"Brixton, Danvy - Dead Hands On The Wheel (Avenger 4203)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brixton Danby)

of doubt in their minds about this, in spite of Joe Larkin's efforts to shake their
testimony.

After two days of listening to witnesses, Joe Larkin came to me and announced his
decision: "I'm going to put you on the stand. Wally! It's your only chance!"

I said: "O.K., Joe."

I was wringing wet as I left the prisoner's dock and stepped up to lay my hand on the
Book and swear.


Joe asked me a few questions, to enable me to tell my story straight and establish my alibi
for the morning hours. My wife had previously testified that I was at our home--thirty miles
away, in Blockton--at the time the doctors said Landi had been murdered.

Then Wilbur Sweeney, the D.A., took me in hand, and did Wilbur put me on the grill!

"Nuber," he began, "did you spread the tip that Landi wouldn't start in the race?"

"I mentioned it to a few people," I admitted.

"How did you know? Where did you get the tip yourself?"

"Somebody passed it to me," I said. "I don't remember who. I think it was some fella
in the washroom. I don't know his name."

Sweeney put on his most dramatic tone. "Do you expect this jury to believe that you
risked thousands of dollars on the strength of something a stranger in the washroom told
you?"

I felt a little glad he'd asked me that. "In the bookmaking business," I explained,
"we get tips every minute, without paying much attention to where they come from. I
believed this one, and spread it around--and I went broke on it. I paid every bet and
didn't squawk!"

I saw that this made a favorable impression on the jury, and that it got Sweeney's
goat.

"Where were you at eight o'clock that morning?" he demanded.

"In bed, sleeping," I said. "My wife's testified to that."

"Naturally!" His voice had a nasty sneer in it. "But an alibi won't save you." Then
he pointed his finger at me. "You could have plotted the crime and been asleep when it
was committed. Whom did you hire to kill Landi?"

"Nobody!" I insisted, but I felt my face and neck getting red. "I didn't hire
nobody. I had nothing to do with the murder!"