“I gave it to the hotel people to put in the garage.”
“You have a claim check?”
“Yes.”
“Give it to me. I’m going to do something with your car. I don’t want you to ask any questions.”
She gave him the claim check. “You know, Mr. Mason, I’m beginning to feel better. Telling you has lightened the burden. You’re very competent and reassuring. There’s one thing you don’t need to worry about.”
“What’s that?”
“About my connection with it.”
“Why?”
She said, “Bob wouldn’t have enough courage to face the music, but he wouldn’t let me get the blame. He’ll write the police a letter or something, and tell them, and then he’ll...”
“Then he’ll what?” Mason asked as her voice faded.
“Then he’ll be a fugitive.”
“What’s he going to do for money? Do you have a joint account?”
“He has my power of attorney. Come to think of it, most of my income has been going into his account. I don’t know. I haven’t bothered with business. The doctor told me I mustn’t even think of it. I put it all onto Bob’s shoulders.”
“What’s the status of your finances?”
“I don’t know, Mr. Mason... After what Millie intimated about Bob and the horses — I just don’t know.”
“You have enough money to pay your bill here?”
“Oh, yes. I have a hundred dollars or so in cash, and a book of travelers’ checks.”
“The travelers’ checks are with you?”
“Yes. I always keep them in my purse.”
“How many do you have left?”
“Almost a thousand dollars — I think it’s exactly nine hundred and twenty. I have some twenty-dollar checks, some fifty-dollar checks, and some hundred-dollar checks.”
Mason said, “I’m going to take them off your hands.”
He walked over to the writing desk, took out a sheet of hotel stationery, tore off the top of the sheet, and wrote, “For value received, I hereby sell, transfer, set over, and assign to Della Street the travelers’ checks hereinafter described and the funds evidenced thereby. I hereby empower the said Della Street as my agent to sign my name to the said checks, cash them, and turn over the money to Perry Mason. I hereby appoint the said Della Street as my agent and attorney-in-fact to cash each and all of said checks at such time, place and manner as may seem expedient.”
Mason took the paper over to her, said, “Read it, sign it, and then put down in your handwriting the description of the travelers’ checks, the numbers, and amounts. You mention that the document is being executed for a valuable consideration. You’ll want some money here to tide you over. You can’t cash checks as Carlotta Lawley while you’re registered as Mrs. Dunkurk. Here’s some cash now, and I’ll give you more as you need it.”
Mason opened his wallet and counted out three hundred dollars in ten-dollar bills.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand. I don’t need so much money in cash, and if you’re going to be my lawyer, you’ll need a fee. You can take those checks as a retainer, and...”
“Your sister said she was going to take care of my fee. That can wait. Right now, I have a definite plan. I need these checks to put that plan in operation. I want a receipt for the three hundred dollars which I have paid you.”
Once more he went over to the hotel writing desk, and drew up a receipt which he handed to Mrs. Lawley. “Now then,” Mason said, taking his fountain pen from his pocket, “don’t try to understand what I’m doing. Don’t ask questions because I won’t tell you. I’m taking you on faith. You’ll have to take me the same way.”
“But, Mr. Mason, why can’t I simply tell my story? Why can’t I...”
Mason interrupted her, “Circumstantial evidence is frequently the most convincing perjurer that ever took the witness stand. You’ve stuck your head into a noose. You were protecting Bob. It seems entirely natural to you. It won’t seem so natural to someone else. You’re overlooking the most damning bit of evidence in the entire case.”
“What’s that?”
“You stopped at that service station and neighborhood store. There was a party going on. You asked for directions to Lynk’s cabin. Someone knew the way and told you. Under the circumstances, a whole flock of witnesses can identify you. You were excited, laboring under a great strain, your heart was bothering you, and your appearance must have been rather conspicuous.”
“You mean that they’ll think I did it?”
“They’ll be so certain about it,” Mason said grimly, “that unless I can do something to get them on the trail of the murderer, they’ll quit working on the case just as soon as they uncover that bit of evidence.”
She closed her eyes and thought for a moment, then said, “Well, why not? After all, Mr. Mason, I’m not kidding myself. This heart condition has been bad. What happened last night hasn’t made it any better. Bob is — well, he wants to live, and what he did, he did for me. I can never forgive him for doing it, but I can understand why he did it. Why not just let me take the responsibility?”
Mason said. “We’ll find out more about that heart of yours in a few minutes. Now you sit back and relax. List the numbers on those travelers’ checks, write them on the power of attorney, and then sign both of these documents. While you’re doing that, I’ll go down to the lobby and wait for Dr. Willmont. When I come back with him, hand me the documents and the travelers’ checks. Don’t let Dr. Willmont know what they are. Simply hand me the papers and the checks all folded up together.”
He got up and stood looking down at her, his smile reassuring. “It isn’t going to be as bad as it seems,” he said, “just getting things straightened out. You’ll find Dr. Willmont very competent.”
He stepped out into the corridor, pulled the door closed, and went down to the lobby. He had been there less than two minutes when Dr. Willmont arrived.
“What is it this time?”
“Woman who needs a careful check-up.”
“Who is she?”
“The name,” Mason said, “is Mrs. Charles X. Dunkurk. She’s from San Diego.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“There are several things I want you to do. First, I want you to confine your questions to bare essentials. Don’t ask her about herself.”
Dr. Willmont shot him a keen glance. “That’s rather a large order,” he said.
“I think you’ll realize it’s reasonable when you see her.”
“You mean I’m not to ask where she lives, whether she’s married, or anything?”
“That’s right. If you ask her any personal questions, it will call up a series of memories which will result in a nervous shock. If you feel she can stand it, go ahead. But it’s your responsibility.”
“All right. What else?”
“Make a complete examination. When you finish, tell me exactly what you find. I don’t want you to shade it one way or another.”
“What do you mean?”
Mason said, “If that woman can stand the shock of being dragged to the district attorney’s office, interviewed, perhaps arrested, I want to play the game that way. If she can’t, I’ve got to play it an entirely different way.”
“All right,” Dr. Willmont said, “let’s take a look at her. What is it? Her nerves?”
“Her heart.”
“That,” Dr. Willmont said with relief in his voice, “should simplify matters a lot. I was afraid you were just making me the goat for a hide-out.”
“No, this is on the square.”
“All right, let’s take a look at her.”
They went up to Mrs. Lawley’s room. Mason introduced Dr. Willmont. “Now then,” he said, “Dr. Willmont is going to prescribe for you. He’ll only ask questions which are absolutely necessary.”