Erle Gardner - The Case of the Phantom Fortune

"For instance, on this cardwhich you have handed me, the fingerprint was dusted with a graphite powdertherefore the print, after it was lifted, was placed upon a card with anoff-white background, which makes it readily visible.

"Now, if Drake were to go toyour house and start lifting fingerprints, he would have to dust varioussurfaces and it would be virtually impossible to remove evidence that he haddusted those surfaces, and complete his search within the allotted time."

"Have you anysuggestions?" Warren asked.

"I have one," Mason said."It might or might not prove effective. It would, however, necessitateDrake knowing the identity of my client and it would be expensive."

"Money is no object," Warren declared. "That is, I don't want to bea pigeon, I don't want to be charged more than the going rate, but when I wantsomething, I want it."

Mason nodded thoughtfully.

"What was your scheme?"

Mason said, "Have a caterer forthis party. Ostensibly, Drake will be the head of the catering service.

"In that way the service willfurnish its own china, its own crystal, its own silverware. Employees of thecatering firm will park a truck in your driveway. That truck will be theheadquarters of the catering service. Apparently dishes, glassware, silverware,etc., will be taken from your house to the truck to be washed. Actually therewill be no washing facilities available but there will be an unlimited supplyof glassware and silverware, which will be replaced from time to time asoccasion demands.

"This catering truck willactually be a portable fingerprint laboratory in which Drake will haveassistants who will develop latent fingerprints on glasses, silverware, etc.,as last as the materials is brought out."

"How much would something ofthis sort cost?" Warren asked.

"It is expensive," Masonsaid. "How many guests do you intend to have at your party?"

"Fifteen," Warren said,"if they all come. My wile and I will make seventeen, and you and yourfriend will make nineteen."

"And what did you intend toserve?"

Warren said, "Champagne, filet mignon, hors d'oeuvres, theworks."

"Catering alone," Masonsaid, "would probably cost you twenty-five to thirty-five dollars aperson. This dummy caterer's truck, which is really a fingerprint laboratorywith several trained assistants, costs live hundred dollars for an evening, inaddition to the catering charge."

"It's available?" Warren asked.

"It's available unless someother detective agency has it tied up for this evening. It is, of course, avery hush-hush service. The public generally knows nothing about it. It is heldin readiness for private detective agencies who are confronted with a problemsomewhat similar to the one we are discussing."

"Get it," Warren said.

"Just a minute," Masonsaid.

He nodded to Della Street, who picked up the telephone and dialedPaul Drakes number.

When he had the detective on theline Mason said, "Paul, I have a very confidential fingerprint job I wantdone tonight. The suspect may or may not be a guest at a champagne buffetdinner. Can you arrange to get the fingerprint truck for tonight?"

"I don't know," Drake toldhim, "but I can find out pretty fast."

"Find out and call meback," Mason said.

"I'll run it down and let youknow," Drake said.

"That's fine," Mason toldhim, and then putting a little more emphasis on the words, said, "find outand call me back just as soon as you get the information, Paul."

"I got you," Drake said."I gotcha the second time anyway. I was a little dense the first lime. I'mto keep away from the office and report by telephone. Right?"

"Right," Mason said,and hung up.

Mason turned to his client."We'll find out in a few minutes whether it's available."

"Now, let me emphasize onething," Warren said. "This is a business party and I want the catering to be veryhigh class. I don't want some detective agency bungling the- "

"The detective service isentirely beside the point," Mason said. "The catering is in the handsof a professional. The detective end is a sideline carried on in one end of thetruck. You will, of course, have to have your driveway kept open so that thetruck can park there. Trained servants who are taught to put everything ontrays will take the things to the house and see that they are not touchedexcept by guests and by your own servants. Then those articles will be removedand sent to the truck, ostensibly to be washed. Actually they will be given theclosest fingerprint examination by well-trained assistants.

"There may be inquiries aboutthe catering service. You will have to say that you hired them because of a recommendationby a friend, and of course under no circumstances can any guest go to the truckto look around."

Warren nodded.

"Now then," Mason said,"specifically what do you want me to do? Suppose we locate thisfingerprint. What then? Do you simply want me to advise you of the identity ofthe person and withdraw, or – "

"No," Warren said, "I've been thinking things over.You'll have to be on your own for a while. There are certain reasons why it'sgoing to be rather difficult for me to be in professional communication withyou, Mason."

"There's always thetelephone," Mason said.

"Unfortunately I have very fewmoments when people are not with me," Warren said. "I have a secretary in charge ofappointments. I have a rather elaborate staff."

"Perhaps I can telephoneyou," Mason said, "and we could handle a conversation in such a waythat the comments made at your end of the line would seem to relate to somebusiness matter. In that way I could give you the information -"

"No, no. My calls have to passthrough a switchboard in the office and … I'm going to turn you loose on yourown, Mason."

"Just what do you want?"Mason asked.

"That fingerprint that youhave," Warren said. "I want you to find out who madethat fingerprint. When you find out who made it, I want you to protect my wifeagainst that person. You understand, Mason? No matter who that person may be,no matter how much it may cost in the way of a legitimate fee, I want you toprotect my wife from that person."

"In other words," Masonsaid, "you're reasonably certain that after tonight I'll know who madethat fingerprint. You think the person will be at the buffet dinner."

"I think the person will be atthe buffet dinner."

"And you want me to protectyour wife against that person."

"Yes."

"What measures do I take?"

"Any measures that may benecessary."

"How much expense do Iincur?"

"Any expense within reason. Anyexpense that you can justify as a reasonable expense will be unhesitatinglypaid by me."

"Up to what limit?" Masonasked curiously.

"There is no limit."

"Suppose it should run intoseveral thousands of dollars?"

"I said there is nolimit."

"You have a feeling that yourwife is in danger?"

"I think," Warren said, "that my wife is either in theclutches of a blackmailer or is about to fall into the clutches of ablackmailer."

Mason raised his eyebrows."Legitimate law-abiding citizens are seldom subject to blackmail unless,of course, there is something in the past of such a person that would leave himvulnerable, and I take it that in the case of your wife …"

"Take what?" Warren asked irascibly, as Mason's voice trailedinto silence.

"That there would hardly besuch a past."

"Why not?" Warren rasped.

"Surely," Mason said,"with your social and business position, any woman whom you have marriedwould hardly "

"Stop it!" Warren snapped.

"Stop what?" Mason asked.

"Stop fishing for informationunder the guise of paying me a lot of compliments and putting me in a positionwhere I'll have to make a statement.

"I'm going to make onestatement, Mason. It's the only statement you'll get out of me. The fact thatLorna is my wife doesn't mean a damned thing."