to swear that you’d seen the murder committed. You were told that Peltham was dead, that he could never deny your accusation. And so you agreed to take the money and swear that you’d seen Peltham, and seen him fire the shot. What you overlooked was the fact that the murderer never had any intention of really pinning that crime on Peltham. You haven’t got it yet, Freel. You probably won’t get it for about a week. But you’ve been elected to a reserved seat in the state’s lethal gas chamber, and it’s been done so nicely that the operation will be virtually painless.
“For about a week you’ll be the state’s star witness, then Peltham will show up with his alibi, and there you’ll be — right out in the open with your neck stuck way, way out. The district attorney will come down on you like a ton of brick.”
“Peltham’s dead,” Freel said sullenly.
Mason laughed and said, “You think he’s dead. That overcoat business was a gag. He was playing that in order to cover his escape. A woman he was sweet on was due to be put on the spot in connection with that murder, and he didn’t want to be examined. He took a powder so he wouldn’t have to testify concerning his relations with her. That’s all.”
Freel squirmed uneasily. “I haven’t said anything to anyone.”
Mason said, “Oh, yes, you have. You’ve made your crack to the D.A., and he’s given the newspapermen an interview on the strength of it. The D.A. isn’t going to back up on a thing like that.”