"I don't know," Warren said. "A man never does. I havesometimes thought she married me because she found in me a refuge. I don't knowAnd because I have never asked her, I don't intend to ask you. I don't want youto tell me anything you might find out about her past or her frame of mind,present or past.
"I am retaining you for justone thing. Protect my wile from the person who made that fingerprint. Don'ttell me a damned ' thing about what you find out. Just go ahead and protect herand from time to time send me the bill for what you feel your services areworth."
"That's a rather difficultassignment," Mason said.
"I think you specialize indifficult assignments. I've looked you up one side and down the other."
The unlisted telephone rang. Della Street answered, said, – "Thank you,Paul," and hung up.
She caught Mason's eye and nodded.
Mason said, "The catering truckis available for tonight."
"Good!" Warren exclaimed.
Mason regarded the man thoughtfully.
"What makes you think your wifeis in danger?" he asked.
"My wife," Warren said, "is being blackmailed."
"How do you know?"
"First the tip-off came from mybanker. She has been making withdrawals for a period of more than ninety days.Those withdrawals are large and are in the form of cash."
"And you think she has beenpaying those over to some blackmailer?"
"No, I know she hasn't."
Mason raised his eyebrows.
"To date she has drawn outsomething like forty-seven thousand dollars," Warren said, "and as late as last night shehad that forty-seven thousand dollars intact in a locked suitcase in herbedroom."
"The entire sum?" Masonasked.
"The entire sum."
"How do you know?"
"I made it my business to findout."
"Then," Mason said,"there is another possibility, which is – "
"I know, I know," Warren interrupted. "Which is that my wife isin love with someone else and is intending to run away and leave me.
"Lorna wouldn't do that. Lornaconsented to be my wife ten years ago. At the time there was somethingbothering her. I know that much. She came from New York, she has never talked about her past, shehas never introduced me to a single friend who knew her before she was married.Every friend she has in the world, apparently, is someone with whom she becameacquainted after our marriage."
"In other words, her past issomething of a mystery?"
"Her past is a closedbook," Warren said. "She'd probably tell me if Iasked her. I wouldn't ask her. What you were talking about is whether she wasplanning to run away and leave me. I'm simply telling you Lorna wouldn't dothat. She made her bargain. She'd stay with it if it killed her.
"If something happened and shebecame utterly miserable in our marriage, she might take an overdose ofsleeping pills. I don't know. I want to see that that doesn't happen."
"If what you suspect istrue," Mason said, "I may have to invent some excuse to see a gooddeal of your wife."
"Then go ahead and invent theexcuse."
"And what you want me to do isto -"
Warren interrupted. "Protect my wife from theperson who made that fingerprint."
"At all costs?" Masonasked.
"At all costs, at any cost.There is no limit, but I want her protected from the person who made thatfingerprint. I will expect your detective's catering service to be prepared toserve an excellent champagne buffet dinner tonight, and I will expect you to bethere with some eminently suitable woman who can -"
Mason nodded toward Della Street. "I would have Miss Street with me," he said.
"That's fine," Warren said. "Now, the only person who mighteven faintly suspect there may be a business relationship will be Judson OlneyHe will assume the responsibility for your secretary being there, and she willinvite you to accompany her. Since you are rather well known, it might occur tohim that there is some logical reason for you to be there.
"Olney will adopt the positionof having been a friend of long standing of your secretary, here and since heis a bachelor this will cause no complications.
"He is, I may add," Warren said, "a very eligible bachelor."
"And Olney will know what hehas to do?"
"Olney will only know that hehas to invite your secretary, Miss …"
"Della Street," Mason said.
Warren took a notebook from his pocket, made anote of the name.
"All that Judson will know isthat he is to invite Miss Della Street to the dinner as an old friend, andintroduce her as such. You will be there simply as Miss Street's escort."
"Do you think that will foolanyone?" Mason asked.
"I don't give a damn whether itdoes or not," Warren said. "I can't think of anything else on short notice that willwork any better. In my business I try to plan my activities in the best wayavailable at the moment and then quit worrying about what may happen. After Ihave decided on a course of action I go ahead -full speed. I don't waste timelooking back over my shoulder.
"Now, since this is the lasttime I will see you before you arrive at my home, we have to be sure that wedon't get our wires crossed. Do you have any questions?"
"No," Mason said.
Warren looked at his watch. "I have already usedmuch more than my allotted time. I am going to have to make excuses to accountfor the delay in my appointment schedule."
He pushed back his chair, got to hisfeet, started for the door, turned, faced Mason, and said, "No matter whothat person may be, you are to protect my wife from the person who made thefingerprint on that card."
After the door had clicked shut, Della Street looked at Perry Mason."Intrigue," she said. "I love it."
Mason was frowningly studying thefingerprint on the card.
"Think Drake can matchit?" she asked.
"If the person who made it isthere tonight," Mason said thoughtfully, "Drake should be able tomake a match. Unless, of course, the person becomes suspicious and manages toavoid leaving prints."
"Suspicious?" she asked.
"Because I am there,"Mason said.
Della said, "Well, if I am tobe escorted to a champagne dinner with the four hundred tonight, I should spendwhat time I can get during the noon hour at the beauty shop."
"Take what time you need,"Mason said. "This is business, you know."
Della Street picked up the phone, asked for anappointment at the hairdressers, said, "Just a moment, please," andturned to Perry Mason. "They can take me now if I can come rightaway."
"Go ahead," Mason said."And charge the bill as part of the expense on the case. This is anofficial assignment, you know."
She said into the phone, "Okay,I'll be right down," hung up and turned to Mason. "Somehow I feelrather… well…"
Mason laughed. "You never feelself-conscious when you work until midnight, Della, or when you are called on to workover a weekend. Go ahead and get the works."
Chapter 2
It was nearly two o'clock when a radiant Della Street returned from the beauty shop.
"How do I look?" sheasked, standing in front of Perry Mason, and turning slowly.
"Like a million," Masonsaid.
"I don't want you to be ashamedof me at that buffet dinner."
"Ashamed!" Masonexclaimed. "You'll be the queen of the-"
The telephone bell rang three short,sharp rings which was the switchboard operator's signal that in the outeroffice there was something urgent and demanding immediate attention. A momentlater Gertie, the switchboard operator and receptionist, appeared in the doorof the private office.
She carefully closed the door behindher and said, "There's a Mr Judson Olney out there who wants to see Miss Della Street on a personal matter of some urgency. Hewants to see her alone"
"My boyfriend," Dellasaid.
"Your what?" Gertie asked,her eyes growing large and round.
"Only temporarily," Della Street said, smiling. "I'll go out and greethim."
Gertie backed out of the office.
"I want to look him over,"Mason said to Della Street, "provided you can arrange it."
"I'll arrange it," shetold him.