Erle Gardner - The Case of the Horrified Heirs

«And then what?»

«Then,» Mason said, «George Eagan, the chauffeur, wouldn't necessarily know anything about what has been said. But if she cares enough for him to make him a beneficiary under the will, it will probably take a lot more than a mere telephone conversation to turn her against him; and if I tell her anything, it will turn her against me.»

«But Dr. Alton is also a beneficiary under the will.»

«We don't know that.»

«He seems to think so,» she said.

Mason smiled and said, «Also he thought the first attacks were acute food poisoning. Let's see what we can do to take care of our client first. She's our main responsibility. If Lauretta Trent wants to see her, it's for a reason. Let's find out the reason and take it from there.»

The road straightened out on a mesa and, within a short distance, Mason saw the lights of the motel.

«Strange place for a motel,» Della Street said.

«It's for people going up to the lake for boating and for fishermen,» Mason said. «There just isn't room for a motel on the main highway. It's ocean on one side and sheer bluff on the other.»

Mason stopped his car in the parking place, and they walked down the long line of cabins and came to Unit 14.

He tapped on the door.

Virginia Baxter flung the door open. «My gosh, am I glad to see you! » she exclaimed. «Won't you come in?»

«Where's Lauretta Trent?» Mason asked.

«I haven't heard another word from her, not a word.»

«But she asked you to come out here?»

«Yes.»

«Why?»

«She said she had something to tell me. Something of the greatest importance to me.»

«And when did this conversation take place?»

«Well, let's see… I left your office and went to a branch post office that wasn't too far from my apartment. I sent the letter to myself, registered mail. I had a malted milk, went to my apartment and hadn't been there more than… oh, an hour or an hour and a half, when the phone rang and Lauretta Trent told me who she was and asked me if I would meet her.»

«Up here at this motel?»

«That's right.»

«She gave you directions how to get here or did you know the place?»

«No, she told me exactly how to drive to get here and wanted me to assure her that I'd be leaving right away and wouldn't tell a soul.»

«What time did she say she'd meet you?»

«She didn't give me a fixed time, but said she'd be here within an hour after I arrived.»

Mason said, «You met Lauretta Trent when she was in the law office where you worked?»

«Yes.»

«You were a witness to one of her wills?»

«I think there were two wills, Mr. Mason, and I can't specifically remember being a witness, but I remember drawing up the wills-that is, doing the typing-and I remember there was some peculiar provision in the wills, something about her relatives-there was something unusual about it. She didn't trust her relatives, I know that-that is, she felt they were just waiting for her to die and that their interest in her was purely selfish. I've been trying my best to think what it was that was in at least one of the wills, but somehow I just can't seem to get it clear in my mind. I have that vague recollection-You must remember that we drew lots of wills in the office.»

Mason said, «Right at the moment I am not primarily concerned with whether you remember the wills but trying to find out if you remember Lauretta Trent's voice.»

«Her voice? No, I wouldn't remember that. I have only a vague recollection of what she looks like, rather a tall, slender woman with hair that was turning gray… not a bad figure… you know what I mean, not heavy but… well-groomed.»

«All right,» Mason said, «you don't remember anything about her voice?»

«No.»

«Then how do you know that you were talking with Lauretta Trent on the telephone?»

«Why, because she told me that-Oh… oh, I see.»

«In other words,» Mason said, «a feminine voice on the telephone told you you were listening to Lauretta Trent; that you were to come up here; that Lauretta Trent would meet you here within an hour of the time of your arrival-Now, how long have you been here?»

«Two hours-two hours and a half.»

«You registered under your own name?»

«Yes, of course.»

«And got this room?»

«Yes.»

«And you parked your car?»

«Yes, out in the parking lot.»

«Let's go take a look,» Mason said.

«But why?»

«Because,» Mason told her, «we're checking on everything. I don't like this. You should have followed my instructions and reported to me before you left your apartment.»

«But she insisted I was not to tell anyone and that I was to get five hundred dollars and all my expenses if I followed her instructions-and, as I told you, that five hundred dollars looks particularly big to me right now.»

Mason said, «She could have promised you a million just as well. If you don't get it, it doesn't make any difference how big it sounded.»

Virginia led'the way out into the parking lot. «It's right over-Why, that's strange. I thought I left it in that other painted oblong. I'm almost certain I did.»

Mason walked over to the car. «You have a flashlight in this car?» he asked.

«No, I don't.»

Mason said, «I have one in my car. I'll get it. You don't think this was the place you left the car?»

«Mr. Mason, I'm certain it was not. I remember putting the bumper right up against that stone post over there-That means I was in the parking space to the right.»

«Don't touch anything,» Mason said. «Stay there. I'll take a look-You've been framed once and got out of it. Perhaps we won't be so fortunate this time.»

The lawyer crossed over to his car, took a flashlight from the glove compartment, returned to Virginia Baxter's car and carefully looked over the inside.

«Got your key?» he asked.

Virginia Baxter produced the key. Mason opened the trunk, looked inside, said, «Everything seems to be in order.»

He started to walk around the car, then suddenly stopped. «Hello, what's this?» he said.

«Good heavens!» she gasped, «that fender's all dented, and-Look at the front of the bumper, and there's a piece broken-«

Mason said, «Get in the car, Virginia. Start the motor.»

Obediently, she jumped into the car, turned on the ignition, started the motor.

Mason said. «Go out of the exit, turn around and come in the entrance to the parking place.»

Virginia Baxter switched on the headlights and said, «Only one of the headlights works.»

«That's all right,» Mason said, «go ahead, go out the exit, turn around and come back in through the entrance.»

Mason took Della Street's arm, hurried her over to his automobile.

«You'd better get in, Della, we want this to look as plausible as possible-Get down low in the seat and brace yourself.»

Virginia drove her car out of the exit, swung around in a wide loop and turned into the entrance.

Mason's car, running without headlights, made for the entrance, then swung in a swift turn just as Virginia Baxter entered.

Her headlights picked up his car. She slammed on the brakes. Tires screamed a protest. Then there was a crash and the sound of breaking glass as Mason's car hit hers.

Doors opened in the various motel units. The office door opened, and the manager came running out to stand looking at the scene of the accident. Then she came striding toward them.

«Good heavens, what happened?»

Virginia Baxter said, «You-Why, you didn't have your lights on-You didn't tell me-«

Mason said, «I goofed. I should have gone out the exit.»

The manager whirled to face Perry Mason. «This is your fault,» she said. «Can't you see that sign there? That says Entrance just as plain as day. This is the fourth accident we've had here and that's why I had those big signs put up and knocked a section of the wall down so that the Exit would be at the other end of the parking lot.»