And again, I might not, Tragg said. Im quite certain the district attorney wont.
You might call it that, Mason said.
And again, I might not, Tragg said. Im quite certain the district attorney wont.
All right, Mason said. You want to pick up the car. I take it youll give me a receipt, well check the mileage on the speedometer at the present time and Ill ring up the We Rent M Car Company and you can tell them that the police department is taking over and give them the mileage reading. Id certainly hate to pay ten cents a mile for a lot of running around being done by the police department.
Oh, certainly, Tragg said. Were always glad to cooperate with you, Perry.
Thank you.
Now then, Tragg went on, if we process this car for latent fingerprints and find that all of the fingerprints have been wiped from the car, it will be a very suspicious circumstance, Counselor. I think you can realize just how significant it will be and how suspicious.
I wouldnt say that was a suspicious circumstance, Mason said, but I am quite certain that by the time the prosecution gets done with it it will be made to appear highly significant.
And it might leave you in a very embarrassing position, Tragg pointed out.
It might, Mason agreed.
You dont seem to think it will?
Im hoping it wont, because Im hoping that you wont find that the car has been wiped free of fingerprints.
Well, Tragg said, weve located it down in the parking lot and we have a couple of fingerprint experts going over it. If you dont mind corning down to the parking lot and checking the speedometer well give you a receipt for the car and then take over.
Mason sighed. Well, I suppose Ill have to. How long have you been working on the car?
Ever since you drove it in, Tragg said, grinning. You know, Mason, Im willing to make you a bet.
What?
That the men report there isnt a single fingerprint on that car except perhaps one or two of yours by the door... and do you know whats going to happen if that is the case? Im going to take you down to Headquarters for questioning, to find out whether you know anything about the fingerprints having been obliterated. I just thought Id let you know so you could ask your highly competent secretary here to take care of canceling appointments in the event you dont return to the office.
Mason sighed and reached for his hat. I always deplore these high-handed methods on the part of the police, he said.
I know, I know, Tragg told him, but the district attorney takes a very dim view of lawyers who go around obliterating evidence.
Evidence of what? Mason asked.
Evidence of murder.
What sort of evidence?
Well, for instance, Tragg said, I wouldnt be too surprised if at one time Ken Lowry hadnt been in that car and that his fingerprints might have been found in the car if they hadnt been tampered with. For your information, Counselor, these fingerprint men are rather expert and if a car has been wiped free of fingerprints they can determine that fact and, of course, since the car is in your possession, and since you would be the one who would have a strong motive to protect your client, the answer is more or less obvious.
I would say rather less than more, Mason said. Lets go down and take a look at the car, by all means. Perhaps youd better come along as a witness, Della, so you can check the mileage.
The more the merrier, Tragg said. Lets go.
Tragg led the way out of the office and escorted Mason and Della Street down the elevator, out through the side entrance of the building and into the parking lot.
Two men were working feverishly over the automobile Mason had parked. Another man with a fingerprint camera was busily engaged in taking photographs.
Well? Tragg asked, as they approached the car. You found that it had been wiped clean?
One of the men turned to Tragg. His face contained an expression of complete exasperation. In all of my experience, Lieutenant, he said, Ive never found a car with more fingerprints on it than this. The thing is fairly plastered. Theyre just all over the car front, back, windshield, windows, steering wheel, rearview mirror the thing is plastered with prints.
For a moment the smile faded from Lt. Traggs face. Then he drew a deep breath and bowed to Perry Mason. One has no respect for an adversary who is unworthy, he said. Its going to give me a great deal of pleasure to return to the prosecutor and tell him that there was no reason to bring you in for questioning.
You expected to find fingerprints on the car? Mason asked.
Well, Tragg said, I didnt think that theyd find the car had been wiped free of all fingerprints. I was instructed to tell you that I was certain such would be the case, but somehow I had an idea it wouldnt be quite that easy. However, I hardly expected to find the car fairly crawling with fingerprints. Would you mind explaining how that happened?
Mason shrugged his shoulders. I guess quite a few people must have touched the car, he said. Perhaps the police were looking it over before I brought it in.
Dont be silly, Tragg said.
One of the fingerprint men who had been standing nearby said to Tragg, It looks as though one of the national political parties had been holding a convention in the damn car. Its nothing but prints.