Erle Gardner - The Case of the Phantom Fortune

"They've already brought in thecanapes," she said. "Fine, fine," Warren said. "It's a nice job of catering.Now, right this way, Mr Mason, and I'll show you the rest of this wing. Theguest bedrooms are in the other wing."

Out in the corridor Warren turned to Mason. "Gosh," he saidunder his breath, "that was close! Think what would have happened if we'dbeen carrying that suitcase."

"What would havehappened?" Mason asked.

"I shudder to think ofit," Warren told him. "It would put me in theposition of having to make explanations."

"It would also have put yourwife in the position of having to make explanations," Mason said. "Ifyou're going to protect a person it helps a lot to know the source of dangerand -"

"No, no, Mason," Warren interrupted, "that would have defeatedthe entire object of calling you in. I want this handled in such a way thatLorna doesn't have any idea on earth that you're here other than as a casualguest, and I don't want her to know that I suspect a thing about her financialproblem."

"All right," Mason said,"you're calling the shots, but quite obviously if she's being blackmailedshe's made one payment of approximately forty-seven thousand dollars. It's toolate to protect her from that."

"I know, I know, but the moneyis a minor matter," Warren said. "I want you to protect her from the blackmailer or whateverit is she's facing, and this is probably the last time we'll have anopportunity to chat together. As I told you, my business structure is verycomplex and calls go through a switchboard."

"How much does Judson Olneyknow?" Mason asked.

"Not a thing, not a thing, andI don't want him to know anything."

"But he knows that this wholeplant with Della Street is a fake."

"Certainly He thinks I wantedto introduce Della Street to a certain individual who is here tonight."

"Who?" Mason asked.

"Barrington," Warren said. "You'll find his name on theguest list. Now, this is my bedroom and-"

Mason stepped inside and closed thedoor. "All right, Warren," he said, "tell me about Barrington."

"Actually there's nothing totell," Warren said. "George P Barrington is the sonof Wendell Barrington, the great oil tycoon. George is playing around with someoil properties and I have some properties which can be leased. He's interestedin a lease on those properties.

"Confidentially, Mason, I don'tgive a hang whether he closes the lease or not but I invited him here tonightbecause he's been going with a trashy young woman who is no good at all.They've split up now. I told Judson Olney that I wanted him to meet Della Street."

"And how does Olney figure thatyou knew Della Street?"

"A couple of weeks ago," Warren said, "I addressed a meeting of theLegal Secretaries Association. I told Olney that Della Street was there, that Ihadn't met her but that I had been impressed by her beauty, had found out whoshe was, and that I would like to have him invite her to come this evening and,of course, bring an escort. I said that I wanted him to be particularly certainshe met George Barrington. Now, that's all Olney knows. "Now I've simplygot to get back to my guests, Mason. A casual tour of the place is one thingbut being away long enough to have a conference with you would be quiteanother. That would defeat the very purpose of all my planning."

Horace Warren firmly opened the doorand stood waiting for Mason to go through.

"What are you afraid of?"Mason asked.

"Me? Nothing. Why?"

"You're afraid to call yoursoul your own. You're frightened to death of having anyone think you'veconsulted me. Instead of running your office staff, you're letting the staffrun you. Now, what's the answer?"

"Just what I've told you,"Warren said hastily. "We have no time fordetailed explanations now, Mason."

"When will we have?"

"I don't know. Moreover, it'snot important. You know what you have to do. You have a free hand – a blankcheque. Just protect Lama."

Mason said, "You're a veryremarkable actor, Warren. Tell me about your training."

Warren seemed to relax and expand. "At onetime in my life I was stage-struck. I even acted as angel for a couple of shows-but don't let anyone know about that, particularly Lorna. She would think that- Well, you know the general type of thinking that is associated with … withthings of that sort."

"No, I don't," Mason said."Shows have to be financed and it's a business proposition."

"I know, I know, but – You're abachelor, aren't you, Mason?"

"Yes."

"That tells the wholestory," Warren said, marching firmly down the corridor and into the big living areawhere the cocktail party had now been in progress long enough so that themasculine voices were a little louder, the feminine laughter a little moreshrill.

"Now, if you don't mind," Warren went on firmly, "I'm going to keepaway from you for the rest of the evening."

"Where's Barrington?" Mason asked.

"The man over there who is sobusily engaged in talking to your secretary," Warren said.

Mason sized up the tall, slenderindividual in his early thirties who looked very much like a model of a shirtand collar advertisement broad-shouldered, slim-waisted, bronzed, highcheekbones, and an air of complete poise.

"I knew he'd fall for Della Street," Warren said. "Look at him, he's fallenhard."

Mason turned to Warren. "Now look here, Warren, I'm not certain I like this. I don't knowjust what sort of a game you're playing but quite apparently you're trying touse Della Street as bait of some sort for a deal with Barrington."

"No, no," Warren said hastily, "that's just the gambitI used with Judson Olney But I knew Barrington would fall for her hard. Now if you'llexcuse me, Mason …"

Warren turned and walked away

Mason stood for a moment looking at Barrington, studying the man's quite obvious attemptto impress Della Street.

Then a woman holding a cocktailglass in her left hand swooped down on Perry Mason and demanded to know themagic recipe which he used for winning all his cases. Within a moment she wasjoined by two more people and Mason found himself a centre of attraction.

Promptly at ten o'clock Masonrescued Della Street from a group of men who were at no pains to conceal theiradmiration, said good night to his host and hostess and watched while JudsonOlney made quite a production of saying good night, including a kiss on DellaStreet's right cheek.

"Now that I've found you,"he said, "I don't intend to lose you again." And then he added withsubtle emphasis, "And I mean every word of this, Della."

Mrs Warren said, "Having stakedout your claim you'd better stay in possession of it, Judson, or someone'sgoing to jump it."

Olney said, "You just watchme."

Mason, turning his head, caught aglance of malevolent hatred directed at Della Street. He knew that the young woman with theblazing eyes was named Chester, and he had heard someone call her Adelle. The lawyer made a mentalnote to interrogate Della about her when they reached the office.

Horace Warren shook hands with Masonwarmly "We're very much indebted to Judson Olney," he said, "andto Miss Street. Believe me, it was a real treat meeting you, Mr Mason, and I certainlyhope we see more of you."

Mason bowed, thanked him, and with Della Street on his arm left the house. When they cameto the place where they had parked the car, he helped Della in and started themotor.

She laughed merrily. "You looklike a man who is just getting out of the dentist's chair."

Mason guided the car out of thedriveway, said, "I'm bored by small talk, I'm tired of standing up andwalking around from group to group, I detest women who deliberately getthemselves boiled and then try to simulate owlish sobriety"

"There was only one," Della Street said. "The others weredelightful"