The Case of the Murdered MacKenzie: A Masao Masuto Mystery (Book Seven) by Howard Fast Read Free Book Online

walked out of the courthouse, and Geffner said, “So you’re back, Masuto. I wish you had been here. This mess might have been less messy.”
    â€œNot likely. I have to talk to you.”
    â€œThat can only mean grief. I have enough grief.”
    â€œYou can’t make the grief go away, and at least I don’t print what I hear.”
    â€œAll right. I’ll meet you at the bar of the Seaview, Ocean Avenue just off Wilshire.”
    â€œI know the place.”
    In the dark comfort of the bar at the Seaview, slumped in a heavy carved wood and black leather chair out of another era, Geffner said, “Masuto, I’ve practiced law for twenty-five years, and this is the first dirty trick I’ve ever been caught up in, and so help me God, I can’t make head or tail of it, and I don’t know whether I’m being honest or dishonest or what.”
    â€œI think you should talk about it,” Masuto said.
    â€œYou know something, I’m going to, because if I don’t talk to someone about this, I’ll go out of my mind. Beckman was the arresting officer, but the file came to me via Wainwright. Very curious. I told him that there simply wasn’t enough clean evidence to go into a preliminary hearing with, that it wouldn’t wash. He just shrugged it off and he tells me I got to, you got to. I said no, no judge would move to indict. Then I get a call from Washington. Not direct. First Senator Haitman calls. I know him. I know his voice. He tells me a very important top-secret call from Washington is coming in. Who? What? Nothing but innuendo. Then the call comes. From the White House. Not the President. Gives me an extension and tells me to call back. I call back. This is the White House, she says. I give her the extension and the guy tells me to take the Mackenzie case and see it through. I tell him it’s a rotten, tainted case. You take it and see it through, he tells me. I argue that any sane judge will dump it at the preliminary. Just present it, he tells me, if they dump, they dump.”
    â€œAnd you don’t know who he is—this voice?”
    â€œNot a glimmer. But the preliminary hearing was before Judge Speeker. He’s crazy as a. bedbug on the film business. Hates it. The film people ruined California, according to him. He gives us our indictment. So there I am scheduled to go into court without enough evidence to convict this lady of robbing a gumball machine. Well, you saw the beginning. The only other witness I have is that ridiculous Mrs. Scott. I can’t put Baxter on. He’d blow the whole thing.”
    â€œEve Mackenzie—she’s out on bail?”
    â€œA hundred thousand—very low for murder one. The Fenwick outfit put up the bail.”
    â€œAnd the lawyers were from the same place?”
    â€œExactly.”
    â€œGets stranger and stranger. What will you do?”
    â€œFinish my case. If Cassell doesn’t make a motion—well, he has to make a motion to dismiss, and that’s the end of it.”
    â€œThe judge dismisses, and she walks out free.”
    â€œThat’s about what it adds up to. I suppose Wainwright closes the book then. But to what end, Masuto? That’s what drives me crazy. A man who works for Fenwick is killed. Everyone—Washington, Fenwick, your bunch there in Beverly Hills—everyone wants his wife charged with the murder. But they know there’s no evidence. They know she’ll walk out. Why?”
    â€œThat’s quite a question.”
    â€œObviously, someone read the notebook and framed the lady. My candidate is Feona Scott.” He ordered a second double Scotch. “Who ever heard of a name like that?”
    â€œBritish. Scottish.”
    â€œShe’s attractive until you see the eyes. Gimlet eyes. Mackenzie says it’s not her husband. Mackenzie. I mean Eve, Mrs. Mackenzie, she says it’s not her husband.”
    â€œMaybe not. Tell me, do