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〃Very well； sir； just as you say；〃 said Don Graves。
The police representative flipped away his cigarette and remarked； 〃Any time suits me。 I'll be around here all the time。〃
〃Fine；〃 said Mason； without enthusiasm。 He lit a cigarette； and walked casually from the office。
He went down the broad flight of stairs； opened the front door； and stood in the sunshine； inhaling the fresh morning air。 When he was certain he was not observed； he stepped off the porch； walked to the driveway； and went up the driveway to the garage。 He slid back the door of the garage； slipped inside； and walked over to the Buick sedan which stood； obviously well cared for and polished by the chauffeur who was now in jail； charged with murder。
Perry Mason opened the door of the sedan； slid in behind the steering wheel； switched on the dashlight and looked at the speedometer。 The figures showed 15；304。7 miles。
The lawyer stared at them for a moment； then switched off the dashlight； slid out from behind the wheel； and carefully closed the door。 He walked out of the garage； looked to see if anyone had been observing him； then retraced his steps to the front door。
As he stepped inside； he encountered the form of the housekeeper。
Her glittering black eyes surveyed him unpromisingly。
〃Good morning；〃 she said。
〃Good morning；〃 said Perry Mason。
She lowered her voice slightly。
〃I'm going to be wanting an answer； sir；〃 she said； 〃very soon。〃
〃You shall have it；〃 said the attorney； 〃and； by the way； where is Miss Celane？ Is she up yet？〃
〃Yes； sir； she's up。 She's having breakfast in her room。〃
〃Give her my pliments；〃 said the lawyer； 〃and ask her if I can see her at once。〃
The glittering black eyes of the housekeeper surveyed his face searchingly； and Perry Mason met her stare with a look of weary patience。
〃I'll see；〃 said the housekeeper。 She turned and walked with swift； aggressive steps toward the girl's bedroom。
Perry Mason lit a cigarette with a steady hand； took only a single appreciative inhalation； then stood studying the smoke as it eddied from the tip of the cigarette。
He heard the steps of the housekeeper as she pounded toward him。
〃Miss Celane says you can talk to her while she's eating breakfast；〃 said the housekeeper。 〃Right this way； please。〃 The lawyer followed the housekeeper down the corridor and to the door of the girl's room。
The housekeeper held it open。
〃There you are； sir；〃 she said。 〃Step right in；〃 and added in a lower tone； 〃and remember； I want an answer。〃
Perry Mason walked in and heard the door slam viciously behind him。
Frances Celane； in a silken negligee； sat curled in an over…stuffed chair。 A small stand at the side of the chair held a tray containing empty dishes。 A huge coffee pot had been pushed to the side of the tray； and a steaming cup of coffee was at the fingertips of her right hand。 Her left held a cigarette。
Her dark eyes； seeming purposely expressionless； surveyed the attorney。 Her face showed a hint of rouge； but there was no lipstick on her mouth。 The negligee seemed to have been chosen for appearance rather than warmth。
〃Good morning；〃 he said； barely sweeping his eyes over the negligee。 〃Did you sleep any？〃
〃After I finally got to bed； I did；〃 she said； staring at him steadily。 She took the cigarette from her mouth and tapped the ashes into the edge of the saucer under the coffee cup。
Perry Mason moved over and dropped ashes from his own cigarette into the saucer。
〃I presume；〃 she said； 〃that you want money。〃
〃What makes you ask that？〃 he inquired。
〃I understand attorneys always want money。〃
He made a gesture of impatience with his hand； and said： 〃That isn't what I meant。 Why did you choose this particular time for bringing up the subject？〃
〃Because；〃 she said； 〃I have some money for you。〃
His eyes were coldly cautious。 〃A check？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃cash。 Would you mind handing me my purse？ It's over there on the dresser。〃
Mason reached for the purse and handed it to her。 She held it at such an angle that he could not see the contents。
She opened it and fumbled with her fingers for a few moments； then produced a sheaf of currency。
〃Here；〃 she said； 〃is something by way of retainer。〃
He took the money； crisp new one…thousand…dollar bills。 There were ten of them。 He looked at her for a few moments； then folded and pocketed the money。
〃All right；〃 he said； 〃where did you get it？〃
Her eyes suddenly contained expression。 〃That's none of your business；〃 she snapped。 〃You're an attorney paid to represent me； not to inquire into my personal affairs。〃
He stood with his feet apart； smiling down at her rage。
〃Your temper；〃 he told her； 〃is going to get you into trouble some day。〃
〃Oh； you think so； do you？〃 she flared。
〃I know it；〃 he said。 〃You're getting on thin ice。 You've got to learn to keep your temper and use your head。〃
〃Just what do you mean by that crack about thin ice？〃
〃I was referring；〃 he said； in cold tones； 〃to the reason that you were spared more detailed questioning last night； or； rather； early this morning。〃
〃What was that？〃
〃The fact that you had taken your uncle's Buick sedan without his permission； and were； as I remember your story； speeding around the country trying to settle your nerves。〃
〃I always do that；〃 she said； her voice suddenly cautious； 〃after I've been in a rage。 It calms me down。〃
He continued to smile frostily at her。
〃Do you know how far you drove the automobile？〃
〃No。 I drove it an hour or so。 I had my foot pretty well down on the throttle。 I drive like that most of the time。〃
〃How unfortunate；〃 he said； 〃that the speedometer was disconnected。〃
She stared at him； with her eyes suddenly wide and very dark。
〃What are you talking about？〃 she asked； slowly。
〃About the fact that your uncle's notebook shows every mile that the Buick was driven。〃
〃Does it？〃 she asked； warily。
〃Yes；〃 said Mason dryly。 〃He made a note of driving the car from the bank to the house； showing that he started with the speedometer registering 15；299。5 miles； and arrived at the house registering 15；304。7 miles。〃
〃Well；〃 she asked； 〃what if he did？〃
〃When I inspected the speedometer on the Buick sedan this morning；〃 he said slowly； 〃it showed 15；304。7 mules。〃
She stared at him with her eyes dark with panic。 Her face had suddenly gone white。 She tried to set down the coffee cup； but missed the saucer。 The cup balanced for a moment on the edge of the tray； then crashed to the floor； spilling its contents over the rug。
〃You hadn't thought of that； had you？〃 asked Perry Mason。
She continued to stare at him mutely； her face white to the lips。
〃Now；〃 said Perry Mason suavely； 〃you will perhaps pardon a repetition of my question。 Where did you get this money that you gave to me just now？〃
〃I got it；〃 she said slowly； 〃from my uncle。〃
〃Just before his death？〃 asked Mason。
〃Just before his death；〃 she said。
〃Oh；〃 said the lawyer meaningly； 〃before his death。〃
The significance of the accented word suddenly dawned upon her。
〃You don't think；〃 she began。。。
There was a knock at the door of the room； and the housekeeper walked in。 She stared at them。
〃Did I hear you drop something？〃 she asked。
The girl indicated the coffee cup on the floor。
〃You have；〃 said Perry Mason meaningly； 〃rather remarkable ears。〃
She met his stare with her eyes snapping and defiant。
〃I was given a good pair of ears；〃 she said； 〃and I use them。〃
〃Even to the extent of listening at doors？〃 said the lawyer。
Frances Celane spoke steadily。
〃That will do； Mr。 Mason；〃 she said。 〃I think that I am perfectly capable of disciplining the servants when they need it。〃
The housekeeper stooped； picked up the coffee cup； set it back on the tray； turned her back to the attorney； and said to Frances Celane： 〃Shall I bring you another cup and saucer？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃and a hot pot of coffee。〃
The housekeeper picked up the tray； and swept from the room。
Perry Mason's tone was rasping。 〃If I'm going to handle this case；〃 he said； 〃I don't want you interfering。 That woman was spying on us。 She tried to blackmail me early this morning。〃
Frances Celane seemed hardly interested。
〃Indeed？〃 she said； absently。
Perry Mason stood； staring down at her。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 he said； 〃and I'm still waiting for an explanation of why your trip made in the Buick sedan at such a high speed； didn't show on the speedometer。〃
Frances Celane jumped from the chair； and； totally ignoring the presence of the lawyer； started pulling garments from her slender body。
〃What are you doing？〃 he asked。
〃Going to get dressed and put some mileage on that Buick； you fool！〃 she blazed at him。
〃And are you going to tell me anything about where you were last night at the time of the murder？〃
She whipped off the last of her lounging garments and started dressing。
〃Don't be a fool；〃 she said。
〃I can help you a lot more；〃 said Mason； 〃if you let me know the facts。〃
She shook her head。 〃Get out；〃 she said。
Perry Mason turned to the door with dignity。
〃Very well；〃 he said； and jerked the door open。
The housekeeper was on the other side of the door； regarding him with malevolent； glittering eyes； and a smile which held a trace of sardonic triumph。 In one hand she held a coffee cup and saucer； and in the other hand a pot of coffee。
〃Thank you； sir；〃 she said； 〃for opening the door；〃 and slipped into the room。
CHAPTER TEN
GEORGE BLACKMAN tried to present an impressive appearance。 He bed his hair well back from his high forehead； cultivated a deep； booming voice； and wore nose glasses from which dangled a wide； black ribbon。 He might have been a congressman or a banker； but was； in fact； a criminal lawyer。
Only a slight uneasiness of the eyes belied the picture of stolid； intellectual respectability which he tried to present to the public。
He stared across the desk at Perry Mason。 〃I understand that you're the attorney for the family；〃 he said。
Perry Mason's eyes were hard； and patient。
〃I'm representing Miss Celane in the termination of her trust matter；〃 he said； 〃and I'm representing Arthur Crinston； who is the surviving partner of the partnership。 There's some talk about having me represent the executor under the will； but I can't very well represent both the surviving partner and the executor。〃
Blackman grinned； and there was a trace of envy in his grin。
〃Pretty soft for you；〃 he said； 〃with all of those fees ing in。〃
〃Was that what you came to talk about？〃 asked Mason； coldly。
Blackman's expression changed。
〃I came to tell you；〃 he said； 〃that I'm representing Peter Devoe； the chauffeur； who is charged with the murder。〃
〃Got a good case？〃 asked Mason casually。
The other man winced。
〃You know all about the case；〃 he said。
〃To tell you the truth；〃 said Mason； speaking with elaborate carelessness； 〃I don't。 I've been so busy with other angles of the matter that I haven't had time to look into the murder case at all。〃
Blackman said； 〃Baloney！〃 explosively。
Mason looked dignified and resentful。
Blackman leaned forward and tapped the desk impressively。
〃Look here； Mason；〃 he said。 〃You're playing things pretty foxy。 But I just want you to know that you're up against somebody who's going to play just as foxy。〃
〃Meaning？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃I mean that you can't sit back and rake in all the money； and keep all your people out of it； while you railroad Devoe to the gallows。〃
〃I'm not railroading anybody to the gallows。〃
Blackman squirmed under the cold glare of the man ac