Say, this is a rental car, isnt it?
Thats right.
You understand Ive got to protect myself in this thing, Abert said. So far, this is only a private deal. But Ive got the license of the car and all that and
Sure, Mason said. I dont want you to do anything thats going to get you in bad. You have a right to do outside work on your own time.
Thanks. I just wanted to be sure we had it straight, Abert said.
Weve got it straight, Mason told him.
Abert looked at his watch and yawned. Just about two hours shut-eye before I have to go to work, he said.
Youre fortunate, Drake told him.
In what?
In getting two hours shut-eye, Drake said.
Mason grinned, opened the door of the car, slid in behind the steering wheel. Come on, Paul, he said, were going places.
Where? Drake asked, as they backed out of the garage.
Bed, Mason told him.
Those, Drake said, are welcome words.
We stop by your office, Mason told him, and see if they have anything more on any of the characters involved.
Why not phone?
All right, Mason told him, well phone.
They stopped at a telephone booth, Drake put through a call, came back and shook his head. Nothing doing, he said, they havent found Endicott Campbell yet, theres no trace of the seven-year-old son or the governess, the police are turning Mojave upside down trying to get some dope on Ken Lowry, and, so far, the police havent taken any interest in Amelia Corning. Were ahead of them on that information.
Okay, Mason said. It gives us about two hours and a half. We dont have to get up quite as early as your expert.
Chapter 10
Perry Mason was up at seven forty-five. He shaved, showered, dressed and, without breakfast, stopped at a supermarket, bought two dozen large, luscious eating apples, drove the rented car down to the front of a junior high school, parked it near the curb, let the air out of the left front tire until the tire was flat, and stood helplessly by the car until a group of students came along chatting and laughing, completely immersed in their own world and their own problems.
Hey, Mason asked, you boys want to make twenty bucks?
The group paused and looked at him suspiciously.
Here are the car keys, Mason said. Ive got an appointment and I dont want to get all mussed up changing a tire. Fact of the matter is, I dont even know how to go about it. I dont know where the tools are. Here are the car keys and heres twenty bucks.
What do you know? one of the boys said.
Manna from heaven, another remarked.
Im going to go over here to the snack bar and get a cup of coffee, Mason said. Id like to have you do the best you can with it.
Mason dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the seat of the automobile and walked across the street to the snack bar. You boys help yourselves to some of those eating apples, if you want.
Looking back, he saw boys literally swarming all over the car.
By the time the lawyer had finished his coffee and walked back across the street, the tire was changed and one of the boys standing by the car said, Gee, thanks a lot, Mister. We felt we shouldnt charge you that much. The boys felt they were sort of taking advantage of you.
Not at all, Mason said. Im going to come out all right on this deal myself.
By that time, a crowd of some fifteen or twenty boys had gathered around the car, those who had not been in on the tire-changing deal looked enviously at those who had.
Not at all, Mason said. Im going to come out all right on this deal myself.
By that time, a crowd of some fifteen or twenty boys had gathered around the car, those who had not been in on the tire-changing deal looked enviously at those who had.
One of the boys said suddenly, Say, Ive seen you before. Ive seen your picture some place. Arent you... my gosh, youre Perry Mason, the lawyer!
Thats right, Mason grinned, and seating himself behind the steering wheel, left the door on the left-hand side of the car wide open while he visited with the boys for some four or five minutes. Then he closed the door and drove to his office.
He drove the car into the parking lot where he and Della Street kept regular stalls for their cars. Mason jumped out of the car and said to the parking lot attendant, Im in the deuce of a hurry. Would you mind parking it in my stall when you get a chance? Thanks a lot.
Mason smiled his thanks and hurried to the elevators.
He stopped in at Paul Drakes office. Paul in yet? he asked the switchboard operator.
Not yet, she said. He left word that he was working until five oclock in the morning and he was going to get a little shut-eye.
Ask him to come in as soon as he shows up, will you? Mason asked, and went on down to his own office. He went in through the reception room and told the receptionist, Della Street probably wont be in today, Gertie. Im going to be in my office for a while, but I may have to tell you to cancel all appointments.
Gertie, always the romanticist, said with awe, Gee, Mr. Mason, it isnt another murder case, is it?
Im afraid it is, Mason told her.
And youre mixed up in it?
Mason grinned. Lets say we have a client who may become involved.