“What’s that?”
Mason looked down at the blanket thrown over Karr’s knees. “If any of this invalid business is part of the buildup you’re using to give yourself an alibi, and if your legs are in such shape you can walk, you’re going to find yourself Lieutenant Tragg’s very favorite suspect — leading the rest of the field by about a dozen lengths.”
Karr’s face, which had twisted with some emotional reflex as Mason expounded his theory of Tragg’s reactions, suddenly broke into a relieved smile. “Well, as far as that’s concerned,” he said, “I can give you absolutely definite assurance, Mr. Mason. I can’t walk. I can’t put any weight on my legs. I can’t even move from a chair to a bed or a bed to a chair. I have to be lifted. I can’t even get to a telephone without help.”
“If that’s the case,” Mason said, “it might simplify matters to have me suggest to Lieutenant Tragg that he call in his own doctor and make an examination.”
“Wouldn’t that indicate that I had something on my mind? Wouldn’t it be going out of my way to make it appear that I thought he was considering me as a suspect?”
“Sure it would,” Mason said. “After all, you’re a man of average intelligence. You were in the house. You were alone when the shot was fired. You’ve surrounded yourself with a good deal of mystery. Your Chinese servant isn’t going to help any. Blaine here could very well be considered a bodyguard. The way he described that housekeeper, you know at once he’s been a cop. Lieutenant Tragg comes up here to find what you know about what happened. Your story is at variance with that of everyone else. He finds you talking to me. In fact, by this time, it’s doubtless occurred to him that I was the one who furnished just about all the information. in other words, I did most of the talking.”
“Well?”
“Unless Lieutenant Tragg has uncovered some clues pointing to the person who actually did commit the murder, he’s getting ready to pin the blue ribbon right on your chest.”
Karr said, “That would be unfortunate.”
“I gathered as much,” Mason said, “and may I remind you that Tragg’s inopportune arrival prevented you from telling me just why it was you wished to consult me?”