Perry Mason Mysteries - 58

The Case of the Mythical Monkeys

By

Erle Stanley Gardner

Chapter 1

GLADYS DOYLE had started her secretarial duties with Mauvis Niles Meade in January. Now, on the sixth day of February, she realized that after a full month of what she had described to a friend as a "cheek by jowl" existence, she knew virtually nothing about the person for whom she was working.

There had been letters, of course, and visitors. But a secretary-companion, hostess and general assistant to a person who had written a book which had been a runaway best seller certainly should have known more of the private life of the author by that time.

Miss Meade kept herself barricaded behind a wall of steady reserve which Gladys found completely baffling.

On taking up residence in the Los Angeles penthouse apartment, Mauvis Niles Meade had advertised for an experienced, good-looking secretary, hostess and companion, not over twenty-four, not under twenty-two, poised, close-mouthed and diplomatic.

Gladys Doyle had secured the position. Miss Meade had explained it was a twenty-four-hour-a-day job, had given Gladys a beautiful corner bedroom in the penthouse apartment, and work had started the next day.

The work had consisted largely of writing short letters, terse telegrams, answering the telephone, making appointments for publicity interviews and serving as a general watchdog to keep Miss Meade from being disturbed when she didn't want to be disturbed.

The literary gossip in the newspapers was that Miss Meade was busily engaged writing another book.

If she was writing such a book, Gladys Doyle certainly saw no evidence of it.

Not a great deal was known about Mauvis Meade's background. Because of the nature of her best-selling novel, Chop the Man Down, it would hardly have been tactful to make too searching inquiries.

The book dealt with a small-town girl who went to the big city, who was buffeted around by fate, who took a "fix" at the behest of a sophisticated weekend companion, who faced the usual economic and moral problems confronting a young woman who finds it necessary to finance an expensive dope habit.

Then suddenly her beauty got her involved with an un-scrupulous individual who became infatuated with her. This infatuation turned to love—a love so strong that he saw to it that not only was she cured of the dope habit but that word was passed around the underworld that a death sentence awaited anyone who ever again supplied her with dope.

The heroine's radiant beauty also attracted a shrewd, powerful lawyer who had considerable influence. That in-fluence began to make itself manifest in an unexpected manner.

While some of the background pertaining to the central characters seemed at times highly colored by a juvenile imagination, there were flashes of grim reality indicating a firsthand knowledge on the part of the author. No one questioned the authenticity of the romantic portions of die book. As one reviewer put it, they "reeked of reality."

Now, on this Friday afternoon, Gladys Doyie, answering Miss Meade's summons, carrying her shorthand note-

the Mythical Monkeys 3

book and pencil, found Miss Meade stretched out on a chaise lounge, a cigarette in the long, carved ivory holder.

"How much expense money have you, Gladys?"

"About fifty dollars."

Mauvis Meade opened her purse, took out a roll of bills the size of her wrist, peeled off three one-hundred-dollar bills, folded them the long way, scissored them between two fingers of her right hand and extended them to Gladys.

"You'll need more. Take this."

Gladys took the three hundred dollars, made a notation in the notebook, waited expectantly.

"I want you to keep a date for me."

"A date?"

"A date," Miss Meade repeated. "Sometimes I wish I'd never sold those damned motion-picture rights."

In view of the fact that it was rumored she had received a cool two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars for those motion-picture rights, Gladys could think of nothing to say. Apparently no reply was expected.

"The man's name is Edgar Carlisle," Miss Meade said. "You'll have to get in touch with him at the Summit Inn. I told him I was going to be there skiing this weekend, but I don't feel like it

"Take the station wagon and your skis—I have a suite reserved at the Summit Inn. It's held for me every weekend, whether I use it or not, and paid for by monthly check, so don't bother with hotel bills. Just sign chits for anything you want

"Carlisle will call the suite tonight, after you get up there. Explain to him that it's impossible for me to be there, that you're my assistant. Find out what it is he wants—it's something to do with publicity in connection with the picture release."

"How much will I tell him?" Gladys asked.

4 The Case of

"Use your judgment," Miss Meade said. "Anything in connection with publicity that will help the sale of the book is all right As far as the picture is concerned, I tried to hold out for a percentage. They wouldn't stand for it They made a cash price and let it go at that I think- my agent fell down on the job on that one.

"I'm not going to break my neck doing a lot of fool things to publicize the picture. I'm willing to be reasonable, but that's all.

"The outfit Carlisle is with isn't philanthropic. They've worked out something that will publicize the picture, and that's all they're interested in. You're going to have to be tactful and diplomatic and smart Change his proposition around so it will call for a minimum of work on my part, will publicize the picture, but will also help the sale of the book ... and there's one more thing, Gladys."

"What?"

"This man is young and, from the way he talks over the phone, I think he's a wolf."

"And I'm to be distant and cool in a personal way, but attentive in a business way?" Gladys asked.

"Good heavens!" Mauvis Meade said. "I don't give a damn what you do. I was just trying to point out the attractive side of the chore.

"Now, here's another thing, Gladys. Coming back down the main road Sunday evening—and you'll stay until Sunday—the traffic is almost bumper to bumper. It's a mountain road, and driving it will wear you out. There's a short cut you can take coming down. It's a road that's surfaced until you are seven miles from the Inn. Then you've got ten miles of dirt road, but it's not bad. It brings you in on the other highway—there's a little map in mat desk drawer. Hand it to me, will you?"

Gladys went to the desk, opened the desk drawer, found a folded piece of paper and brought it over to Miss Meade.

the Mythical Monkeys 5

"Don't try to go up on this road," Mauvis warned. "It's dirt part of the way, and muddy after this last storm. Coming down it is easy, going up is different. The road is steep in places.

"You have your notebook. Take these directions ... Leave Summit Inn on the main highway, go into the main part of town. Two blocks past the post office turn to the right, then after five blocks, turn left. This is a narrow, surfaced road which goes for about a mile on a fairly easy grade, then turns to the right and starts winding down the mountain. Set your speedometer at zero at the post office. At nine and seven-tenths miles, you'll come to a fork in the road. Take the right-hand turn. At fifteen-point-three miles, you'll come to a fork in the road. Again take the right-hand turn. After that, keep on the road until you come into the main highway. Don't turn on the main highway, but cross it, keeping on the same road, which you will find is surfaced after it crosses the highway. This is a rather narrow road winding among orange groves for three miles until it hits the main freeway to Los Angeles."

Mauvis Meade handed the map back to Gladys. "Put it back in the desk."

Gladys returned it to the desk drawer.

"You have the clothes you need?" Mauvis Meade asked.

Gladys nodded.

"Skis?"

"I'm an enthusiast," Gladys said.

"Leave at three o'clock this afternoon, Gladys. Return so that you're here late Sunday night Be sure you have your key. Don't leave Summit Inn until after six o'clock Sunday night ... Stay at Summit Inn until after six o'clock Sunday night."

"And I'm to start up at three this afternoon?"

"That's right. You're to take the station wagon. 111 have the garage fill it with gas and check the tires. You

6 The Case of

won't need chains. Have a good time. That's all. I'm going to be out the rest of the day. Answer the phone, tell anyone who calls I'm not available until Monday, that you don't know where I am.

'Now you'd better go pack some things. It isn't going to hurt to use a little glamour on the weekend. Cheesecake will go nicely with the job you have to do. I've made an appointment for you at the beauty shop at twelve-thirty, so you'd better have an early lunch. The tab is all arranged for. Have a good time, dear."

Gladys accepted her dismissal, packed her suitcase, had lunch and went to the beauty shop. She returned to the apartment only long enough to have a bellboy take her suitcase down to the station wagon, which was fully gassed and waiting in the garage.

It was then Gladys found that someone had torn the page out of her notebook which contained the directions for the short cut down the mountain.

Miss Meade was gone. Gladys felt with annoyance that there was no reason why anyone should have torn that page from her notebook. Gladys had already entered the three hundred dollars in her expense book, she wasn't apt to forget the name Edgar Carlisle, and, of course, she knew all about the Summit Inn, the swank hotel on the snow-clad summit of the mountain ridge.

There was, however, the question of the short cut back down the mountain. She didn't fancy fighting her way through a stream of Sunday traffic.

So Gladys went to the desk, opened the drawer, found the map and made notes from it. The map she found was compiete only as far as the second fork in the road. An arrow indicated the turns to be taken.

Gladys wondered why Mauvis Meade had given her three hundred dollars in cash If she was to charge everything at the hotel, and wondered why she had been twice cautioned not to leave the Summit Inn until after six

the Mythical Monkeys 7

o'clock Sunday evening. These, however, were minor matters.

A job which included an all-expense skiing weekend at the exclusive Summit Inn, negotiations with an attractive young man who was "something of a wolf certainly was better than a nine-to-five job in a humdrum office.

Gladys' trimly shod foot was eager as it pressed on the car's gas pedal.

Chapter 2

THE SKIING WEATHER was perfect Edgar Carlisle was young, handsome, considerate and evidently not at all put out that Mauvis Meade had failed to keep her appointment It was quite apparent that he felt the matter could be safely entrusted to die discretion of Miss Meade's secretary, and his manner so indicated. Moreover, Carlisle had obviously had an expense account which he wished to use, and Gladys had a very enjoyable time.

Despite Miss Meade's warnings, Carlisle was not especially wolfish. He was essentially masculine and kept pushing his way, trying to find out just where the no-trespassing signs were. But, having found the boundaries, he respected the signs, and all in all Gladys had such a good time that she didn't leave the Summit Inn until after dinner Sunday night.

It had clouded up and had started to snow at four o'clock in the afternoon. Gladys knew that she should have secured chains and gone on down the main highway.

8 The Case of

But there were no chains in the car. It was almost a certainty they really wouldn't be required as a matter of safety if she was careful, but the road patrol was very strict on weekends, and, with snow on the highway, chains were required.

Gladys was pleased that she had a short cut which would take her down the mountain on a road that was not patrolled, and so she started blithely out on the journey, setting her speedometer at zero as she left the Summit Inn post office, making the proper turns and finally starting to wind down the mountain.

It was snowing hard at this elevation and she drove very cautiously, keeping her car in the lower transmission and driving with the throttle instead of keeping it in the higher gears and using the brakes. She was an experienced mountain driver and she had no particular fear of accidents.

It was as Mauvis Meade had said. There was virtually no traffic on the road. She met two cars coming up the surfaced road; then, after the hard top ceased and she came to a graveled road, she met no one.

The snow turned to a hard, pelting rain at the lower elevations. At the second fork in the road, Gladys hesitated. It looked very much as though the main graveled road was the one to the right. But the map had plainly shown an arrow indicating the left-hand fork. After some hesitancy, Gladys took the left-hand fork, and for the first time began to feel a little uneasy.

It was now a wild, stormy night. After the first mile the road rapidly deteriorated. It became simply a plain dirt road—muddy, slippery, winding and twisting down the side of the mountain above a small stream which had cut a deep canyon.

Here and there were rather high centers in the road, and Gladys had to crowd the wheels up to the bank on

the Mythical Monkeys 9

the curves in order to avoid those high centers and keep out of the well-worn ruts.

She felt certain now that the map had been wrong, that she should have kept on the right-hand fork. And, thinking back, she began to question in her mind whether Mauvis Meade hadn't said the right-hand fork when she had been dictating directions. But the map itself quite plainly had shown an arrow indicating the left-hand fork.

In any event, Gladys was trapped now. There was no place to turn around, and in the darkness it would have been all but impossible to have backed up the narrow, winding road.

At first Gladys had been afraid she might meet someone on the narrow road. Now she was beginning to wish that she would meet someone. She felt terribly alone in the pelting rain as she eased the car down the narrow mountain road.

The headlights showed a sharp, right-hand curve ahead.

As Gladys entered the curve she came to a point where she literally could not see the road. The curve was sharp enough so that the hood of the car obscured the road on the right. On the left the beam of her headlights was swallowed up in the darkness of the canyon. It was at this point that the car swerved and settled. Gladys knew she had hit a soft spot, and, in panic, gave the car a sudden burst of gas.

She felt the machine lurch, skid, then Gladys was suddenly conscious that the spinning wheels were digging into the ground. She eased off on the gasoline.

By that time it was too late. She was stuck and knew almost instinctively that her situation was hopeless.

With a weary sigh, she left the motor idling while she got out to survey her predicament.

It was difficult to determine all the details in the darkness, but apparently a culvert had washed out; a stream

10 The Case of

of storm water splashing down the hill above had started flowing down the road and had made a mudhole some twenty feet long. Gladys had apparently applied the power at just the wrong time. As her left front wheel had pushed against a rock, the rear wheels in the soft earth had dug a hole in which the car rested.

Gladys knew it was dangerous to try to back up in the dark on account of the curve, but she decided to try it She got back in the car, put the transmission in reverse, eased on the throttle.

The car slowly began to move.

Gladys gave it a little more throttle, moved back until she began to get a headway. For a moment of swift elation she thought she was out of it, and then the front wheel struck the hole which had been dug by the spinning back wheels, and the car settled.

She could go neither forward nor backward. She had no flashlight, the night was dark as velvet, the rain was pouring down, and as Gladys got out of the car for the second time she realized it was a cold rain, a rain which a thousand feet higher up the mountain was falling as snow.

She got back in the car, shut off the motor and the headlights. Without a flashlight, she knew it would be hopeless trying to extricate herself. She would have to wait until daylight or until help came.

She settled comfortably on the seat, but within fifteen minutes the car began to get cold. At the end of half an hour, she was cramped and chilled.

She started the motor, knowing how dangerous that was, yet determined to run it in a short burst so that she could get enough heat in the car to warm it up. It was a choice between the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning on the one hand and pneumonia on the other.

At the end of five minutes, the warm air flowing along

the Mythical Monkeys 11

her ankles from the car's heater made her more comfortable and she shut off the motor. Almost at once the car started to cool. Twenty minutes later, Gladys determined that anything was better than sitting there and becoming chilled to the bone. She got out, slogged through the mud halfway up to her knees to open the back of the car and grope around for the jack, yet when she found the jack, she was, she realized, no better off than she had been before. She was going to have to scour the mountainside to find brush and rocks she could put under the wheels so as to get a solid foundation for traction. She decided to try walking.

Once she had decided to walk, she knew there was no help up the road until after she had climbed some seven miles, the last three or four of which would be through snow. So she decided to go around the curve and walk downhill. The road certainly must go somewhere and there was always the possibility that there would be some habitation.

She realized now that she must have taken the wrong road back at the last fork. The sound of the stream tumbling over rocks in the canyon far below, the pelting of the rain and the sighing of wind in the trees were the only noises she could hear. There was no sound of a motor anywhere.

Walking in the darkness, Gladys realized the danger. It was so dark that she literally had to feel her way a foot at a time. There was not even enough light to show the tree-clad ridges silhouetted against storm clouds. There simply was no light at all.

For the first time, Gladys felt a surge of panic. It was possible that she might have real difficulty extracting herself from this situation. If she had to turn and climb back up the grade, it would be daylight before she could reach Summit Inn ... Of course, when she got to the point where the rain had turned to snow, she felt that the white

12 The Case of

ground would reflect at least some clue to the location of the road. Here there was a distinct possibility that her next step would plunge her into the canyon.

Suddenly, Gladys caught her breath. From the darkness ahead came the gleam of a light.

For a moment she thought it might be an automobile approaching, then she saw that it was a steady, stationary light shining through the trees and apparently not too far

away.

She didn't realize the extent of her panic until she had experienced the feeling of relief which swept over her. She wanted to shout, wanted to run, but instead she controlled herself and continued to feel her cautious way

along the road.

By the time she reached the cabin, she was wet and cold. Her numbed feet stumbled up the rough board steps from the road to the little level place where the log cabin

nestled under pine trees.

The hght she had seen came from a single electric bulb shining through a window on which there was no shade. There was someone inside moving around. She could see a shadow moving on the wall.

Then she was pounding on the door, crying out, "Hello, hello, inside. Help me please!"

She heard some article of furniture being moved. In the back of the house a door was slammed shut. Then steps, and the door leading to the rustic porch was opened.

The light behind the man in the doorway showed him only in silhouette. She saw that he was tall, with broad shoulders and wavy hair. He was evidently young, but his voice was uncordial and sharp with suspicion.

"Well, hello," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Please," Gladys said. "I got on the wrong road. 1 was

coming down from Summit Inn. There's a place two or

three hundred yards up here where a culvert has washed

out and a whole stream of fioodwater has softened up the

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road. I blundered into it without seeing it on account of the curve, and ... well, I'm stuck."

The man hesitated so long that for a moment Gladys was angry, then he said, "Well, come in. At least you can get warm here."

He stood to one side and she entered a rough, rustic cabin, furnished simply but tastefully.

Warmth and the aroma of fragrant tobacco smoke en-veloped her as she entered the room.

"Stand over there by the stove," the man said. "You're rather wet"

She smiled at him. "Perhaps if your wife—"

He shook his head. "I have no wife. I'm here alone."

"Oh," she said.

She took a good look at him then—a man perhaps twenty-eight or thirty, with a straight nose, a prominent chin and an uncompromising stiffness in his manner which showed resentment

"Do you, by any chance, have a phone?" she asked.

"Heavens, no!"

"You have electricity."

"Electricity which comes from a battery which is charged by a windmill so I try to conserve the light as much as possible."

The stove was a big fifty-gallon gasoline drum which had been converted into an oil-burning stove. It gave out a steady welcome heat.

Gladys could see steam rising from her clothes.

"Look," she said, "I have to get back to Los Angeles tonight I'm due there right now. Do you suppose you could ... ?"

She was interrupted by the determined shake of his

head.

"But why not?" she asked. "I'm willing to pay, I'm

willing to—"

"It isn't a question of money," he said. "In the first

14 The Case of

place, you need daylight for a job of that sort If that culvert is washed out, that road up there must be a mess."

"It is," she said, looking down at her mud-stained legs and soaked shoes. "Where does this road go? On down the mountain?"

"That's right There's a public camp ground and picnic facilities a mile and a half down the canyon."

She had a sudden wild surge of hope. "Ill bet you have a jeep," she said. "You could go up and hook onto my car, and ... and there must be a way down here to turn around and—"

Again she was interrupted by the shaking of his head.

"But you must have some car. You're not marooned out here. Any car could pull me downhill out of the mud-hole. Then I could get down to the camp grounds. There must be a good road from there."

"As it happens, I have no car tonight" he interrupted.

"No car at all?" she asked.

"No car at all."

"But how in the world could you be here without having a car? You must have driven here. You didn't—"

"I don't think there's any call to discuss my personal affairs," he said curtly.

"But obviously," she said, throwing out her hand in a gesture, "I can't stay here all night"

He gave a faint shrug with his shoulders, a spreading motion with his hands. "What would you suggest?" he asked.

"Well," she said hotly, "you're a great big strapping man. If you don't have a car that can tow me out, you certainly have a raincoat and boots, and you can go there and ... I'll help. I'm already soaked anyway, and we can jack the wheels up, and—"

"It's a job for daylight."

"Surely you have a flashlight."

"But no spare batteries—by daylight I can perhaps

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help you extricate your car. I'm sorry, but I can't do it tonight."

"Won't you please understand that it's highly important—"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted, in a tone of finality. "I have recently recovered from pneumonia and I have no intention of going out and slogging around in the cold mud and getting wet to the skin trying to get some social butterfly out of a mudhole. Furthermore, I don't know what you're doing down here, and, frankly, I'm not satisfied with your explanation."

"I haven't made any," she flared.

"That's right," he said quietly.

"I tell you, I got on the wrong road."

"All the way down the mountain?"

"I was trying to take a short cut."

"Why didn't you keep on the graveled road?"

"Because my directions said I was to turn here."

His eyes held a light of mocking triumph. "Oh, so you were to turn here. Then you didn't take the wrong fork. May I ask who gave you those directions?"

She said, "I don't know as I can quote your exact words, but I'll try ... I don't think there's any call for us to discuss my personal affairs."

He smiled at that

"If you have any whiskey in the place, you might at least buy a girl a hot toddy—and if I'm going to stay here all night, I warn you that any person who tries to make unwelcome advances is in for the surprise of his life."

He said, "I'm not going to make any unwelcome advances. I'm not going to make any advances, period. As a matter of fact, your showing up here is damn inconvenient and I'm still not satisfied with your explanations. What's your name?"

"What's yours?"

"Call me John."

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"What's the last name?"

"There isn't any."

"Call me Gladys," she said. "And the last name is none of your business."

"Well," he said, "we seem to be getting on. I'll get some hot water going and we'll try a toddy."

"And don't load it," she warned.

She watched him as he moved about the place. He had a big frame, but there was a spring to his step and his motions seemed perfectly coordinated. . This man, she decided, had trained himself in coordination. He was either a juggler, a football player, a boxer or perhaps all three.

"Am I going to sit up by the stove all night?" she asked.

"There are two bedrooms here," he said. "They're un-heated. There are plenty of blankets. There's a bathroom which does not have hot water. There's a coil of pipe inside the stove here, and—"

"Wonderful," she said. "If you have no objection, I'm going to have a hot bath."

"A hot shower," he corrected.

"All right, a hot shower."

"When?"

"As soon as you get that hot toddy, and as soon as I can get these wet clothes off."

The toddy was good. After she had finished it, she bolted herself behind the bathroom door, got out of her wet clothes, enjoyed a hot shower, dried herself with a rough towel, looked into the adjoining bedroom he told her she was to occupy, and shivered with the cold air which greeted her.

She started to put on her wet clothes, then hesitated. After all ... She crossed over to the bed, pulled off one of the heavy blankets, put it around her shoulders, wrapped it around her arms, picked up her damp gar-

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ments, unlocked die bathroom door and entered the living room.

"I'm going to dry out these clothes over the stove," she said. "I've taken the liberty of using one of your blankets as a combination dressing gown, cocoon, and—"

She broke off as she saw that she was addressing an empty room.

She pulled up a chair close to the stove, spread the wet clothing over the back of the chair so close to the stove that the garments started to steam. Then she settied herself in another chair, pulled the warm blanket tightly about her skin and relaxed in the warmth.

The aftereffects of the hot toddy made her feel warm and relaxed. After a while she began to feel drowsy.

She turned her clothing on die chair, toasting first one side and then the other, until finally it was dry.

She was just about to put it on when she heard the pound of steps on the porch, then the door opened. A draft of cold air entered the room.

Her host was peeling off a raincoat that was glistening with rain, stamping wet feet encased in high leather boots on the floor.

"Well," she said, "look who's taking chances widi his pneumonia!"

He looked her over with an impersonal appraisal which somehow bothered her more than if he had tried to grab at the blanket. "I see you've made yourself right at home."

"I'm decent," she said defiantly.

"I didn't say you weren't."

"I'm not going to sit around in wet clothes."

"No one asked you to. It's a free country."

"And I've told you I know how to take care of myself and don't appreciate unwelcome attentions."

"Look," he said irritably, "you're a good-looking girl. You've probably never had the opportunity to associate

with men who thought about anything except making passes. Now, I didn't invite you here. Your presence happens to be distracting and annoying. I've offered what hospitality I can. There's a lock on the bedroom door. Now then, sister, curfew is ringing as far as you're concerned. Take your clothes and go on into that bedroom, lock the door, get into bed and go to sleep."

"What were you doing out in the rain?" she asked in sudden suspicion, and then felt herself flush as she re-membered the uncurtained window in the bedroom. "Were you ... were you spying on me?"

He merely indicated the door to the bedroom. "Curfew is ringing," he said. "All little girls are off the street. Go in and go to bed."

"I'm not going to have you treat me like a child."

"Then quit treating me like one of these Hollywood wolves," he said. "For your information, I don't go around making passes at every girl I meet"

"How very interesting," she said sarcastically.

He strode over to the chair, scooped up her clothes, ran his hands down the garments, said, "They're dry now," walked over to the bedroom door, flung it open and tossed the clothing on the bed.

"All right, Gladys," he said.

She looked at him defiantly.

He took a step toward her, and suddenly she realized that he intended literally to put her in the bedroom if she didn't go by herself.

"Good night, John," she said with exaggerated politeness.

"Good night, Gladys," he said, and his voice was that of a man who was getting rid of a distracting influence, whose mind was already starting to cope with some more interesting problem.

Chapter 3

GLADYS TURNED on the small light globe as he closed the door. She looked at the window which was devoid of shades or drapes, and as she slipped out of the blanket, felt as though she were standing naked on a public stage with a spotlight on her.

She made a lunge for the light and switched it off. Standing nude in the cold darkness, she adjusted the blanket over the bed, then crawled under the covers and slept

It wasn't until she wakened sometime in the small hours that she realized she had, after all, forgotten to lock the bedroom door. It was, she decided, an unnecessary precaution.

Lying there, she thought she heard the sound of an au-tomobile engine. She stretched, yawned, propped herself up on one elbow, held herself in that position for a while, then dropped back to the pillow and almost instantly sank into the warm oblivion of slumber.

When she awakened again it was daylight. The storm was over, and her wrist watch showed it was seven-thirty.

There was a fur rug by the bed and it felt good to her bare feet. She dressed hurriedly, tentatively opened the door to the living room. She knew that the automatic oil feed would keep the big stove going and she was looking forward to the warmth.

The room was cold and empty. The stove had been

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20

shut off, and there was about the whole room an air of

vacancy.

"John," she called.

There was no answer.

She opened the door, looked out on the porch.

"Oh, John!"

Her voice was swallowed up in the still mountain air.

She went back and regarded the closed door of the other bedroom with exasperation.

"John, what do we do for eats?" she asked. "Fm famished."

When there was no answer, she turned the knob of the bedroom door. She half expected to find it locked—it would be just like him.

The bedroom door swung open, and Gladys looked inside. "Well," she said, "come on, sleepy head. I'm a working girl. What do we do about—"

Suddenly the breath went out of her at what she saw lying on the floor.

It seemed that she stood there for ages, holding the cold iron latch of the door in her hand.

Then she screamed.

After that she had a vague recollection of kneeling, of blood, of a lifeless arm, of a small-caliber rifle lying near the open window which she picked up and dropped. Then she found herself fleeing from the cabin, running blindly up the muddy road.

Chapter 4

DELLA STREET, Perry Mason's confidential secretary, said, "There's a very excited, very bedraggled young woman in the office who says she has to see you at once on a matter of greatest importance."

Mason raised his eyebrows.

"Her name is Gladys Doyle," Della Street went on. "She is employed as a secretary-companion and hostess by Mauvis Niles Meade—you remember, she wrote the sensational novel, Chop the Man Down."

"Ah, yes," Mason said, "a veritable smorgasbord of smooch, seduction and smut. And as such, of course, a runaway best-seller. You say Miss Doyle looks somewhat bedraggled?"

"That's a mild name for it. She looks as though she had had to walk home from a ride in the rain and had just got here."

"How old?"

"Twenty-two or three, attractive, good figure—"

"I'll see her," Mason announced.

Della Street smiled.

"Not because of the beauty," Mason said, "but because she's disheveled. If a girl of that description intended to vamp a lawyer into working on her case without adequate compensation, she'd have gone to the beauty parlor first. From the way you describe her, it's either a genuine emergency or she intends to pay for the services in cash."

21

·i'

"That's an angle," Della Street admitted. "I was only thinking of curves. Ill bring her in."

She went to the outer office and returned with Gladys Doyle.

"Good Morning, Miss Doyle," Mason said. "Miss Street said you have a matter which you consider ex-tremely urgent."

She nodded.

"Care to tell me about it very quickly?" Mason asked. Then I'll know whether I can be of any assistance. Just hit the high spots and you can elaborate later if it turns out I can handle your case."

"I went skiing over the weekend," she said. "I was with a man about whom I know very little. It was a business appointment for Miss Meade."

"And you walked home?" Mason asked, glancing at the mud-stained wreck of her shoes.

She shook her head. "I tried to take a short cut My car got stuck in a mudhole. I came on a cabin. There was a man in the cabin. He was about twenty-eight or so, rather good-looking and exceedingly independent—I had to spend the night there in that cabin."

Mason raised his eyebrows, said, "You were alone with him?"

"Yes. There was nothing else to do. I—"

Mason said, "I think, Miss Doyle, you'd better go to the police."

"Please let me finish," she said. "He insisted that I go to bed in one of the bedrooms and lock the door. When I got up this morning, there was no one in the house. I called, then opened the door to the other bedroom and looked in. There ... there was a dead man lying on the floor."

"The man who was in the cabin with you?" Mason asked.

She shook her head. "No, this was someone else. I. . .

the Mythical Monkeys 23

I'll try to just hit the high spots if you'll let me finish, Mr. Mason."

"Go ahead," Mason told her, his suddenly alert eyes showing his keen interest.

"I ran back up the road, hardly knowing what I was doing—I'd left my car bogged down in a mudhole. When I got back to my car, it had been hauled out of the mud-hole, turned around, pointed back up the grade. Whoever had done it had been considerate enough to leave it on the upgrade side of the mudhole. The ignition keys were in the lock. It was all ready to go." "So what did you do?" Mason asked. "I went."

"You know this man was dead?" She nodded.

"How do you know he was dead?" "His color, his ... the general grotesque stiffness and ... and the blood on the floor. I knelt beside him to feel his pulse, and—"

"Blood?" Mason interrupted. She nodded.

"Go on," Mason said. "What did you do? Did you come directly to me?"

"No. I went to the penthouse apartment where I work —Mauvis Niles Meade." Mason nodded.

"The place was a wreck, Mr. Mason. Drawers had been pulled out, clothes had been jerked out of the closet, papers were lying around the floor—you never saw such a mess."

"And Mauvis Niles Meade?"

She shook her head. "Not a sign of her. She said once that if she ever got into any trouble she knew you could get her out. So, now that I'm in trouble ... well, here I am."

"Well," Mason said, "you do seem to be in quite a

24 The Case of

predicament. Before we call in the police we'd better get certain things established. Why didn't you call the police as soon as you found the dead man—I mean as soon as you got in your car and got away from there?"

"Because," she said, "I suddenly realized what a position I was in. I don't want anyone to know I spent the night in that cabin if I can help it" "Why?"

"The notoriety, for one thing. But mainly, I guess, the utter implausibility of it alL I never did find out the man's name. He called himself John. That's all I know. Apparently this other man must have been dead by the time I got there, lying dead in the bedroom, and ... well, of course, you can put two and two together, John must have known about him.

"I sensed almost from the moment I entered the place that my presence was embarrassing and he wanted to get rid of me.

"You can put yourself in my position, Mr. Mason. My clothes were wet, I was soaked. I went into the bedroom and stripped down to the skin. There were no shades on the window, and I suppose he was standing right outside, watching every move I made. I don't suppose he was in-terested in the spectacle of nudity so much as in seeing whether I was curious about that other bedroom."

"You say there was a lock on the door of your bedroom?"

"A bolt—on the inside of the door." "After you went to bed ... you had locked your door, of course."

She flushed, then suddenly laughed. "I guess one is supposed to tell the truth to a lawyer." He nodded.

"Actually, Mr. Mason, I didn't lock it. When I woke up and remembered I had neglected to lock die door, I

the Mythical Monkeys 25

thought I had just forgetten it Now that I think it over I'm certain I didn't forget it on purpose." "You mean that you—"

"Heavens no," she interrupted. "It was just that he was so smugly superior that subconsciously I wanted to have him make a pass so / could have the pleasure of being the one who turned him down. That would have been better than to have him ignore me.

"After all, I'm not dumb enough to think that I'm completely repulsive. I have a good figure. I was virtually certain this man had been watching me through the uncurtained window. If he had seen me moving around in the nude, then had entered the house to find me clothed only in a blanket, and had curdy sent me to bed and told me to bolt my door ... well, I guess a subconscious resentment kept me from doing it. I really wanted him to make a pass." He studied her thoughtfully.

"Now that," she said, "is being devastatingly truthful. I wouldn't admit all that except to a lawyer." "John didn't become amorous?" Mason asked. "Not in the least. His reactions were moroughly abnormal, if you know what I mean. Perhaps I should say completely preoccupied." "No passes?"

"Absolutely not. And that's a treatment—well, it's rather unusual as far as I'm concerned." "I can imagine," Mason said dryly. "Here I was," she said, "clad only in a blanket which I was trying to keep around me as best I could ... I wasn't certain I could handle the situation, but I certainly ex-pected there'd be a situation to handle ... and I wasn't going to stay out all night in the cold rain.

"Instead of what I expected, he simply sent me to bed. I suppose after I went to bed he went out and managed to extricate my car ... And die way he did it ... I mean,

26 The Case of

the way he left it would certainly indicate that he was trying to tell me that, for my own good, I'd better not say anything about having been there.

"He told me he didn't have an automobile, but he certainly didn't walk to the place. I'm almost certain I heard an automobile sometime in the small hours of the morning when I woke up. I suppose he took his car up, pulled my car out of the mudhole, then drove the car down to the wide place in the road in front of the cabin, turned the car around and took it back up ... " Her voice trailed

away.

"It was on the upper side of the mudhole?" Mason

asked.

"Yes."

"How did he get it through there?" Mason asked. "If you got stuck going down, it must have been quite a job to get through going up."

"Perhaps he had a jeep. Perhaps he was a good dirt road driver. He certainly looked capable."

"Did you look for jeep tracks? This morning, I mean."

"I didn't look for anything, Mr. Mason. I just wanted to get away from there, and ... and something's happened up at Miss Meade's apartment. It's a wreck. Someone has been in there looking for something, Clothes have been pulled out of the closet, drawers have been dumped on the floor, papers have been scattered all over the place. It looks as if a hurricane had spent the weekend there." "Can you describe the exact location of this cabin?"

Mason asked.

"Yes. I've drawn you a little sketch map from memory. Here it is. I spent the weekend at the Summit Inn. This is the short cut I took coming back. Mauvis Meade told me about the short cut."

Mason took the map. "You'd better tell me a little more about Mauvis Meade, about your job and the weekend at Summit Inn," he said.

the Mythical Monkeys 27

Gladys told him briefly what had happened. When she had finished, Mason said, "Here's what you do. You have some other clothes there in the penthouse apartment?"

"Yes, of course. I just didn't stop to get into them when I saw what had happened. I took one look and then came running here. I was told to be back last night, that is, to be back Sunday night."

"Go back to the penthouse apartment, get out of those clothes—no, wait a minute. You give Miss Street the data on the size of clothes you wear. Get a new outfit. It probably won't be the best-looking outfit in the world, but— Do you have money or a charge account in any of the stores?"

"I have money."

"All right," Mason said. "Get an outfit. Td prefer not to have you going into the store for the try-ons. Now, wait a minute ... let Della get something that will fit you. Perhaps Della has some clothes in her apartment you can borrow. You're just about the same size. Get some clothes on, go back to the penthouse apartment, call in the manager, tell him that you're very much concerned, that you think perhaps Mauvis Niles Meade had some kind of tantrum and threw things around. But you can't be certain, and the fact that she isn't there causes you some uneasi-ness. She was intending to be there?"

"I'm quite certain she was. She told me she had something very important for me to do this morning."

"All right," Mason said. "Now sit down for just a minute before you go."

Mason picked up the telephone, called Homicide head-quarters at the Police Department and asked for Lieutenant Tragg. When he had Tragg on the line, he said, "Lieutenant, this is Perry Mason talking. You cooperate with the county authorities pretty much?"

"We work together,*' Tragg said. "What's the matler? You got another body?"

28 The Case of

"I have another body," Mason said.

"You certainly collect 'em," Tragg said dryly. "Some day I'm going to get one of the tabulating machines at the department to find out whether you've been there first on more than fifty per cent of our cases, or whether—"

"I haven't been there first," Mason said. "I haven't been there."

"So?"

"I'm going to cooperate with you, and I want you to cooperate with me. I'm telling you there's a body out in a cabin on a dirt road down from Summit Inn. I'm protecting a client."

"You're supposed to turn over all the facts to the police," Lieutenant Tragg said.

"You're the police," Mason told him, "and I'm turning

them over."

"Not this stuff about your client"

"I'm not supposed to turn that over to anyone."

"Your cooperation!" Tragg groaned. "It's too bad

there isn't a television set on this telephone, Mason. You

could see me drawing my right forefinger across my

throat when you mention cooperation."

"Nevertheless," Mason told him, "that's what you're

getting."

There was silence for a moment, then Tragg said, "Just

where is this cabin?"

"Take a pencil," Mason said. "I'll give you directions

on how to get there."

After a moment Tragg said, "Okay."

Mason gave him a complete description of how to get

to the cabin.

"How did your client happen to know all this?" Tragg

asked.

"Not telling," Mason said.

"You'll have an appointment with the grand jury," Tragg promised him.

the Mythical Monkeys 29

"All right, I have an appointment with the grand jury." "You'll be testifying under oath," Tragg warned. "That's where you're wrong," Mason told him. "I'll be under oath, but I won't be testifying. I'll claim professional privilege."

Tragg thought that over, said, "Okay, we'll look into it," and hung up.

Mason turned to Gladys Doyle. "All right," he told her, "get started. Now, when you're questioned about the cyclone that hit the apartment up there, tell them that's the way it was when you came in."

"If they ask you a lot of details about where you'd been and when you got back, tell them the truth about the time you first found the apartment had been robbed. Then tell them you went out to try to find Miss Meade. Don't tell them where you went, just say you went to see someone you thought could tell you where Miss Meade was.

"Then tell the police you don't want to make any statement at all until you have contacted Miss Meade. You can say you were working on a confidential matter for her over the weekend.

"If they continue to press you, get mad and. clam up. Tell them they're being impertinent."

"And I'm not to mention Summit Inn or the murder?"

"Hell, no," Mason said, "and don't keep thinking about it as a murder. It was probably suicide."

Chapter 5

IT WAS LATE in the afternoon when Gertie, Perry Mason's receptionist, announced over the interoffice communicating system, "Lieutenant Tragg is here to see Mr. Mason." And then added, almost in the same breath, "He says he's coming in."

Mason looked up from the papers on which he was working as the door opened and Lieutenant Tragg, walking with his characteristic shuffle, head thrust slightly forward, long, firm mouth twisted in a slightly whimsical smile, said, "Hi, Perry ... just happened to be in the neighborhood, thought I'd drop in and pay my respects and talk with you a little bit about that murder case out in Pine Glen Canyon."

"Glad to see you any time," Mason said. "Of course, some day I hope you'll learn to follow the conventional custom of being announced and then waiting until you're

invited in."

Tragg shook his head. "That would be bad business, Perry. If we did that, we'd spend half our time cooling our heels in somebody's reception room, waiting for him to put through a telephone call to his lawyer and find out what to say. And if that lawyer happened to be Perry Mason, the man might not say much by the time we finally were invited to come in.

"No, it's better this way, Perry. Just bust on in, keep

30

31

your hat on, try to give the impression of being a little boorish, but all the time boring toward an objective."

"Suppose I happened to have a client here?" Mason asked.

"So much the better," Tragg said, positively beaming. "It would convince the client of the efficiency of the police. And I think at the moment you have a client that I'd like to know a whole lot about"

"I probably have several you'd like to know about," Mason commented wryly.

"I stand corrected," Lieutenant Tragg acknowledged, bowing. "And how are you this afternoon, Della?"

"Very well, thanks," Della Street said.

"The police are plodders," Tragg remarked, apparendy apropos of nothing.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Mason protested. "They're very efficient."

"Efficient is right," Tragg said, "but their efficiency relates to plodding. It comes as the result of plodding. Take this Gladys Doyle, for instance."

Mason kept his face without expression. "What about her?"

"Funny thing," Tragg said. "She's working for this novelist, Mauvis Niles Meade. Seems she'd been away for a weekend, came home and found the apartment all torn to hell, things scattered all over. The place was wrecked."

"Notify police?" Mason asked.

"She notified the manager, and the manager thought things over and then gave the police a ring."

"Well?" Mason asked.

"She was asked the usual questions about when she discovered the crime and where she'd been—said she'd been away for the weekend, doing some confidential work for Mauvis Meade.

"Well, we started checking on the time element. Now, as nearly as we can find out from the doorman and the

32 The Case of

garage man, she expected to be back last night and at work at nine o'clock this morning. She didn't get in until after nine, and then she dashed right out."

Mason listened attentively but said nothing.

"Police looked around and tested the place for fingerprints. It was just a chore for the detail in charge of burglary, but when they asked Miss Doyle about where she'd been and she became coy, the police questioned the man at the apartment garage. He said Miss Meade had left instructions that Miss Doyle was to have the station wagon and it was to be put in good shape with oil and gas and antifreeze in the radiator because Miss Doyle was going to the Summit Inn. A routine check at Summit Inn showed she'd checked out after dinner last night

"Well, of course, burglary detail started questioning her in considerable detail after that. We try not to be arbitrary and not make nuisances of ourselves. Ordinarily when a good-looking girl is out overnight and doesn't want to discuss the matter, we just look the other way.

"But there was this murder out there in Pine Glen Canyon, and a person could have driven down that way from the Summit Inn, and Miss Doyle had told someone at the Inn she was going to take a short cut she knew about ... Well, anyway, the burglary detail notified Homicide."

"Very efficient of them," Mason said.

"Well, we try to keep from kicking ourselves as much as possible. If I run into something that looks like a lead in burglary, I always give the department a ring. If they get anything that looks as though it might be tied in with a homicide, they get in touch with me."

"I'm sure they would," Mason said.

"So I told them to look over Gladys Doyle's clothes, just for the purpose of seeing if there were any bloodstains on them. We wanted to get the clothes she'd been wearing, naturally."

the Mythical Monkeys 33

"And?" Mason asked.

"No bloodstains," Tragg said, "but as a matter of routine we put them in ultraviolet light and infrared light—a lot of things come out that way—you know, quite a few of the cleaners nowadays are using marks on clothes that are invisible to the naked eye, or virtually so, but come out with startling brilliance when ultraviolet light is turned on them. They're printed in fluorescent ink."

"And?" Mason asked.

Tragg grinned and hitched one hip up on a corner of Mason's desk, sitting there swinging his left foot slightly.

"The number didn't agree with the other cleaning marks and we got the idea that perhaps she might have borrowed some clothes from someone on account of bloodstains on her garments.

"So naturally we looked up the cleaning mark and darned if it isn't the cleaning mark of Miss Della Street.

"Well, of course, the way we work, you know, Perry, we put two and two together and make four. Then we get another two somewhere and that makes six. After a while we pick up another two and we get eight"

"I see," Mason observed noncommittally.

"So I thought Miss Della Street might want to tell the police why she gave this Gladys Doyle some of her clothes to wear."

Tragg looked over at Della Street. "It would be right interesting if up in Miss Street's apartment we found clothes that belonged to Gladys Doyle and found some bloodstains on them."

"Want to look?" Mason asked.

"We're looking," Tragg said.

"Rather highhanded, isn't it?" Mason asked.

"I don't think so," Tragg said. "Under the circumstances, we decided it would be a good idea to get a search warrant and take a look. I'm sorry, Miss Street, that I have to seem a little abrupt at times, but you know

34 The Case of

how it is. A man gets a job and there are certain duties and obligations that are part of that job. Now, my job is to investigate homicide. I'm working for the taxpayer You're a taxpayer. I hope you'll understand. I'm trying to help you.

"Here's a murder case that Mr. Mason called to our attention. Presumably, he had a client who had seen the body, so when we find one of Mason's clients wearing the clothes of his secretary, we start putting two and two together, like I said."

"I don't think Miss Street is going to like that," Mason said.

"I'm quite sure she isn't. Women don't like to have police officers prowling through their apartment, looking for things. I'll tell you this, Della. I told the boys to be very careful and not to do any general prowling around, just look for the clothing we wanted."

The telephone rang.

Della Street picked up the receiver, said, "Hello." She extended the telephone to Tragg. "It's for you, Lieutenant" Her voice was acid.

Tragg eased himself over along the edge of the desk, picked up the receiver, said, "Tragg speaking ... You did, eh ... ? When ... ? That's good. Thanks a lot."

Tragg hung up the telephone, turned to Della Street and said, "They found Gladys Doyle's clothing out there. They'll take it to the laboratory to be examined. You can get it back after they're finished with it—unless, of course, they find something significant."

Tragg elevated his left knee, caught the leg just below the kneecap in his interlaced fingers, beamed at Perry Mason and said, "So I thought perhaps you'd now like to tell me whether Gladys Doyle was the mysterious client who told you about the murder in Pine Glen Canyon."

"Because she borrowed Miss Street's clothes, that makes her a murderer, does it?" Mason asked.

the Mythical Monkeys 35

Tragg grinned. "Now you're jumping at conclusions, Mason. I didn't say that, didn't say anything like it. But you'd be surprised at what the laboratory can find out from those clothes—clothes are composed of microscopic fibers, you know, and if you come in contact with other persons, you're apt to get fibers from the suit the other person is wearing."

Della Street said to Lieutenant Tragg, "Well, thanks a lot for telling me, Lieutenant. It would be embarrassing to go home and find things all twisted around and—"

Tragg shook his head slightly. "No call for you to say anything like that, Miss Street. I'm talking with your boss. We'd dislike very much to get you mixed up in any murder case or catch you suppressing evidence or anything of that sort. We know that anything you did, you did on instructions, so naturally we thought we'd like to find out what those instructions were. I think it would be a lot better for Perry Mason to tell us ... You know, concealing evidence can be rather serious at times and—"

"And neither Miss Street nor I would think of it," Mason interrupted. "Now, as I remember it, Tragg, in order for a person to become guilty of concealing evidence so that it's a crime, he has to know that it's evidence and has to conceal it.

"I'm quite certain that if the police found any clothing belonging to Gladys Doyle out at Della Street's apartment, they found that it hadn't been concealed at all but was right out in the open. Now, you say that the clothing is evidence in a murder case, but unless there are bloodstains or significant fibers on that clothing, it isn't evidence of anything, it's just clothing."

"That's what comes of having a trained legal mind," Tragg said, getting to his feet and shuffling toward the door. "I thought Perry could answer the questions for you, Della ... Just happened to be in the neighborhood, Mason, and thought I'd drop in."

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The Case of

He went out

Mason and Della Street exchanged glances.

"Well, Chief," she said, "the fat seems to be in the fire."

"I'm afraid," Mason told her, "the fire's in the fat."

"Think we should take a run out to the Meade pent-house apartment and see if our client is available?" Della Street asked.

Mason shook his head. "We can find her just as quick sitting right here. She's undoubtedly in custody. They won't let her telephone for an attorney unless they charge her with something, and if they decide to let her telephone, we'll get a ring."

"And in the meantime?" Della Street asked.

"In the meantime," Mason said, "we get hold of the Drake Detective Agency and start Paul Drake looking around."

"Want me to give him a ring?" Della asked.

Mason nodded.

Della Street put through the call and after a moment said, "Drake is on his way down."

The Drake Detective Agency, with offices on the same floor as Mason's offices, remained open twenty-four hours a day. Paul Drake, who did all of Mason's investi-gative work, sometimes shuttled back and forth between his office and Mason's as many as a dozen times a day.

Within a matter of seconds after Della Street had hung up the telephone, Drake's code knock sounded on the door of Perry Mason's private office and Della Street let him in.

Paul Drake, tall, loose-jointed, easy-moving, contrived somehow to give the impression of being indifferent to his surroundings, yet managed to see everything.

"Hi, beautiful," he said to Della. Then to Perry Mason, "What is it this time?"

the Mythical Monkeys 37

"This one," Mason said, "has everything—sex, sophistication, mystery and melodrama."

"Shoot," Drake told him, sitting down in the big over-stuffed leather chair, then after a moment twisting around so one upholstered arm supported his back while his long legs were draped over the other arm.

Mason said, "Mauvis Niles Meade, who wrote a novel, Chop the Man Down, has a secretary, Gladys Doyle. Police have picked up Gladys Doyle, at least for questioning, in connection with a murder which took place in Pine Glen last night."

"Where's Pine Glen?" Drake asked.

"Out on the slope of the mountain between Summit Inn and—"

"Oh, yes, I know the place," Drake said. "A wild canyon that runs down the mountainside. There's a public camp and picnic grounds called Pine Glen, which takes its name from the canyon."

"There was a murder out there last night," Mason said. *Td like you to find out all you can about it, Paul—just pick up what the police are doing and I'd like to get some background on Mauvis Niles Meade and find out where she is now. Her apartment seems to have been pretty thoroughly ransacked over the weekend."

"I can tell you a little stuff about Mauvis Meade right now," Drake said.

"What?"

"Her novel got pretty close to home, Perry. There are some of those things a woman just doesn't make up out of whole cloth."

"So?" Mason asked.

"So," Drake said, "the rumor is that some big shot is pretty unhappy about some of the things in the book."

"What sort of a big shot, Paul?"

"A lawyer," Drake said.

"What sort of a lawyer?"

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38 The Case of

"I wouldn't know too much about it, Perry. I've just heard rumors, that's all. I guess you'd call this guy a mouthpiece."

"What could have been in the book to make a lawyer unhappy?" Mason asked.

"Have you read the book, Perry?"

"No. I understand generally it's the story of a woman who got around."

"It's all of that, and among the men the heroine knew was a lawyer. Now, I understand this lawyer is a real character. He made a play for Mauvis Meade and everything was hunky-dory for a while ... and then Mauvis blossomed into a novelist and that was bad."

"The lawyer talked too much?" Mason asked.

"To Mauvis, yes. At least some of his clients are reputed to think so."

"What was the specialty of this lawyer?"

"Investments."

"What sort of investments?"

"You'd better read the book, Perry."

"I will, but tell me generally what sort of investments?"

"Suppose we call them razzle-dazzle investments. Suppose a lawyer has clients who make big money out of gambling, bookmaking, numbers, and perhaps a little smuggling."

"Go on," Mason said.

"Well," Drake said, "I'll ask you a question. What does a man do with this dough after he's made it? He can only spend so much."

"The Government likes to have a big part of it," Mason said.

"That's the point, Perry. A man who makes a million out of doing something illegal doesn't intend to turn around and pay nine hundred thousand of it to Uncle Sam in the form of taxes. Having violated one law to

the Mythical Monkeys 39

make a million, he'll violate another to save nine-tenths of it."

"The Government usually considers its wants are para-mount," Mason said dryly.

"That's right," Drake said, "provided the Government knows about the million, provided the Government can find the million in the first place. Now, that's where a lot of this razzle-dazzle comes in. If you don't use banks, if you do business on a cash basis, and if you have enough people shuffling things around, it's sometimes rather difficult to prove anything. And if some of the dummies are good-looking babes who can put on an act in front of a jury, it sometimes becomes even more difficult to tell where the razzle begins and the dazzle leaves off."

Mason thought things over for a minute, then said, "Mauvis Meade shouldn't be too difficult to find."

"She shouldn't, for a fact," Drake said. "I don't think they'd like it if she was hard to find for very long at a time. Have you tried the easy way, Perry?"

"What do you mean, the easy way?"

Drake pointed to the telephone.

Mason said, "She was missing shortly after noon, but it's an idea, Paul. I suppose when she shows up the newspa-permen will keep her busy for a while."

Drake said, "This Mauvis Meade has a penthouse apartment out at the Sitwell Arms. How long's your client been working for Mauvis Meade?"

"About a month, I think."

Drake said, "You know, Perry, this client of yours could have been hand-picked."

"By whom, and for what?"

"As a patsy," Drake said, "and by some smart lawyer who wanted to gei. himself out of a jam with some uncon-ventional clients."

"Then Mauvis Meade would have to be in on it," Mason said.

40 The Case of

"Is there any definite assurance that she isn't?" Drake asked.

Mason thought the situation over for a few moments, then turned to Della Street. "Della," he said, "I think Paul Drake has a point. Ring up the Sirwell Arms Apartments, say that you're Mr. Mason's secretary, that Mr. Mason is very anxious to get in touch with Miss Meade just as soon as she returns. Emphasize that I want to talk with her in person and at the earliest possible moment."

Della Street nodded and reached for the telephone. As her fingers rapidly spinned the dial, Mason turned to Paul Drake. "In the meantime, Paul, find out all you can about the general setup and about the murder. If we could possibly locate Mauvis Meade before die newspaper reporters get hold of her, it would—"

Della Street broke in excitedly, "Chief, she just came in! The switchboard operator says she went up to her apartment about five minutes ago. The operator's ringing the apartment now."

Mason reached for his telephone and at that moment, Della Street said, "Miss Meade, this is Perry Mason's office. Mr. Mason wants to talk with you. Will you hold the phone please?"

Mason said, "Hello."

A throaty feminine voice said, "Well, well, Perry Mason. And how do you do, Mr. Mason?"

"Nicely, thank you," Mason replied. "I'd like very much to see you."

"And I'd like to see you."

"You're in your apartment now?"

"What's left of it, yes. It seems that while I was gone someone else moved in. Someone who was a very careless housekeeper. My possessions are scattered to the four corners. The manager of the apartment is surveying the damage."

"He's there with you now?"

the Mythical Monkeys 41

"Yes."

"Will you do this?" Mason asked. "Will you ask him not to notify anyone that you have returned until after I can come and talk with you? Your secretary, Gladys Doyle, is in trouble. I'm representing her. I am assuming that you'd like to cooperate." "How long will it take you to get here?" "I can get there pretty fast," Mason said. "Well..." She hesitated.

Mason placed his hand over the mouthpiece of the telephone, said to Della Street, "I'm not going to plead with her. We've made the suggestion. We'll let it germinate."

The silence on the telephone became embarrassing. Suddenly Mauvis Meade's voice said, "Are you still there, Mr. Mason?" "I'm waiting."

"All right," she said, "get out here right away. Til tell the manager not to let anyone know I'm here. I'll talk with you first. The apartment is Forty-six A. Just come right up. Don't wait to be announced."

"And in the meantime," Mason asked, "will you ask the switchboard operator to disconnect all calls until I get there?"

"I'll think that one over," she said. "You'd better come right away."

"I'm coming," Mason promised.

The lawyer slammed up the telephone, glanced at his watch, said, "I'll have to fight traffic. You close up the of-fice, Della. Paul, you'd better keep yourself personally available until I get back."

"I'll be in my office," Drake said.

"And I'll be right here," Della told him. "I'll close up the office, if you want, but I'll be waiting."

Mason patted her shoulder, said, "Good girl," grabbed his hat and shot out of the door.

Chapter 6

THE ELEVATOR EASED to a crawl for the last few feet of its climb, then came to a stop. The door slid back, Mason entered a small vestibule. On one side was a door bearing the sign, "Roof." On the other side a door had the number 46A.

Mason pressed the mother-of-pearl button and heard chimes on the inside of the apartment.

A moment later the door opened and a chestnut-haired beauty attired in black silk lounging pajamas, holding a cigarette in a carved ivory holder in her left hand, smiled up at Perry Mason with impudent eyes and said, "Well, you look just like your pictures—strong, rugged ... and intensely masculine. Come in, Mr. Mason. As you can see, the place is a wreck. I've straightened out a few things, but it's going to take a whole day to get things put back in any semblance of order. Damn it, I wish I had Gladys here to help. How long are the police going to

hold her?"

"That depends," Mason said, following Mauvis Meade

into the apartment.

The lounging pajamas had been tailored to sleek smoothness over her body, and Mauvis Meade, leading the way through the reception hallway, walked as thuugh she was accustomed to having men's eyes centered upon those curves and had no objection.

42

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43

She led the way into a living room and indicated a chair. "Sit down, Mr. Mason. Want a drink?"

"Not right now. I'd prefer to cover as much ground as we can before we're interrupted."

She raised her eyebrows. "You think we'll be inter-rupted?"

"I'm afraid we may be."

She said, "That pile of stuff over there on the floor came out of the dresser drawers. I haven't had a chance to put it back ... Would you like to try one of my cig-arettes, Mr. Mason?"

He said, "I'll stay with my own brand, if you don't mind."

He took a cigarette case from his pocket, tapped a cigarette on the edge of the case, lit it and said, "How much do you know about the situation in which Miss Doyle finds herself?"

"Very little," she said. "I was scheduled to meet Edgar Carlisle, who's from the movie studio that bought movie rights to my book. He wanted some cooperation on publicity. I didn't know whether I cared to give it to him or not

"They bought movie rights to the book, but they didn't give me a share of the gross, which was one of the things I wanted. As far as I'm concerned, they've bought something. It's theirs. I'm not going to put myself out for them.

"I intended to be up at the Summit Inn this weekend, but then I decided not to go. I'd told Carlisle I'd meet him up there, and so I told Gladys to go up in my place. In case you hadn't noticed, Mr. Mason, Gladys is rather easy on the eyes and I think she knows her way around. I gave her a rather generous expense allowance, told her to take the station wagon and go on up."

"You also told her about a short cut coming back?"

"That's right. That Sunday traffic can be deadly coming down the mountain, particularly when there are good ski-

44 The Case of

ing conditions. The short cut is a dirt road, but I've made it under all sorts of conditions."

"Do you know what happened?" Mason asked.

"Only generally. The manager tells me that Gladys got off the road, got stuck, spent the night in a cottage and found a body—at least that seems to be what the police

claim."

"How did you happen to discover that short cut?" Mason asked, making the question sound casual.

She regarded him for a moment, then stretched back against the cushions of the davenport, the sheer silk straining across her full breasts as she pressed her shoulders back against the cushions. Her large, dark-brown eyes surveyed him appraisingly. The long-lashed lids lowered and then raised with provocative deliberation.

Instead of answering the question, she said, "I thought / might need an attorney, so I mentioned to Gladys that if I ever got in any kind of trouble, Perry Mason was the man I wanted ... so now Gladys is the one who gets in trouble and she ties you up."

"What do you mean, I'm tied up?" Mason asked.

"She's your client?"

Mason nodded.

"You're going to represent her?"

"If she's charged with anything, I am."

"And, of course, while you're representing her you couldn't represent any client who might have conflicting or adverse interests?"

"That's right, generally speaking."

"What a sap I was," she exclaimed.

"Why?"

"To mention you to Gladys."

"Are you," Mason asked, "in a position where you're going to have any conflicting interests?"

"How do I know? My crystal ball is no bigger than yours, Mr. Mason—probably not as big."

the Mythical Monkeys 45

"Does it require a crystal ball?" "It requires looking into the future, and I don't like to do that without a crystal ball."

"Just why did you think you might need an attorney?" Mason asked.

Her smile was arch as she turned her head slightly to one side. "Aren't you being rather naive, Mr. Mason?" "Am I?"

"I think so, particularly under the circumstances." "You don't think you should tell me?" She shook her head.

"You feel there may be a conflict between your interests and those of Gladys Doyle's?"

"I don't think I care to amplify my statement, Mr. Mason. I'll just say that I think you're being rather naive and let it go at that."

"Very well," Mason said, "let's act on the assumption, then, that you're a witness and I'm interviewing you." "A witness to what?" "To whatever you know." "All right. What do I know?"

"Let us begin at the beginning," Mason said. "You have written a highly successful novel?"

"That," she said, "is something that we can ... let's see, I believe stipulate is the word the lawyers use."

"Would you care to tell me what figure you received for the movie rights, for instance?"

"The newspapers have insisted that I got two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars cash."

"And we may assume that the newspaper accounts are not too far out of the way?"

"Newspapers try to be accurate." "And your royalties?"

"Well," she said, "royalties from the hard-cover edition have been very satisfying. However, the paperback edition which is coming out is going to be the main source

46 The Case of

of income. It's no secret, Mr. Mason, that I have been given a guaranteed royalty for a period of ten years, payable in ten annual installments."

"You diink your book will be selling for ten years?"

"Probably not, but I'd rather have the income spread out over a period of ten years than take the royalties in a lump and turn them all over to the Government."

"And, of course," Mason said, "you'll be writing other books."

"Well," she observed thoughtfully, "I'm not so certain."

"Surely," Mason said, "you'll follow up your success."

"After a while, perhaps, but ... you see, Mr. Mason, I'm under no illusions as to the literary quality of my book. You know, people essentially are hypocrites. They love to lecture about morality, but they love to read about immorality.

"An attractive young woman can write a story about a heroine whose clothes keep coming off and describe the resultant consequences in detail. People are shocked. But people love to be shocked.

"If you'll notice the best sellers and analyze them carefully, you'll find that most of the sex books written by attractive women whose photographs look very seductive on the dust jackets are the stories that sell in the big figures.

"Women readers love to read about sex from the standpoint of a woman. Men like to look at the dish pictured on the cover and wonder just how it happened that she learned all those details about the things which are described in the book and which nice girls aren't supposed to know. It makes for speculation—and sales.

"A woman can do that with a first book. When she tries to follow it up with another book, the public doesn't react so well. The first venture into sex is seduction. The

the Mythical Monkeys 47

second is commercialized mental prostitution—if you get the distinction."

"You evidently have this all figured out," Mason said. "I've figured it all out, Mr. Mason. I wrote the sort of book I did deliberately and carefully. I studied the market. I studied the books that have become runaway best sellers. I did a certain amount of research work, a certain amount of field work on the subject of sex." "All the time intending to write a novel." "All the time having this in the back of my mind. Of course, I had other things as well."

"I believe you described certain characters in your book," Mason said, "certain powerful, ruthless men."

"Powerful men are all ruthless," she said, "particularly where sexual conquests are concerned. They're accustomed to having what they want. They get it by one means or another. People like to read about that People also like to read about the woman in the case, not a young woman who fumbles through the first adolescent adventures of life, but about a young woman who is demurely conscious of her charm, who attracts the attention of the strong, determined male who goes about getting what he wants in the world of romance with the same ruthless determination with which he batters down his rivals in the world of business.

"And then, of course, your girl has ultimately to acquire an ability to appraise the type of merchandise she has to offer and to capitalize on it at the end in a truly feminine way. If she can't have marriage, she intends to settle for material benefits. People like that." Mason studied her with interest. "Why?" he asked. "Probably," she said, "because every woman who is respectably married wonders just how much success she would have had if she had strayed from the straight and narrow path and become a courtesan— I think the temptation is more universal than perhaps we realize."

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48 The Case of

"That," Mason said, "is to my mind rather a sordid appraisal of literature and of life."

"It's a damn good appraisal of the literary market," she said, "regardless of literature or life."

"And you went into it deliberately?"

"I went into it deliberately," she said mockingly. "Or you might say that I used the literary field of exploitation in order to get my financial returns for the manner in which my own charms had been exploited by the ruthless male."

"Is that true?" Mason asked.

"I said that you might assume that it's true."

"I'm interested," Mason told her, "because I think that the experiences Gladys Doyle had last night are perhaps tied in, in some way, with her employment with you."

Mauvis Meade shook her head, her smile mocking.

"You don't think so?" Mason asked.

Mauvis said, "Gladys Doyle is a young woman who knows her way around. She's attractive, poised and ... well, let us say provocative."

Mason's eyes narrowed, "Your advertisement asked for exactly that sort of a secretary."

"That's right. Do you want to make something sinister out of the ad?"

"I don't know," Mason said. And then added after a significant pause, "Yet."

"Well, don't try it," she said. "The answer is perfectly obvious. With the background that I had set up and the type of publicity I intended to use, I certainly didn't want to have some mousy little nincompoop tapping out correspondence on a typewriter but not having the faintest idea of what actually went on in the world, of what was beneath the surface."

"And," Mason said, "you directed Gladys Doyle down the mountain on a short cut."

"I did."

the Mythical Monkeys 49

"And the directions were such that she was certain to blunder into this cabin on the Pine Glen road?"

"Now there, Mr. Mason, you're one hundred per cent wrong. You're—"

The door chimes sounded once. Then, after a brief in-terval, twice. They were followed by the sound of knuckles.

"I was hoping we could finish this phase of the inquiry without interruption," Mason said.

"I know you were—and I'm not certain that I want to finish what you call this phase of the inquiry, Mr. Mason. I have been looking forward to meeting you, but I'm not certain the experience is exactly as I had planned it. I was hoping that you could protect me and now, thanks to a stupid remark, I find that I have disqualified you from—"

Again the chimes sounded and again there was an in-sistent pounding on the door.

With a lithe motion, Mauvis Meade got to her feet, went past Mason to the entrance hallway, opened the door and said, "Well, you might at least follow the idles of the house and be announced on the telephone. There's no need to break the door down."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Lieutenant Tragg's voice said, "but I'm Lieutenant Tragg of Homicide and it's part of our policy not to be announced. I'm coining in, if you don't mind. I want to talk to you." "I'm not alone," Mauvis Meade said. "So much the better," Tragg said, walking on in. And then, catching sight of Mason, "Well, well, well, Perry Mason! Well, this is indeed a surprise, Mr. Mason. I seem to keep running into you."

"You do, for a fact," Mason said. "Well, I won't be bothering you any more, Mason. There's no need to detain you."

Mason shook his head. "I'm sorry, Tragg, but this is one time I'm not leaving. I am, at the moment, engaged in

50 The Case of

getting some very essential information from Miss Meade. I have no objection to sharing that information with you, but you're not going to have an exclusive on it."

Lieutenant Tragg surveyed Mauvis Meade with thoughtful, appraising eyes, took in the manner in which she was dressed, the swelling curves so daringly displayed, the indolent, almost impudent manner in which she tilted her head slightly to one side, her chin up as she looked at him with a half-smile. She raised her eyelids with exaggerated slowness.

Tragg said, "I think Miss Meade and I want to talk privately, Mason, and I don't have time to postpone my discussion until you and she are finished."

"Miss Meade," Mason said, "gave Gladys Doyle directions for taking a short cut down the mountain from Summit Inn. Those directions included taking the road which led down to Pine Glen."

"They did not," Mauvis Meade said with quiet, firm insistence.

Tragg grinned.

"And I say they did," Mason said. "Mauvis Meade had a sketch map which she showed to my client. I am stating to you, Lieutenant Tragg, officially, that this map showed that my client was to go down the Pine Glen road. In doing so, she was following directions and instructions given her by her employer, Miss Meade.

"Now then, Lieutenant, if you want to try and get rough about it and have me thrown out and then Miss Meade should take the witness stand with any different story, I'll use this interview to show bias on her part."

Tragg, easing himself into a chair, looked at Mauvis Meade meditatively. "That true?" he asked at length. "It is not true, Lieutenant Tragg." "You toid her about a short cut down the mountain?" "I told her about a short cut down the mountain. The

the Mythical Monkeys 51

Pine Glen road turns to the left at the fork. I told her to take the right-hand fork at the Pine Glen turnoff."

"What about this sketch map?" Tragg asked

"That is right. I gave her directions from the sketch map."

"And the sketch map shows that shs was to take the right fork?"

"That is right."

Tragg grinned. "Let's just take a look at that map, Miss Meade ... Under the circumstances,. Mason, sit down. Just stay right here. I think it will be a lot better for you to see the evidence right now than to claim it's been tampered with later on."

"The map is in the other room," she said. "It may take me a little time to find it. The place has been thoroughly ransacked."

"That's all right," Mason said, "we'll help you hunt"

"You will not!" she said with sudden vehemence. "There are some things on which a woman is entitled to privacy. You do not search my apartment — either of you."

"You go get the map," Tragg said "Well wait right here."

Tragg setded back in his chair and smiled at Mason.

Mason watched Mauvis Meade glide from the room.

"Nice work, if you can get it," Tragg said.

"She seems to have been quite successful in getting it," Mason said.

"You misunderstood me," Tragg told him. "I was talking about your client and the map."

"My client," Mason said, "went to that cabin because she was directed to go down that road."

Tragg grinned. "Your client went to that cabin for reasons of her own—not that it makes a great deal of difference,"

52 The Case of

"Youll be surprised how much difference it can make."

They were silent for a few moments, then Mason frowned and glanced toward the door through which Mauvis Meade had vanished. Abruptly he got to his feet "I think," he told Lieutenant Tragg, "that, even at the risk of invading a young woman's privacy, we should assure ourselves that evidence is evidence—let's take a look."

Tragg grinned. "You're out of line, Mason. We made our choice when she went through that door. You don't realize what can happen on a deal of this kind—think of newspaper headlines: AUTHORESS ACCUSES POLICE OFFICER OF BARGING INTO BEDROOM. Then there'll be a photograph and below that will be the caption: MAUVIS MEADE SHOWS

HOW SHE WAS STANDING POISED IN FRONT OF MIRROR WHEN POLICE LIEUTENANT TRAGG BURST INTO BEDROOM. ' "The

only difference between the picture and what Lieutenant Tragg saw is the amount of clothing I had on," Miss Meade said.'

"Then the chief reads those headlines and the people read the headlines, and it makes a nice spicy story and—"

"But it shouldn't take her that long to find a map," Mason said. "The hell with the headlines! I'm inviting you to come along, Lieutenant"

Tragg simply crossed his legs and settled himself in the chair. Mason strode across to the closed door, had raised his right hand when the door was suddenly opened.

Mauvis Meade, standing face to face with Mason, smiled seductively. "Why, Counselor," she said, "how impulsive!"

"The map," Mason said.

She started to hand him a paper but Tragg was out of bis chair and across the room with surprising agility.

the Mythical Monkeys 53

"Hold it," he said. "Keep that map in your possession, Miss Meade. We'll let Mason take a look at it and then I'll take the map into my custody."

"Good heavens!" she said. "It isn't that important. It's just a sketch map showing the road down the mountain. Here, Mr. Mason, you look over this shoulder and you, Lieutenant Tragg, can look over the other shoulder."

She sidled up close to Mason, pressing against his arm as she held out the map. Tragg looked over the other shoulder. The map showed an oblong labeled "Summit Inn," and then another rectangle showed the location of the post office. There were two intersecting streets past the post office, then an arrow showing a turn to the right, then five intersecting streets and an arrow showing a turn to the left A series of winding curves went past the written figures five miles. A fork showed in the road with the figure, 9.7 miles, and an arrow indicating the right turn^ Farther down the paper there was another fork in the road and the figure 15.3 miles. Again an arrow indicated the right-hand fork, then the road went on down to the extreme lower left-hand corner of the paper where diagonal parallel lines were labeled "Main Highway." The arrow went straight across the highway.

"Well," Tragg said, "that's very interesting, very in-teresting indeed. Now, just which is the Pine Glen Road, Miss Meade?"

"You set your speedometer at zero at the post office," she said, "The fork of the road here at fifteen and three-tenths miles is where you turn left, I believe, to go down to Pine Glen. The road I always take is the right-hand fork."

Tragg extended his arm. "Now, Miss Meade," he said, "if you'll just put your name down in the comer of tfiis map and the date and the time, I'll take the map, and in that way there won't be any chance of confusion."

54 The Case of

"You'll have to loan me your pen," she said, laughing. "1 don't keep pockets in these lounging pajamas."

Tragg reached for his fountain pen.

"Hold it," Mason said.

Tragg looked at him speculatively.

Mason's hand reached out, took possession of Mauvis Meade's right hand. He held up the middle finger, then

the forefinger.

"How does it happen you have these fresh inkstains in between these two fingers if you don't have a fountain pen

available?"

"I don't know," she said shortly. "Those stains have probably been on there for some time. I didn't wear these lounging pajamas all day. Did you want to make a search for a fountain pen, Mr. Mason?"

Mason abruptly dropped her hand, walked to the door,

pushed it open.

"You can't go in there," Mauvis Meade said angrily.

"I'm in," Mason told her.

The room was equipped as a study, with a writing desk in one corner of the room. The desk had been opened, papers from the various pigeonholes had been thrown helter-skelter onto the folding top which swung down on hinges to form a writing table. The contents of the drawers below this folding top had been dumped on the floor. The drawers themselves were lying bottom side up.

A fountain pen with the screw cap removed was lying on the part of desk used as a writing table, and a pad of paper was near the fountain pen.

"Don't you go near that desk! Don't you touch those papers." Mauvis Meade shouted angrily.

"I'm taking a look," Mason said.

"You get out of here!" Mauvis Meade said angrily. "You can't do this to me."

Mason said, "Miss Meade, you drew that map just now. You either couldn't find the original map or you

the Mythical Monkeys 55

didn't want to find it, so you made this one. The map that you used in giving directions to my client showed that she was to turn left at the fork fifteen and three-tenths miles from the post office."

"What are you trying to do?" she asked angrily. "Are you trying to drag me into this?"

Tragg, standing slightly to one side, listened to every word of the conversation, watched every move made by Mauvis Meade and the lawyer, but said nothing. His face was twisted into a smile.

Tm trying to get at the facts," Mason said, "and I want the facts. I'm warning you, Miss Meade, that you can't get away with this. You didn't have any ink on your fingers when you entered this room. When you came out with the map you had ink on your fingers. That pad of paper there on the desk is exactly the same size as this map which Lieutenant Tragg is holding. That pen had been knocked on the floor and left lying on its side. Some of the ink had leaked into the cap. You can see that there's ink on the barrel of the pen where it screws into the cap and that the ink is still moist You picked it up to draw this map."

"You are trying to involve me," she said to Mason. "You are smart, you are dangerous. All right, Mr. Perry Mason, I'll tell you something. I, too, am smart. I, too, am dangerous."

Mason said, "I am calling on you here and now, in the presence of Lieutenant Tragg, to produce the original sketch map, the sketch map which you had in your hand when you told my client where to turn."

"Your client!" she said scornfully. "Your client is a fool! Where are the notes that your client made from the dictation that I gave her? Let her produce those notes. They will show that she was toturn right at the point in the mountain where the Pine Glen road turns off the main graveled highway."

56 The Case of

"Those notes were torn out of her shorthand notebook," Mason said.

"Phooey!" Mauvis Meade exclaimed. "You are a lawyer. You are supposed to be smart. You are supposed to be skeptical, yet you fall for a story such as that ... you men!"

"Perhaps," Mason said, "her shorthand notebook is here. Perhaps we should look for it."

"All right," she said, "a good idea. Let's look for it"

"Where is her room?" Mason asked.

"This way," Mauvis Meade said.

The exaggerated undulations of her walk were now no longer evident She strode straight-backed across the room, jerked open a door and entered the bedroom of Gladys Doyle.

Here everything was in order.

"Well!" she said, standing in the doorway and letting her voice show such startled surprise that for the moment it seemed almost overdone. "Here," she said, "we have apple pie order! The rest of the penthouse is torn up in a frantic search, but there was no search in this bedroom. It is almost as though the persons making the search knew that die thing they were searching for would not be in the bedroom of Gladys Doyle. Doesn't it seem so to you, Lieutenant?"

"I'm here only as an observer at the moment," Tragg grinned. "Go right ahead. If you want to look for the shorthand notebook used by Gladys Doyle, it's all right with me. As yet, I haven't a search warrant. In view of Mr. Mason's activities, I'm going to see that the place is guarded until we do get a search warrant."

"Well," she said, "you don't need a search warrant. I'm giving you authority to search. There is the shorthand notebook."

She walked over to a stenographic desk on which there was a typewriter and paper, picked up an opened short-

the Mythical Monkeys 57

hand notebook, whipped it closed and handed it to Lieu-tenant Tragg.

"All right," Mason said, "show me where she made die notes."

Mauvis Meade opened die book, riffled through die pages. "This is correspondence we did last week," she said. "This is... "

She paused as the neat shorthand notes terminated and die next page was blank.

"But this was the notebook she used," she said to Lieutenant Tragg. "I am certain of it. She had it in her hand."

"How does she take dictation?" Tragg asked, looking at the notebook speculatively. "Widi a pencil, a pen or... ?"

"Widi a ballpoint pen," Mauvis Meade said. Tragg reached out, took the notebook, tilted it slighdy, inspecting die blank page. Then he said widi sudden interest, "Come over here a minute."

Tragg turned on a piano light widi a flexible spiral tube in the handle. He adjusted the light at just the right angle, said, "Miss Meade, would you mind turning off die main switch?"

She walked over to the door and clicked die main switch.

"Now, if you'll step over here, please," Tragg said.

She came over to stand at Mason's side.

Using the illumination from the single bulb in the piano light, Tragg tilted the notebook so that it was on one side and die light spread smoothly across die page.

"This is an old police tiick," he said. "Quite frequendy P person writing on one page leaves an indentation on die page direcdy beneath ... there seems to be somediing here which ... I think we can bring it out in die lab."

"Yes. You can see lines diere," Mauvis Meade said. "There certainly are lines."

58 The Case of

"There certainly are," Tragg said. And, abruptly snapping the shorthand notebook closed, slipped it in his side

coat pocket.

Mauvis Meade said indignantly, "I'm not going to have her drag me into this thing. You examine the indentations and you'll find I was telling the truth. I told her to take the right-hand fork."

Tragg looked around him, said, "It certainly is an in-teresting fact that nothing has been disturbed in Gladys Doyle's room."

"That's an insult," Mason said. "Who's insulted?" Tragg asked.

"You are. The police are. The idea that anyone would be so dumb as to think the police would fall for anything so terribly obvious is an insult."

"I know, I know," Tragg said, "but I've been insulted by experts, and there's always the possibility someone making a hurried search knew the article he was after wasn't in Gladys Doyle's room and therefore didn't waste the precious time he had at his disposal looking for it

there."

Mauvis Meade, who had been looking around, said, "I notice there are some papers in her wastebasket. If the room hasn't been disturbed, the probabilities are the wastebasket hasn't either."

She reached gingerly into the wastebasket, said, "I hope I don't come up with a lot of moist chewing gum, and ... here's that page out of the shorthand book, Lieutenant! Now we can see who's right and who's wrong."

She smoothed out a crumpled page from a shorthand book, said, "Here it is, right at the top of the page. 'Received three hundred dollars expense money' and the date, and here are the directions—they're in shorthand. I can't read her shorthand very well, but I can manage to make it out. .Yes, here it is, right here."

Mauvis Meade held a pointed fingernail on the page.

the Mythical Monkeys 59

"There you are, right there. I know enough about her system of shorthand to know that that's the sign for right She's to turn right at that fork in the road."

Tragg folded the paper, put it in his pocket, started methodically looking through the wastebasket.

"There may be some things here she wouldn't like to have you see," Mauvis Meade said. "A girl's entitled to have her privacy respected."

Tragg kept right on with the search. The telephone rang. Mauvis Meade said, "Pardon me," and went to answer the phone.

She was back by the time Tragg had finished inventorying the contents of the wastebasket.

Tragg looked at her sharply. "Bad news on the telephone, Miss Meade?" he asked.

"Good heavens! Am I that obvious?" "You look as though somebody had socked you in the stomach with a wet towel." "I ... it's a personal matter." "How personal?"

"Very personal. I ... Fm afraid I've been under too much of a strain for the past few hours. I guess I'll..." Again the phone rang. Mauvis Meade looked helplessly at Tragg. "Want me to answer it?" Tragg asked. She hesitated a moment, then shook her head, got up and went to the phone.

"Sure looks as though that last phone call gave her a lick right between the eyes," Tragg said conversationally to Mason. "We'll have to go about finding out who it was and what was said."

"This call is for you, Lieutenant," Mauvis Meade called out.

Tragg strode out into the other room, took the telephone from Mauvis Meade's outstretched hand, said, "Yes, hello, Tragg speaking ... the devil ... "

60

He was silent for a few moments, then said, "All right, I've got it," and hung up.

He turned and frowned at Mason speculatively. Abruptly he said, "Well, I have work to do. I'm leaving. I think, Mason, since Miss Meade is beginning to feel the strain under which she's been laboring, it would be just as well if you left when I did."

Mauvis Meade nodded. "1 don't want anyone here—I don't want to see anyone. I ... I guess I'm more tired

than I thought."

"You certainly don't need to see anyone you don't want to," Tragg said sympathetically. "Come on, Mason."

Mauvis Meade saw them to the door, then slammed the door shut They heard the sound of a bolt shooting into

place.

While they were waiting for the elevator, Tragg said thoughtfully, "I wonder what that telephone call was. It seemed to upset her a lot."

"I'm wondering what your call was," Mason said.

Tragg grinned. "Did I seem upset?"

"No, but you're mighty thoughtful."

"I'm always thoughtful," Tragg said. "And when you're on a case, Mason, I get very, very thoughtful indeed."

Chapter 7

PERRY MASON latchkeyed the door of his private office. Della Street, who had been seated at the telephone, jumped up with an exclamation. "Gosh, am / glad to see your "What's happened?" Mason asked. "I've been working the telephone overtime. Mauvis Meade said you'd left and she didn't know where you were going. She thought you were with Lieutenant Tragg." "You didn't call Tragg, did you?" Mason asked. "Heavens, no! I called your apartment, I called the garage, I called the gasoline station where you usually get filled up, I called the parking lot—"

"I got hung up in traffic," Mason said. "What's happened?"

"Paul Drake has a break. He has a line on the identity of the corpse. He wants you to call him the minute you get in—I'll give him a buzz."

Della Street sent nimble fingers flying around the dial of the telephone and a moment later said, "Paul, he's here. He just came in.

"Paul's coming rght in," she said to Mason, hanging up the telephone.

"tl did Paul happen to get a line on the corpse?" Mason asked. "And rue we ahead or behind the police?" "Apparently we're ahead of them—at least Paul thinks

61

62 The Case of

we are. That's why he was in such a hurry to get hold of you. He didn't know whether you'd want to pass the information on to the police or not."

Mason's eyes narrowed. "I don't see how Paul could have any information the police haven't," he said, "however—"

He broke off as Drake's code knock sounded on the

door. Della Street opened the door.

Paul Drake had discarded his pose of easy nonchalance. His voice was crisp and business-like. He kicked the door shut with his heel, walked over to sit on the corner of Mason's desk and said, "I think we've got the corpse tagged, Perry."

"Go ahead," Mason said, "tell me about it." "His name is Josh Manly—full name, Joseph Hanover Manly, but he signs it Jos, period, and then puts a capital H, period, so his friends call him Josh. He lives in a bungalow at 1220 Ringbolt Avenue. He's been staying in that cabin up there off and on for several months."

"Why does he have a place on Ringbolt Avenue and then spend so much time in a cabin at Pine Glen Canyon?" Mason asked.

"That's one of the things I haven't been able to find out yet. Probably there's a woman in the case."

"There are probably at least two women in the case. Okay, Paul, let's go." "My car or yours?" "Mine."

"Take Della?" Drake asked. Mason hesitated.

Della Street caught his eye and nodded vehemently. "Okay," Mason smiled, "take a brief case and a couple of shorthand notebooks, Della ... It may be quite a while before you get anything to eat."

"That's all right, Chief. I can wait"

the Mythical Monkeys 63

"All right, let's get started."

Driving out the freeway, Mason said, "Tell me how it happened, Paul."

"Just legwork," Drake said. "I put men out covering the place and trying to find out all they could.

"There wasn't any chance of finding any physical evidence the police didn't have. Our only chance to get ahead of them was in the field of interpreting the evidence, taking the physical facts and finding out what they

really meant

"One of my men prowling around the back of the cabin, just giving it a once-over, noticed a neat stack of firewood that had been sawed into lengths for a kitchen stove and then split into small sticks."

"So what did he do?" Mason asked.

"So," Drake said, "the first thing he did was to get a tape measure and measure the pile. He found from the way the supports had been placed to hold up the ends of the pile that it must originally have held a full cord of wood. About a quarter of a cord had been used.

"If the owner of the cabin had been gathering logs, sawing and splitting them, he would have got up more than a cord to last through the winter. The fact that the entire pile of winter wood was limited to one cord indicated the wood had been purchased from a dealer and the party living in the cabin intended to buy a cord at a time —which meant he was assured of good wood of uniform quality and that he could get prompt delivery.

"So when my man had carried his reasoning that far, he got out of there fast and started asking questions about who had wood for sale around that part of the country. He found a man named Atkins living down the Pine Glen road had wood for sale. My operative went down and got to talking with him.

"Atkins remembered all about the transaction—even gave a pretty detailed description of what Manly looked

64 The Case of

like. Manly had paid him by endorsing over a check and Atkins wasn't too sure whether he wanted that check. So he jotted down the license number of the car Manly was driving, a jeep station wagon with four-wheel drive. The check cleared all right, but Atkins was able to rummage around and located the license number for my operative. So we traced the car registration and it's this guy, Manly, living at 1220 Ringbolt Avenue in Terra Vista.

"The cabin is heated with an oil stove, but the cooking stove burns wood. Apparently Manly had been up there for brief intervals for several months. At first, he'd gone around and rustled up what wood he could, using dead branches and sawing up a few fallen logs, then he drove into Atkins' place and made arrangements to buy a cord of wood."

"Good work, Paul," Mason said. "Know anything about what we'll find at the address?"

"Not a thing," Drake said. "It's just a street number as far as I'm concerned."

Mason drove with swift skill through the traffic. At length he turned the car and said, "This is Ringbolt Avenue ... It's a good-looking neighborhood."

Street lights at the corner showed the house numbers in hundreds painted on the street signs, and Mason ran quickly to the twelve hundred block.

"This looks like the place," Drake said. "The one over on the right, Perry, third from the corner."

"There's a light on," Mason said. "I guess somebody's at home."

"It'll be our luck to have the police there ahead of us," Drake groaned. "Of course, it was just a pile of stove wood, but my man recognized it right away as a clue, and it's a cinch that some of the police officers will."

"No police cars," Mason said, "So far, so good."

He eased his car to a stop at the curb.

Mason led the way up to the porch and rang the belL

the Mythical Monkeys 65

After a moment the door was opened by a woman who could well have been beautiful at one time but who evidently had been too busy or too frugal in recent years to keep up her appearance. Her brunette hair was stringy, her blue slacks were old and faded, her short-sleeved blouse was opened deep at the throat. Her sole concession to care for her personal appearance was that she was wearing rubber gloves to protect her hands.

"Good evening," Mason said. "Does Mr. Manly live here?"

"That's right."

"We'd like to see him."

"He isn't here."

"Can you tell me where I can reach him?"

"Tucson."

"Arizona?"

"That's the only Tucson I know of."

"Can you tell us where we can reach him there?"

"No."

"It may be rather important," Mason said.

"I'm sorry."

"Is he staying at one of the hotels there?"

"I don't think so."

"With friends?"

"No."

"Where?"

"Probably a motel. He'll stay at one place one time and another place another."

"I gather, then, he makes rather frequent trips?"

"You gather a lot, don't you?"

Mason smiled affably. "You're Mrs. Manly?"

"That's right."

"I'm Perry Mason, a lawyer. This is Della Street, my confidential secretary, and Mr. Drake."

"You're Perry Mason, the lawyer!" she exclaimed. "That's right"

66 The Case of

"Well, for heaven's sake! What in the world brings you out here? Well, don't stand there. Come on in. Now, why in the world would you want to see Josh?"

"He may be a witness," Mason said.

"Well, come on in and sit down. I was just cleaning up the kitchen. Things are a mess and I'm a mess, but do come in and sit down ... I've read about a lot of your cases, Mr. Mason. I'm fascinated by courtroom stuff, and murder cases always interest me. I told Josh once that I felt that when I died I was going to be murdered—made him mad. What's he a witness to, Mr. Mason?"

She stripped off the rubber gloves, shook hands with each of them in turn.

"Do sit down and make yourselves at home ... you would have to catch me looking like this!"

She laughed nervously, glanced at her hands self-consciously, then as she noticed the smudged finger tips, hastily put the rubber gloves back on.

Mason caught Della Street's eye and shook his head, indicating she was not to take notes. He waited until they were settled comfortably in chairs in the compact living room, then asked, "What business is your husband in, Mrs. Manly?"

"He's a sharpshooter."

Mason raised his eyebrows.

"Buys and sells and makes deals."

"What sort of deals?"

"Heavens, I don't know. I don't ask him about his business and he doesn't ask me what I put in the dishes I cook. He brings home the money, I keep the house."

"Was your husband ever in trouble?" Mason asked.

She looked at him sharply. "Now what makes you ask that question?"

"I was just trying to get information."

"Well... you'd better ask him about that"

the Mythical Monkeys 67

"I want to. Now, can you tell me when he left for Tuc-son?"

"This is Monday. He left ... let's see ... Wednesday."

"That was Wednesday of this last week, the fourth?"

"Yes."

"Was he driving a car?"

"Yes."

"His own car?"

"That's right."

"A jeep station wagon, is it?"

"A jeep? Heavens no. It's an Oldsmobile. He doesn't have any jeep. What gave you that idea?"

"Somehow I gathered the impression he was making mining deals," Mason said smoothly. "In that case I rea-soned he'd be driving a car he could use on the highway or in the desert, and so I quite naturally thought of a jeep station wagon.

"That's what comes of deductive reasoning. Sherlock Holmes was the only person I ever knew of who could do it I try and fall flat on my face."

She laughed. "It was fine reasoning if you hadn't got off on the wrong foot at the start, Mr. Mason. I don't think Josh ever dabbles in mining deals. He goes in for quickies—you know, the sort of deals where he can get a quick turnover on his money.

"Frankly, I don't know too much about his business, and I don't want to know too much. I know he always has cash available and he buys for cash and sells for ... say, maybe I'm talking too much ... I've heard so much about Perry Mason I sort of feel you're one of the family."

"Thank you," Mason said. "Has your husband been making frequent trips to Tucson?"

"He's out all the time, working on deals. I never know when he's going or when he's coming."

68 The Case of

"How does he get a line on these deals of his?" Mason asked.

"He has friends that keep him posted. The phone will ring and he'll go out, maybe for a day, maybe two or three days. Sometimes I know where he is, sometimes I don't."

"He doesn't call you up long distance?"

"Why should he?" she asked. "He knows where I am. He knows what I'm doing ... I don't always know what he's doing, but ... well, he's a man. He travels and lives out in the world. I'm a housekeeper. I stay home and take care of the place."

"Do you have a car when you're staying home, for shopping and things?"

She nodded. "I guess you'd call it a car. It runs, gets me down to the market and back. Say, you're asking lots of questions."

Mason laughed affably. "Well, a lawyer has to, you know."

"Yes, I suppose so. My gosh, Mr. Mason, I don't see how you do all the things you do. You stand up in court and somehow always seem to catch the witnesses that are lying and make them tell the truth and ... do you lead an exciting life!

"Della Street is your secretary. I've seen her picture with you lots of times."

She turned to Paul Drake. "What do you do?"

"Drake's an investigator," Mason said.

"He works for you?"

"Sometimes."

"Private detective?" she asked.

Mason nodded.

"Well, you must have something in mind, coming out here. Ask me. Maybe I can tell you,"

"Do you know your husband's friends and acquaint-ances?" Mason asked.

the Mythical Monkeys 69

"The folks next door and ... my husband is away a lot and we don't have any social life, to speak of."

"How about his business acquaintances?"

She motioned toward the telephone and said, "About all I know is that the telephone rings and somebody wants him."

Mason thought for a moment, then said, "I'm going to ask you a personal question, Mrs. Manly."

She laughed. "That's all you've been doing ever since you walked in."

"Does the telephone ring and people want your husband when he's not here?"

"Heavens, Mr. Mason, how would they know he was here if they didn't telephone?"

"I was just wondering," Mason said. "You get a good many calls, then, when he isn't here, and—"

He broke off at the look on her face.

"Well, now, that's funny," she said.

Mason waited.

"Come to think of it," she went on, "when he's here, the phone is ringing all the time. People are calling up and wanting to talk to him ... when he isn't here, the phone hardly ever rings."

"These people that talk with him," Mason said, "are they men or women?"

"I don't know," she said. "He answers the phone when he's here ... oh, once in a while if he's busy or something I'll answer the phone, but he doesn't like to have me do it. He usually takes the call himself."

"Men or women?"

"Men mostly. Why?"

"I was just wondering," Mason said. "Usually a wife is a little more curious about her husband's business." "I'm not. His business is his business." "Even when a woman calls up?" Mason asked. "It's business," she said. "Josh is a live wire. If some

70 The Case of

woman makes a play for him, hell brush her off unless there's an angle. And if there's an angle, he'll turn it into money. That man has the sharpest mind I've ever seen. He hears some casual remark and the first thing you know he's out buying and selling." "Does he hold property and—"

"Not Josh," she interrupted. "He handles everything for a quick turnover. He doesn't buy until he knows where there's a chance to sell ... he doesn't try to get rich on any one deal, but we get by all right. He keeps turning things over and he deals for cash."

"Do you know if he's acquainted with any writers?'1 Mason asked. "Writers?" Mason nodded.

"Heavens no! At least I don't suppose so, Mr. Mason. Tve never asked him. If he wants to tell me anything, he can tell me. If I wanted to know anything I'd wait until he did tell me."

"Do you know if he ever goes up in the mountains?" "In the mountains?" "Yes."

"You mean just to stay?" "Camping," Mason said.

"Heavens no. Josh is the poorest camper on earth. He wants comforts. Why in the world would he go camping, Mr. Mason? He can't do any business out camping. I've told you he isn't interested in mining deals."

"I'm just trying to get a line on his personal habits," Mason said. "Now do you have any pictures of him—

photographs?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I have a picture or two, but ... look here, Mr. Mason, I don't think Josh would like to have me give you a whole lot of information."

"It might save a lot of trouble," Mason said. "Or, Fll put it this way. It might save a lot of time. You see, Mrs.

the Mythical Monkeys 71

Manly, I'll be frank. I don't know whether your husband is the man I'm looking for or not."

"But you know the man you're looking for?"

"Yes."

"Can you describe him?"

Mason glanced at Paul Drake.

Drake took a notebook from his pocket

"About five-feet-ten, chestnut hair, about a hundred and seventy-five pounds," Drake said.

She shook her head emphatically.

"No?" Drake asked.

"That, doesn't fit my husband at all. He's six-feet-one, he weighs—I think it's a hundred and eighty pounds, and he has rather light hair."

"Well, of course," Drake said, glancing at Mason, "you can expect a certain number of mistakes in a description. How old is your husband, ma'am?"

"Thirty-two."

Drake sighed and shook his head. "The man we're looking for is at least fifty."

Her laugh showed a certain amount of relief. "Well, my husband is thirty-two and he's built like an athlete. He looks like a football star."

"It's strange that there'd be such a coincidence on names," Mason said. "Did your husband say anything to you about seeing an accident at Pico and Western about five or six days ago? That, I guess, would be just before he left for Arizona." "Not a word."

"But would he necessarily have told you about it?" "Not necessarily, but he certainly would have told me, that is, if it had been a serious accident Was anybody hurt?"

"A car tried to make a left turn without a signal," Mason said. "It was a pretty bad smash-up."

72 The Case of

"Where would my husband have been? In one of the cars that was hit?"

"No, two cars behind."

"Did anyone talk with him?"

"No one talked with him," Mason said, "but he chatted briefly with a bystander, told the bystander his name was Manly and that his first name was Joe. He said he'd seen the whole thing, and then traffic was cleared and he jumped back in his car, drove around the wreckage and

sped away.

"We'd like to find that witness very much indeed."

"I suppose you're running down all the Joe Manly's in

the city."

"We certainly thought we were on the right trail here,"

Mason said.

"Well, I'm sorry. You've drawn a blank."

"When do you expect your husband back?"

"I don't know. He's usually gone four or five days

when he goes to Arizona, sometimes a week. I don't think

he's ever stayed longer than a week."

"Then he'll be back by Wednesday or Thursday?"

"I think so, but I'm certain he's not the man you're

after."

"Well, thank you," Mason said.

They left and she stood in the doorway watching them.

It wasn't until after they were in the car with the motor started that Mason said to Paul Drake. "How about the description, Paul? Does it tally?"

"He's the guy, all right," Drake said. "The body is that of a man around thirty to thirty-three, the height is six-feet-one, the weight is a hundred and eighty-nine pounds and he has light hair and blue eyes."

Mason sighed. "All right, Paul, we know the corpse. Now we'.ve got to find out everything we can about him."

"And using the information his wife gave us as a starting point, that's going to be a real chore," Drake said.

the Mythical Monkeys 73

"How much time do you suppose we have?" Mason asked.

Drake said musingly, "We haven't any time. If he's

thirty-two he's done military duty somewhere. They'll

have his fingerprints. Tragg'll be out here any minute

now."

"And when he arrives," Della Street said, "and finds that you have been there ... well, Tragg will be wondering how you made the identification."

"We'll have to tell him sooner or later," Mason said, "or he'll think my client gave me a tip."

"Business in Arizona," Mason observed. "Goes down there frequently ... what's the best guess on that, Paul?"

Mason drove in silence.

"Well," Drake said, "you know what it means, Perry— women."

Mason said thoughtfully, "Let's keep it in the singular and say woman, Paul, but let's not jump at conclusions. Start some men looking around in Arizona ... and we've got to talk with your man who got the information. Where can we find him?"

"Right at present he's up at the camp and picnic grounds," Drake said. "His name's Kelton. I told him to go up there and wait He has a jeep."

"Good work, Paul. How much of a drive is it up to the camp site?"

"Not much. The road's surfaced that far. We can make it within half an hour from here." "Eats?" Della Street asked. "Later," Mason said. "Let's go, Paul."

Chapter 8

MASON, DELLA STREET AND PAUL DRAKE found Kelton waiting at the Pine Glen camp site.

"Can we get up to that cabin?" Mason asked, after Drake had performed the introductions.

"Sure," Kelton said, "if you want to ride in my jeep. You can probably make it with your car, but the jeep is a sure thing."

"All right," Mason told him, "take us up there. I want to look around. How about the police?"

"They've left," Kelton said. "They've fingerprinted everything, photographed everything and were finished with the place by three o'clock this afternoon." They crowded themselves into Kelton's jeep. Kelton eased the machine into motion. "Got plenty of gas?" Mason asked, "Nearly full," Kelton said.

Drake grinned and said, "That's one thing about a good operative, Perry. They always go off a job with a full tank of gasoline."

"Well," Kelton said defensively, "you have to. You can't make a report stating that you started tailing someone who was important and then ran out of gasoline when you were halfway to where you were going. They'd fire you for pulling a stunt like that quicker than anything." "How long will it take?" Mason asked.

74

75 "Not long. It's only a mile and a half from the campground to the cabin."

Mason braced himself, clung tighdy to the seat supports and closed his eyes. His face showed the extent of his concentration.

Kelton put the car into the lower gear ratio, left the shifting lever in high. The car twisted its way up the road. Kelton fought the steering wheel over the slick places, kept the wheels churning steadily through the soft places, never applying too much pressure on the gasoline pedal but keeping the car moving at steady speed.

"You've evidently done quite a bit of mountain driving," Mason ventured, studying Kelton.

"Lots of it," Kelton admitted. "I like it." "Where did you drive?" Della asked. "Idaho and Montana, ma'am."

They were silent for a few moments, then Kelton swung the car sharply to the left, said, "This is the best place to park—there's been a lot of traffic here. The cabin is about a hundred and fifty yards farther up the road ... some of this ground is still pretty soft. Miss Street is going to get her shoes muddy."

"Perhaps you'd better wait here, Della," Mason told her.

"Not even if I have to buy new shoes," she said.

She flung open the door of the car, jumped to the ground. "Come on, let's go. And quit worrying about my feet."

Kelton had a small fountain pen flashlight and he used this to light the way up the road.

The weather had cleared and the stars were blazing steadily down through the pure mountain air. There were a few rather soft places in the road, but it had dried out somewhat and the swollen stream down in die canyon, roaring over the rocks, was the only real reminder of the storm.

76 The Case of

They worked their way up to the cabin.

Kelton said, "We can get in this window—this is the south side. It's a window that opens on the bedroom where the crime was committed."

"Now look, Perry," Paul Drake said, "I don't know just where we stand on this. Do we have any right to go

into that house?"

"Not a bit," Mason admitted cheerfully. "Who owns

the cabin?"

"I don't know." "Who's living here?"

"Apparently no one. According to ihe police, someone has it rented, but no one has been really living here. They keep blankets on the beds and pillow slips on the pillows. Evidently it is some sort of an overnight rendezvous." "Love nest?" Mason asked.

"Hard to tell," Kelton said. "Police just aren't satisfied. They think they'll find out a lot more when they identify the corpse. Apparently he spent some time here.

"There were quite a few provisions on the shelves, but there's no refrigeration and everything in the line of food is canned. There's coffee, powdered cream, sugar, canned butter ... a fair supply of hooch—everything a party would need for a weekend." "Fingerprints?" Mason asked.

"Very few. The humidity was bad. They got some prints, I understand, but not very many and not any that

were any good."

"How about the discarded bottles and cans?" Mason

asked.

"There aren't any. Apparendy they were all hauled down to the picnic grounds and put in the trash containers there.

"In short, the cabin is something of a mystery, but police are working on it They hope to have something soon."

the Mythical Monkeys 77

"I think that, under the circumstances, we can take a look inside," Mason said. "I'm representing a young woman who's accused of committing a murder here ... I might be guilty of trespass, but ... well, I want to take a look around.

"How did you say we get in?"

"This bedroom window. There's no lock on it," Kelton said. "It works with gravity. You just push the window up and prop it with something."

"Got something to prop it with?" Mason asked.

"There was a stick around here in the mud somewhere," Kelton said, "standing before the window on the south side ... wait a minute, here it is."

He stooped, picked up the stick, raised the window, propped the stick in under the sash.

"Just the right length," he said. "Want to go in?"

"I'm going in," Mason said. "Give me a boost up so I can get my foot over the sill."

He crawled in through the window.

Della Street laughed nervously. "Give me your hands, Chief, and let Paul give me a boost. I'm coming in, too."

She scrambled in dirough the window. Drake followed suit, and then Kelton jumped up, caught the sill, and with the aid of the others, was pulled through the window.

"Lights?" Kelton asked.

"How's your flashlight? The batteries fresh?" Mason asked.

"The batteries are fresh, and I have spare batteries in my pocket."

"All right We'll use your light," Mason said. "We won't use the lights in the place."

"Here's where the body was lying," Kelton pointed out, the beam of his flashlight showing a sinister red stain on the rough pine boards. "Now, you notice these beds have no sheets, but there are nice, clean blankets. There are pillow slips and they're clean.

78 The Case of

"There's an oil tank out there and a stove which works with a gravity oil feed and warms the place. There's a fireplace in addition to that, and then there's a wood cooking stove. The other bedroom is back there, and the bathroom is between the living room and this other bedroom. The bedroom on the south opens into the living room—evidently when the place was built this bedroom and the main living room were all there was to the cabin. Then they added another wing on the north and west with the bathroom, and the other bedroom opening out from the bathroom."

"You've been in here before?" Drake asked. "Sure," Kelton said. "I cased the place." "How thoroughly did you search?" Mason asked. "I didn't search. I just looked the place over to get the lay of the land. I was trying to find something that would give me a line on the person who owned the place."

Mason said, "They've dusted everything for fingerprints?"

"That's right"

They moved around through the rooms, their steps echoing in the grim silence of the cabin.

"What's up here?" Mason asked, standing by the kitchen stove and pointing to a cupboard which was closed off with sliding doors.

"A cupboard with lots of canned provisions," Kelton said. "I understand the officers found a beautiful new teakettle up there—stainless steel and copper-bottomed. The teakettle on the stove is a big aluminum kettle that they evidently kept full of water whenever there was a fire in the cooking stove. That other teakettle apparently hadn't ever been used."

Mason slid back the panel doors. The beam of the flashlight showed the shelves, illuminating a rather nondescript array of containers of different sizes bearing labels printed on them—FLOUR,

the Mythical Monkeys 79

SUGAR, COFFEE, TEA, MATCHES—and row after row of canned goods.

"Where's that teakettle you were talking about?" Mason asked. "The new stainless steel one?"

"I think they found something on it," Kelton said. "They took it to Headquarters."

"What would a new teaketde be doing up there?" Mason asked.

"That's a point," Kelton said. "I understand it was a new kettle that apparently had never had any use— Now, all these other pots and pans and stuff represent an assortment of battered equipment which probably has been with the cabin ever since it was built"

They looked the place over, then crawled out through the window.

"How about underneath the house?" Mason asked. "Anything under there?"

"Just an assortment of junk," Kelton said. "The place is built on a pretty good slope. On the east the distance between the floor of the cabin and the ground is enough so a person can stand up without hitting his head. It's a mess under there, an old casing or two, some junk, a few boxes and stuff like that. On the west the floor is within two and a half feet of the ground. That board is loose. You pull it back and you can get under."

"Let me have your flashlight," Mason said. "Ill take a look."

The lawyer pulled back the loose board and eased his way under the house, prowled around, sending the beam of the flashlight darting this way and that, presently emerged carrying a can marked "COFFEE."

"It's like that one in the cabin," Della said.

Mason examined the can. "It is, for a fact"

He used a handkerchief so that he would leave no fingerprints, took the top off the can.

80 The Case of

Mason held the flashlight over the can, then gingerly lifted a cloth out of the interior.

"There's something heavy in this cloth," he said.

"That's a woman's scarf," Della Street said.

Mason lifted out the printed silk scarf. "Oh-oh," he said.

"What?" Drake asked.

"A scarf with the traditional three monkeys, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil," Mason said. "Now what's this?"

He lifted the cloth from the can. There was a sag in the bottom of the scarf where something heavy had been de-posited.

Mason unfolded the scarf. "Well, well, well," he said, "a box of .22 long-rifle shells."

He took the cover off the box, looked at the neat array of shells arranged in rows, the copper alternating with the lead.

"Some missing?" Drake said.

Mason nodded, counting the shells, said, "Seven miss-ing.

"That accounts for it," Kelton said. "Those are the same shells that were used in the murder, all right. The gun held seven. There were six in the magazine. One had been fired and ejected."

Mason thoughtfully replaced the cover on the cartridge box, put the cartridge box back in the scarf, folded it all together and dropped it in his pocket. Then he replaced the cover on the coffee can, still taking care to leave no fingerprints, and replaced the coffee can under the house where he had found it.

"Now what are you going to do with that stuff?" Drake

asked.

"I don't know," Mason admitted at length. "I'm going

to evaluate it."

"That's evidence, Perry. You've got to turn it in."

the Mythical Monkeys 81

"Evidence of what?"

"Evidence of a^murder."

"They don't need any evidence of a murder," Mason said. "They've proven the murder. They've got the corpse."

"You know what I mean. It's evidence linking someone with the murder."

"Who?"

"I'm not making any guesses," Drake said. "However, the police will."

Mason thought for a moment, then said, "The police aren't going to know anything about this, Paul, at least for a while. I want you folks to promise that you'll say nothing about this to anyone."

"We can't," Kelton blurted.

"Why not?"

"That would be suppressing evidence."

Mason said, "You simply keep your mouth shut. Til take all the responsibility. Say you're acting on my orders." Kelton started to say something, then checked himself.

Mason nodded. "I've got to do it, Paul. I'll take all the responsibility."

"Well, okay," Drake yielded halfheartedly. "Kelton, don't say a word about this to anyone."

"Come on," Mason said, "let's get out of here."

Chapter 9

RETURNING TO THE CITY, Della Street said, "I suppose there are rather late but satisfying eats in the offing."

"Your supposition is entirely correct," Mason said. "I think we're making progress. I'd like to keep one jump ahead of the police, but we certainly are going to eat"

Paul Drake smacked his lips. "Now this," he said, "is something I like. Usually you and Della Street are out in one of the fine restaurants enjoying a New York cut with potatoes au gratin and a carefully selected bottle of vintage wine, while I'm sitting in the office with a hamburger in one hand and a telephone in the other. The hamburger comes from the restaurant a block away and is soggy by the time I get it. By the time Fm half through, the bun has turned into a paste. I'm still hungry but I can't go the rest of it, and I throw it away.

"Half an hour afterward I'm reaching for the bicarbonate of soda. An hour after that I'm weak from hunger.

"Tonight, knowing that I'm eating on an expense account, I'm going to give my stomach the surprise of its life. Fm going to have a jumbo shrimp cocktail, consom-m€, a salad with anchovies across the top, a New York cut, medium rare, lyonnaise potatoes, the best red wine they have in the house, a side dish of creamed onions and some hot apple pie alamode."

Drake settled back in the seat and let his face relax in a smile.

82

83

"Don't," Della Street begged, "you're giving my mind St Vitus' dance trying to count calories."

"Don't count them at a time like this," Drake told her. "When you're eating on an expense account with a client who usually keeps you on a diet of soggy hamburgers and lukewarm coffee, you want to go the limit"

"How about the Golden Fleece?" Mason asked Della Street, while Drake was still engaged in his mental drooling.

"Fine," Della Street said.

"It's only a few minutes from here," Mason told her.

"Then what?" Della Street asked.

"Probably," Mason said, "we call it a night. There's not a great deal we can do at the moment Tomorrow, if I can find any opportunity for sabotaging the case the police have worked up against Gladys Doyle, 111 file a writ of habeas corpus. Ill insist either they charge her or let her go. They won't want to charge her with the evidence they now have—at least I don't think so."

Mason drove to the Golden Fleece and surrendered his car to a parking attendant A deferec ial headwaiter greeted Mason obsequiously.

"A table for three?" Mason asked.

"There is always a table for Perry Mason," the head-waiter said.

He seated them at a table near the dance floor, sum-moned a waiter and directed him to take good care of Mason and his party.

"You wish drinks before seeing the menu?" the waiter asked.

Mason glanced at Della Street, nodded, said, "Bring a Manhattan for the lady—what do you want, Paul?"

"A double Manhattan, sweet," Drake said.

"I'll take a Bacardi cocktail," Mason said, "and then you can bring the menu."

"Now, wait a minute," Drake said. "I have a horrible

84 The Case of

hunch about this thing. I would prefer to give my order right now. I don't need any menu and I know what you and Della are going to eat—I have a hunch we may have to bolt this meal, if we get it at all."

Mason's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Hold everything for a minute, waiter. Call your office, Paul. Let them know where we are and see if there's a report on anything urgent."

"You wait right there," Drake said to the waiter. "I'll be back and confirm that order."

Drake started for the phone booth and the waiter said to Mason and Della Street, "I'll bring the menus. Shall I bring the drinks now?"

"Hold the drinks," Mason said, "until he gets back from the phone—but you can bring the menus."

Mason smiled across at Della Street. "Paul can't believe he's really going to relax and have some good food ... Can we make yours a double Manhattan?"

"Well," she said, hesitating, "I ... No, thanks, Chief, I guess a single will do. We'll let Paul do the celebrating."

The waiter brought menus. Mason studied his menu carefully. Della Street glanced at it, made up her mind, folded the menu, put it to one side, looked up toward the phone booth, said, "Oh-oh."

"What's the matter?" Mason asked.

"Paul," Della Street said. "Look at him."

Drake was hurrying toward their table.

"Something new?" Mason asked.

Drake said rapidly, "I hate to tell you this, Perry. It may make a difference."

"Shoot."

"You told me to put men out on all phases of the case," Drake said, "and I sent a man up to Summit Inn to check on Gladys Doyle's time of arrival and departure. I also had a man phone in to die American Film Producers

the Mythical Monkeys 35

Studios to get Edgar Carlisle's address so I could talk with him." Mason nodded.

"The point is," Drake said, "they don't have any Edgar Carlisle."

"What do you mean?"

"The studio has reported to the office in answer to a specific question that it doesn't have any such individual in its publicity department The publicity department reported it had long since given up trying to get cooperation out of Mauvis Meade. She sold her movie rights for a flat sum and there's been quite a difference of opinion between her and the movie company as to what she should give in the line of cooperation.

"Quite naturally, the studio feels that the publicity it's going to give her will help sell the book and that she should cooperate. She's adopted the position that because she isn't sharing in the profits made from the film she's going to be hard to get

"Apparently the studio decided that it doesn't need her as much as she needs it"

Mason said, "You'd better sit down and we'll get the order in—"

Drake interrupted, still standing, "I've got my office waiting on the line. Here's the point My man up at Summit Inn did a little checking around after the studio advised him that Edgar Carlisle wasn't with them. He found Carlisle bought gas at a Shell Service Station up there on a credit card, so we now have his address here in Los Angeles."

"Where is it?" Mason asked. "An apartment at 1632 Delrose," Drake said. "Shucks," Mason said, "that's within half a mile." The lawyer was thoughtfully silent "Is it that important?" Della Street asked, after a swift glance at Paul Drake's face.

86 The Case of

"It's that important," Mason said, pushing back his

chair.

"I was afraid of that," Drake muttered to Della Street "We'll be back," Mason told the waiter. "Reserve a

table for forty-five minutes from now. We're on our

way."

"We could at least have the cocktails," Drake pointed

out

Mason shook his head. "Then we'd be interviewing a witness with liquor on our breaths. You can't tell where this man fits into the picture. If he isn't connected with the studios, if he was up there under false pretenses ... well ... "

"You mean you're going to give him a rough time?"

"Rough time, hell," Mason said. "I'll make him the murderer before I get done if this thing keeps going the way it's headed. That's why it's absolutely imperative that we get to him ahead of the police and that we don't have anything to drink. Come on, let's go."

They hurried out of the restaurant, redeemed their car and drove in silence the half-mile to the sixteen hundred block on Delrose Avenue.

Paul Drake said, "That's the place we want, Perry ... and here's a providential parking space. It's about as close as you can hope to get."

Mason eased the car into the parking place. They walked up to the apartment house. Mason consulted the directory in the front and pressed the button opposite the name of Edgar Carlisle.

"The chances that he's home are only about one in a hundred," Drake said.

-Mason nodded and pressed the button again.

When there was no answer, Paul Drake took a key from his pocket and said, "Almost any key will work this outer door, in case you want to go up."

"Hold it," Mason said. "It's all right under ordinary

the Mythical Monkeys 87

circumstances to take a chance on giving Lieutenant Tragg the right answers to his questions, but this time the situation may be a little different Let's just try pressing the wrong button by mistake."

Mason pressed three or four buttons. Finally someone buzzed the door open.

The three of them walked into the lobby of the apartment house.

"What now?" Drake asked.

"Now," Mason said, "we go up to the second floor and go down to Apartment 242, just to give it a once-over."

"Now look," Drake protested. "I don't want any funny stuff, Perry."

"You're altogether too sensitive," Mason said. "However, this is once I'm inclined to agree that extreme caution is indicated. Let's take a look."

They climbed the stairs, then walked on down the hall. A door abruptly opened. A beautiful blonde, attired in a tight-fitting suit, sized Perry Mason up, smiled and said, "Were you the one who buzzed my apartment?"

Mason bowed deferentially. "It was a mistake. Forgive it, please. I didn't realize until afterward that I had the wrong apartment."

"Oh." Her face showed disappointment After a thoughtful moment she said, "You did have the wrong apartment?"

"We did have the wrong apartment" Della Street said in a tone of finality. The young woman slowly closed the door. They walked on down the corridor. "Let's hope she didn't recognize you," Paul Drake said. "Well," Mason said, "she—" Abruptly he broke off and said, "Paul, there's a liglit in 242. You can see a faint thread of light coming through at the bottom of the door."

"Well," Drake said, "you don't suppose our man is

88 The Case of

home but not answering the bell, do you? Gosh, Perry, let's not discover another corpse!"

The trio moved on cautiously.

Behind the somewhat flimsy door of 242 a typewriter was going noisily. They could hear the rattle and bang of the keys, then the sound of the carriage being slammed back. Once more the typing reached a crescendo, then faltered, slowed to a stop. There was a period of silence.

Mason glanced at Della Street

"I don't think it's a touch system," she said. "It sounds like a high-speed, four-finger system—and it's evidently some sort of an original composition."

Mason nodded, hesitated, then raised his hand and tapped gently on the door.

The typewriter once more exploded into noise.

Mason tapped again.

The typewriter stopped abruptly. Mason knocked a third time and steps came banging toward the door.

The door was jerked open and a man's angry face confronted them. "How the hell did you get in here?" he demanded. "When I don't answer my bell it's because I don't want to be disturbed! Now beat it!"

"Edgar Carlisle?" Mason asked.

"Yes, I'm Edgar Carlisle and I'm working. Now beat it"

He started to close the door. Drake eased a shoulder and arm in the door. "Wait a minute, buddy," he said. "Take a look at this." Drake flashed his badge showing that he was a licensed private detective.

"Now, wait a minute, wait a minute. What's all this about?" Carlisle asked.

"We have a few questions to ask you."

"Get lost," Carlisle told him. "I'm working against a deadline and I haven't got any time for questions. Come back when I'm finished."

the Mythical Monkeys 89

"How long is it going to take you to finish?" Mason asked.

"A little after midnight."

"Well, then, it won't get finished," Mason told him. "The police will be here before then."

"The police? What the hell are you talking about?" "Mauvis Meade and murder," Mason said. Carlisle blinked his eyes as though chopping the information into separate statements by using his eyelids as punctuation marks.

Abruptly the significance of what Mason had said soaked in. "Mauvis Meade and murderV

"Your weekend at Summit Inn," Mason explained. "Your representation that you were with the publicity department of American Film Producers Studios, and the murder of an unidentified corpse on the mountain." "Who ... who the hell are you?" "My name's Mason," the lawyer said. "This is my secretary, Miss Street and Paul Drake. You have already seen Paul Drake's credentials as a private detective."

Carlisle's face showed that anger was giving way to consternation. At length he said grudgingly, "Well, come on in. Just what are you people trying to put across?"

Mason said, "You represented yourself as being connected with the publicity department of American Film Producers Studios."

"I did no such thing. I said I was getting publicity for the American Film Producers Studios and, damn it, I am! What's more, I didn't get anything of value as a result of any impersonation. I can make any statement I want to, just so I don't get someone to part with something of value on the strength of it. You go see a lawyer if you don't think I'm right"

"Fm a lawyer," Mason said, "and I don't think you're right not in this instance." Carlisle said, "I didn't impersonate anyone or anything.

90 The Case of

I simply made a statement and, as it happens, the statement was true."

Carlisle looked Della Street over in a swift head-to-toe survey which evidendy resulted in a change of heart on his part His eyes showed sudden and unqualified approval.

"AH right," Carlisle said, closing the door. "You've interrupted my train of thought and you've delayed the delivery of the article, so we might just as well take time out to get acquainted."

Mason walked over to the typewriter, looked down at the sheet of paper.

"It will cost you twenty-five cents to read that in Pacific Coast Personalities," Carlisle said. "For your information, I don't like to have people read my material before it's printed."

Mason paid no attention to him but stood looking down at the paper in the typewriter. When he had finished reading he sat down and said, "So you're doing an article on Mauvis Niles Meade."

"Fm doing an article on Mauvis Niles Meade," Edgar Carlisle repeated.

"And you rang her up and told her you were representing American Film Producers Studios?"

"I told her nothing of the sort. I rang her up and told her I was getting some publicity for American Film Producers Studios, that I understood she spent her weekends at the Summit Inn, that I was going to be up at the Summit Inn and I wanted an interview."

"And what did she say?"

"She said she'd be there."

"But she didn't show up?"

"She didn't show up. She sent her secretary, Gladys

Doyle."

"And from Gladys Doyle you got enough information

for an article?"

the Mythical Monkeys 91

"That's right"

"What makes you think Pacific Coast Personalities is interested in such an article?"

Carlisle said angrily, "Because I'm a professional writer, because the article has been bought and paid for and I have a deadline delivery date of tomorrow noon, in case that means anything to you. The name of Edgar Carlisle is fairly well known as an article writer in movie, television and similar magazines. Now, I'd like to know by what right you come barging in here asking questions."

Mason said, "As I told you, my name is Mason. I'm an attorney. I'm—"

"Wait a mjnute!" Carlisle exclaimed. "You're not Perry Mason?" Mason nodded.

"Good Lord," Carlisle said. "Of course you are! I should have recognized you— Hang it, I knew there was something familiar about you. My gosh, you're the Perry Mason. I've been trying to get up my nerve to approach you to get material for an article for I don't know how long. Well, can you beat that!"

Mason said., "All right, I'll assume for the moment that you're acting in good faith as a free-lance writer. Now suppose you tell us about that trip up to Summit Inn." "Why?" Carlisle asked.

"Because," Mason said, "after leaving Summit Inn, Miss Doyle lost her way. She got stuck in a deep mud-hole, spent the night in a strange cabin, woke up in the morning and found a murdered man in the bedroom. There's every reason to believe that you were instrumental in getting her up on the mountain and there's a distinct possibility that Mauvis Meade was the person who was to have been trapped, or perhaps the person who was to have been murdered."

"Good Lord!" Carlisle exclaimed.

92 The Case of

"Now then, you say that you are working for Pacific Coast Personalities?"

Carlisle nodded.

"You have an order for an article?"

"From Dale Robbins himself. He's the editor and publisher. There's a Tuesday deadline. That is, it has to be put in the mail tomorrow noon."

"And addressed to Pacific Coast Personalities?" Mason asked.

"That's right"

"You were commissioned personally?"

"That's right"

"You talked with Mr. Robbins personally?"

"Yes."

"Personally or over the phone?"

"Well, it was personally," Carlisle said, "but the conversation took place on the telephone."

"Do you know Robbins when you see him?"

"Sure—that is, I've met him. He probably wouldn't remember me. I met him at a writers' club meeting."

"Suppose you tell me exactly what happened."

"Well, it was Thursday afternoon. The telephone rang and it was Dale Robbins on the line. He congratulated me on an article Fd had published in Television Personalities of the Day. He said some nice things about it the sort of stuff that makes a writer feel good. He said it held the reader's interest right from the start, that I had managed to show a real character with a very skillfully painted word picture, that I hadn't used all the trite cliches that made things so completely unreal. He said that as soon as he read it he felt that I could do an article on Mauvis

Meade." "Go ahead," Mason said. "What happened after that?" "Well, he told me that he'd give me a firm order for such an article and that he'd pay a thousand dollars for thirty-five hundred words. He said that I could consider

the Mythical Monkeys 93

myself on the staff of Pacific Coast Personalities for the purpose of the article, but that he didn't want Mauvis Meade to know that—that he felt that she would start posing if she thought she was giving just another interview. He said she had been rather difficult at times, on interviews, and I knew that to be a fact

"He suggested that I meet her up at the Summit Inn. He said she had a room up there that she kept on a monthly basis, that she was up every weekend, that I could call her and make an appointment to meet her there. He suggested that I explain to her I was getting publicity for something in connection with the sale of her book or her picture, and get her to cooperate with me on that basis and so get the facts I needed. He said he didn't give a hoot how I got the facts just so I got something that was colorful and had what he was pleased to call the "Carlisle touch.'

"He said Mauvis Meade was good copy because her book was filled with sex and that she was a sultry babe herself. He said he wanted a catchy title like 'A Weekend with Mauvis Meade' and that if I could legitimately contrive to give the readers an idea that she was a hot number without going too far it would be a swell approach.

"He said he definitely wanted something different something with a warm, personal touch. He wanted his readers to feel her vibrant personality."

"What did you do after talking with him?" Mason asked.

"Well, in the first place I told him that I'd have to have some expense money and he said that would be no obstacle. He asked me how much I needed and I told him he'd better send me three hundred and fifty dollars to bind the bargain and give me some expense money, that Fd submit an account with the article, that any amount that was left over would be credited against the payment he was to make."

94 The Case of

"That was satisfactory?"

"That was satisfactory."

"And he sent over the money?"

"He said he'd have a messenger on the way with the money inside of an hour and he was as good as his word. I didn't make a move until after the messenger arrived - "

"With a check?" Mason asked.

"With an envelope containing three one-hundred-dollar bills and one fifty-dollar bill."

Mason's face showed skepticism.

Carlisle said suddenly, "When you stop to think of it, that was a funny way for them to do business. I ... I guess they wanted me to get busy right away."

"Undoubtedly," Mason said. "So what did you do?"

"I got in touch with Mauvis Niles Meade and ... well, I led her to believe that I was with the publicity department of the studio, all right. I was very careful what I said, but I know that she got the impression I was ... well, that was it."

"All right, what happened?"

"I made a date with her for the weekend at-the Summit

Inn."

"Then what?"

"After I got up there I got a phone call from her. She said that she couldn't make it but that she was sending her confidential secretary, Gladys Doyle, up there, that Gladys could get the proposition I had in mind thoroughly thrashed out and then bring it back and submit it to her and that Miss Doyle would cooperate with me up there on any information that I needed."

"Well?" Mason asked.

"At first I was sore," Carlisle said. "I saw my chance at the article I wanted going out the window. Then all of a sudden the idea hit me right between the eyes. It was

made to order.

"There'd been too many interviews with Mauvis

the Mythical Monkeys 95

Meade, and she's rather difficult at times. She needs a public relations man in the worst way, but she won't get one ... well, I'd have a new approach.

"I'd write an article entitled 'A Weekend with Mauvis Meade's Secretary.' They said the secretary was some dish and I took along my camera and got some swell art At least I think I did. The films are being developed.

"I stole a little cheesecake, and this secretary was class. She told me a lot—a lot more than she knew she was giving out Of course, she didn't know I was doing that sort of an article, but I got a regular blank-check authorization from her. She said she'd been instructed to cooperate in every way, and believe you me, I got some swell stuff."

Mason said, "If your story is true, it's interesting. And if it isn't true, you're up to your neck in murder."

"It's true."

"How can I verify it?"

"Call Dale Robbins."

"You call him," Mason said. "Ill talk with him."

"I don't know where I can get him at this hour, but... nitry."

Mason said, "It happens that I have done some work for Dale Robbins—do we have his phone number, Della?"

She nodded.

"We have it here?"

Again she nodded, taking a notebook from her purse.

Della Street crossed over to the telephone.

Edgar Carlisle was at her side instantly. "It's all con-nected with the outside," he said solicitously. "Here. Here's a chair that is nice for telephoning."

He seated Della Street, stood by her shoulder looking down at the telephone.

Della Street waited, her hand held over the telephone.

96 The Case of

"Did you get a worthwhile story out of Gladys Doyle?" Mason asked Carlisle.

"Did I!" Carlisle said, turning to Mason. "I talked to that girl about Mauvis Meade on a day-to-day basis, and really turned her inside out without her knowing it She—"

He broke off and whirled back as he heard the whir of the dial of the telephone, but by that time Della Street had completed half of the number and was holding her left hand so that it obscured his view of the dial of the telephone.

After a moment, Della Street said, "Hello, this is Della Street, Mr. Mason's secretary, speaking. I'd like to ... yes, that's right, Mr. Robbins ... Mr. Mason wants to talk with you. He wants to ask a question. Just a moment, please."

She handed the telephone to Mason.

Mason said, "Hello, Mr. Robbins. I wanted to ask you a question about the magazine."

"Well, hello, Mason," Robbins said. "This is indeed a pleasure. What can I tell you about the magazine? Advertising rates? Publicity? Circulation? Net profits? What do you want?"

"I want to know about a man named Edgar Carlisle," Mason said.

There was a moment's hesitation, flien Robbins said, "Well, I can't tell you very much about him. He's a writer who does some pieces on personalities. It just happens he's never done anything for us. Frankly, we'd be inclined to buy something from him if he wrote anything that was down our alley ... he's a free lance. He's considered a fair writer in his particular field, but I don't know a great deal about him. I can find out a good deal by tomorrow if it's important."

"Have you ever talked with him?" Mason asked.

"Me? No ... now wait a minute. I think I did meet the

the Mythical Monkeys 97

guy at a writers' club meeting one night Sort of a get-together where editors and writers were meeting socially ... I think I did."

"You haven't commissioned him to write an article for your magazine within the last few days?"

"No. Definitely not"

"How about any of your assistants? Would they have—"

"Not without my knowing it Mason. I keep a close watch on such things. We're a healthy magazine and I want to keep it that way. We can let an inventory pile up awfully fast and personalities change a lot these days. We like to buy on a hand-to-mouth basis as much as possible. We have a few dependable writers we can call on in case there's an emergency shortage of material. We—"

Edgar Carlisle came pushing forward. "Here, let me talk with him," he said.

"Just a moment" Mason interrupted. "Fm here with Mr. Carlisle at the moment He tells rather an interesting story which may have some bearing on an investigation I'm conducting. He wants to talk with you personally."

Mason turned the phone over to Carlisle.

"Hello," Carlisle said. "This is Edgar Carlisle, Mr. Robbins. I was telling Mr. Mason about the arrangement I had with you on the Mauvis Meade story."

Mason, watching Carlisle's face, saw the expression change.

"Why, Mr. Robbins," Carlisle exclaimed, "surely you remember commissioning me to do an article . .. you sent me three hundred and fifty dollars by special messenger. ... No, it wasn't a check, it was in cash ... Well, I thought it was strange at the time, but I talked with you ... well, anyway, the man on the phone said he was you ... well ... I see ... Well, good heavens, somebody commissioned me to write an article for Pacific Coast Personalities and gave me a firm commitment ... That's

98 The Case of

right ... thirty-five hundred words ... yes sir. The price was a thousand dollars ... Well, I thought so at the time, but ... but I've received three hundred and fifty dollars and have an expense account and ... you're certain? . .. Look, Mr. Robbins, would you check in the morning? ... I see ... Well, of course, if that's the answer, that's the answer ... You want to talk with Mr. Mason again?"

Carlisle said, "Okay, just a minute," and handed the phone over to Mason.

"Hello, Robbins," Mason said. "This is Mason again."

"Look," Robbins said. "I don't know what this guy is trying to pull. It's phony, whatever it is. That is, the deal is a phony. Carlisle may have been victimized. Of course, there's nothing to prevent anyone from calling up and saying that he's Dale Robbins of the Pacific Coast Per-sonalities, but Td like to get at the bottom of this. I cer-tainly don't like the idea of some free-lance writer feeling he's been given a firm commitment on a story. I don't like the idea of having it appear we do business that way, and I certainly don't like the idea of incurring the ill will of professional writers. After all, we depend on them to get out a magazine, you know."

"You had no understanding with Mr. Carlisle?"

"Definitely not And I'm satisfied that no one connected with the magazine made any such arrangement Moreover, if any advance payment had been made, you can readily realize mat it would have been made by voucher and not in the form of cash sent over by messenger. Someone is doing something here I don't like. I wish you'd check into it if you can conveniendy."

"Well let you know," Mason said, and hung up.

"Well," he said to Carlisle, "that seems to dispose of that"

Carlisle seated himself in front of the typewriter as though his knees had buckled. "I'll be damned!" he said.

the Mythical Monkeys 99

"You didn't see the person who talked with you? You didn't—"

Carlisle shook his head, said, "This is all news to me. Fm completely flabbergasted. My gosh, fifteen minutes ago I was going like wildfire on a story mat was almost writing itself, and now I'm left high and dry ... I guess I'll go out and get drunk."

"I wouldn't do that," Mason said. "You're going to have to answer some questions, probably from the police. You don't know anything about this money?"

"No, it came by messenger. At least, the man who brought it in wore me uniform of a messenger service."

"Would you know the man if you saw him again?" "Sure, I would. I mink you'll find it was a regular messenger service, though. The fellow looked ... well, rather typical, and it seemed to be a routine job wim him. He had a book for me to sign and I noticed that the book simply called for one envelope so I signed the receipt and he handed me the envelope."

"How old was he?"

I would say he was somewhere in his fifties. A short fellow ... looked as though he might have been a former jockey ... one of mose leathery faces, small but strong, if you know what I mean."

"Well, I guess that's it," Mason said. "That disposes of one phase of the case."

"Can you tell me what this is all about?" Carlisle asked.

Mason shook his head. "Not right now, I can't."

"Is there any objection to my getting hold of Gladys Doyle and asking her?"

"Not in the least," Mason said, "if you can locate her."

"She's still working for Mauvis Meade, isn't she?"

"I believe she is still an employee of Miss Meade's," Mason said.

"This is a great disappointment to me," Carlisle said.

.iJ&

mm

-::8i»sSsi

~?m

ZK, >

100 The Case of

"I thought I had a whale of a story. I thought I'd made a new magazine market in an interview with the head guy himself. I'd put a new ribbon in the typewriter, opened a fresh box of carbon paper and had mentally spent the dough I was going to get by making the down payment on a sports car.

"Now you come along and spoil my dream and ruin my story."

Mason smiled. "Your story isn't ruined."

"Shows all you know about writing," Carlisle retorted. "Pacific Coast Personalities wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole—not now."

"Go ahead and finish it," Mason said. "You'll find you can sell it to a newspaper and then to a magazine later on.

"Are you crazy?" Carlisle asked.

Mason walked over to the door, held it open for Della Street and Paul Drake, said, "I don't think so. You'd better finish your story." He held the door open and they walked out, leaving Carlisle standing in the doorway, watching them as they walked down the hall.

Chapter 10

"WELL," DRAKE SAID, as they got into Mason's car, "we seem to be making headway."

Mason said thoughtfully, "I feel like a horse on a treadmill. We get going faster and faster, and yet we're no nearer our objective. Right now we need to know why

the Mythical Monkeys 101

Manly was killed, and then we have to know who killed him. The more information we get, the more complicated the thing becomes."

"But we eat?" Della Street asked anxiously. "We eat," Mason said. "After all, we have that table waiting and there's only so much we can do on an empty stomach."

"Well, that's a relief," Drake said.

They returned to the Golden Fleece, had their cocktails and ordered dinner.

It was as Mason was cutting into his steak that he became thoughtfully silent

"Go ahead and finish it," Della Street said.

"Huh?" Drake asked, looking up from his steak. "What's the matter?"

"The boss," Della Street said, "is getting an idea. He's thinking he should be someplace else at the moment"

"Where?" Drake asked.

"Mauvis Meade," Mason said.

"Well, it's too late to go calling now," Drake told him.

"Why Mauvis Meade?" Della Street asked.

"I have just thought of something," Mason said.

"What?" Della Street asked.

"Do you remember the copy of Chop the Man Down that you got for me?"

She nodded.

"And the photograph on the dust jacket the photograph of Mauvis Meade standing at the rail of a yacht?"

"In a typical pose," Della Street said to Paul Drake by way of explanation. "Lots of wind and very little restraint."

"Yes, yes, I remember," Drake said, wolfing his steak.

"It doesn't affect your appetite any."

"Certainly not. It increases it," Drake mumbled, pushing food into his mouth. "That guy's ready to take off, Della. We'd better load up with groceries."

102 The Case of

Abruptly Mason shoved his plate away, pushed his chair back from the table. "Will you take care of the check, Della? Take my car and go home. Til take a taxi. You can drop Paul at his office. Paul, I want men working on Manly. Find out everything you can about him. Check in Tucson and Phoenix. See if you can pick up any sort of a trail there."

"What about the dust jacket on the book?" Drake asked, washing down food with a big swallow of wine.

"Quit gulping, Paul," Della Street said. "He's going to leave us to finish the meal. You'll get indigestion and be taking soda bicarb again."

"Heaven forbid," Drake said. "What about the dust jacket, Perry?"

"It was all legs and eyes," Della Street said. "That girl tried so hard to be a vamp ... I guess that was supposed to be a private yacht she was on, wasn't it? Her skirts were blowing and ... " Abruptly Della Street broke oft Her eyes widened.

"What?" Paul Drake asked.

"She was wearing a scarf that was blowing in the wind," Della Street said thoughtfully. "Is that what you were thinking of, Chief?"

Mason nodded.

"A scarf," Della Street said, "that had some printed figures on it"

"Can you remember those printed figures, Della?"

Mason asked.

She shook her head. "I'm doing well to remember the scarf. The pose was enough to make any woman angry. She just used the idea of the yacht as an excuse for showing all the leg that law allowed ... But there certainly was a scarf blowing back in the wind, and her hair was blowing—of course, they had the wind to account for the skirts whipping. But that scarf certainly did have some printed figures on it"

the Mythical Monkeys 103

"What a break it would be," Mason said dryly, "if it turned out that that was the scarf we found out there in the murder cabin."

"Under the murder cabin," Drake said. "Under the murder cabin," Mason agreed thoughtfully. "You'd better finish your dinner," Della Street said. Mason shook his head, arose, smiled at them, said, "See you in the morning, folks."

"You can't get in this time of night," Della Street said. "On the contrary. This is just the break I need in order to get in," Mason said. "That clerk at the desk has been watching police go by all afternoon and evening. You know the policy of the police from our own encounters with our friend Lieutenant Tragg. They don't like to be announced. They think it gives the suspect too much opportunity to collect his or her thoughts, or perhaps call a lawyer, so they go barging past everyone and right into die private offices or right up to the door of the penthouse apartments."

"You mean you're going to impersonate an officer?" Drake asked.

"I won't impersonate an officer," Mason said, "but Til amble along, not too fast and not too slow, acting as though I were doing a job. And nobody's going to stop me. It's a crime to impersonate an officer. It's not a crime to act like one. I'll get to die apartment and ... well, then we'll see what happens."

"She may be in bed," Della Street said. Mason put his hand in his pocket. "Paul," he said, "you take charge of this scarf and the box of .22 shells— remember that at some time we may have to introduce these articles in evidence, in which event we must be able to account for possession so we can furnish a chain of <Jt"-ntificatiou.

"Take these articles up to the office, lock tihem in the *afe, and ... "

104 The Case of

Drake vehemently shook his head. "I was willing to stand by while you took that, Perry, but I'm not going to touch that evidence with a ten-foot pole. I wouldn't have it in the office. I don't want it in my custody."

"Why?"

"Why!" Drake exploded. "Good heavens, the stuff is evidence and we've taken it into our possession. We're concealing it from the police."

"Evidence of what?" Mason asked.

"Evidence of the identity of the person who committed the murder, of course."

"We don't know that."

"Well, it's a reasonable assumption."

"But don't you think we'd better wait until we know it before we turn it over to the police?"

"That's just an excuse," Drake said.

"Nobody knows we have it," Mason said. "Just the four of us—you, Della, Kelton and myself."

"And four is too damn many to know a thing like that," Drake said. "We're monkeying with dynamite. I'll admit that you probably have something in mind, Perry. You're going to pull a fast one and you'll come out on top of the heap or you think you will. But the point is, suppose the police get wise to the fact that we're holding this before your plans mature. Then where does that leave us?"

"It leaves us in a most embarrassing situation," Mason

admitted.

"Exactly," Drake said, "and it's that situation I don't want to get caught in. You keep your scarf and shells." Della Street said quietly, "I'll take them, Chief." Mason hesitated a moment, then handed them over to her. "I hate to drag you into it, Della, but I don't want to take those things up to Mauvis Meade's apartment with me. I might get accused of trying to steal the scarf and

the Mythical Monkeys 105

plant the shells, and there's always a possibility that I may be stopped and searched before I get out of there." "I understand," she said.

Mason left the Golden Fleece, hailed a taxicab and went to Mauvis Niles Meade's apartment house. "Put the meter on waiting time," he told the cab driver. "I may be in there anywhere from two minutes to an hour."

He handed the driver a ten-dollar bill, said, "This will be a guarantee that I'm not walking out on you." "Ill be waiting right here," the cab driver said. Mason entered the apartment house, walked at a steady, even gait toward the elevator. The night clerk at the desk looked up expectantly. Mason didn't even vouchsafe him a glance but walked over to the elevator.

The clerk hesitated for a moment, then, with an almost imperceptible shrug of his shoulders, turned back to the work he was doing at the desk.

Mason entered the elevator, said to the operator, "Up—all the way." "Penthouse?" the operator asked. "You heard me," Mason said, "all the way up." The operator said, "Yes, sir" and the cage shot upward.

Mason tapped on the door of Mauvis Meade's apartment, waited a moment, then tapped again.

The door was flung open. "Well, it's about time you got here," Mauvis Meade said. "We ..." Her voice trailed away into dismayed silence as she saw Perry Mason. "You again!" she said.

"In person," Mason said. "I want to talk with you." "You've already talked with me." "I want to talk seme more." "Why?"

"For one thing," Mason said, "I want to get you straight. You've found that it's good business to adopt the

106 The Case of

pose of the sophisticated woman-of-the-world, the babe who has all the curves and knows all the angles—and somehow or other, I have an idea that it's pretty much of a pose with you, that you decided you could make money by writing a daring book and then give the impression of having a sultry personality."

"Indeed," she said.

"And I think that's why you've been somewhat difficult on publicity interviews," Mason said. "You're afraid you'll be'ray your true character. You're not the sort of girl you'd like to have the book reviewers think you are."

"How interesting," she said.

"Isn't it?" Mason said. "Do I come in and talk it over, or do we discuss it here in the hallway?"

"You come in and we talk it over," she said, standing to one side and holding the door open. "You've challenged me, so I have the choice of weapons."

She had taken off the lounging pajamas and was dressed in a strapless gown that seemed held in place by a miracle of mechanical ingenuity. Her shoulders and the swell above her breasts gleamed seductively in the soft light.

She said nervously, "I am a little jumpy tonight. News-paper reporters and police officers have been wearing out the carpet."

She seated herself on the davenport and indicated that Mason was to take a seat beside her.

As Mason seated himself, she looked up at him and gave that characteristic slow raising of the eyelids.

"Now, look," Mason said, "it's going to help a lot if you get over the idea that you have the only curves in captivity. You have a nice chassis, but, after all, it's standard equipment as far as I'm concerned. I'm interested in protecting a client, and I'm interested in a murder case."

She regarded him archly. "You're taking the wrong

the Mythical Monkeys 107

tactic, Mr. Mason. The challenge alone is enough to make me practice all the seductive wiles I've been studying so assiduously."

She moved closer.

Mason made a gesture of impatience. "Do you," he asked, "happen to have a copy of your book handy?"

Her laugh was throaty. "That's like asking a salesman if, by any chance, he happens to have his samples in that leather bag he's carrying."

"I want to look at it," Mason said. She regarded him thoughtfully, said, "Well, you don't eed to be so damn impersonal about it" She sulked for a moment, then got up, crossed over to a bookcase, pulled out a book and all but tossed it in Mason's lap. She stood before him, not seating herself, looking down at the lawyer.

Mason took the book, turned it over to the photograph on the dust jacket.

"Oh," she said, as she saw him studying the photograph, "then you are interested. That's better. The legs are nice —don't you think?" She seated herself beside him once more.

This scarf," Mason said, "it's very interesting—is that a monkey shown on the scarf?"

"That's right. That's a printed silk scarf I got in Japan. It has the three monkeys, see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil." She laughed again and said, "I thought it was particularly appropriate for a woman author who had seen all, heard all and was telling damn near everything."

"That scarf interests me a lot," Mason said. "I wonder if I could look at it." "Why?" "I want to see the scarf."

"I heard you the first time. But why do you want to look at it?"

"There's something about it that interests me. It may

108 The Case of

be ... well, I'd like to see if there's anything on it showing any data about its manufacture, whether there's a stock number or anything, so I could duplicate it ... "

She shook her head. "You're not going to duplicate that. Not in this country. I got the scarf in Japan, and it's the only one I saw. I saw it in just this one store. It fascinated me and I bought it."

"You don't think there are any others?"

She shook her head.

"Then I'm going to have to bother you to look at

yours."

"My, but you're insistent," she said. "Do you always get what you want—with women?"

"Very seldom," Mason said.

"All right. I'll get it for you. You wait right here."

She left the davenport, went through the door into the bedroom and Mason sat, waiting. After a while, he lit a

cigarette.

At one time he thought he heard the rumble of a mas-culine voice.

Then Mauvis Meade was back. "I'm sorry, Mr. Mason," she said, "I can't find it. You'll have to give me a raincheck on it. I'll dig it up for you later on. You see, things are in a terrible mess. You understand. Somebody really went through the apartment like a whirlwind—all except Gladys Doyle's room."

Mason nodded.

"Why do you suppose that Gladys Doyle's room was immune from search?" she asked meaningly.

"I'm not certain that it was."

"What do you mean?"

"My idea is that whoever searched the apartment was looking for some one thing and was in a terrific hurry. That person didn't have time to be tactful. He or she had to dump things out of drawers, pull things out of closets,

the Mythical Monkeys 109

paw through papers and just keep moving. There was no time to make a surreptitious search."

"And then when this person came to Gladys Doyle's room?"

"It might have been," Mason said, "that, as you pointed out to Lieutenant Tragg, the room was not searched because the person knew that whatever he or she was looking for wouldn't be in that room. Or it might be that as soon as the person started searching her room, that person found whatever it was that was wanted, and, therefore, left the apartment without carrying the search any further."

Her index finger started making little patterns on the arm of the davenport "Well?" Mason asked.

"Sometimes," she said, "I think you're awfully damn smart"

"And at other times?" he asked laughingly. "And at other times I'm sure of it," she said. "Can you tell me when was the last time you remember seeing that scarf?" Mason asked.

She pursed her lips. "I had it on for that photograph.

Of course, Mr. Mason, that photograph was a fake. That

is, it was made in a studio. Those are stock props and

they had a fan. The idea was to show lots of leg, and they

didn't want to have it look like posed cheesecake, so

someone decided to have me on a yacht with a wind, and

then catch the photograph at just the right time. My gosh,

I'll bet they took fifty photographs before they got the one

they wanted."

"The others not revealing enough?" Mason asked.

"Some of them were not revealing enough, and some

were altogether too damn revealing. The idea was to get

the skirt with just the right swirl in it so that you could

look at it and know that as it continued blowing it was

110 The Case of

going to · . , well, you know. You build up suspense that

way."

"You had the scarf on then," Mason said. "That pho-tograph was taken some weeks ago, wasn't it?"

"Yes, months ago."

"And when have you had the scarf since?"

"Oh, I have had it two or thr-e limes—I loaned it to Gladys once—why is it so important?"

"It could be very important," Mason said. "I ... are you alone, Mauvis?"

"Why, Mr. Mason, what gives you that idea?"

"I'm just wondering. The manner in which you're holding your head. You—"

"Look, Big Boy," she said, "aren't you getting a little proprietary? Do you have any right to chaperone me or censor my company?"

Abruptly the door from the bedroom opened and a paunchy man in his late forties, with cold, hard eyes, stepped out. "I'll take it from here, Mauvis," he said.

Mason said, "Well, good evening ... Dunkirk, isn't it? ... Gregory Alson Dunkirk."

"That's right," Dunkirk said.

"And you seem to have been following die conversation," Mason said.

Dunkirk stood with no change of expression. "That's right, Mason. I had the room bugged. I thought it might be a good precaution, under the circumstances."

"And what are the circumstances?" Mason asked,

"As though you didn't know. You know, Mason, I don't think I like the idea of you coming in here and cross-examining thi< girl."

"I'm sorry," Mai- ;n said.

"I think you owe her an apology."

"I'm not apologizing," Mason said. "When I said I was sorry I meant I was sorry you didn't like it."

"You're representing Gladys Doyle in this thing. Now,

the Mythical Monkeys 111

you're pretty smooth and pretty resourceful. Once you start, there's no telling where you're going to stop."

"I usually try to get at the truth before I stop," Mason said. "I find the truth is rather a powerful weapon."

"It depends who's using it," Dunkirk said. "The trouble with these powerful weapons is that a great deal depends on which way they're pointed. I'm taking over here. I'm going to give Mauvis a little protection."

Before Mason could say anything, there was a quick knock at the door.

Mauvis Meade looked at Gregory Dunkirk, a glance of swift interrogation, then at some invisible signal she received, she hurried to the door and opened it.

A big, grinning, bull-necked individual with a cauliflower ear, a broken nose and smiling eyes set beneath Deeding brows, said, "Hi, Mauvis."

"Well, it took yuu long enough to g-t here," Mauvis Meade said.

"I came as quick as I could."

The oig man moved easily into the room. "Hi," he said to Dunkirk.

"How are you, Dukes?"

"Pretty good," the man said.

Dunkirk said to Mason, "Meet Dukes, Mason. I think his name is Lawton, but everybody calls him Dukes."

"How are you," Mason said, getting- to his feet and ex-tending his hand.

Duke reached out a big paw and scooped up Mason's hand, his lips twisted into a grin. "Hi, Counselor," he said, and exerted pressure.

Mason fought back against the crushing fingers until he reached a point when he seemed to have used his last ounce of strength. The grinning Dukes abruptly released his hand.

"Mighty glad to know you, Counselor,"

112 The Case of

"And who, may I ask, is Dukes? And how does he fit into this picture?" Mason asked.

Dunkirk said, "Dukes is a bodyguard. He's going to take care of Miss Meade for a while and see that she doesn't have a lot of unpleasant interruptions. You'll pardon me for being personal, Mr. Mason, but you're classified as an unpleasant interruption."

"Indeed," Mason said.

"No hard feelings personally."

Mauvis Meade smiled up at him.

Duke Lawton's face lit up. "You want him out?" he asked, jerking his thumb toward the door and leaning slightly forward so most of his weight was on the balls of his feet.

"No, no," Dunkirk said. "He's leaving. No rough stuff, Dukes."

"Okay. Anything you say." Dukes said good-naturedly, and walked over and held the door open.

Mason said to Mauvis Meade, 'Tm sure you're going to be well taken care of, Miss Meade."

"Thank you," she said demurely.

"And all that reasoning about that person making the search," Dunkirk said to Mason, "you know you could be awfully wrong about that"

"And I could be awfully right," Mason said.

"I wouldn't bank on it," Dunkirk said.

He turned and said, "Dukes." He said it with quiet au-thority, as one would talk to a well-trained dog.

Dukes Lawton snapped to alert interest "Yeah," he said.

"Mr. Mason is leaving," Dunkirk said. "He isn't coming back any more unless I'm here, or unless Miss Meade's lawyer is here. Do you understand that?"

"Sure."

"And I hope you understand it," Dunkirk said to Mason, his eyes hard.

the Mythical Monkeys 113

Mason bowed. "I take it, then, that Miss Meade is mixed up in this a lot deeper than appears on the surface."

"She will be by the time you finish trying to get your babe out of it," Dunkirk said. "Now get this, Mason. I've always had a lot of respect for you. You don't handle my kind of stuff or you'd have been my mouthpiece. But you and I could have trouble. You stay away from Mauvis Meade and you and I'll get along all right."

"Did it ever occur to you," Mason said, "that you are taking the exact course which is going to direct suspicion to Miss Meade? Did it ever occur to you that if, for any reason, I wanted to pull her into this, you have given me the most beautiful build-up in the world? Did it ever occur to you that I was trying to give her a break and now you've spoiled it?"

Dunkirk said, "Don't pay any attention to him, Mauvis. What he's saying now is not for my ears but for yours. He's using me as a sounding board."

Once more Dunkirk said, "Dukes," in exactly the same tone of voice he would have called to a dog.

"Uh-huh," Dukes said.

Dunkirk motioned with his thumb.

The grinning Dukes placed a hamlike hand between Mason's shoulder blades and exerted gentle pressure. "Good night, Mr. Mason," he said.

The pressure increased. Mason had to move quickly to keep from stumbling.

The door slammed and a bolt shot into place.

Chapter 11

PERRY MASON sat in the visitors' room at the jail and sur-vej'od Gladys Doyle with keen eyes.

"I want you to tell /ne the truth," he said

"The absolute truth, so help me."

Mason said, "An attorney is confronted with a lot of alternatives in a situation of this sort. For instance, I could sit tight, hoping that you'd answer questions and persuade the officers that you were innocent.

"On the other hand, I could have advised you not to answer any questions and trusted to luck and the fact that the officers couldn't uncover enough evidence against you to justify them in bringing a charge against you.

"You understand that?"

She nodded.

"All right," Mason said. "Now, I had a third alternative, and it's the one I elected to use. I'm trying to force their hand. I filed an application for a writ of habeas corpus. The judge issued an order of habeas corpus, which means that the police have to produce you in court and show cause why they're holding you. If they can't show cause, you're released. Therefore," Mason went on, "the police will probably see that a complaint is filed charging you with first degree murder. They won't wait for a grand jury indictment.

"The advantage of that course," Mason said, "is that when the case comes on for a preliminary hearing, I have

114

115 an opportunity to see what the evidence against you really is, to cross-examine witnesses before anyone knows just how their testimony is going to fit in with other testimony. In other words, before anyone has had a chance to coach them so that the case against you is airtight. There are lots of little holes that can be uncovered in a preliminary hearing, in a situation of this sort.

"I hope you have enough confidence in me to agree that it was the proper thing to do."

"Anything you say, Mr. Mason."

"Have you seen the morning paper?"

"No."

"There's a photograph of the victim in the morning paper," Mason said. "They've photographed the features and retouched the eyes so as to give the corpse a lifelike appearance. They feel that someone is certain to recognize him."

Mason unfolded the newspaper and held it up against the heavy plate glass through which the interview was taking place.

Gladys Doyle looked at the newspaper picture with considerable interest.

"Do you recognize the man?" Mason asked.

"By that do you mean did I ever see him in his lifetime *.. before I found him lying dead in the cabin?"

"That's right. Did you know him, did you ever see him in life?"

She shook her head.

"Now, this other man who was in the cabin when you arrived. Had you ever seen him before?"

"I'm certain I had never seen him."

"Have you thought of anything, any clue which would enable us to locate him?"

"No. I've been trying. There was nothing I could put my finger on. I can't remember anything except what I've told you already."

116 The Case oj

"All right," Mason said. "Now Tm going to approach the corpse from another angle. I want you to think carefully before you say anything. Does the name Joseph H. Manly mean anything to you?"

Her face was completely impassive. She slowly shook her head.

"Not a thing?" Mason asked.

"Not a thing."

"You don't know him?"

"I never heard of him, as far as I know."

"All right," Mason told her. "I have every reason to believe that the victim is a person named Manly. I think we got that information in advance of the police. However, I think the police know who he is now and are withholding information from the newspapers because they don't want us to take advantage of it"

"You mean they may know who he is already?"

Mason nodded. "I'm inclined to think they do. However, they haven't announced it. They're acting on the assumption that the identity of the murder victim is a mystery. Now, there's another thing. They have found the murder weapon was the .22 rifle that was lying on the floor of the bedroom. You picked up that rifle?"

"Yes. Things were all pretty much of a whirl in my mind, but Fm quite certain I picked it up."

"When?"

"Just after I found the dead man. I saw the rifle and, as nearly as I can recall the situation now, thought that I could use it in case—well, you know, if the murderer was still in the cabin. Then I went into a panic and put it down where I'd found it."

"And, in so doing, quite probably left some fingerprints on it," Mason said.

"But, Mr. Mason, that was long after the man was killed. It must have been."

"I know," Mason said patiently. "You know when you

the Mythical Monkeys 117

picked it up. You'll say, 'Why, that was a perfectly natural thing to do, and those fingerprints were left on there long after the man was murdered.' The trouble is, fingerprints aren't dated. If you left any fingerprints on that gun and the police can develop those latent fingerprints, there's nothing to show whether the fingerprints were made before the man was killed or afterward. Now, about that map and the directions which Mauvis Meade gave you. Fm going to tell you this, Gladys. Mauvis Meade is playing some sort of a very deep game.

"I want you to think back to the time when she gave you those directions. I want you to tell me whether she told you to turn to the left at that fork in the road or turn to the right. I'm not going to take any advantage of you, Gladys. I'm going to tell you that the police have in their possession what seems to be the original pages of notes which you made, giving directions, and it shows that you were to turn to the right at the forks in the road rather than the left."

Gladys Doyle's face suddenly showed consternation.

"Yes?" Mason prompted.

"She did, Mr. Mason. I remember now! She did tell me to turn to the right there at that last intersection, but ... well, when I wanted to get my directions, I went to my notebook and found the page was gone. Someone had torn it out, so then I went to the writing desk where she had the map, took the map out and made notes of the route I was to follow from the route that was shown on the map. And I'm willing to stake my life that the map actually showed the road to the left—that is, the arrows on the map showed that the left-hand road was the one to be followed."

"You are staking your life on it," Mason said. "I want you to be sure."

"I've given it a lot of thought Fm certain. I will tell

I I

118 The Case of

you this, though, Mr. Mason. I'm beginning to believe, the more I think of it, that when she looked at the map and told me the road to follow, she told me to turn right at the forks."

"Would you know the map if you saw it again?"

"Certainly I would. It was in Mauvis Meade's handwriting. It was in ink, and there were some red arrows that were made showing the direction to be taken coming down the mountain ... Now, here's something else. I'm inclined to think there was a picture of some sort on the back of the piece of paper, a pen-and-ink sketch of a house. I didn't really look at it. I just remember it was there."

"And you'd know this map if you saw it again?"

"Absolutely. I made notes from it, just brief notes of the distances and the turns as shown by the arrows."

"You are completely positive that the arrow on that map showed you were to take the left-hand fork in the road, the one that goes down the Pine Glen road, down to the cabin where you spent the night?"

"I'm absolutely positive."

"Here's something else I want to ask you," Mason said. "Was there anything in your bedroom there at the apartment in the penthouse that might have been of particular interest to some person who was trying ... well, let us say trying to get an intimate line on Mauvis Meade?"

She started to shake her head.

"Now, wait a minute," Mason said, "before you answer that question do some thinking. You had been taking quite a bit of dictation from Miss Meade. Is there anything in your shorthand notebook, anything in perhaps some of the older shorthand books that you had filled up and discarded?"

'"Well, of course, there were letters, correspondjnee

and notes."

the Mythical Monkeys H9

"How much?"

"Quite a bit. I... I can't remember all of the different things."

"You're going to have to try and remember them," Mason said. "Try to think over the things you had taken in shorthand—Now, I have a theory that whoever searched that penthouse was looking for some specific paper. He tried to find it in Mauvis Meade's quarters. Then, when he couldn't find it, he got the idea of going to your room and looking in your shorthand notebooks. He probably found it there."

"Then he would necessarily have had to read my shorthand notes," she said, "or ... "

Mason saw the expression change on her face. "What is it?" he asked.

"Well," she said, "this may or may not be important Last week ... let's see, it was Wednesday, I think ... Wednesday of last week, Mauvis handed me a sealed en-velope. It was addressed to me and was in her handwriting and it had on the envelope, 'Personal and Private Property of Gladys Doyle.' "

"A will?" Mason asked.

"She didn't say. I assumed it was instructions as to what I was to do in case ... well, you know Mauvis Meade is rather unpredictable and ... I don't know. I had an idea from what she said it might be she was intending to elope and get married, or something of that sort"

"What did she say when she gave you the letter?"

"She told me that if anything happened to change my status I was to open that letter."

Mason thought that over, then said, "Did you look for that envelope when you went back to the apartment after you had returned from the mountains?"

She shook her head.

120 The Case of

"Or when you returned the next time after you had borrowed Della Street's clothes?"

"No," she said. "I just didn't look for it. I ... I guess I should have when I found the apartment all torn up and Miss Meade missing, but to tell you the truth, I never thought of it again until you started asking me about it"

"You haven't told the police about it, or—"

"No. I tell you, I haven't thought of it."

"All right, then," Mason said, "don't think of it. Forget it. Say nothing about it, nothing to anyone. Understand?"

She nodded.

"All right," Mason told her, "that's all we can do at the present time. I'm going to demand that you be given a preliminary hearing. At that preliminary hearing, 111 probably let them bind you over to the superior court for trial. I'm using that strategy to find out what evidence they have against you.

"I want you to understand what I'm doing. I want you to give me your confidence."

"You have my confidence, Mr. Mason. I'm willing to do anything you say."

"All right," he told her. "Keep a stiff upper lip."

"What do I do about reporters and persons who want to interrogate me?" she asked.

"Simply smile at them and tell them that now that you have formally been charged with murder, your attorney will do all the talking, that you'll do your talking from the witness stand in the courtroom at the time your attorney tells you to."

"No other comments?"

"Oh, general comments," Mason said. "Talk about anything except the case. The newspaper reporters will like you if you're good copy. Give them something to write about. If they want to know about your experiences in jail, if they want to know about working for Mauvis Meade, or anything of that sort, tell them anything that

the Mythical Monkeys 121

will make a good story. Just be sure that you stick to the facts.

"Some of the female reporters, the kind that are known as sob sisters, will want to know about your early life, your childhood, your schooling and all of that, and there's no reason on earth why you shouldn't tell them."

"Nothing about the case?"

"Nothing about the case," Mason said, and got up, nodding to the matron that the interview was over.

Mason took a taxicab back to his office.

Della Street was waiting for him.

"You have an anonymous letter," she said.

"Another one?" Mason asked. "We're always getting them."

"This one has something that may be pay dirt. It came special delivery."

Mason raised his eyebrows.

"A letter," she said, "which encloses a map. The map purports to be the work of Mauvis Niles Meade, and it is claimed the lettering is in her handwriting. The map shows the road down to the murder cabin and a sketch of the cabin on the back."

Mason's eyes narrowed. "Let's take a look, Della."

She brought him the envelope which had been addressed on a typewriter. The message on the inside read:

Dear Mr. Mason:

If you are going to represent Gladys, you had better have this map. It was made over a year ago by Mauvis Meade, when she first began to take an interest in the cabin above Pine Glen. All of the lettering is in her handwriting and the sketch of the cabin that is on the back was made by her because she thought the place was rustic, quaint and artistic.

122 The Case of

We're sending you this map because you may want to use it on cross-examination. We have no further use for it

Don't be misled by nylon stockings, curves and tears. Go in there fighting and you'll be surprised what you uncover.

Mason regarded the envelope, the letter and the enclosed map thoughtfully.

"Get Paul Drake for me, Della. Ask him if he can come over right away."

Mason resumed studying the letter carefully and was still studying it when Paul Drake tapped on the door to the private office.

Della Street let him in.

"Hi, Perry," Drake said. "Did you do any good with Mauvis last night?"

"It depends on what you mean by doing good," Mason said. "She's becoming pretty well entrenched, what with a professional wrestler and fighter for a bodyguard and Gregory Alson Dunkirk in the background."

"Dunkirk!" Drake exclaimed.

"Evidently he's the prototype of the big shot Mauvis Meade's heroine got tangled up with in Chop the Man Down," Mason said.

"He got tangled up with her" Drake said. "Have you

read the book?"

"Not yet. I've glanced through it, reading a page here and there ... I identified that scarf all right. It's not only the one pictured on the dust jacket of the book, but Mauvis Meade says she purchased her scarf in Japan, that it was exceedingly difficult to find one, that she doesn't think any more of them are in this country."

"Oh-oh," Drake said.

the Mythical Monkeys 123

"Just how much do you know about Gregory Alson Dunkirk?" Mason asked.

"Not a hell of a lot," Drake said. "About what everybody else knows. He's dynamite, he's poison, he's powerful politically, he's unscrupulous, he's rich, and he's clever. I understand the income tax people have never been able to get anything on him—believe it or not, people make him gifts. They pay the gift tax and they're very reticent about their reasons for making the gift later on. But it's all regular, as far as a bookkeeping transaction is concerned."

"Well, he's taken charge," Mason said, "and he's hired a bodyguard. From now on, I don't think people are just going to barge in on Mauvis Niles Meade.

"Now here's something that came in the mail today. A very nice anonymous letter containing a document in which I think you'll be interested. Be careful about fingerprints, Paul, because I want to have you examine the document for prints by iodine fumes."

Paul Drake picked up the letter, holding it gingerly by it's two corners, his fingers touching the extreme ends of the paper.

"You can develop prints on paper?" Mason asked. "Sometimes, if you're lucky. The iodine fumes every once in a while will give you a fingerprint." "Let's try it on this," Mason said, indicating the paper. "What about the map?" Drake asked. Mason shook his head. "We're sitting tight on the map, Paul."

"When you spring it at the hearing, if your client's fingerprints are on there, the police will dig them out."

"Let the police dig them out, then," Mason said. And then added, "I could play it dumb, you know."

"How do you mean?" Drake asked.

Mason grinned. "I could put the defendant on the stand and get her to tell about the map that gave her di-

124 The Case of

rections down the mountain, and then say to her, 'Is this the map you saw?' and hand it to her before anyone could recover from their startled surprise. Then Hamilton Burger would say he wanted to see it, and she'd hand it to him, and then Burger probably would give it back to her before it occurred to somebody that it would be a good plan to test it for fingerprints. By that time they couldn't tell a thing about it, not as far as the defendant was concerned. Her fingerprints would be all over it and Burger's

as well."

"Are you going to try that?" Drake asked.

Mason grinned and said, "I never know what Fm going

to try."

Drake's face was concerned. "Perry, I wish you'd get in touch with the police on that scarf and that box of .22

shells."

"Why?"

"Because I'm scared," Drake said.

"Sit tight," Mason told him. "You haven't seen anything yet. Now, Paul, I want to find out what typewriter was used in writing this letter. Call in an expert on questioned documents and get me all the dope."

"That's easy," Drake said. "A good expert can look at that document and tell you right away what make of typewriter and what model of typewriter was used."

"Okay, get busy, Paul."

"And you'll tell Tragg about that scarf and the box of

shells?"

Mason shook his head. "I can't tell him now, Paul, or

he would haul us over the coals for withholding evidence.

The minute I let it appear that I think it's evidence, Fve

crucified myself. As long as I play dumb and pretend I i

didn't think it could possibly be evidence, they have to ;

prove that I knew it was evidence—" J

"Don't be silly," Drake interrupted. "You can't pretend |

to be that dumb." j

the Mythical Monkeys 125

"Well, let me ask you a question," Mason said. "Why

would the murderer have used that stuff? How could it

have fitted into the crime?"

"That's easy," Drake told him. "When you carry a box

of .22 shells in a purse, the box slides open and the shells

dribble out. But when you wrap the box in a scarf, then

you can put it in the purse and carry the shells without

spilling any."

"So you carry them to the scene of the crime," Mason said, "crawl underneath the house and plant the stuff in a can?"

"Well, you can't explain everything in a murder case," Drake said. "But my pet guess is that whoever killed this guy was waiting under the house for the propitious time. It was dark underneath the cabin and on that low side of the hill a person could sit in there, sheltered from the rain and with warm clothing could have been as snug as a bug in a rug."

"You keep on reasoning like that," Mason said, "and you'll reason yourself right out of your license. It shows that you not only thought the stuff was evidence but had reasonable grounds in support of that belief. Personally, I just refuse to admit even to myself, much less to you, that it's evidence."

"Just a coincidence," Drake said sarcastically.

"That's right," Mason told him.

"Well, I am looking forward to hearing Hamilton Burger examine you on the witness stand when you try to play innocent and he turns loose his heavy sarcasm ... You're sitting there under oath, trying to explain to the judge that you thought it was just a coincidence ... how nice!"

"You get busy on that letter," Mason told him, "and forget about hanging black crepe all over the office walls."

126

Mason returned to his work, as Paul Drake, carrying the typed letter, left the office.

Later that afternoon Drake called Mason. "No fingerprints on the letter, Perry. It was written on a Remington machine, a model that was first put out five years ago."

"No prints at all?" Mason asked.

"None at all, Perry, which was surprising in a way, because a new ribbon had been put on the machine just before the letter was written. Ordinarily the new ribbon would have rubbed off on the operator's fingertips.

"Here's something else about the machine. It's probably not a machine in a business office because it's rather badly out of alignment Ifs evidently used by someone who bangs away at high speed and may occasionally pile up the type, but this particular letter was probably written by a professional because the touch is remarkably uniform.

"That's about all the information the expert on documents can give us. There's nothing unusual or distinctive about the paper that was used."

"And no fingerprints at all?"

"Not a one."

"Okay, Paul," Mason said, "well have to take it from

there and carry on."

Chapter 12

JUDGE ARVIS BAGBY took his place on the bench and said, "This is the time heretofore fixed for the preliminary hearing in the case of the People of the State of California versus Gladys Doyle. Are you ready, gentlemen?"

"The defense is ready," Mason said.

Harvey Ellington, one of the more promising young attorneys in the district attorney's office, said, "The People are always ready, Your Honor."

"Very well. Proceed with the case," Judge Bagby said. "Now I want to call to the attention of counsel that we are getting a terrific backlog of cases here, and there is some criticism of the courts because of delays in the administration of justice. I am going to ask you gentlemen to cooperate with the Court and with each other in trying to get the nonessential, parts of the case out of the way.

"Now then, gentlemen, in view of that situation, are there any matters on which we can have a stipulation which will save time and eliminate the necessity of proof?"

"I'm quite certain we can save time with several stipulations, Your Honor," Ellington said. "I have here some maps, a small scale map showing the road going up Pine Glen Canyon from the last paved highway; I have larger scale maps showing the location of the cabin; I have general maps showing the roads leading from the vicinity of

127

the Mythical Monkeys 129

but stated that a rental of a hundred dollars a month would be satisfactory and that the tenancy could commence at such time as he received a hundred dollars rental in advance covering the first month's rent and another hundred dollars covering the last month's rent

"I can assure counsel that we have investigated those facts and they are true, and I will ask counsel to so stipulate."

Mason said, "Before I make a stipulation, I will ask counsel if Mr. Findlay made any attempt to get in touch with Mr. Challis."

"I don't think Mr. Findlay made any attempt to get in touch with the person renting the cabin," Ellington said.

"Does he have the address of Mr. Challis?"

"He has an address which came on envelopes in which the rental was mailed," Ellington said. "The address was that of a secretarial agency which furnishes office space to persons who wish a mailing address or minor office services."

"You have investigated that address?" Mason asked.

"Of course. The police have made an investigation."

"And have talked with Mr. Challis?" Mason asked.

"It has been impossible, so far, to find the person who paid rental on the cabin," Ellington said "I fail to see that it is particularly important. We would like to talk with this person, and it may be that later on it will appear that the identity of this person is of some importance, perhaps of considerable importance. But at the time, we have been unable to find this person, and, for the purposes of this preliminary hearing, it is entirely immaterial.

"As Court and counsel both realize, it is only necessary to show that a crime was committed and that there is reasonable ground to believe mat the defendant perpetrated the crime. We are prepared to make that showing at this time.

128 The Case of

the cabin up to the crest of the mountain, and, in particular, to the Summit Inn resort, which is, of course, a very popular resort for skiing; I have photographs of the cabin, both of the interior and the exterior; and I have a map of the cabin.

"The photographs were all taken under police supervision by a police photographer, and we can vouch for their accuracy. The large scale maps were prepared in the office of the county surveyor, and the small scale maps were taken from the official records. I take it there will be no objection to introducing these various documents in evidence, and that it will not be necessary to put the individuals on the stand who can testify to the authenticity of those maps."

"That's quite all right," Mason said. "On the strength of counsel's assurance, I will stipulate those documents may go into evidence."

"Now then," Ellington said, "the cabin in which the murder was committed is owned by Morrison Findlay. Some months ago, Mr. Findlay received an offer to rent that cabin for a hundred dollars a month. He rented the cabin and, thereafter, received a hundred dollars on the first of each and every month, so that the rental was paid up in full, in advance. Findlay had acquired the cabin in a real-estate deal some months earlier and had made an inspection trip to the cabin at the time the deal was completed. Aside from that, he had only been at the cabin twice, and, after the lease was made, Mr. Findlay did not go to the cabin at all. Therefore, he can shed no light on the crime except to give us a background as to the ownership of the cabin, the fact that it was leased and that the rental money was paid regularly. I will state further that the cabin was rented by a person giving the name G. C. Challis, that the rental deal was made over the telephone, that Mr. Findlay was busy at the time, that he made no attempt to get in touch with the person renting the cabin,

..·<**

the Mythical Monkeys 131

deemed to have given the testimony contained in your statement, subject to cross-examination by the defense. Now, Mr. Findlay is in court?"

"He is."

"Then let him take the stand for cross-examination," Judge Bagby said.

Morrison Findlay, a middle-aged, sharp-eyed man with bushy eyebrows, took the witness stand and looked expectantly at Ellington.

"Mr. Mason will question you on cross-examination," Ellington said. "We have stipulated as to your testimony on direct examination, Mr. Findlay."

Mason rose to face Findlay.

"In discussing this stipulation with counsel, Mr. Findlay, whenever I referred to the G. C. Challis who had rented a cabin from you, I referred to the individual as being Mr. Challis. On the other hand, I couldn't help but notice that whenever Mr. Ellington had occasion to refer to this individual, he said 'the person renting the cabin' or words to that effect which did not disclose the sex of the individual.

"Therefore, Mr. Findlay, my first question on cross-examination is whether the G. C. Challis who rented the cabin from you was a man or a woman."

Findlay glanced swiftly at Ellington, then said, "It was a woman."

"Did she give you any first name?"

"No, just the initials—G. C. Challis."

"Wasn't that rather an unusual way to rent a cabin?"

"Very unusual, Mr. Mason."

"Why did you do it?"

"Because the cabin was worth, at the outside, perhaps thirty dollars a month. I got the cabin on a trade and it is carried on my books at a nominal valuation. The cabin is on five acres of land, and the land itself may eventually have some value, but the terrain is mountainous, there is

130 The Case of

"We also feel that, at this time, there is no use going into a lot of collateral matters."

"I take it counsel will be willing to stipulate as to the matters outlined by the deputy district attorney," Judge Bagby said.

"I will stipulate that Morrison Findlay is the owner of the cabin if I am assured that such is the case."

"I can assure you such is the case," Ellington said.

"I will further stipulate that it may be deemed that Morrison Findlay was on the stand and testified, on direct examination, to all the facts set forth in the deputy district attorney's statement," Mason said.

A look of quick relief flashed over Ellington's face. "Very well," he said, "that disposes of the ownership of the cabin then, and—"

"Wait a minute," Mason interrupted. "I don't think you were listening very closely, Counselor. I stated that I would stipulate that Findlay could be deemed to have been on die stand and testified to these facts in direct examination. Now then, I have the right of cross-examination. I want to ask Mr. Findlay a few questions on cross-examinatioa"

Ellington frowned. "But we've given you all the infor-mation, and—"

"That's my stipulation," Mason said. "I'm representing a defendant in a murder case. I'm willing to save time on matters which are nonessential, but I'm going to find out whether matters which are seemingly nonessential are in fact nonessential, and I'm going to cross-examine Morrison Findlay, one way or another. Either take my stipulation or go ahead and put him on the stand and show your chain of title and then 111 cross-examine."

"The procedure is rather unusual," Ellington said, "but I have no other alternative except to agree to the terms imposed by counsel."

"Very well," Judge Bagby said. "Mr. Findlay will be

132 The Case of

only a small flat around the cabin, the scrub timber is of no great value except for purposes of ornamentation and holding the soil in place. Under the circumstances, a hundred dollars a month was very, very satisfactory to me."

"And you received the money each month?"

"Yes, sir."

"By check?"

"No, sir."

"Not by check?" Mason asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No, sir. I received it in the form of cash."

"How did you receive it?"

"Each month I received a letter bearing the return address of G. C. Challis. In the letter was invariably one one-hundred-dollar bill and a brief note stating rental of cabin for October, November, December, or whatever the month was."

"The rent was in advance?"

"In advance."

"You received the letters by the first?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you make any attempt to trace this mysterious tenant?"

"Only to the extent of looking up the address that was on the letter."

"And you found what?"

"That the address was that of a secretarial service which rented out office space and furnished a mailing address to persons who wished to receive mail. I gathered that Miss Challis, or Mrs. Challis, whichever she was, did not care to have me know anything about her. In view of the fact that the rental was coming in promptly every month, I made no attempt to get any further information. Frankly, I felt that any attempt to do so would be considered as prying on my part and might very well result in the loss of my tenant."

the Mythical Monkeys 133

"The first remittance contained two hundred dollars?"

"That is right Two one-hundred-dollar bills, with a notation stating that the bills covered the first month's rent, which I believe was the month of September, and the last month's rent."

"Was the last month specified?"

"No, it was just described as the last month."

"Then you rented the cabin in September of last year?"

"No, sir. It was the year before."

Mason's eyebrows raised in surprise. "This has been going on for more than a year, then?"

"Yes, sir."

"How were the notations on these letters made? In feminine handwriting?"

"No, sir, on a typewriter."

"And you saved those letters?"

"Certainly. I endorsed upon each letter as it was received the amount of the cash remittance which was appended to the letter, and made that in the form of a notation."

"Did you ever send any receipts?"

"I did the first two months. I acknowledged receipt of the money and then received a telephone call stating that that wouldn't be at all necessary, that I was a reputable businessman and that my word was good. I was advised that it cost the recipient of the letters twenty-five cents for each letter that was received and forwarded to her and that there was no need of throwing twenty-five cents to the birds, as she expressed it."

"Over the telephone?"

"Yes."

"Did you have any idea whether it was a long-distance call or a local call? In omer words was there any clue as to the location from which this person was talking?"

"None. I have every reason to believe it was a local call

134 The Case of

because there was no announcement of a long-distance call."

"The whole situation was rather mysterious," Mason said. "Did y6u so consider it?"

"I so considered it, Mr. Mason."

"And did nothing to clarify the mystery?"

Findlay smiled, a tight-lipped smile which emphasized the shrewdness of his eyes. "I felt that I was getting perhaps twenty dollars a month for the cabin and eighty dollars a month for minding my own business."

"What gave you that impression?"

"Just the manner in which the deal was handled."

"So you minded your own business?"

"Yes."

"Now, have you brought those typewritten notes that accompanied the rental remittances to court with you?"

"I have."

"Produce them please, and I wish to have them introduced in evidence."

"No objection," Ellington said.

Findlay handed the clerk of the court the documents, fastened with a rubber band.

Mason took advantage of the delay to bend over Paul Drake.

"Paul, get your handwriting expert up here. See if the typewriter is the same one that typed the anonymous letter. Go phone your expert right away. Tell him to step on it."

Mason straightened, turned to the witness.

"Have you," he asked, "ever heard the defendant, Gladys Doyle, talk?"

Findlay hesitated a moment, then said, "Yes."

"The police arranged for you to hear her talk?"

"Yes."

"Was her voice the voice you heard over the telephone?"

the Mythical Monkeys 135

"I don't think so."

"That's all," Mason said. "I have no further questions on cross-examination at this time. I do state to the Court, however, that before the case is concluded I may want to test Findlay's recollection of the voice he heard over the telephone by asking him to listen to other feminine voices."

"You can make him your own witness, if you want to do that," Ellington said. "We would like to have your cross-examination concluded at this time."

"Under the peculiar circumstances of this case," Mason said, "we feel that we are entitled to ask Mr. Findlay on cross-examination to listen to the voices of every female witness who may be called to the stand and determine whether the voice he heard over the telephone was the voice of such witness. I am going to ask Mr. Findlay this question."

Mason turned to the witness. "Will you be willing to remain in court during the hearing in this case- and listen to the voices of the female witnesses? If you hear any voice that impresses you as being the voice of the person with whom you talked over the telephone, will you then advise me7"

"That's objected to as not proper cross-examination," Ellington said.

"It may not be proper cross-examination for the purpose of providing die identity of the voices," Mason said, "but it's proper cross-examination to show bias or interest on the part of this witness, and I'm going to insist that I have the right to do this."

"I'm going to let the witness answer the question the way you have asked it," Judge Bagby said, "because this obviously is a rather peculiar and very interesting situation. As far as the Court can tell at the present time, it may have some very significant bearing on the issues in the case, ana the Court, of course, realizes that in a case

136 The Case of

of this sort the defense is proceeding blind. The prosecution knows generally what its case is and what evidence it has to produce."

"Very well, Your Honor," Ellington said reluctantly, "I will withdraw my objection to the question."

"Are you willing to do that?" Mason asked Findlay.

"I'm willing to do it, if necessary," Findlay said, "although I am a rather busy man and I dislike to spend more time than I have to in the courtroom. Because the question has been raised as to my bias or interest, Mr. Mason, I will state that I think you should know the prosecution had me listen to—"

"Now, just a minute, just a minute," Ellington interrupted, jumping to his feet. "We feel that the witness should be instructed, Your Honor, not to volunteer information but only to answer questions. We move to strike out any rambling dissertation as to conversations which took place with the prosecution, and, incidentally, we object to this part of the witness' answer on the ground that he obviously was on the point of repeating hearsay evi-dence."

Judge Bagby looked at Mason with a twinkle in his eye and said, "The Court will sustain the position of the deputy district attorney, at least at this time, on the grounds that the witness was about to volunteer a statement not called for in a question and that that statement quite obviously related to hearsay evidence."

"Yes, Your Honor," Mason said, smiling faintly. "Let me ask you this specific question, Mr. Findlay. You listened to die defendant's voice to determine if her voice was that of the person giving the name of Challis over the telephone?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you listen to anyone else?"

"Yes, sir."

"To some woman?"

the Mythical Monkeys 137

"Yes, sir."

"Who?"

"To a Mrs. Joseph Manly."

"Anyone else?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"To the voice of Mauvis Meade."

"Anyone else?"

"No. Those were the only voices."

"And did you recognize the voice of any of those persons as being the voice of the person giving the name of G. C. Challis over the telephone?"

Findlay crossed his legs and shifted his position on the witness stand. "I will state this," he said, "that I was unable to make any positive identification of any of the voices."

"But short of a positive identification," Mason said, "did any of the voices sound familiar to you?"

"Well, yes."

"Whose voice?"

"That of Mauvis Meade."

"That sounded like the voice of the woman who called you and gave me name of G. C. Challis?"

"Well, I couldn't be positive. I told the police that I wouldn't identify the voice, but since the question has been asked in the way it was asked, I will state that I ... well, I'll put it this way. I am not sure that it was Mauvis Meade who called me on the telephone and gave the name of G. C. Challis. On the other hand, I am not at all sure that she was not the person."

"Thank you," Mason said. "That's all." The lawyer turned to Ellington and said, "And in view of the circumstances, the defense feels that even in the in-terest of expediting matters, it cannot enter into any further stipulations in regard to testimony." Ellington flushed. "Call Mrs. Manly to the stand."

138 The Case of

Mrs. Manly took the witness stand and was sworn. "You are the widow of Joseph H. Manly?" Ellington

asked. "Yes." "Your husband is dead?"

"Yes."

"When did you last see your husband alive?" "It was, I think, on the fourth of this month." "Did you subsequently see his body?" "I did."

"And when was that?" "That was on the following Tuesday." "At what time?" "In the morning." "Did you identify that body?" "I did."

"What body was it?"

"It was the body of my husband, Joseph H. Manly." "I show you a photograph. Can you identify it?" "It is a photograph of my husband." "We ask this photograph be received in evidence," Ellington said.

"No objection, Your Honor."

"Very well," Judge Bagby ruled, "it may be received in

evidence."

"Cross-examine," Ellington said.

Mrs. Manly turned to face Perry Mason as he arose.

"You told me that your husband was in Tucson?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you know that he was not in Tucson?" "At the time I made that statement to you, Mr. Mason, I was quite positive that my husband was in Tucson,

Arizona."

"You had no reason to believe he was elsewhere?"

"No."

"In view of the fact that you told me he was in Tucson, I

the Mythical Monkeys 139

will ask you if you have subsequently uncovered any in-formation which accounts for the fact that he was not in Tucson but was in a cabin within a short distance of your residence."

"I don't know what in the world he was doing there," she said. "I have absolutely no idea what caused him to go to that cabin."

"No further questions," Mason said.

"Call Dr. Samuel G. Cleveland," Ellington said.

^Dr. Cleveland came forward, qualified himself as an autopsy surgeon in the office of the county coroner, stated that he had performed an autopsy on a body which he identified as that of the body taken from the mountain cabin in Pine Glen and which, he stated, was the same body which had been viewed and identified by Mrs. Manly.

"How did that man meet his death?" Ellington asked.

"He met his death by a gunshot."

"What kind of a gun, if you know?"

"A .22-caliber high-velocity bullet of the type known as a .22 long-rifle."

"Where was the wound, Doctor?"

"He was hit in the left temple. The bullet ranged slightly upward. There was some considerable hemorrhage, and, in my opinion, death was virtually instantaneous. The man was unconscious from the moment the bullet hit him and died within, I would say, a matter of ... well, probably a matter of seconds."

"Now then, did you make any test to determine the time of death?" "I did, yes."

"What was the time of death?"

"The man died within one hour of the time he ingested a meal consisting of meat which was a beef of some sort, probably a steak, and French fried potatoes. There was a sauce, probably catchup, that he had put on the meat.

140 The Case of

"I place death within not more than one hour and not less than forty-five minutes of the time such meal was ingested."

"You, of course, don't know of your own knowledge what time the meal was ingested?"

"No, sir, I only know that death occurred within those

time limits."

"What have you to say with reference to temperature of the body and rigor mortisV

"We took body temperature. Rigor mortis had begun to develop. However, as far as time of death is concerned, these were far less satisfactory means of proving the time of death. The period of time from the ingestion of the food in question is the most accurate means we were able to discover in this particular case as fixing the time of death. In view of the fact that it is, I believe, known when the food was taken—"

"Never mind volunteering any information, Doctor," Ellington said. "I am simply asking you what you learned as to the time of death."

"Yes, sir. It was within a period of forty-five minutes to an hour after the meal was ingested. The processes of digestion are such that, with a meal of that sort, we are able to make a very accurate determination as to the relative time of death."

"Cross-examine," Ellington said to Perry Mason.

Mason arose to cross-examine the doctor. "Doctor," he said, "do you have, perhaps, in the back of your mind an idea or an opinion as to the exact time of death?"

"Well ... yes, I do."

"What time is that?"

"Now, just a moment," Ellington said. "I object to that, if the Court please. The question has already been asked and answered by the doctor. He has placed the; time within forty-five minutes or an hour of the time the'

I

the Mythical Monkeys 141

last meal was ingested, and he certainly can't place it any closer than that."

Mason said, "I object, if the Court please, to the deputy district attorney rushing to the assistance of the witness and calling his attention to the way the prosecution would like to have the question answered."

"I'm not rushing to his assistance," Ellington shouted. Mason grinned. "Then why didn't you let the doctor answer the question in his own way?"

Judge Bagby said, "Gentlemen, let's abstain from personalities. Dr. Cleveland, can you answer that question?" "Yes, sir." "Answer it then."

"I think the decedent met his death at a period of from forty-five minutes to an hour after he ingested the last meal," the witness answered.

"Now then, Doctor," Mason said, smiling and urbane, "do you also have in mind right now some opinion as to the exact hour of the day that the decedent met his death?"

"Well, of course, I don't have any evidence—that is, any evidence that could be presented in a court of law that would enable me to answer the question."

"I'm not asking you about where the evidence came from or anything," Mason said. "I'm simply asking you if in your own mind, at the present time, you have an idea or an opinion as to the hour of the day at which the decedent met his death."

"That's objected to as not proper cross-examination," Ellington said.

"Overruled," Judge Bagby said.

"It's further objected to in that it calls for evidence as to the state of mind of the witness, which is something with which we are not concerned. It calls for a conclusion, and quite obviously, the way the question is framed, that conclusion can be based upon hearsay evidence."

...«*-*"

142 The Case of

"This is cross-examination, Your Honor," Mason said. "I have the right to probe the mind of the witness. He has given an opinion. I have the right to ask him what is his foundation for that opinion and whether or not he has an idea at the present time as to the exact hour the deceased

met his death."

"I think that's correct," Judge Bagby said. "I think you have a right to ask that question in that way. The objection is overruled."

"Well," Dr. Cleveland said, hesitating. "I ... I think that ... well, probably around three o'clock in the morning."

"You found evidence indicating that the decedent

could well have met his death at about that hour?"

"Yes."

"And no evidence to contradict that?"

"No."

"Thank you," Mason said. "That's all, Doctor." "My next witness," Ellington said, "is Dorothy Selma." The young woman who came hip-swaying to the witness stand had large, limpid eyes, curves of which she was only too conscious, and a completely innocuous countenance, as though her face were disclaiming all responsibility for the spectacle of her body.

She took the oath, seated herself on the witness stand, and regarded Ellington with wide, innocent eyes.

"Your name is Dorothy Selma," Ellington said. "What's your occupation?"

"I work in an all-night luncheon service." "A drive-in?" "That's right."

"You're what is known as a car hop?" "If you wish to call it that."

"I show you a photograph which has previously been identified as a photograph of Joseph H. Manly. I ask you if you have seen that individual before."

i

the Mythical Monkeys 143

"I have."

"Where?"

"Early in the morning of the ninth—that is, it was early on a Monday morning at a little before two o'clock —oh, say around twenty minutes before two. He drove in to the place where I work."

"And what happened then?"

"I served him."

"Did he order?"

"He did."

"What did he order, Miss Selma?"

"We have a special at that hour in the morning, a beefsteak sandwich with French fried potatoes. There's a barbecue sauce, a heavily spiced tomato sauce which is included if the customer wants it"

"Did he order that?"

"Yes, sir."

"You served him?"

"Yes, sir."

"And then what?"

"He paid his bill, left a tip and drove away."

"Do you know what kind of car he was driving?"

"I do."

"What kind was it?"

"A jeep station wagon with a four-wheel drive."

"And you are positive that the man indicated in this photograph is the man on whom you waited?"

"Yes, sir."

"How do you know?"

"Well, I know him."

"You mean that he was a regular customer?"

"That's right."

"How many times had you seen him before, Miss Selma?"

"Heavens, I don't know. He'd drive in there—well, sometimes he'd drive in two or three nights running and

144 The Case of

then we wouldn't see him for a week or ten days, and then he'd come in again."

"Did you know him well enough to speak to?"

She laughed and said, 'Heavens, I don't have to know them well in order to speak to them. We ... well, we sort of kid them along. It pays ... in tips, I mean."

"Did you know his name?"

"We called him Joe. That was the only name we had. We girls have our first name on a badge on our blouse right ... right here."

She turned to face the judge, pulled the blouse tight over her left breast and indicated with her forefinger die place where the badge went

"I see," Judge Bagby said, with a slight smile.

Dorothy held the pose for a moment, then turned with a quick smile to Ellington. "Is that all?" she asked.

"Did you ever talk with the person shown in the pho-tograph about what he did? About what his occupation was?"

"No, sir, I didn't. We used to kid along a little bit. He'd ... well, you know. He'd hand me a line and I'd come right back at him, and ... well, we always try to be cheerful."

"What are your hours?"

"I go on at twelve o'clock midnight and go off duty at eight in the morning."

"Do you ever rotate shifts?"

"Only if we want to. I like that shift. The work isn't as heavy. Of course, you don't get as many tips but every once in a while a lush comes along and if you kid him along in the right way he'll really decorate the mahogany."

"Thank you," Ellington said. "I'm working on a salary myself. I think perhaps Mr. Mason would be more interested in the mechanics of getting gratuitous remuneration from clients . .. You may inquire, Mr. Mason."

the Mythical Monkeys 145

"Thank you," Mason said, smiling. "I'm quite certain the information will come in handy."

Mason turned to the witness. "Did you ever know his last name, Miss Selma?"

"Whose?"

"The man whose photograph you were shown. The man whom you called Joe."

"I never knew it."

"Did you ever notice anything peculiar about the auto-mobile? Is there anything that would enable you to recognize it again, the—"

"Heavens, yes!" she said. "I know that the first three letters of the license were NFE. I know it was a jeep station wagon with a four-wheeled drive. It was kind of a gun-metal gray, and diere was a litde nick on the front left fender. I remember that."

"Do you know what model it was?"

"No, I don't," she said. "It ... well, now wait a minute, I do, too. I think it had a six-cylinder motor and I think Joe told me that it was the first model that had come out with the six-cylinder motor."

"You remember the first three letters of the license number but none of the figures?"

"That's right," she said. "We have to write down the license number of the automobile on our orders when we take them. Then, in case anyone should drive away, we've got some kind of a hold on them—sometimes at that hour of the night people are a little bit happy and don't ... well, they don't stay put, so on my shift at least we write down the license number.

"He saw me writing down the license number once and seemed to become terribly suspicious. He wanted to know what I was doing, so I told him that we were just keeping our records straight and keeping track of the orders, and I joked a little about the first three letters. He had said something about ... oh, I don't know, about taking me

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146 The Case of

out some night when he wasn't so busy and I wasn't working, and T kidded him about it the way we always do. You know, a girl gets lots of propositions like that and you sort of roll with the punch and keep the guy feeling good. I told him, 'Sure,' and he said, 'No fooling, eh?' Then, when he saw me writing down the numbers of the license number, I said, 'Oh, I was just making an abbreviation. Your license is NFE, and that stands for No Fooling Eh?' I got by with it for a minute but then he saw the figures and knew I'd copied his license number. Then I really had to explain.

"After that when he'd drive up he'd say, 'Well, you'd better write it down. No fooling, eh?' and we'd laugh."

"Then it was always the same car?"

"Every time I waited on him he had the same car, this jeep with the six-cylinder motor and the four-wheel drive."

"Now, are you positive about the time on this Sunday night? Let's see, it was actually Monday morning. It was past midnight."

"I'm positive. I can't tell you the exact minute, but I can tell you it was very shortly before two o'clock. He drove away just a few minutes before two, perhaps four or five minutes before."

"And how do you know?" Mason asked.

'There is an entertainer who works every night and he comes in for coffee and a sandwich when he gets off work. He gets off work at two o'clock. His place is just a couple of blocks down the street and you can count on him every night, regular as clockwork, at about five minutes past two. I remember that he drove in just after Joe had driven out."

"Thank you," Mason said, "that's all."

"If the Court please," Ellington said, "in the case of the next witness I am going to call, I would like to point out to the Court that this witness will be called for a very

the Mythical Monkeys 147

specific and limited purpose. I feel that counsel would like very much to go on a fishing expedition as there are other matters within the knowledge of this witness which I don't consider directly pertinent to the case, at least at this time, but counsel for the defense would doubtless like to turn her inside out

"I am, therefore, going to be very careful to restrict my examination in chief. I am going to ask the Court to take particular note of the questions I ask and the limited field which I open up because I intend to object if there is any attempt to go on a general fishing expedition with this witness by way of cross-examination."

"Why doesn't counsel wait until I start fishing before he tries to put up the no-trespassing signs?" Mason asked, smiling.

Judge Bagby smiled. "I think that might be the better procedure, Mr. Prosecutor. However, the Court is duly placed on notice as to your intention. Call your witness."

"I am calling Mauvis Niles Meade," Ellington said.

The courtroom door opened and Mauvis Meade, ac-companied by Dukes Lawton, entered the courtroom.

Lawton cupped his big hand underneath her elbow, walked up the aisle with her and opened the gate.

Ellington regarded Mauvis Meade with approval, then frowned slightly as he saw Dukes Lawton starting to follow her into the enclosure.

"Wait right there, Mr. Lawton. Take one of those seats," Ellington said. "Only witnesses and counsel are allowed behind the bar. Just sit right there."

Lawton glanced at Judge Bagby, then dropped down into a vacant seat in the front row, seating himself right on the edge of the seat, poised for swift action.

"Your name is Mauvis Niles Meade. You are a novelist and you are die authoress who wrote the current best seller Chop the Man Down?"

"I am," she answered in an all but inaudible voice.

148 The Case of

"You are acquainted with die defendant?"

"Yes."

"Did she work for you?"

"Yes."

"In what capacity?"

"As secretary."

"I direct your attention specifically to Friday, the sixth of this month. Do you remember that date?"

"Yes."

"Now, I am going to ask you, Miss Meade, to limit your answers to die questions I ask. Did you have a conversation with the defendant on that day in regard to her duties over die weekend?"

"I did."

"Did you furnish her with a car?"

"I did."

"Did you give her certain specific duties, that is, a certain specific assignment?"

"Yes."

"What was it?"

"She was to go to Summit Inn and meet a writer there, a man whose name is Edgar Carlisle. I understood that—"

"Now, never mind what you understood," Ellington interrupted, "unless it was something that you told the defendant at that time."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you," she said. "I told her that he was in the publicity department of American Film Producers Studios—I thought he was."

"Now, I want to limit this part of the examination," Ellington said. "Did you have a discussion with her about when she was to come back to the apartment, and how she was to come back?"

"Yes."

"Kindly tell the Court just what you told her at that time."

the Mythical Monkeys 149

"I told her to leave Summit Inn on the main highway gave her directions."

"Can you give us the directions that you gave her?"

"Yes, sir." "What were they?"

"I told her to leave Summit Inn on the main highway and to go into die main part of town. Two blocks past the post office she was to turn right. Then after five blocks she was to turn left. This is a narrow road but it is a surfaced road that goes for about a mile on a fairly easy grade, then turns sharply and starts winding down the mountain.

"I told the defendant to set her speedometer at zero at the post office, that at nine and seven-tenths miles she would come to a fork in the road and she was to take the right-hand turn. At fifteen and three-tenths miles she would come to another fork in the road and again she was to take me right-hand turn. After mat, I gave her directions about following the road to die main highway, crossing the main highway and traveling a rather narrow road uirough die orange groves for diree miles until she came to die freeway to Los Angeles."

"The defendant made notes?"

"She did. Yes, sir."

"I am going to show you what appears to be a page from a shorthand notebook with some writing and some shorthand annotations. I will ask you if you are familiar witii die handwriting of the defendant."

"I am. Yes, sir."

"Do you recognize mis handwriting?"

"It is die defendant's handwriting."

"There are words here—'Received, diree hundred dollars.' What does that mean?"

"I gave her diree hundred dollars to apply on an expense account."

"Over die weekend?"

150 The Case of

"Yes. Of course, she was to credit me with anything that was left over."

"Are you familiar with the defendant's shorthand?"

"I am, yes."

"Can you read these shorthand notes?"

"Not well enough to testify to each word, but well enough to testify that they are the directions I gave her for coming down the mountain and that they are in her handwriting."

"Now, do you know where this page which I hold in my hand was found?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"In a wastebasket in the room in my penthouse which was assigned to the defendant."

"You took this out of the wastebasket?"

"Yes."

"And what did you do with it?"

"I gave it to a police officer."

"What officer?"

"Lieutenant Tragg of Homicide."

"That's all," Ellington said. "You may cross-examine."

Mason said, "What else did you talk about when you were discussing this weekend trip with the defendant, Miss Meade?"

"Just a moment," Ellington said, "if the Court please, I feel that cross-examination should be restricted to the specific ground I have covered."

Mason smiled. "It is an axiomatic rule of law that when testimony is adduced concerning a part of a conversation, the cross-examiner can call for all of the conversation if he wishes."

"Only, if the Court please, for so much of the conversation as is pertinent to the issues," Ellington said. "I am familiar with the rule and the code section, but I insist that it must have a reasonable interpretation."

the Mythical Monkeys 151

"111 lay a little more foundation," Mason said. "Horn long did this conversation last, Miss Meade?" "Oh, perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes." "And you discussed her duties with her?" "Yes."

"And the trip she was to make?" "Yes."

"And the trip down the mountain?" "Yes."

"And what else?"

"I ... I think that's all. I remember I told her that I had reason to believe this Edgar Carlisle was something of a wolf and she was to take reasonable precautions. I jlso told her something about the clothes she was to take add told her what car to take up there." "And that was the entire conversation?" "That's all I can remember at the present time." Mason said, "You told her how to come down the mountain." "Yes."

"Now, when you gave her those directions, did you give them from memory?"

"Yes."

"I would like to refresh your recollection a little, Miss Meade, without appearing to be unduly insistent, but isn't it a fact that you had a map which you kept in your desk and that you used this map in giving Miss Doyle the di-rections as to how to come down the mountain?"

"I may have."

"Where is that map now?"

"Heavens," she said, "I don't know. I ... I just can't remember. I think perhaps I gave it to Lieutenant Tragg —No, I guess— Frankly, I think that was a duplicate map that I gave to Lieutenant Tragg. I had two maps."

152 The Case of

"The map you used in giving Miss Doyle directions and one other?"

"Yes."

"Both covering the same thing?"

"Generally."

"You had those two maps in your possession on Friday, the sixth of this month, when you gave Gladys Doyle the directions for coming down the mountain?"

"Well, now ... wait a minute. I'm not prepared to state that, Mr. Mason."

"Oh, Your Honor, I object to this as incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial, not proper cross-examination and already having been asked and answered," Ellington

said irritably.

"Are you making any particular point about this map or these maps, Mr. Mason?" Judge Bagby asked. "Is there anything about them which you feel the Court should know about?"

"I think there is, Your Honor."

"Well, I'll overrule the objection on the strength of your assurance, Mr. Mason. I assume that it is a matter of importance, and, inasmuch as it relates to the conversation and the manner in which the directions were given to the defendant, I'm going to permit the question."

"If the Court please," Ellington said, "I'd like to be heard on that. That map is going to become a controversial point in the case, and once we open the door we're going to go far afield. Counsel will attempt to impeach the witness on a collateral matter, which, as far as we're concerned, has no great bearing on the case."

"Well, I'll permit the question, at least I'll go that far,"

Judge Bagby said.

Mason turned to the witness. "Did you have both maps

at that time?"

"I think ... I think I had the second map later." "The map which you gave Lieutenant Tragg?"

the Mythical Monkeys 153

"Yes."

"Does the prosecution have that map?" Mason asked, turning to Ellington.

"The prosecution has the map," Ellington said stiffly.

"May I see it, please?"

"You may not," Ellington said. "The map has no bearing whatever upon the issues involved in this case. It is purely a collateral document, it is one which the witness did not have in her possession at the time this conversation took place, it is one which came into her possession later on."

"It's in her handwriting, isn't it?" Mason asked. "Don't examine me," Ellington said testily. "If you .want to call me as a witness, wait until I've submitted my esse, then you can call me as your witness and I'll answer what questions I see fit."

Judge Bagby frowned. "Counsel will please refrain from personalities," he said. "Is there some reason, Mr. Prosecutor, why this map should not be produced?"

"There is, Your Honor. Very frankly, this map is one that counsel would like to use as a springboard for a brow-beating cross-examination of this witness. He would like to try to confuse her and confuse the issues with this map. We object to it.

"The evidence will show—in fact, I am prepared to show by this witness—that this map was actually not in existence at the time that this conversation took place." "Not even in existence?" Judge Bagby asked. "It was not in existence," Ellington said. "The witness may have drawn this map especially for Lieutenant Tragg when she couldn't find the original map. I will state to the Court that during the absence of this witness someone had searched her penthouse apartment and had pulled out drawers, had taken clothes out of closets and left the place looking generally like a wreck. "Lieutenant Tragg asked about this map because Perry

154 The Case of

Mason was there and Perry Mason was anxious to see the map. I won't say what happened, but it is quite possible that the witness, unable to produce the map she had it that time, drew another map which illustrated the point in which Mr. Mason and Lieutenant Tragg were interested and gave Tragg that map, simply stating that it was a map showing the road in question. I certainly see nothing wrong with that, but I realize that it is a straw at which counsel is going to clutch with savage ferocity if he can once get that into evidence." Judge Bagby pursed his lips. "May I be heard?" Mason asked. The judge nodded.

*T am very much interested in the question of whether the map which was in the possession of this witness showed the cabin and the location of the cabin and the road leading to the cabin where the murder was committed."

"It has absolutely nothing to do with the case," Ellington said. "You are simply trying to confuse the witness in regard to that map, where it is and what happened to it and how she happened to make another map in her

handwriting."

"And I think Tm entitled to cross-examine her on

it," Mason said.

"It has nothing to do with the case," Ellington

snapped.

"She used that map as a memo when she directed the defendant as to the road she was to follow."

"Not that map," Ellington said. "If you want to cross-examine her about the location of the map that she used at that time, I have no objection. But if you want to try to confuse this witness and impeach her and question her veracity in regard to a conversation which took place subsequently between her and Lieutenant Tragg, or if you want to cross-examine her about a map which wasn't in

the Mythical Monkeys 155

existence at that time, I do object. If you want to cross-examine her about any map, specify that it is the map that she used at that time, and I will have no objection."

"Thank you," Mason said. "Under mose circumstances, Your Honor, I withdraw my previous question. I will ask the witness this question. You had a map at that time, Miss Meade?"

"Yes.".

"Where is that map now?"

"I don't know."

"Do you remember the contents of the map?"

"Vaguely."

"What did it show?"

"It showed the road down the mountain, from Summit Inn on down." "And where is that map now?" "I tell you, I don't know. It disappeared" "It was not in your apartment?" "It was not in my apartment" "Would you know mat map if you saw it again?" "Certainly."

"That map was in your handwriting?" She hesitated a moment, then said, "Yes." "And how did you happen to draw that map?" "Someone told me about this short cut down the mountain."

"Had you ever followed this short cut?" "I had. I'd taken it on several occasions." "And had you ever made the turn at that fork so that you drove past the cabin—the fork which is fifteen and three-tenths miles?"

"I ... I may have. I have been up and down that mountain a great number of times, Mr. Mason." "And have you ever stopped in at that cabin?" "Now mere, Your Honor," Ellington said, "is an illustration of the point I was making. I was very careful to

156 The Case of

say nothing about that cabin or about that road. I limited my questions of this witness to one conversation. The question of whedier she ever saw the cabin is not proper

cross-examination."

"I think I'll sustain that objection," Judge Bagby said. "But you would know that map if you saw it again?" Mason asked. "The one that you had in your hand when you gave the defendant directions how to get down the mountain." "Yes."

Mason moved casually over toward the witness. "You had had that map in your possession for some time?" "It was in my desk."

"Do you remember anything about that map? Was there a sketch on one side of the map?"

The witness frowned, then shook her head and said, "I can't remember."

"Perhaps I can refresh your recollection," Mason said, drawing from his inside coat pocket the map he had received in the mail and placing it on the rail in front of the witness. "I will ask you, Miss Meade, if this is your handwriting."

Mauvis Meade looked at the map Mason was holding

and went white to the lips.

Ellington, seeing the expression on her face, jumped to his feet and started hurrying to the witness stand.

Mason folded the map, put it backtin his pocket "Is that your handwriting?" he asked.

"If the Court please," Ellington said, "I am entitled to see the document that counsel has produced and with which he is facing the witness. I want to know what's on

it"

Judge Bagby nodded.

"I have no intention at the present time of introducing it in evidence," Mason said. "I was simply asking her to identify her handwriting."

the Mythical Monkeys 157

Judge Bagby looked at the face of the witness, which despite her attempt to control her expression, showed complete consternation.

"I think counsel is entitled to see any document that you show to the witness and on which you are basing your question," he said.

"Very well," Mason said, smiling urbanely, "I with-draw die question then." "I still want to see the document." "But the question is wididrawn," Mason said. "I will not ask any more questions on that subject."

He moved back, away from the witness, over to the defense counsel table and sat down.

"But he has asked her a question about it and I want to see it," Ellington said.

Mason smiled at the Court. "Who's going on a fishing expedition now?" he asked.

Judge Bagby's eyes twinkled. "I think that in view of the fact the question has been withdrawn, Mr. Prosecutor, there is now no necessity for exhibiting die document to either Court or counsel." Ellington took the ruling with poor grace. Mason turned back to the witness. "Are you acquainted with Morrison Findlay who previously testified and who appears to be the owner of the cabin where the murder was committed, Miss Meade?"

"I don't think I have ever seen him," she said, slowly shaking her head.

"Have you ever talked with him over the telephone?" "Now, just a moment, just a moment," Ellington said, jumping to his feet. "Here again, Your Honor, we come to a point where I must insist upon the rights of the witness and the rights of the prosecution. We did not ask her anything at all about whether she had talked with Morrison Findlay over the telephone. We asked her only about one conversation with the defendant. This is not proper

158 The Case of

cross-examination, it assumes a fact not in evidence, it is incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial."

Judge Bagby regarded Mason with a thoughtful frown. "On the face of it, the objection is well taken," he said. "But, of course, under the circumstances and in view of the testimony which has been given, the situation might be a little ... well, of course, the Court can see where this might very well go to die bias of the witness, and I believe counsel has a right to cross-examine a witness in regard to bias."

"He can ask her about her bias," Ellington said, "but he can't go rambling all around the lot, dragging in all sorts of telephone conversations the witness may have had ( in order to show that bias. He's got to have some specific objective in mind."

"I have some specific objective in mind," Mason inter- I posed.

Ellington ignored the interruption, went on smoothly as though it had been in his mind all of the time to finish his statement in that manner. "And specifically what he has in mind has to be communicated to the Court so that the Court can then determine whether it does actually give ground for bias within the meaning of the law. Counsel simply can't ask this witness all kinds of questions about her early childhood, her correspondence, the people she talked with over the telephone, and all of the hundred thousand other things that he might think up simply on the chance that some answer that the witness might give would show a possible bias or show something that coun-sel could use as a peg on which to hang an argument tiiat the witness was biased."

Judge Bagby drummed with the tips of his fingers on j the desk in front of him. "I can recognize the importance of diis point to the defense," he said, "and I also realize, of course, that this is a preliminary hearing and that under the law, the prosecution has the right to control the

the Mythical Monkeys 159

amount of proof it puts on. It does not have to put on its entire case. It is obligated only to put on enough evidence to show that a crime has been committed and there is reasonable cause to believe the defendant is connected with that crime.

"The Court itself admits mat it would like very much to know a little more about this situation. It might make quite a difference. However, in view of the fact mat the prosecution has announced its desire to limit the examination of this witness, and has been very careful in so doing, die Court is going to sustain the objection to die question in mis form. At least at Uiis time, Mr. Mason."

"Thank you," Mason said. "Now, Miss Meade, I am going to ask you directiy whether you are the person who rented this cabin from Morrison Findlay."

"Objected to as not proper cross-examination, incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial," Ellington said.

Judge Bagby ran his left hand over his head, then down the angle of his jaw and rubbed his cheek tiioughtfully with the tips of his fingers, then said, Tm going to permit counsel to examine die witness as to possible bias, Mr. Prosecutor."

Mauvis Meade said, "I have no bias, I have no ani-mosity against Gladys Doyle. If I knew anything mat would help her, I'd be glad to say so. I can tell you uiat I'm triyng to protect her in every way that I can. Now, does mat answer die question about my bias?"

"The specific question," Judge Bagby said, "was about whedier she rented mat particular cabin shown on me maps introduced in evidence, the cabin where me murder was committed."

"But mat's only for die purpose of showing bias," Ellington said desperately. "The witness has answered die question about her bias."

Mason said, "Do you understand die question, Miss Meade?"

160 The Case of

"I'm not sure."

"The question is whether or not you were the person who leased that cabin over the telephone from Morrison Findlay."

"Now, right here, Your Honor," Ellington said, "we are going far afield. This is a fishing expedition, pure and simple. I object to having extraneous matters brought in here,, and I object to having this case unduly prolonged by going into all these matters and having us wait here while counsel fishes for information."

Judge Bagby said, "The distinction is very close. It's something of a hairline distinction, but I am going to sustain the objection to that question, Mr. Mason. The general knowledge, if any, of this witness is not something the Court is prepared to let you go into on crow-examination, particularly when the prosecution so carefully limited the direct examination of this witness."

"Very well," Mason said. "That's all. I have no further questions."

Judge Bagby looked at Mason with thoughtful consideration. "Do you wish the document which you showed the witness marked for identification, Mr. Mason? If you do, it will be necessary to show it to the prosecutor. Unless it is marked for identification there is no way at any subsequent time that the document can be identified as being the one which was shown the witness."

"The question was withdrawn," Mason said.

"And you don't wish the document marked for identification?"

"No, Your Honor."

"Very well. Call your next witness," Judge Bagby said to Ellington.

"The prosecution will call Lieutenant Tragg," Ellington said.

Lieutenant Tragg came forward, stood shrewd-eyed and

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unsmiling while the oath was administered, then took the witness stand.

"You are acquainted with the defendant, Lieutenant?"

"I am."

"Did you hear her make any statement, or were you present at a time when a statement was made, concerning the events of the night of the eighth of this month and the early morning hours of the ninth?"

"I was."

"The defendant did make such a statement?"

"She did.

"You were present?"

"I was."

"What will you state to the Court with reference to any inducements, threats or promises which were made at that time?"

"There were no threats, no promises, no inducements, no abuse," Tragg said.

'To the best of your knowledge, was the statement free and voluntary?"

"To the best of my knowledge, it was a free and voluntary statement."

"What was it?" Ellington asked.

Judge Bagby frowned. "Are you going to show the other persons present, Mr. Ellington? The general cir-cumstances?"

Ellington shook his head. "If Mr. Mason wants to object on the ground that no proper foundation has been laid, he can go into the subject on voir dire."

"Is there any objection from the defense?" Judge Bagby asked.

Mason said, "No, Your Honor, not in view of the statement made by Lieutenant Tragg."

Judge Bagby frowned at Mason as though trying to see beneath the surface and put together the defense strategy. Then he gave an almost imperceptible shrug and said,

162 The Case of

"Very well. Lieutenant, answer the question. What did she say?"

Lieutenant Tragg said, "She made a statement that she was following directions down the mountain, that she came to this fork in the road fifteen and three-tenths miles from where she had set her speedometer, that she thought she had been told to turn left at the fork and she took the left-hand turn, that it was a wild, stormy night, that she came down the mountain and found herself bogged down in a mudhole. She had to leave her car in this mudhole. She said she started walking down die road in the dark, groping her way, that she had gone only a few yards when she saw a light, that she went to the light, that it turned out to be a light in this cabin, that she found a man mere whom she described as being very tall with dark, wavy hair and very penetrating steel-gray eyes but whose name she doesn't know other wan he told her she could call him John, that the man was rather curt with her, that she tried to get him to help her get her car free, that he refused to do so, stating that he had had pneumonia, that he didn't intend to go out and get wet, that thereafter the defendant went to bed and slept soundly, although she thinks she heard the sound of an automobile, that when she awoke in the morning she went out into the main room, mat the oil stove had been turned off, die room was cold, the house seemed deserted. She said she opened die door of die odier bedroom and found a body on die floor, mat she knelt down and felt for a pulse, mat she men noticed a .22 rifle on the floor by the open bedroom window, mat she picked up the rifle, thinking for a moment mat perhaps she might need a weapon, mat she decided against mis and dropped the rifle, mat she ran from the house in blind panic, mat she ran up the road, mat when she came to mis mudhole she found mat her car had been extricated from the mudhole, bad been turned around and was pointing up the grade,

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mat she jumped in me car and drove to the city. She stated mat she went to die penthouse where she lived and found mat Miss Meade, whom she wished to see, was absent, mat the place had been thoroughly ransacked, mat in very much of a panic and without changing her domes, she went at once to the office of Perry Mason, that Mr. Mason arranged to have her borrow some domes from Della Street, his secretary, and that Mr. Mason notified me police of me murder."

"Did you find her co-operative?" Ellington asked "Was mis statement made for the purpose of facilitating your investigation?"

"She was not co-operative and me statement was not made for me purpose of facilitating our investigation but for me purpose of trying to explain away certain facts after we had discovered those facts and asked her for an explanation."

"What facts?"

"Well, for one, her domes. We discovered that the clothes she was wearing had the cleaning mark that was issued by the Excelsior Cleaning and Dyeing Company to Miss Della Street Therefore, we surmised what had happened, got a search warrant for Miss Street's apartment, found domes there which the defendant admitted were hers. Thereafter we asked questions and finally received tiiis statement"

"All at one time or piecemeal?"

"We had to drag it out of her a bit at a time, then af-terward she tried to put it all together for us in a con-secutive narrative."

"You say you found domes belonging to me defendant at Miss Street's apartment?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did die defendant make any statement with reference to the ownership of those clothes?"

"She admitted they were hers."

164 The Case of

"Did you notice anything significant about those clothes?"

"They were processed in die laboratory."

"Were you present at the time?"

"I was."

"What did you yourself notice, Lieutenant, not what anyone else at the crime laboratory may have noticed?"

"There was a rather large blood spot on die hem of the skirt, there was a blood spot near die bottom of die left sleeve. There was anodier spot of blood on die slip."

"These bloodstains were typed by die laboratory?"

"I believe so."

"You yourself were not present when mat was done?"

"No, sir."

"Did you examine the .22 rifle which was found in die cabin for fingerprints?"

"I did."

"And where was that done, if you know, Lieutenant?"

"It was processed at die police laboratory."

"Were you present?"

"I was."

"Were diere any latent fingerprints on that rifle?"

"There were several. Only one, however, was suffi-cienfly clear so that it could be identified."

"Did you work on that fingerprint yourself on the identification?"

"I worked on it myself and I worked witii die fingerprint expert while he was developing, photographing and identifying die print."

"And did you check die work of tiiis fingerprint expert?"

"I did."

"Do you know of your own knowledge whose fingerprint that was?"

"I do."

"Whose hand made that fingerprint, Lieutenant?"

the Mythical Monkeys 165

"The right forefinger of the defendant, Gladys Doyle, left that fingerprint on die gun," Tragg said.

"Did you make any attempt to check her story as to anodier person being in die cabin?"

"I made what check I could."

"Did you find anytiiing that would tend to disprove that story of hers?"

"That question calls for a conclusion of the witness, if die Court please," Mason said.

"I'll wididraw die question," Ellington said. "Did you find anydiing that would substantiate that story?"

"Nodiing," Tragg said.

Ellington bowed. "I think, under die circumstances and in view of counsel's objection, I will leave it to Mr. Mason to elicit exacdy what Lieutenant Tragg means by die last answer. Your witness, Mr. Mason. You may cross-examine."

Mason smiled urbanely. "No questions."

"That's all, Lieutenant Tragg," Judge Bagby said. "Call your next witness, Mr. Ellington."

"There are no more witnesses as far as die prosecution is concerned," Ellington said. "That's our case. We have made a prima facie case and we ask die Court to bind die defendant over on die ground that a murder was committed and diere is reasonable cause to believe die defendant was connected with that crime."

Mason jumped to his feet. "On behalf of die defense, I ask die Court to dismiss the case against die defendant on the ground that there is no proof connecting her witii any crime."

Judge Bagby shook his head.

"I would like to argue die motion," Mason said, with an eye on die courtroom clock.

"There's no need for argument," Judge Bagby said. "The prosecution has proven a murder. It has proven that the defendant was in the cabin where the murder was

166 The Case of

committed at the time it was committed, and that the de-fendant's fingerprints were on the murder weapon, that there was blood on her clothing, that she consulted an at-torney before making any attempt to notify the authorities.

"The Court will admit that by the time the case reaches the superior court the prosecution will doubtless want to put on more evidence, indicating motivation perhaps, and perhaps more statements made by the defendant However, for the purposes of a preliminary examination, it certainly seems mat there is sufficient evidence, if mat evidence is unexplained, to bind the defendant over. Now, if the defense wishes to make any showing, the defense of course has the right to put on witnesses and to make any showing that it desires."

Mason said, "It is nearly twelve, Your Honor. If we could take a recess for lunch at this time, I—"

"I think not," Judge Bagby interrupted. "There is a very great backlog of criminal cases, and I want to expedite matters as much as possible. Let me ask you frankly whether the defense intends to make any showing."

"The defense does," Mason said.

"Then go ahead and call your first witness."

"I'll call Lieutenant Tragg as my witness," Mason said.

"Very well. Come forward, Lieutenant Tragg. You're a witness called by the defense," Judge Bagby said.

Ellington showed surprise. He exchanged a swift glance with Lieutenant Tragg, then Tragg, his face a perfectly expressionless mask, came forward.

"You've already been sworn," Judge Bagby said. "You don't need to be sworn again. Proceed with your exami-nation, Mr. Mason."

"You were up at this cabin on Monday after the rain had ceased?"

"Yes, sir."

the Mythical Monkeys 167

"Did you, at that time, have the story told by the de-fendant?"

"Not at that time. That came later."

"But during the same day?"

"Yes."

"Did you check automobile tracks in the vicinity of die cabin?"

"I did what I could."

"I notice that you were not asked about those tracks on direct examination," Mason said. "Therefore, I am going to ask you to describe those tracks at the present time."

"If the Court please," Ellington interrupted, "this is in-competent, irrelevant and immaterial. It is quite apparent that counsel is simply fighting against the clock. He is asking Lieutenant Tragg to describe these tracks because, by so doing, he can stall his case along until the noon adjournment. If die defendant wants to make any showing, the proper procedure is to call the defendant to die stand, have her story and then, after that story is before die Court, try to establish any facts which may substantiate it"

"That may be your idea of the proper procedure," Judge Bagby said, "but I know of no rule of law which determines the order in which a defendant should put on his case. The defense counsel is now asking for certain automobile tracks in the vicinity of the cabin, and the Court will confess that that is a matter which occurred to the Court. The Court wondered why this witness was not asked about tracks. The Court is very interested in hearing the testimony of this witness. The objection is overruled. Answer the question, Lieutenant."

"Well," Lieutenant Tragg said, "there were just so many tracks around the place that it was impossible to keep them all segregated. Cars had been up and down that road and left tracks. Cars had turned around and there were jeep tracks and automobile tracks, and you

168 The Case of

just couldn't keep them all straight We tried to, but it couldn't be done."

Judge Bagby leaned forward with quick interest. "All of this traffic was after the ground had been softened by the rain?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Could you determine how fresh those tracks were?"

"They had been made after the ground became soft."

"Were there tracks indicating a car had been stuck in that mudhole on Sunday night?" Judge Bagby asked.

"There the situation depends on what sort of evidence would be taken as indicating that," Lieutenant Tragg said. "There was a mudhole, all right, with the ground churned up to about the consistency of thick hotcake batter. There was a deep hole in the center which could have been made by the spinning wheels of an automobile, but there's no way of telling when it was made. There were tracks of more than one automobile, and there were tracks down the road where automobiles had been turned around. That much we could decipher. But there were other tracks interspersed all through, and it was difficult to get them straightened out."

"Did you try to check the marks made by the tire treads with known automobiles?" Judge Bagby asked. "The car driven by the defendant, for instance?"

"We did."

"Were you able to do so?"

"We were able to prove that the defendant's car, that is, the car owned by Mauvis Meade but driven by the defendant, had been through the mudhole on the downhill

side.

"Whedier the car had been left there, as is claimed by the defendant, for some time before the tracks below the mudhole were made, we don't know. We do know that the car driven by the defendant had unquestionably been below the mudhole. We can't tell how far.

the Mythical Monkeys 169

"We also know that the car which the defendant claimed she was driving, the station wagon belonging to Mauvis Meade, had been driven both down and up the grade. Therefore, if the defendant's car was left in the mudhole while it was headed downhill; it must subsequently have been driven through this mudhole down the hill and then driven back up the hill and through the same mudhole which the defendant claimed stuck the car going downhill."

"Yet it went uphill through that same mudhole without getting stuck?" Judge Bagby asked. "That's what the tracks show, Your Honor. Judge Bagby's expression became one of cold finality. "There were other tracks?" Mason asked hurriedly. "Yes."

"Footprints?"

"There were many traces of footprints, but for the most part they were not clear. Where the mud was hard it was slippery, and the prints were blurred. Where the mud was soft it was too soft to yield much in the way of prints." "Did you find any footprints of the defendant?" "We couldn't tell they were her prints. There were many tracks made by a woman's shoes, or by the shoes of more than one woman. We couldn't get any prints that were clear enough for identification." "Footprints of men?" "Yes."

"How many?"

"You mean, made by how many men?" "Yes."

"We couldn't tell. There had been people up there, both men and womcs—or at least one man and one woman. We couldn't tell when the tracks had been made, nor could we find footprints we could identify." "Now how about automobile tracks?" Mason asked.

170 The Case of

"There were quite a few tire tracks," Lieutenant Tragg said. "There's a flat about fifty yards below the cabin, and quite apparently this flat had been used as a place to park cars for some time. There was hard-packed road leading up to it and places where cars had been parked and turned around and driven out."

"And there were fresh tracks there?" "There were."

"And could you determine any sequence or order in connection with those tracks?" "No, sir."

"Were they jeep tracks?"

"Some of them had been made by jeeps. However, it was a little difficult to determine. The tracks indicated a certain amount of traffic."

"What do you mean by a certain amount of traffic?" "Several cars had been in there—including the defendant's car."

"During the last storm?"

"We can't tell as to that. The ground was shaded and we don't know how long the mud had been sufficiently soft to take and retain tire tracks, but if the ground hadn't been soft until after the storm started, then there was quite a bit of traffic up and down the road after the storm started. However, rainfall figures show that there had been another very good rain about three days before this particular storm and another very intense storm about a week prior to that. We just don't know whether that ground had been soft and had remained soft."

"In other words, you couldn't tell as to the freshness of

tracks?"

"Not absolutely," Tragg said. "My personal opinion was that they were fresh, and—that is, most of them—"

"Just a moment," Ellington said. "If the Court please, I move to strike out that last part of the answer as not being responsive to the question and on the ground that it

the Mythical Monkeys 171

is incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial, that the witness is testifying to a conclusion and assuming a fact which has heretofore not been put in evidence. This witness is a police officer, that doesn't mean he's an expert on tracks."

"I think it does, Your Honor," Perry Mason said. "However, if there's any question I'll qualify him. Lieutenant Tragg, how long have you been a police officer?"

"Just a minute, just a minute," Ellington said, jumping up. "If the Court please, I realize now I was playing right into the hands of defense counsel. He is just looking for an opportunity to prolong this examination. In order to save time, I'll withdraw the objection. I'll stipulate that Lieutenant Tragg is an expert on tracks. I'll stipulate to just about anything the defense counsel wants him to testify to—now, let's get on with this and get it over with."

"Well," Judge Bagby said, smiling, "I don't think, Mr. Prosecutor, that the situation calls for any dissertation on your part as to the tactics of the defense counsel. However, the Court will note that the hearing has been somewhat delayed because of your objections, and, in view of the fact that it now appears the defense does intend to put on some evidence so that the matter will not be disposed of during the morning session and leave the Court free for another case during the afternoon, the Court will now take its usual morning recess. Will it be convenient to reconvene at one-thirty, gendemen?"

Mason shook his head, and said, "I have a great deal of checking to do, if the Court please. I would prefer to reconvene at two o'clock."

Judge Bagby hesitated, then said, "Well, of course, we are pressed for time. But if we couldn't save an entire half-day for some other case, we probably aren't going to gain anything by getting an extra half-hour this afternoon. You feel that you can conclude your case well within die afternoon session, Mr. Mason?" "I hope so," Mason said.

M %,

172 The Case of

"Very well, well take a recess then until two o'clock," Judge Bagby said.

When the judge had left the bench, Ellington grinned at Mason and said, "That's a prize piece of stalling, putting Tragg on the stand as your witness."

"I drought you'd subject him to grueling cross-examination when I got through with him," Mason said,

Ellington laughed. "I'll stipulate anything that you want Tragg to testify to right now. All I ask is that you tell me what you expect him to testify to, that Tragg says that's correct and we'll stipulate that's evidence in the

case."

"I can't do that,'1 Mason said. "I want the judge to see the evidence as it unfolds."

"What the hell are you stalling for?" Ellington ^Ved.

"I'm sure I don't know," Mason said, with a disalining ;

smile. "Come on, Della, I think we'd better get some 1

lunch ... Where's Paul?" 1

"In the telephone booth," Della Street said. |

"Well, come on," Mason said, "we'll get him and go to I

lunch— Did you get any gas in the car this morning?" |

She shook her head and said, "We have about a quarter of a tank."

Mason said, "We'll get the car filled. We may want to use it this afternoon."

"Go ahead and fill it," Ellington laughed. "But you ? aren't frightening me at all. Mason. You're just stalling along, hoping that something's going to turn up. It's a good even-money bet that when you walk back into court this afternoon, you'll state that Lieutenant Tragg is your only witness—I'll bet you two to one right now that you're afraid to put the defendant on the stand." "How much do you want to bet?" Mason asked. "Well, now, wait a minute," Ellington said. "You'd put her on the stand just in order to win the bet. I... TU atitt make a fifty-dollar bet."

the Mythical Monkeys 173

"Fifty dollars against twenty-five?" Mason asted Ellington hesitated, then nodded. Mason grinned. "I wouldn't want to tip my hand over a

small bet like that. Let's go, Della, find Paul and eat."

Chapter 13

PERRY MASON, DEIXA STREET AND PAUL DRAKE left their car in a parking lot, with instructions that it was to be filled up with gas and the oil, water and battery checked and be all ready to go.

Walking down the street toward the restaurant, Mason said, "Paul, what about the handwriting expert?"

"Nothing to help there," Drake said. "The typewriter used on those rental letters was a Smith-Corona."

Mason frowned. "There was a Smith-Corona in Mau-vis Meade's penthouse, Paul."

Drake said, "Sure. Mauvis Meade was the one who rented that cabin all right. Ellington is trying to clam up on it right now, but you can force his hand on your case.

"Get samples from Mauvis Meade's typewriter and they'll show the rental remittance letters were typed on her machine."

Mason pursed his lips. "I wish I knew a little more about that cabin deal, Paul. I hate to go into it blind, but it's almost a safe bet Mauvis rented that cabin, and Manly spent quite a bit of time there ... Paul, you're worried about something. What is it?" "I hope it's nothing," Drake said, "but ... I'm debat-

174 The Case of

ing what to do, Perry. I don't know whether to try and head something off or what."

"Come on," Mason said, "get it off your chest, PauL" "I hate to bother you at a time like this and yet it's information that you should have—I am worried." "Come on, come on, Paul, let me have the worst." "Well, it may be that there's no necessity for it. That's what bothers me, Perry. Let me ask you something. El-lington has rested his case?" "That's right."

"He doesn't intend to put on any more evidence?" "Gosh, no," Mason said. "He's put on more evidence now than he wanted to. He's trying to get just enough evidence to get the defendant bound over and not enough to tip his hand. Of course, my strategy is to try and find out everything I can. There's no question about the outcome. Judge Bagby has indicated his mind's made up, but he's leaving the door open for the defendant to take the stand."

"Would it do her any good to take the stand?" "Not a bit," Mason said. "Even if the judge believed her story, he'd still bind her over. You see, for the purpose of a preliminary hearing, a judge is inclined to take the evidence presented by the people. He isn't a jury and he isn't called on to make the decisions that a juror is called on to make. Therefore, a judge is pretty apt to reason that the prosecution has made out a good case, that the evidence presented proves the defendant guilty, that the story told by the defendant is at the very most only an explanation. If the story is true, it's consistent with her innocence. But the question is, is her story true or is it

false?

"Now, there are some judges who will try to determine whether the explanation would satisfy a jury and give the defendant the benefit of the doubt. But, for the most part, once it appears there's a real conflict in the evidence and

the Mythical Monkeys 175

the district attorney wants the defendant bound over, the judges bind the defendant over and pass the buck to the jury to decide what's to be done. You see, a district attorney can always dismiss a case if he can't get more evidence, but a judge never knows when more evidence may show up."

"Well," Drake blurted, "the thing that bothers me is this fellow, Kelton."

"What about him?"

"He's fidgeting."

"In what way?"

"He was talking with one of the newspapermen this morning. He told the man that he was right at the fork of the road, that he had to make a decision that might determine his entire future in the detective business. He said that he always tried to be loyal to his clients but that a man had his career to think of and that he couldn't violate the law— In short, he seemed terribly worried."

"You think he's worrying about that stuff we found and didn't turn in?" Mason asked.

"Of course he is," Drake said. "Now then, the newspaper reporter thought it over, then rang up my office to try and find out what it was Kelton was talking about. The newspaper is on the trail of a story.

"Well, of course, I tried to get in touch with Kelton as soon as I heard about it I had the office working on it— that's why I was on the telephone so much this morning.

"We couldn't get a line on the guy at all, and finally I had another operative ring up his wife and say that he was a detective out of Homicide and he had to get hold of Kelton right away for the district attorney. I just wanted to see what Mrs. Kelton would say.

"She fell for it hook, line and sinker and said, 'Why, Mr. Kelton is at the district attorney's office now—at least, I think he is.'"

"Oh-oh," Mason said.

176 The Case of

Della Street glanced up at the lawyer in swift dismay.

"Well," Mason said, holding the door of the restaurant open, "here's where we turn in. Let's try Selkirk's today."

"I was planning on going down to Tony's," Paul Drake said. "They make a special today of—" „

"And it's loaded with garlic," Mason interposed. "Come on, let's try Selkirk's. They have a very fine saddle of lamb here."

"What difference does it make to you?" Drake asked. "All you eat is a pineapple and cottage cheese salad."

"I don't dare to drug myself with food when I'm going into court," Mason said.

"How about Della?"

"She can eat," Mason said. "And she will."

"I want to keep on speaking terms with my stomach," Della said. "My breakfast this morning consisted entirely of two cups of black coffee."

A headwaiter came forward and bowed deferentially.

Mason said, "What about the small dining room, Pedro?"

"You mean the private dining room for twelve?"

"That's right. Anyone in it?"

"No one in there. I will look to see if there are reserva-tions—Mr. Selkirk doesn't like to let it go for a small party ... but for you, Mr. Mason, I'm sure it will be all right."

Mason looked over the head of the waiter, caught the eye of the manager and said, "Hi, Jim."

Selkirk came hurrying over. "They want the small private dining room," the headwaiter said.

"Well, give it to them," Selkirk said. "What are you waiting for?"

"Yes, sir, yes, sir," the headwaiter said. "Right this way, please."

"Thanks, Jim," Mason said.

Selkirk smiled and nodded.

the Mythical Monkeys 177

"You have a telephone jack in there?" Mason asked the headwaiter.

"Two of them."

"Then bring in two telephones," Mason said. "We're going to be busy."

The lawyer turned to Drake and said, "All right, Paul, you get busy on one of the telephones and keep in touch with your office. I want you to find out everything you can about Kelton. This may make quite a difference."

"Will Ellington use the evidence if he gets it?"

"You're damn right he'll use it," Mason said. "Hell use it on several counts. One of them is that by putting Kelton on the stand under oath he ties him down and gets him so he can't change his story. The other one is that if Kelton should skip out before the case comes to trial, he can show that he can't find Kelton within the state and then seek to use his evidence given at the preliminary examination. The advantage of that is that if he catches me by surprise, my cross-examination may not be quite as vigorous, quite as forceful, quite as purposeful or quite as effective as the cross-examination I can think of later."

The waiter appeared with two telephones, started plugging them in.

Mason said, "Hang it! I just can't understand why we haven't heard from that man."

"What man?"

"The one who was in the cabin," Mason said. "I was betting that he'd come forward—unless, of course, he's the murderer."

Drake was skeptical. "You think there really was a man in the cabin?" he asked.

"Sure there was," Mason said. "My client says there was."

"That's all the evidence there is to indicate it," Drake said. "He didn't leave any fingerprints."

Mason said, "They only found one of the defendant's

178 The Case of

fingerprints, and that was on the gun— If she'd been in the place turning on water faucets in the bathroom, drinking out of a cup ... why didn't they find her fingerprints?"

"I never thought of that," Drake admitted. "You mean her fingerprints had been removed?"

"There's a darn good chance," Mason said, "that somebody removed a lot of fingerprints— Of course, we have to remember that there was high atmospheric humidity at the time and, as I understand it, that's not conducive to keeping fingerprints."

The headwaiter appeared in the door and said, "Pardon me, Mr. Mason, but there is a telephone call for you. I said I didn't know whether you could receive a call or not, I said that I didn't even know you were here. But the man was most insistent and said that you were here and he wanted to talk with you right away."

Mason exchanged glances with Paul Drake and Della Street. "Either of you say where we were going to eat lunch?" he asked.

Della Street shook her head.

"We didn't even know," Drake said. "You were the one who was calling the shots. Frankly, I thought we were going to eat at Tony's."

"Then who would know I'm here?" Mason asked.

He gave the problem frowning consideration for a moment.

"Shall I say you are not here?" Pedro asked.

"Hell, no," Mason said, picking up the telephone. "I'll take the call."

He said to the operator, "There's an incoming call for Perry Mason. This is Mason. I'm in the small private dining room. I'll take it here. Can you put it on?"

"Surely," the operator said. "Just a moment."

A moment later the operator said, "There's your party. Go ahead, please."

the Mythical Monkeys 179

"Hello," Mason said.

A man's voice, speaking in a low monotone, said, "Perry Mason?"

"That's right. May I ask who's talking?"

"Never mind my name," the man said. "I've got a tip for you. When the police fingerprinted that cabin they found remarkably few fingerprints. Someone had apparently rubbed off a lot of fingerprints, but there was a stainless-steel teakettle in the cupboard above the stove. Now, don't make any mistake about this. There was an aluminum teakettle on the wood stove, a rather battered kettle, but there was a stainless-steel teakettle on the upper shelf, and—"

"Just a moment," Mason said. "Excuse me." And then, in a loud voice, "Please don't disturb me at the moment I'm talking over the telephone. How's that—"

Mason clapped his palm over the telephone and motioned to Paul Drake. "Get busy and trace this call, Paul," he said. "This is pay dirt"

Drake moved so rapidly that he toppled his chair backward as he raced for the door of the private dining room.

Mason, removing his hand, engaged apparently in an altercation with someone. "I'm sorry. I tell you, I can't be disturbed now. I'm talking on the phone. Will you please leave me alone ... ?" Mason closed his right eye in a wink at Della Street and said, "Della, can you take care of this? I want to be free to talk on the phone. This is my confidential secretary, Miss Street She'll take care of you."

Then Mason said into the phone, "You'll pardon me. I had a most annoying interruption. Now, what was it?"

The voice at the other end of the line, speaking so hastily that the words tumbled all over each other, said, "Look, Mason, you're smart. That may have been on the square. It may have been a stall to trace this calL Don't

180 The Case of

try it. There was a stainless-steel teakettle, there were prints on that teakettle. The police couldn't identify those prints. Make Tragg produce the prints. Start from there."

The receiver banged at the other end of the line, and the telephone went dead.

Mason slowly and thoughtfully replaced the receiver on the hook.

"A tip?" Della Street asked.

"More than a tip," Mason said, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "A break. It's the break I've been looking for."

"What was it?"

"A man's voice giving a tip about something that the police have kept very well hushed up. If that information is true, it's of the utmost importance—he says the police found fingerprints on a stainless-steel teakettle that was in a cupboard above the stove. The police haven't been able to identify all of those fingerprints."

"Do you suppose there's anything to it?"

"I think there's a lot to it," Mason said. "But more than the fingerprints, Della, is the question of who this man is, how he got his information and how he happened to call me here."

The door from the main dining room opened and Paul Drake came in and said dejectedly, "He was too smart for us, Perry. He hung up before I could get to first base."

"I know," Mason said, as the tips of his fingers drummed on the table. "Hang it, Paul, that's the break I've been waiting for. Now, how did he know where to find us?"

'Til bite," Drake said. "How did he?"

"We picked this restaurant on the spur of the moment," Mason said. "We were followed here, Paul."

"I guess so," Drake admitted.

"Then it was an expert tailing job," Mason went on.

the Mythical Monkeys 181

Abruptly Mason pushed back his chair, "All right, Paul," he said, "we're taking fifteen minutes out."

Dismay showed on Drake's face.

"We leave here," Mason said, speaking rapidly. "You turn to the left, Paul. You turn to the right, Della. I'll cross the street and try working both sides as best I can. Go into each place you see, look for a phone booth, ask if a man recently used the telephone, ask if he was a man six feet tall with big shoulders, a slender waist, wavy dark hair and steel-gray eyes. The eyes will be the most important part of his face. Get busy."

"I don't get it," Drake said. "I—"

"Got it, Della?" Mason asked her.

She nodded.

"All right," Mason said, "let's go."

They pell-melled out of the restaurant. Mason said to the headwaiter, "Hold the private dining room. We'll be back."

He gave the man a ten-dollar bill.

"All right, Paul, you left Della, right I'm crossing the street."

Mason dashed across the street, entered a liquor store.

"Phone booth?" he asked.

The man shook his head. "We have a public phone there, but—"

"Anyone use it within the last two minutes?"

"Not within the last half-hour."

Mason hurried into a candy store, asked the same question, got the same answer, walked on down the street, covering store after store until he noticed a parking lot He started to walk past, then saw a telephone booth back against the checking stand.

Mason walked into the parking lot

The man came forward. "Got a ticket?" he asked.

Mason shook his head. "I'm after information. That

182 The Case oj

telephone booth. Do you remember anyone going in it in the last few minutes?"

"Could be," the attendant said, looking at him curiously. "Why?"

"A man about six feet tall," Mason said, "wavy dark hair, very light steel-gray eyes. He has a strong, rugged face and—"

"I didn't see him use the phone," the checker said, "but he sure parked a car here about five minutes ago."

"Is there any chance you'd be able to point out the car?" Mason asked.

"Look, Mister, we're busy. We have a stream of cars and ... "

The checker started to move away as a car drove in.

'Tin sorry, ma'am we're full up," he said. "Didn't you see the sign? ... You'll have to back out now ... Ill watch for you. Come on back."

The woman backed the car out

Mason said, "Look, this is important. If you're full up now, that must have been about the last car that squeezed in."

"Well?" the man asked.

Mason handed him a five-dollar bill.

"That's different," the fellow said. "That gray car over there."

"That's the one?"

He nodded.

"All right. Cover me for a minute," Mason said.

"Now, wait a minute. What is this? You can't move that car."

"I just want to look at the registration," Mason said.

The lawyer walked across to the car, jotted down the license number, opened the door, looked on the steering column and found the certificate of registration wrapped in a cellophane container.

Mason took out his notebook, copied the data from the

the Mythical Monkeys 183

certificate of registration: "Richard Gilman, 2912 Moss-wood Apartments."

Mason walked over to the telephone booth.

"Find what you wanted?" the parking attendant asked.

"I think so," Mason said. "I take it you don't have a very good memory?"

"Poorest in the world."

"You've forgotten all about my being here?"

"I'd forgotten all about you by the time I got that five bucks in my pocket— I just work here, you know."

"That's fine," Mason said. He walked into the telephone booth, found the number of Selkirk's, called it and asked to speak with the headwaiter. When he had him on the line, he said, "This is Perry Mason. I'm at Crestwood 6-9666. As soon as either one of the parties who were with me come in, tell them to call me at this number. It's important"

The waiter assured him that he would, also that he was holding the private dining room.

Mason took a blank subpoena from his pocket, filled in the name of Richard Gilman as a witness for the defense in the preliminary examination in the case of the People of the State of California versus Gladys Doyle.

The lawyer opened the door of the telephone booth and waited, standing at a point where he could see the gray automobile and also where he could hear the ringing of the telephone bell.

It was ten minutes before the telephone bell jangled. "Hello," Mason said.

Paul Drake's voice came over the wire. "Perry?" "Yes."

"I struck a blank, Perry. I covered I guess a dozen public telephones and five booths. I asked—"

"Never mind," Mason said. "I've struck pay dirt. How quick can you get a man out here to serve a paper, Paul? A really good operative."

184 The Case of

"Oh," Drake said, "fifteen minutes on a guess, if I'm lucky and hurry."

"Get lucky and hurry," Mason said. "I'm waiting right here. This is a telephone booth in the Twenty-Four Hour Parking Lot just across the intersection. You have the telephone number. I'm waiting here. When Della shows up, you and she go ahead and order something to eat. I'll wait until your process server shows up, then I'll come over and join you.

"You see what I mean, Paul? This man I want may be here inside of two minutes or he may not be here for hours. I'll cover the place until your man comes, then I'll join you at the restaurant.

"Get him here as fast as possible." "Okay," Drake said. "I'll have a good man out there just as fast as the law allows."

"Make it faster, if possible," Mason said, hung up the telephone and resumed his waiting.

Mason had been waiting less than ten minutes when a

man, walking vigorously down the sidewalk, swung into

the parking place. He was holding out the ticket for his

automobile before he was halfway to the checking station. |

The attendant took the check, glanced over toward the |

telephone booth, nodded imperceptibly, then went over |

and got into the gray automobile with the license number |

NRG 936. I

The man waited impatiendy until the attendant swung |

the car out into the driveway. |

It was just as he was opening the door to get in that | Mason tapped him on the shoulder. The man whirled. Mason extended the paper at him. "Mr. Gilman?" he

asked.

"What the devil's this?" Gilman asked

"Subpoena to appear this afternoon as a witness for the ," defense in the case of the People of the State of California

the Mythical Monkeys 185

versus Gladys Doyle. Court convenes at two o'clock. I'd like to have you there at that time, please."

"Perry Mason!" the man exclaimed in dismay.

"That's right."

"Good Lord!" the man said. "I— Look here, Mason, I can't possibly be a witness for you."

"You can't possibly get out of it," Mason said.

The man was thoughtful. "Look, Mason, where did I make my mistake? Where did I slip up? I'm certainly not that dumb and not that amateurish. I know you didn't have any idea I was following you. I— Will you tell me where I made my mistake?"

"After you've testified, I will," Mason said.

"I can't testify."

"You've been subpoenaed. You'll be there."

"I tell you, I can't. I'll have to ignore the subpoena."

Mason grinned. "Like that, eh?"

"It's like that, Mason. Now, look, let's be reasonable about this thing."

"I've been reasonable," Mason told him. "You're subpoenaed. I've been expecting you'd come forward. I didn't think that even your professional obligations would enable you to keep in the background and still have a clear conscience."

"Now, look, Mason, we've got to straighten this up someway, somehow."

"You be in court at two o'clock this afternoon," Mason said. "If there's any reason you can't be there, I'll make a showing to the judge as to what your testimony would be and get a continuance."

"You don't know what my testimony would be," the man said.

Mason grinned. "You'll testify that you were in the cabin when Gladys Doyle arrived, that her story of what happened is substantially true, that sometime after midnight you went out and got her car out of the mudhole,

186

then drove it down the hill past the cabin, turned it around, and then, because you're an experienced and expert dirt-road driver, managed to take a run for the mud-hole and worked the car through to the upgrade side of the mudhole. You may have used your jeep to help you, I don't know. You wiped the cabin clean of fingerprints, turned out the oil stove and left the place, leaving Gladys Doyle still asleep.

"I don't know what else you can testify to, but I hope it will be something that will help my client because, if it doesn't, I'm going to make you the murderer of Joseph H. Manly. And now, if you'll pardon me, I have a luncheon engagement."

Mason walked briskly away.

Back in the restaurant, Mason joined Della Street and Paul Drake, who were already eating. "What was it?" Della Street asked. Mason grinned. "When your process server gets there, tell him to go back, Paul. The guy showed up and I did the job myself. Come on children, hurry through your food. We're going up to court so we can be there as much before two as possible."

"What's going to happen?" Drake asked. "A well-dressed man carrying a briefcase is going to come and talk with me," Mason said, "and then I wouldn't be too surprised if we didn't have a conference with Harvey Ellington, and there's a possibility that Hamilton Burger, the district attorney in person, will be in

attendance."

Della Street turned to 'he puzzled Paul Drake. "He's located the man who was in the cabin with Gladys Doyle," she said.

Chapter 14

PERRY MASON entered the courtroom at ten minutes to two.

A man wearing a gray flannel suit, carrying a briefcase, tall, slimwaisted, who might have been an advertising executive, arose from one of the seats near the door.

"Mr. Mason?" he asked.

Mason, striding down the aisle, turned, gave the man a swift appraisal. "That's right."

"Permit rae to introduce myself. I'm Dartley B. Irwin."

Mason shook hands, said, "What's your line, Mr. Irwin?"

The man looked swiftly around, then put his hand into his pocket, brought out a leather folder and opened it to disclose a gold badge.

Mason examined the badge which was pinned to one side of the folder, the identification card which showed through a cellophane window on the other side, then nodded gravely.

"Now, look," Irwin said, "we don't want to be disagreeable about this, but you have subpoenaed one of our men."

"I have?" Mason asked, with every semblance of surprise.

"Richard Gilman," Irwin said. "And he's one of your men?" "Yes. He can't testify."

187

188 The Case of

"Why not?"

"Because we're working under cover on a very important matter, and to have Gilman get on the witness stand and disclose his identity at this time, or be examined about the matter on which we're working would be fataL"

"Fatal to whom?" Mason asked.

"Fatal to the operation."

"And if he doesn't get on the stand and testify," Mason said, "this case may be fatal to the defendant. Have you ever stopped to think that one out?"

"I hadn't," Irwin admitted, "up to a short time ago, but within the last hour and a half I've given the matter very careful consideration."

"And so?" Mason asked.

"This is a hearing addressed to the discretion of the magistrate. The question is whether there is sufficient evi-dence to connect the defendant with the crime of murder. That's all there is to it. The prosecution can't convict her in this court and you can't get her acquitted.

"Now, we're willing to make a deal, Mason."

"What sort of a deal?" Mason asked.

"This hearing is addressed to the sound discretion of the magistrate. It's only a question of whether there's sufficient evidence to bind the defendant over, or rather, to connect her with the crime of murder. Now, we're willing to have Richard Gilman appear in chambers before the magistrate. Both you and the prosecution can question him as to what happened. He'll make a statement.

"That statement won't be public, it won't be a part of the record in die case. It will be made outside the presence of die courtroom, but it will be stipulated between you and the prosecution that the magistrate may consider tiiat statement as part of the evidence in the case."

Mason shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Because that's not die legal procedure," Mason said. (

the Mythical Monkeys 189

"I want an opportunity to examine this witness, I want to know what's happening, and I want the hearing to be in the presence of the defendant. The law says the defendant has those rights.

"Now then, Mr. Irwin, if I start stipulating those rights away on my own responsibility and the defendant winds up in the gas chamber, I've put myself in a very questionable and a very unenviable position."

"But I don't see what difference it makes," Irwin said. "We can, of course, go one step farther, if you want. We can have the court reporter present to take down what is said, and. as far as the presence of the defendant is concerned, there's certainly no objection to that. We just don't want Gilman appearing on the witness stand, we don't want his picture in the papers, and we don't want the newspaper notoriety that would be incident to a disclosure of how we work."

Mason frowned. "I'd feel more inclined to cooperate if we had received cooperation," he said. "Why didn't Richard Gilman come forward? Why didn't he get in touch with me?" "Because I told him not to." "And why did you tell him not to?" "Because I felt that there was plenty of time before trial to decide what to do. I have taken the matter up wim Washington. I haven't as yet received my instructions. Until I did receive those instructions, I wanted to keep Gilman out of it."

"Regardless of what it might mean to the defendant?" "I'd thought about that," Irwin admitted, "and I've been thinking of it a lot since Gilman reported the subpoena had been served on him. I feel that you're an officer of the court, a responsible party and that we're entitled to your cooperation.

"Now remember this, Mason. Gilman's testimony may not do your client one bit of good."

190 The Case of

"Why not?"

"She could have murdered Manly and she probably

did."

"I don't subscribe to this quote, probably, unquote, in a murder case," Mason said. "Now then, where's Gil-man?"

"We can produce him, if necessary." "I'll go this far with you," Mason said. "We'll stipulate that the hearing may be continued in chambers, that the court reporter will be present, that the defendant will be present, that the bailiff will be present. We'll stipulate that Gilman can make a statement, provided it's a full and complete disclosure of everything he knows about the case—not only the matters that I would interrogate him about in court, but any background information which you people have that might be of value to the defendant"

Irwin shook his head. "We can't divulge information. ,h-The most we could do is to have Gilman tell about the physical facts, the things that happened there that evening f at the cabin."

"He was there?" Mason asked. '^

"He was there."

"What was he doing?"

"Getting evidence."

"Against whom?"

"I'd rather not answer that at the moment"

"All right," Mason said, his eyes narrowing. "Have your man here at two o'clock. We'll put him on the

stand."

"Now, wait a minute, Mason," Irwin said. "I've ap- > proached you nicely, as man to man. We may be able to : bring a little pressure to bear if we have to."

"Try bringing pressure to bear on me when I'm repre- * senting a defendant in a case," Mason said, "and see what happens. When I'm representing a client, I'm going to do what is for the best interests of that client"

the Mythical Monkeys 191

"Will you do this?" Irwin asked. "Will you attend a session in chambers with Judge Bagby? Then, if it appears that you're not getting the information you think is required, we'll discuss the courtroom procedure further."

"If it's satisfactory with the defendant, I'll go that far with you," Mason said.

Irwin looked at his watch. "We have only a few minutes."

"Does Judge Bagby know anything about this?"

"Not yet. We haven't approached him."

"The district attorney's office?"

"We have approached the district attorney's office. We have been in touch with Hamilton Burger, the district attorney. We contacted him within ten minutes of the time you served this subpoena on Gilman. Mr. Burger is very much concerned."

"I hope you didn't interfere with his lunch hour."

"You'd be surprised how many people have had no lunch on account of you," Irwin said.

"All right," Mason told him, "let's go into the judge's chambers and talk with Judge Bagby. How about Ellington? I'd want him present."

"Ellington will be there and so will Hamilton Burger, the district attorney."

"You're bringing out your big guns?" Mason asked.

"As big as we can find locally," Irwin said.

Mason walked over to where Gladys Doyle was seated, awaiting the opening of court.

He leaned forward to whisper to her. "We've found the man who was in the cabin," he said.

"You have?" she asked in surprise.

Mason nodded.

"Well, then, he can vouch for my story. He—"

"Wait a minute," Mason said, "it's not that simple. We don't know yet exacdy what happened. This man is a Government investigator. We don't know just what he was investigating, and they'd like to keep us from finding

192 The Case of

out, if possible. But I've served a subpoena on this man, whose name is Richard Gilman.

"Naturally the Government doesn't want to tip its hand in public. The minute Gilman gets on the stand and word gets around of what is happening, the newspapers will have photographers here. Now, the proposition has been made that we have a hearing in chambers, with the public excluded, and that Gilman tells all he knows about the case. What do you think of that?"

"What do you think of it?"

Mason grinned. "I'm inclined to ride along. I always have the opportunity to state that I'm not satisfied with the procedure and that we're going back to court.

"If I think they are becoming unduly secretive, that gives me a weapon to hold over their heads.

"On the other hand, if I call this man as a witness in court, I've then lost all of the leverage I have, and if he is not very co-operative I can't do very much about it."

"I'm leaving the strategy entirely in your hands, Mr. Mason."

"I just wanted to be sure you understood," Mason told her.

"Will I be there?" she asked.

"In chambers?"

"Yes."

"They didn't want you there, but that was one of the conditions I insisted would have to be in the stipulation. I gather that this man, Gilman, is sympathetic and has been wanting to come forward and disclose his identity, but his superiors have told him not to until the matter can have been submitted to Washington, and apparently Washington can't make up its mind."

Mason glanced hurriedly at his watch, said, "Well, we'd better get in to see Judge Bagby before he goes on the bench."

the Mythical Monkeys 193

Mason looked back to where Dartley Irwin was standing and nodded his head.

Irwin came bustling forward. Together they walked into the chambers of Judge Bagby.

Harvey Ellington and Hamilton Burger, the district at-torney, were already in the judge's chambers.

Judge Bagby looked grave. "I understand the situation, gentlemen," he said, when Mason entered. "I am not certain that this is a matter which can be handled by stipulation. The law provides that hearings are to be public and witnesses are to testify in the presence of the defendant."

"That," Mason said, "was the point I had in mind."

"You're willing to proceed in chambers?" Judge Bagby asked.

"I'm willing to try it out," Mason said, "and see what happens. I want it understood that if, at any time, I am not satisfied, we can adjourn the hearing to the courtroom and I'll interrogate the witness on a basis of question and answer, and take the ruling of the Court as to whether the question calls for evidence which is competent, relevant and material."

Hamilton Burger, the district attorney, shook his head. "I don't think that stipulation is fair," he said.

"Why not?" Mason asked.

"It gives you two strings to your bow, two shots at it You can express dissatisfaction with something and call for the hearing to be transferred back to the courtoom. Then you get a chance to go over all the same ground again. It gives you two shots at it."

"What's the matter?" Mason asked. "Don't you think this man can tell the same story twice?"

Burger flushed. "I don't see any reason why you should have two shots at it, that's all."

"Well, if that's the case," Mason said, "then we're all finished before we start. There's nothing to be gained by

194 The Case of

having a discussion in chambers. We'll just go right ahead in court."

"Now, just a moment, just a moment," Irwin interposed. "I think perhaps you're being unduly technical, Mr. Burger. That is, I think perhaps you're magnifying the possibilities of the situation."

"When you're dealing with Perry Mason," Hamilton Burger said, "you don't magnify anything. He carries his own magnifying glass."

Irwin said, "Nevertheless, we are very anxious to try it this way. That is the only condition under which Mr. Mason will proceed, and the Government is very anxious to keep Gilman out of the courtroom."

"You tip your hand to Mason like that," Hamilton Burger said angrily, "and he'll trump every ace you've got"

"Unfortunately, we don't have a chance to play our cards," Irwin said. "We're forced to put our hand on the table."

Burger yielded the point with poor grace. "All right," he said, "let's get the defendant in here and get it over with."

Judge Bagby sent for the bailiff to bring Gladys Doyle into his chambers.

While she was being brought in, Irwin stepped out into the corridor. A moment later he returned with Richard Gilman, opening the door and entering the chambers just as the bailiff was bringing Gladys Doyle through the courtroom entrance.

Gilman's grin was somewhat sheepish. "Hello, beautiful," he said.

She impulsively gave him her hand. "Hello. I knew I could count on you. I felt that sooner or later you'd come forward and clear me."

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid it's later and I'm afraid I can't clear you."

the Mythical Monkeys 195

"Now, just a moment. Let's not have any further discussion until we get the record straight," Judge Bagby said. "Now, Mr. Court Reporter, I want to have the record on this. It appears that a witness who has been subpoenaed by the defense is in the employ of the United States Government. He is working undercover on a confidential matter, and the Government feels that it would be embarrassing if he should be brought into the courtroom and put on a witness stand.

"He is, however, concededly a man who knows something about the facts of the case. As I understand it, gentlemen, it is stipulated that he was at the cabin where the murder was committed on the night of the murder, and that he saw the defendant there.

"The defense wishes to examine this man as its own witness.

"The defense and the prosecution are willing to stipulate that this preliminary hearing can be had in chambers, that the court reporter will take down everything that is said, and that if counsel for both sides so stipulate, it can become a part of the record. It is further stipulated that if, at any time, counsel for the defense is dissatisfied with this procedure, he can discontinue it at any time and adjourn the hearing to the courtroom.

"Is that generally the stipulation, gentlemen?"

"I don't approve of it, but I've been pressured into it," Hamilton Burger said.

"I'm agreeable," Mason said, "but I want the defendant to pass on it."

"That's what I'm coming to," Judge Bagby said.

"Now, Miss Doyle, you're the defendant in this case. You've heard the stipulation. Is it agreeable to you? That is, is this procedure agreeable?"

"It is if it's agreeable to my attorney, Mr. Mason," she said. "I'm in his hands."

196 The Case of

"Then let's proceed," Judge Bagby said. "Now, how do you want to handle this, gentlemen?"

Mason said, "I want Gilman to make a statement, an informal statement that will cover the whole background of this case, and—"

"All the pertinent background," Irwin said. "There are some things we will have to withhold."

"I don't want anything withheld," Mason said. "I want a statement. Then after he's made that statement, either the prosecution or the defense can question him, and it can be done informally. It won't be on the basis of a regular cross-examination. We'll just be trying to get at the evidence."

"Well," Irwin said, "we can start out on that basis."

"Now, what about swearing the witness?" Judge Bagby asked.

"He isn't a witness at this point. He's just making a statement in chambers."

"I want him sworn," Mason said.

Irwin flushed. "You're being rather difficult, Mr. Mason."

Mason surveyed him coldly. "I can," he said, "become more difficult, if necessary. This is your proposition. Do you want to go through with it or not?"

"I told you he'd start trumping your aces," Hamilton Burger said.

Irwin said, "I haven't played any aces—yet."

"No," Burger said, "Mason has played all the cards so far—and taken all the tricks."

Irwin said reluctantly, "Very well, let Gilman be sworn."

The court clerk administered the oath to Gilman.

"Go ahead," Mason said, "make your statement."

Gilman said, "We were working on some tax investigations. It was brought to our attention that Mauvis Niles Meade, who had written a best-selling book entitled

the Mythical Monkeys 197

Chop the Man Down, had touched on some matters in that book which indicated she probably had firsdiand in-formation concerning certain avenues of tax dodging which are of very great interest to the department.

"It was decided to make an investigation of Miss Meade.

"It soon became apparent that Miss Meade was, from time to time, having a surreptitious rendezvous in a cabin up in the Pine Glen Canyon—the cabin, incidentally, where the murder was committed

"I was commissioned to find out something about the cabin and what was going on there.

"I went up there on Sunday night, the eighth of this month. I started an investigation, trying to determine whether there were any papers in the cabin or any books of account which could be photostated to advantage.

"I arrived about ten o'clock in the evening. I found it rather cold and started an oil fire in the heating stove in the main cabin. I had just got to work when there was the sound of steps on the porch and someone pounding at the door.

"Quite naturally, I was annoyed and frankly somewhat apprehensive. After concealing evidences of the search I was making, however, I opened the door and found the defendant, Gladys Doyle. She told me that her car was stuck and she wanted me to get her out.

"I recognized Gladys Doyle immediately as being the secretary of Mauvis Meade, one of the persons we were investigating, and I assumed, of course, that I had walked into a trap.

"I am afraid that I was, therefore, rather unco-operative, particularly when Miss Doyle announced that she was going to take a hot shower and planned on spending the night there. So while Miss Doyle was undressing and taking the shower, I stepped outside the cabin and looked around it in order to see if there were people planted

198 The Case oj

nearby. I thought perhaps I was being framed for something, either assault with intent to commit rape, or burglary. I had entered the house without a search warrant."

Mason said, "I would like to know exactly what you did after Miss Doyle arrived at the cabin."

Gilman hesitated a moment, then said, "Frankly, Mr. Mason, I wanted to be sure that I wasn't walking into a trap, so I waited until I was certain Miss Doyle was taking a shower. I felt that after she had divested herself of her wearing apparel, she wouldn't be apt to try to follow me if I went out and investigated."

"You peeked," Gladys Doyle charged.

Judge Bagby frowned. "Now, just a moment. I think that while this hearing is informal, we should keep some semblance of order. I think you should speak through your attorney, Miss Doyle, and—"

Richard Gilman hurried on. "When I was certain that she was actually taking a shower and not just stalling, I went out in the rain and went up the road to take a look and see if her car was actually there.

"Sure enough, the Mauvis Meade station wagon was bogged down in the mudhole just as she had described it. Looking the situation over, it seemed to me that it either represented a bona fide accident or that the stage had been very carefully set.

"I circled the cabin a couple of times, working my way cautiously over the ground and through the wet brush, listening and trying as best I could to make certain that there was no one staked out watching the cabin. When I had reassured myself, I returned to the cabin and then waited until I was certain Miss Doyle had gone to sleep.

"I then walked back up to the station wagon, started the motor and after some very careful driving managed to extricate it. I then drove it down past the cabin to a flat where there's room to turn, turned the car around and drove back up the grade.

the Mythical Monkeys 199

"I have had a great deal of experience in dirt-road driving, and knowing exactly where this mudhole was located and the nature and extent of the hazard, I was able to get the car up through the mud and to the upper side of the mudhole.

"I left the car parked there, the keys in the ignition, all ready to go."

"Then what did you do?" Mason asked.

"I went back to the cabin, looked around and made certain everything was all right, turned off the fire in the oil stove, went back to where I had left my jeep, drove back to town and made a complete report."

"You reported about Gladys Doyle being at the cabin?"

"Certainly."

"And you were instructed to do what?" Mason asked. "To keep quiet?"

"I don't think I should betray my instructions," Gilman said.

"That would be hearsay anyway," Hamilton Burger in-terposed.

"What directed your attention to the cabin in the first place?" Mason asked.

Irwin said, "I think I'll answer that question, if you don't mind, Mr. Mason."

"Wait a minute," Judge Bagby said. "You're not under oath and this is all—"

"It's all informal anyway," Mason interposed. "We're simply getting a background here."

"Well, go ahead and explain it if you want," Judge Bagby said, "and then we can ask Gilman if your statement is correct, according to his best recollection."

Irwin said, "We knew that Mauvis Meade had been in-timately associated with some people whom we were in-vestigating financially. We felt that she might well be juggling funds so that it would be difficult to trace them.

<llis*&

200 The Case of

"We also knew that there were other very attractive women working on some sort of a similar basis. We wanted very much to find out more about that.

"Then Miss Meade began to cultivate Manly and soon they began using this cabin as a rendezvous."

"A romantic attachment?" Judge Bagby asked.

"Frankly, I don't know," Irwin said. "That phase of it doesn't interest us as much as the purpose of the meetings and what was going on generally.

"We found that Manly was leading a double life. He'd leave home ostensibly on a business trip. Sometimes he would actually make a business trip, but quite frequently he would detour to an apartment which he maintained at the Gandarra Apartments under the name of Joe Fargo. The apartments are furnished and there is an individual garage for each apartment in the rear.

"We checked Manly's apartment and the garage and found that he was keeping a jeep station wagon stored in the garage. The registration of that jeep station wagon shows that it had been purchased in his name and registered at his home address.

"Quite naturally, we put a shadow on Manly, paying particular attention to his comings and goings from the apartment house, and so found out about this cabin up on the Pine Glen Canyon road.

"Now, I think that's all the detail we care to go into now."

"Then Mauvis Meade is the one who rented this cabin?" Hamilton Burger asked.

Irwin said, "I think you may assume that, but I won't confirm it."

Mason said to Gilman, "Now, as I understand it, when you first got to the cabin and the defendant showed up shortly after you arrived, you thought you had been trapped. Is that right?"

"I thought I'd walked right into a trap," Gilman admit-

the Mythical Monkeys 201

ted. "I recognized her as the secretary of Mauvis Meade and felt certain that I was being framed. I wanted to get out of there, but I didn't want to tip my hand."

"Subsequently, when you found out that the defendant was acting in good faith, your conscience bothered you?"

Gilman flashed Mason a look of pleading. "I don't know what you mean by saying that my conscience bothered me. I did nothing that was wrong."

He held his eyes meaningly on Mason and said, "I haven't the slightest idea how it happened that you located me."

Irwin said, "I think, Mr. Mason, that since we're cooperating with you, you owe it to us to tell us how you got a line on Dick Gilman."

Mason eyed him coldly. "You're not cooperating with me," he said. "I'm simply trying to make up my mind whether I'm willing to cooperate with you." There was a moment of silence.

Gilman turned to Gladys Doyle and said, "You can see how I felt, Miss Doyle."

"Under the circumstances, I certainly can," she said. Hamilton Burger said, "Your Honor, this hearing is now getting down to an informal discussion which I don't think we should permit."

"Why not?" Mason asked. "This isn't part of the courtroom proceeding. If you want to be formal, well go back to court."

"It suits me all right," Burger said. "Let's go back to court."

"Well, it doesn't suit me," Irwin announced. "Your Honor can see the situation in which we are placed. The minute this man goes on uie stand his undercover work is ruined."

"You're doing undercover work?" Mason asked Gilman.

202 The Case of

"Of course I am," he said. "Otherwise, I'd have—" He caught himself abruptly and stopped midsentence.

Judge Bagby looked at Gilman speculatively, then turned his attention to Gladys Doyle. "Of course, the Court hasn't had the benefit of the defendant's story," he said, "but it is beginning to look more and more as though this is a situation which is susceptible of an explanation. Mr. Gilman, do you have any idea who murdered Joseph Manly in the event we should, simply for the sake of argument, assume that this defendant did not do it?"

"I have only an idea," Gilman said.

Mason turned to Hamilton Burger. "Your people found some fingerprints in that cabin?" he asked.

Hamilton Burger nodded.

"Some of them were the defendant's fingerprints?"

"Yes, several," Burger said testily.

"You also found some other prints?" Mason asked.

"You'd better ask Lieutenant Tragg about that," Burger said.

"Get him in here and I'll ask him," Mason said.

"Now, Your Honor," Burger protested, "that's just the thing I was afraid of about this informal discussion. Mason is using it as grounds for a general fishing expedition. Your Honor will notice he hasn't committed himself to a thing as yet. He can stall around here, having an informal discussion, getting us to tip our hand, and then say he's decided not to play, that he's going to put Gilman on the stand anyway and walk back into court. He has everything to win and nothing to lose."

"And you don't want me to find out what evidence the prosecution has?" Mason asked.

"Naturally not," Burger said.

Mason turned to Judge Bagby and said, "And I submit, Your Honor, that's not a fair attitude for a prosecutor, in view of the fact that the case has taken the turn it has. It seems to me that we are charged with the duty of admin-

the Mythical Monkeys 203

istering justice, that it's up to us to find out exactly what happened out at that cabin. If this defendant is guilty, that's one thing. If she's innocent, that's quite another."

Judge Bagby cleared his throat. "This is certainly a most peculiar situation," he said. "It would be much better, as far as the formalities are concerned, to have the hearing conducted in a regular manner in the courtroom."

"But, Your Honor," Irwin protested, "the minute that is done we have lost thousands on thousands of dollars which have been spent in preliminary work, and we subject certain people to danger. I am not in a position to state the work on which Mr. Gilman is engaged at the present time, but it is very, very highly confidential. He is placed in a strategic position as an undercover man, and to have his identity disclosed at this time would simply ruin our entire plans and play right into the hands of a gang of very shrewd criminals."

Judge Bagby turned to Hamilton Burger. "I take it that you are keeping this situation in mind, Mr. Burger."

"I don't know why I should," Burger said. "Nobody told me anything about it."

Irwin said with some heat, "Well, we certainly aren't going to go into your office and tell you every case we're working on, the investigations we're making and ask your permission to carry on our business."

"I don't like it," Burger said doggedly.

Mason smiled at Judge Bagby and said, "It seems to me, Your Honor, that we're doing all right. I think we're getting to the bottom of the case. I'd like very much to have Lieutenant Tragg brought in and ask him about those fingerprints."

"I think I'd like to hear a little more about this," Judge Bagby said, glancing at Hamilton Burger and frowning. "After all, Mr. Burger, the function of a district attorney's office is to do justice. The district attorney is not the representative of the prosecution, despite the fact that he is

204 The Case of

the prosecutor. He is, actually, the representative of the people. He's the representative of the highest ideals of justice."

Hamilton Burger, his lips clamped in a tight line of anger, jerked his head at Perry Mason and said, "Not when you're dealing with Mason—we're not even dealing. He's handing us out the cards he wants us to have, some of them from the top of the deck, some of them from the middle of the deck, some of them from the bottom of the deck and some of them he's keeping up his sleeve."

Judge Bagby smiled, turned to the bailiff and said, "Let's get Lieutenant Tragg in here."

Gilman said to Perry Mason, "I haven't the faintest idea how you got a line on me. I certainly would like to know."

"And I would," Irwin said.

"Perhaps I'll tell you some day," Mason said casually. "A great deal depends on the developments of the next

few minutes."

Hamilton Burger got to his feet angrily. "Ellington," he said, "I guess you can handle this. Good day, Your Honor."

"This seems to me to be rapidly approaching a situation where it will be necessary to make a major policy decision on the part of the prosecution," Judge Bagby said coldly. "I know that you are a very busy man, Mr. Burger, but I do think that it would be advisable for you to remain, at least for a few minutes."

"Very well," Burger said. He strode off to one side, turned and motioned to Ellington.

The deputy district attorney walked over and Burger and Ellington engaged in a whispered conference.

Gilman took advantage of the opportunity to move his chair up close to that of Gladys Doyle. 'Tm awfully sorry Miss Doyle," he said. "If I had had any idea of the real situation ... well, you can see how it looked to me."

the Mythical Monkeys 205

"I certainly can," she said, smiling up into his eyes. "There's no hard feelings."

"Well ... thank you."

"There's one thing about your testimony that concerns me, however," Gladys said.

"What?"

She lowered her eyes demurely. "Your statement that you waited until you were sure I was taking a shower ... you were watching me while I undressed."

Gilman's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"There was no shade on the window. You were looking in.

He shook his head. "I was waiting for the sound of water running from the hot water tank," he said. "I held my hand against the tank and felt the hot water going down and the cold water coming in. Then I knew you were in the shower, so I left."

"And you weren't looking at me through the window?"

"Certainly not."

She suddenly smiled. "Well, you missed something!"

The phone rang.

Judge Bagby answered it, then called Burger. "It's for you," he said.

Burger picked up the phone, said, "Hello," then listened for some two minutes, said, "All right, bring him up here right away."

He hung up the phone and his face was suffused with smiles. "All right," he said, to no one in particular, "let's go ahead. I find I've got a fist full of trumps, myself."

He walked over to Ellington and engaged him in a whispered conference. It was quite apparent that he was in the greatest good humor.

The door opened and Lieutenant Tragg entered the judge's chambers.

"Sit down, Lieutenant," Judge Bagby invited. "We're having something of an informal conference here. There

206 The Case of

have been some peculiar developments in this case. I un-derstand that you found some fingerprints in the cabin, some fingerprints that were not immediately accounted

for."

"We found some fingerprints," Tragg admitted.

"Were you able to account for all of them?"

Tragg shook his head. "We found some of the defendant's fingerprints, we found a few man's fingerprints ... we weren't able to identify them. I now assume they're those of Mr. Gilman. And we found fingerprints of one other person that the expert hasn't been able to identify. He thinks they may have been left by a woman or a child."

Gilman glanced at Mason.

"Did you," Mason asked, "check those fingerprints to see if one of them had been made by Mauvis Meade?"

"Certainly," Tragg said.

"Were any of them hers?"

"No."

Gilman looked up in quick surprise.

"Do you know whose prints they were, Lieutenant?"

"I don't."

"Were they good prints?"

"One was a very good latent print, almost perfect"

"Where did you find it?"

"There was an aluminum teakettle on the stove," Tragg said. "It had evidently been used quite a bit. Then there was a very fine, modern, stainless-steel, copper-bottomed teakettle in the shelf, and that teakettie apparentiy had never been used for heating water, but it had been used apparendy as some sort of receptacle. It had been handled quite a bit. There were smudges of fingerprints on it. We found several fingerprints on the cover ... I now assume some of them were Mr. Gilman's fingerprints."

"I lifted the lid," Gilman admitted.

"And we found some prints that we couldn't identify.

the Mythical Monkeys 207

As I say, we think they're the fingerprints of a child or a woman."

"They were not the defendant's?"

"Definitely not."

"And not those of Mauvis Meade?"

"No."

Judge Bagby turned to Mason and said, "I couldn't help but notice, Mr. Mason, that when you exhibited that document to Mauvis Meade when she was on the witness stand it seemed to cause her a great deal of consternation. Frankly, I expected you to follow up your advantage."

Mason merely smiled and said, "There are certain things which are matters of courtroom strategy, Your Honor, and an attorney has to play his cards as he sees them."

Judge Bagby frowned thoughtfully, said, "Well, the Court is not entirely satisfied. I'd like to have Mauvis Meade brought in here. I'm going to ask her some questions. Mr. Bailiff, will you ask Miss Meade to come in here, please?"

Ellington said, "The Court can readily see why we objected to this entire procedure. This inquiry is now getting far, far afield."

"That's all right," Judge Bagby said. "If we can't get justice on the high road, then we'll take to the fields."

Gladys Doyle looked up to find Gilman looking at her. She smiled at him. He cleared his throat, started to say something, glanced at Irwin, changed his mind and remained uncomfortably silent.

Burger leaned forward and again whispered to Ellington, then turned and said to Judge Bagby, "Very well, Your Honor, I see that my hand is being forced in this matter."

"Not at all," Judge Bagby said, "we're simply trying to get at the bottom of a rather pulling situation."

208 The Case of

"I know, I know," Burger said impatiently. "But nevertheless it is forcing my hand." Judge Bagby flushed.

"Now, since we've got to this point, and since Mr. Mason is adopting the position of a sort of czar where things have to be done his way or he won't cooperate, I want to show that cooperation is a two-way street and that Mr. Mason is in no position to say what he'll do and what he won't do.

"I'm going to call a witness. I would like to have Your Honor hear what this witness has to say. I may say I am going to use this witness in preferring charges against Mr. Mason, not only for unprofessional conduct but for con-cealing evidence."

Judge Bagby said, "If you have a witness you want to call, you may go ahead and call that witness. I will permit you to reopen your case."

"Very well," Hamilton Burger said. "I'm going to call Ira Kelton. He should be in the witness room by this time. Will the bailiff bring him, please?" Burger glanced triumphantly at Mason. Mason's face was utterly without expression. Judge Bagby was drumming on his desk with the tips of his fingers, a sure sign that the jurist was annoyed. The bailiff returned with Ira Kelton. Hamilton Burger said, "Now, Ira Kelton is an operative. He was employed by the Drake Detective Agency, which in turn was employed by Perry Mason to—"

"Hadn't you better have this man sworn if he's going to make a statement?" Judge Bagby asked.

"I'm quite willing to have him sworn, Your Honor," Burger said. "Hold up your right hand and be sworn." Kelton held up his right hand and was sworn. "What's your occupation?" Hamilton Burger asked. "I'm a detective." "Have you been employed by Paul Drake?"

the Mythical Monkeys 209

"Yes, sir."

"Many times?"

"Many times."

"Were you in his employ on the ninth of this month?"

"I was, yes, sir."

"Did you go out to the cabin on the Pine Glen Canyon road, where the murder was committed?"

"Yes, sir. Several times."

"Can you tell us the circumstances under which you went out there?"

"I had been instrumental in getting a lead on the identity of the victim. I noticed that there was a pile of firewood in the backyard. I measured it. It measured almost exactly a cord, so I felt that it had been delivered recently. I made inquiries, found out who was selling the wood, found this man, a man whose name was Atkins, and learned from him that the wood had been paid for by a Joseph H. Manly. I traced down Joseph H. Manly and reported to Mr. Drake, who in turn reported to Mr. Mason."

"Then what?"

"Then I believe they called on Mrs. Manly. I'm not certain, but they got enough information to feel that they had some knowledge in advance of the police as to the identity of the murdered man." "Then what?"

"Then they drove up to the Pine Glen picnic grounds where I was stationed. They asked if they could get in the cabin.

"I told them I thought they could get in through the bedroom window, the bedroom where the body had been found. I noticed that there was no catch on that window and that it could be raised and lowered quite easily."

"Go on. What happened?"

"Well, we three went out there to the cabin and went in and looked around."

210 The Case of

"Now then," Hamilton Burger said triumphantly, "did you find anything?"

"Mr. Mason did."

"What?"

"Down under the cabin in a container, Mr. Mason found a scarf with a distinctive pattern and wrapped in this scarf was a box of shells, the variety known as the .22 long-rifle."

"Shells which fit the gun with which the murder was committed?" Hamilton Burger asked.

"Yes, sir."

"And what did Mr. Mason do with this very interesting bit of evidence?" Hamilton Burger asked triumphantly.

"He put it in his pocket."

"Now, you say that this scarf had a distinctive pattern. What was it?"

"It was a pattern of the classical three monkeys, one with his hands over his eyes, one with his hands over his ears, one with his hands over his mouth."

"That was a silk scarf?"

"Yes, sir."

Hamilton Burger turned triumphantly to Judge Bagby. "Now then, Your Honor," he said, "that presents a new angle. Here we have counsel deliberately tampering with evidence, concealing evidence and obstructing the administration of justice. I call Your Honor's attention to this photograph of Mauvis Meade. It is a publicity photograph taken for the purpose of being put on the dust jacket of her book.

"Your Honor will see she is wearing a scarf which is streaming out in the wind, presumably a stiff ocean breeze. Your Honor can plainly see that it is a scarf showing the traditional three monkeys. I am going to call on Mr. Perry Mason to produce that scarf and that box of

shells."

Judge Bagby turned to Perry Mason, frowning

the Mythical Monkeys 211

thoughtfully. "You have heard the district attorney, Mr. Mason?"

Mason gravely nodded. "I have heard the district attorney. I have also heard the witness. I believe that it is proper to permit counsel for the defense to cross-examine a witness before his testimony is taken as final."

"Certainly," Judge Bagby said, an expression of relief on his face. "If there is any misunderstanding about this situation the Court would like to have it cleared up."

"You had been out at the cabin before we made that trip?" Mason asked Kelton.

"Yes, sir."

"You were working for Paul Drake at the time?"

"I was, Mr. Mason, and don't misunderstand me. I still feel loyal to him and to you, but I cannot condone the commission of a crime. I have a license and a wife and children. I—"

"Never mind that," Mason said coldly. "Never mind volunteering information. Just answer the questions. You had been out to the cabin before?"

"Yes, sir."

"You knew the lay of the land?"

"Yes, sir."

"You had noticed that there was no catch on that window and it could be raised from the outside?"

"Yes, sir."

"That window was found open when the police first ar-rived at the cabin?"

"I believe it was, yes, sir."

"When we got there you opened the window and let us in?"

"Yes, sir."

"How was that window held open, incidentally? Were there window weights to balance the window?" "No, sir. It was held open widi a stick."

212 The Case of

"In other words, you opened the window and propped it open with a stick?" "Yes, sir."

"And where did you get that stick?" "I found it lying on the ground outside the cabin, right near the window."

"It was a stick that was exactly the right length so that when you propped the window open with it, the window remained open?" "Yes, sir."

"Now, we went in and looked around. The police at that time had been in and had finished with the cabin. Is that right?" "Yes, sir."

"Then we went out and I suggested I wanted to look under the cabin. There I found a coffee can and in it was this silk scarf and a box of .22 shells?" "Yes, sir." "A full box?"

"No, sir, it was not. As it happened, we counted the shells and seven were missing. I believe there were six in the magazine of the automatic rifle with which the murder was committed, leaving the other shell as the one which was fired into the body of Manly."

"And was any comment made about this being evidence at the time?"

"Mr. Drake said that we would have to turn it in, and you simply put it in your pocket and said, 'I'll take charge of this and the responsibility will be mine. You folks don't need to worry about it,' or something to that effect." "Thank you," Mason said. "That's all." "That's all?" Judge Bagby asked incredulously. "I want to ask Lieutenant Tragg one question in connection with this," Mason said. "You've already been sworn, Lieutenant. You can just answer this one question."

the Mythical Monkeys 213

Lieutenant Tragg turned expectantly toward Mason.

"You went out to the cabin where the murder had been committed?" Mason asked.

"Yes."

"When?"

"Late in the morning of the ninth."

"You were looking for evidence?"

"Yes."

"Did you overlook any?"

"I hope not."

"Did you," Mason asked, "look in an old coffee canister underneath the house?"

"Certainly," Lieutenant Tragg said.

"And found nothing?"

"Nothing."

Hamilton Burger was unable to restrain the exclamation of dismay which marked the complete collapse of what he had intended as a devastating coup.

"Why in heaven's name didn't you tell me you had searched this old coffee canister and found it empty?" Burger asked Lieutenant Tragg.

"Why in heaven's name didn't you tell me about this new evidence?" Tragg retorted.

"Because I didn't know about it until just now," Burger said.

Tragg said with dignity, "I am glad to see Mr. Perry Mason has more confidence in my ability than you have."

Mason turned to Judge Bagby, "There you are, Your Honor. I had confidence in Lieutenant Tragg. I knew that this scarf and the box of shells must have been a plant because I knew that if it had been there when the police searched the place, Lieutenant Tragg wouldn't have overlooked it."

Hamilton Burger tried one more time.

"The fact remains, Your Honor," he said, "that it's still evidence."

214 The Case of

"Evidence of what?" Judge Bagby asked. "Evidence of the murder."

"Quite evidently, this material had never been placed there until after the murder had been committed," Judge Bagby said. "However, the Court is very much concerned about this. Apparently this scarf belonged to Mauvis Meade."

Hamilton Burger nodded.

"And," Mason pointed out, "the evidence that the district attorney is now presenting tends to implicate Miss Meade in the murder and therefore absolves the defendant, Gladys Doyle. I would like to ask Mr. Gilman another question."

Mason turned to Gilman and said, "You were investigating someone in connection with income tax frauds?"

"Income tax frauds and other illegal acts."

"Was that someone Gregory Alson Dunkirk?"

"Don't answer that." Dartley Irwin interposed quickly.

"Why not?" Mason asked Irwin.

"Because we can't let that information get out at the present time. We have a complete file in this case. We're almost ready to spring our trap and close the case, but any premature disclosure would, at this time, wreck our

plans."

Judge Bagby said, "I think I want to ask Mauvis Meade some questions, and I definitely want to know, Mr. Mason, whether that document you showed her was a map showing the road down the mountain."

"It was, Your Honor."

"And did that map show the forks of the road at fifteen and three-tenths miles from the post office back at Summit Inn?"

"It did."

"And did the map show a left-hand turn or a right-hand turn at the forks?"

"The arrow very distinctly showed a left-hand turn."

the Mythical Monkeys 215

Judge Bagby said, "Then it was your duty to have im-peached her testimony with that map, Mr. Mason. You owed that to your client."

"Why did I?" Mason asked. "And how is it going to impeach her testimony? She testified that she gave Gladys Doyle directions as to a short cut down the mountain. Gladys Doyle is the one who told the officers the story about Mauvis Meade getting a map out of a pigeonhole and telling her what route to follow. But the fact that the map showed a turn to the left doesn't mean that Mauvis Meade had to follow the directions on the map. She was simply using the map to refresh her recollection as to distances. I'm satisfied that Miss Meade told Gladys Doyle to turn right at those forks."

"I think I'd like to have Mauvis Meade interrogated again," Judge Bagby said.

Dartley Irwin's reaction was close to panic. "Your Honor," he said, "if you do that, we can't possibly have Richard Gilman present. She simply mustn't see him."

"This is getting too complicated," Judge Bagby said. He turned abruptly to Hamilton Burger. "Look here, Mr. District Attorney, why don't you dismiss the case against the defendant, Gladys Doyle, then cooperate with the Government and find out what this is all about?"

Burger said, with cold dignity, "Because it is against the policy of my office to dismiss a case once I have filed it unless I am satisfied the defendant is innocent."

"You can dismiss this case," Judge Bagby said. "It's not a bar to any subsequent prosecution. If, later on, it appears that this defendant is guilty, you can have her arrested or have her indicted by the grand jury. You have the right to dismiss a case and the defendant can't claim double jeopardy."

"It has a bad effect on public relations," Hamilton Burger said.

"Well, of course," Judge Bagby told him irritably, "if

216

you're going to be more concerned with what the newspapers may say about your office than about the administration of justice, you—"

"You have no right to say that," Burger protested. "That's unfair."

Judge Bagby said, "Well, I'm going back to court. I'm going to conduct this hearing from the bench, and I'm going to have proper respect from counsel on both sides. I will excuse Mr. Gilman momentarily from attendance in the court, despite the subpoena that has been issued. I want your assurance, however, that you will be in attendance in an ante-room—in fact, you can wait right here in chambers. If counsel insists on calling you as a witness in response to his subpoena, you're going to have to take the stand."

"But, Your Honor," Irwin protested, "we have explained the situation and—"

"I know you have," Judge Bagby said. "If it's so important to the Government, why don't you get Mr. Burger to dismiss the case against this defendant for the moment?"

"You have seen Mr. Burger's attitude," Irwin said.

Judge Bagby got to his feet. "Very well," he said, "we're going back into the courtroom where we'll conduct proceedings in an orderly manner. The Court is going to take it on itself to recall Mauvis Meade for some questions. After that, counsel for both sides will have a right to examine her by interrogation which can be called cross-examination or anything else you want. The Court will remember, however, that she was called as the prosecution's witness and her attitude will be considered that of hostility toward the defense as far as leading questions are

concerned.

"Very well, gentiemen, we're now going into court and try to handle this thing on some sort of an orderly basis."

Chapter 15

JUDGE BAGBY took his place on the bench, said, "I have to apologize to the parties for the delay in resuming our hearing. A matter came up which required the attention of the Court in chambers.

"Now, the Court is aware of die fact mat the prosecution has rested its case and has moved for an order binding the defendant over. The Court, however, is not entirely satisfied with the evidence in its present shape, and the Court is going to recall a witness on its own motion.

"Miss Meade, will you come forward and take the stand, please? Now you've already been sworn. Just step forward and take the stand."

Judge Bagby studied Mauvis Meade thoughtfully as she walked up and took her position on the stand. He regarded Dukes, who followed her as far as the rail and then took his position once more on the edge of one of the front seats.

"Miss Meade," Judge Bagby said, "the gentleman who accompanies you and is sitting there in the front seat is in the nature of a bodyguard?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Why do you need him?"

"I have been disturbed a lot—that is, people annoy me. I have interruptions from people who want autographs, who want to talk with me—people whom I don't want to see."

217

218 The Case of

"I understand that, but is there any other reason that you deemed it necessary to have a bodyguard—are you afraid of something?" "No, Your Honor."

"Mr. Mason showed you a paper when he was cross-examining you?" "Yes, Your Honor." "Did you recognize that paper?" She glanced helplessly about her, then said, "I thought I did"

"Was that paper a map which had been made and which had, at one time, been in your possession?"

"I ... I didn't have it in my possession long enough to be certain just what it was. That is, Mr. Mason showed it to me and I ... well, I just had a glimpse at it."

"But you saw it well enough so that you thought you recognized it?" "Yes."

"Now, was that a map showing the road from Summit Inn down to this cabin where the murder was committed? In other words, on that map was there an arrow leading to the road that went by the cabin?"

"Now, just a moment, Your Honor," Hamilton Burger said, getting to his feet. "I dislike interfering with the Court's examination of a witness, but I insist that we keep the evidence within the issues and the issues within reason. The question is whether Gladys Doyle was given directions which took her past this cabin in Pine Glen Canyon, and there again the evidence can have no practical application except insofar as it tends to support the statement that she made to the arresting officers."

"You're objecting to the Court's questions?" Judge Bagby asked.

"Yes, Your Honor." "On what grounds?" "That it is incompetent, irrelevant and immateriaL"

the Mythical Monkeys 219

"The objection is overruled. Now, answer the question, Miss Meade."

"I think that was the map," she said, "and I think that map showed an arrow turning to die left. However, I am quite certain that the directions I gave the defendant were that she was to turn to the right."

"Do you know why the defendant tore those directions out of her notebook and put them in the wastebasket?"

"I don't think she did."

"You found them in the wastebasket?"

"Yes."

"Do you know who tore them out of the book?"

Mauvis Meade took a deep breath, "I did."

uYou did?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to have those directions left in her shorthand notebook."

"Why?"

"Because after I thought it over, I felt it would be better if no one could prove I was familiar with that cut-off road."

"You had been at that cabin before?"

"I... I refuse to answer that question."

"On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that die answer may tend to incriminate me."

"The Court sees no reason for you to take advantage of any constitutional rights under the circumstances," Judge Bagby said. "The Court is going to overrule your objection."

A voice from the spectators' benches in die courtroom said, "May I be heard on that, Your Honor?"

A tall, spare man with a horse face, large, expressionless blue eyes and a determined mouth, came striding forward. "Let die record show," he said, "that I am Wendell

220 The Case of

Parnell Jarvis. I wish to represent Miss Meade. I think, if the Court please, that the Court misunderstood the scope of her objection. It was not referring to any matter in connection with the murder which was committed in the cabin but had reference to other matters which I have reason to believe are under investigation by some branch of the United States government. I am advising Miss Meade not to answer that question."

Judge Bagby sighed, said, "Very well The Court will state, however, that it feels this situation is very confused and should be clarified before the Court is asked to make any ruling. Would the parties object to a continuance for as much as two weeks? It would, of course, have to be made on the motion of the defendant and acquiesced in by the prosecution."

"Would the defendant remain in custody?" Hamilton Burger asked.

"The defendant," Judge Bagby said, "would be released on her own recognizance."

"Then I certainly would object to it."

"May I ask a question of the witness?" Mason asked.

"Proceed," Judge Bagby said.

"Miss Meade," Mason said, "you are a badly frightened young woman, aren't you?"

There was no answer to the question.

"Aren't you?" Mason asked.

Jarvis said, "If the Court please, I think that question is completely foreign to the issues in this case."

"Your objection is overruled," Judge Bagby said. "You have no official status in this hearing. You can advise the witness as to her constitutional rights. The prosecution and the defense will take care of the record in this case. The objection is overruled because you have no right to make it. I hear no other objection. Answer the question, Miss Meade."

"But it has no bearing whatever," Jarvis said.

the Mythical Monkeys 221

"It has a tendency to show her bias or mental attitude. I'm going to let her answer the question."

Mauvis Meade hesitated a moment, then slowly shook her head.

Mason said, "This bodyguard is not employed by you, is he, Miss Meade? He is employed by someone else, not so much for your protection as to see that you don't get out of line and make some statement which would incriminate others, isn't that right?" She remained silent.

"And isn't it a fact," Mason said, "that because you knew you were in danger, you wrote a letter. That letter was to be turned over to the authorities in event of your death or disappearance. You didn't dare leave that letter where anyone who was searching your things would find it, so you put the letter in Gladys Doyle's belongings so that if anything happened to you, Gladys Doyle would read that letter.

"Isn't it a fact that someone tried to lure you out of your apartment by making a publicity date at Summit Inn in your behalf, and, having insured your absence from the apartment, carried on a search? Isn't it a fact that when you returned to your apartment and found that the place had been searched, you dashed into the room of Gladys Doyle for the purpose of finding whether that letter had been disturbed and you found it gone?"

Jarvis expostulated, "Now, if the Court please, this is entirely outside of the issue, this is an attempt on the part of counsel to crucify this witness under the guise of cross-examination. Simply because the district attorney's office is willing to sit there without making objection is no reason that this witness has to be pilloried by any such series of questions."

"She hasn't, as yet, refused to answer," Judge Bagby said.

"Well?" Mason asked.

-..-·w

222 The Case of

Mauvis Meade hesitated.

Abruptly Judge Bagby leaned forward on the bench. "Look here, Miss Meade," he said, "this is a court of law. If you feel that you are in danger, if you feel that you are threatened by outside parties, will you take the advice of this Court, will you tell this Court the whole story? Will you realize that if you continue to seek refuge from the law by living without the law, you are not finding safety but only further danger and further troubles."

Abruptly Mauvis Meade said, "Yes, Your Honor, I want to tell my story. I want protection. I claim the protection of the Court."

"From whom?" Judge Bagby asked.

"From Gregory Alson Dunkirk," she said. "From this man, Dukes Lawton, who is supposed to be my bodyguard, and from this attorney, Wendell P. Jarvis, who is actually representing Gregory Dunkirk."

"Now, just a moment," Jarvis shouted. "I wish to be heard on a matter of professional privilege. I rise to that

point."

"Well, sit down again," Judge Bagby said. "I'm interested in this witness. You go right ahead, Miss Meade. Tell me your story."

She said, "I became acquainted with Gregory Dunkirk. I had been acquainted with other men, but Greg was different. He was ruthless, he was powerful, and he started using me in connection with schemes that had to do with the underworld. He—"

"Miss Meade, do you know what you're saying?" Jarvis

demanded.

"You sit down and stay down," Judge Bagby ordered. "You say you're representing this witness. This witness says she wants protection from you. Now, she's going to get it. One more word out of you and you're going to jail for contempt of court. Go on, Miss Meade."

She took a deep breath. "Josh Manly was mixed up in

the Mythical Monkeys 223

the rackets. I don't know all of the details. Manly did. We would meet at that cabin. Sometimes we would be there together, sometimes I would come and get large sums of money which were left in that teakettle on the shelf."

"What did you do with these large sums of money?"

"I turned them over to Greg—Mr. Dunkirk."

"And then what?"

"Then," she said, "I tried to get out of it and I couldn't. I was in too deep, and ... I became frightened. I did write the letter that Mr. Mason asked me about. I left it with Gladys Doyle. I ... I became suspicious of that date at the Summit Inn. I rang up the American Film Producers Studios and asked them if Edgar Carlisle was in their publicity department. They said he was not, so I made arrangements to send Gladys Doyle up to keep the date in my place. I went into hiding because I felt certain —because I felt afraid."

"What were you afraid of—of Gregory Dunkirk?"

"Not exactly," she said.

"Of whom?"

"I don't want to state."

Judge Bagby frowned.

"May I ask a question, Your Honor?" Mason asked.

"Do you think you can clarify this matter?" Judge Bagby asked.

"I think I can," Mason said.

He turned to the witness. "Miss Meade, you have cultivated a manner, a seductive type of approach. Let me ask you, did you have this same approach when you were dealing with Josh Manly?"

"I tried to be myself."

"But after a while Josh Manly began making passes at you?"

"Yes."

"And do you feel it was because of those passes that he was killed?"

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224 The Case of

"I ... I don't know."

Mason addressed Judge Bagby. "I think that the reason an attempt was made to decoy Miss Meade to the Summit Inn was so her apartment could be ransacked by someone who wanted to get that letter. I think Miss Meade had told Manly she had written such a letter. I think she did this to show him that simply removing her wouldn't bring safety to Manly and the others. Manly reported that conversation.

"If Miss Meade had gone to the Summit Inn in person, it is quite possible she would have met with a fatal accident Her car would perhaps have been crowded over the grade.

"I think this publicity interview at Summit Inn was a trap. The minute she left the apartment, it was to be searched for the letter. The minute that letter was found, Miss Meade's life was in danger.

"The apartment was searched, the letter was found, but Miss Meade wasn't at the Summit Inn. She had become alarmed and had gone into hiding.

"But she had to go back to her apartment. She waited until she was certain Gladys Doyle would have returned, and then Miss Meade went back to her apartment.

"Not only did she find it a wreck, but as soon as certain people learned of her return, a bodyguard was brought into the picture ostensibly to protect her, but, in reality, to see that she had no opportunity to get in touch with the authorities. And I think this is the first opportunity this woman is having to tell the truth."

"Then who do you think killed Manly?" Judge Bagby

asked.

"I am not making any accusations," Mason said, "but there is one fingerprint on that teakettle which has not been identified as yet by the police. Somone raided Mau-vis Meade's apartment. Someone found the letter, and that

the Mythical Monkeys 225

letter was virtually Mauvis Meade's death warrant It only remained to set the stage for an 'accidental' death.

"Later on, however, another person went to the apartment That person found the door had been forced, the apartment searched.

"That person made a second search. That person found two things, a map showing the cabin, and the scarf showing the three mythical monkeys. That person took both of these things. That search was made after Manly had been killed but before Miss Doyle had returned to the apartment Monday morning.

"Simply because police found the lock on the apartment door had been forced and the apartment searched it was assumed one person had made a single search. I feel there were two searches made by two separate people and at two separate times.

"The scarf that was taken from the apartment must have been taken before the police knew of the murder. It was taken for one purpose—to implicate Mauvis Meade in the murder. Therefore die logical assumption is that it was taken by the person who killed Joseph Manly." "Who?" Judge Bagby demanded. Mason said, "I can't be certain of my deductions, but I would suggest to the Court that if Lieutenant Tragg would take the fingerprints of Mrs. Joseph Manly, he might find that the mysterious fingerprint on the teakettle had been identified."

Judge Bagby's eyes narrowed. "It is," he admitted, "a thought. Lieutenant Tragg, have you had occasion to compare that unidentified fingerprint with that of Mrs. Manly?"

Lieutenant Tragg slowly shook his head. Mrs. Manly jumped to her feet. "You can't frame me! Suppose I did go to that cabin? It doesn't prove a thing!" "It proves you were lying," Mason said.

226 The Case of

She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly made a

dash through the door of the courtroom.

Lieutenant Tragg half arose, then settled back in his

chair.

"Aren't you going to follow that woman and bring her back?" Judge Bagby demanded indignantly of Lieutenant

Tragg.

"Not right away," Tragg said, with a slow drawL

"And may I ask why not?"

"Well, it's like she said," Lieutenant Tragg observed, "the fingerprint in the cabin proves she was lying but that's all. But her flight is evidence that the district attorney can use in the case against her when he's trying her for murder. So if she's foolish enough to resort to flight, I'll give her a good start before I catch her."

Slowly the look of annoyance on Judge Bagby's face was replaced by a smile. "It is always a pleasure to watch a really efficient officer at work," he said.

Chapter 16

PERRY MASON, DELLA STREET AND PAUL DRAKE were gathered around the big desk in Mason's office.

Della Street plugged in the coffee percolator.

"Now," Drake said, "suppose you open up with a little information, Counselor. How did you know?"

"I didn't know," Mason said, "but I had a growing

suspicion." "How come?"

the Mythical Monkeys 227

"Someone," Mason said, "was trying altogether too hard to frame Mauvis Meade. Someone wanted to drag her into it. That person was altogether too eager, altogether too persistent.

"What happens when you're shooting at big game? If you feel your bullet might miss, you shoot again, and again and again.

"I received a letter. It had been written on a typewriter. The letter enclosed a map which must have been taken from Mauvis Meade's apartment, ergo, the person who wrote the letter had taken the map.

"When we went to the Manly house, you'll remember that Mrs. Manly told us she had been cleaning the house. She was wearing rubber gloves. She took off the gloves and her fingertips were black. Now, how does one get black fingertips from house cleaning if one is wearing rubber gloves?"

"You mean the typewriter ribbon?" Della Street asked.

"Exactly," Mason said. "The smudged fingertips weren't so much of a clue as was her guilty attitude. The minute she glimpsed those smudged fingertips, she put her gloves back on.

"I noticed it at the time. The significance of it didn't occur to me until later.

"Now then, the person who typed that letter to me was trying to bring Mauvis Meade into the picture. The map which she enclosed must have been stolen from Mauvis Meade's apartment.

"The box of .22 shells wrapped in the scarf was left for the purpose of dragging Mauvis Meade into the murder. And the scarf must also have been stolen from her apartment.

"Mauvis Meade made the mistake of trying to lure ev-erybody on. She couldn't be with a man without encouraging that man to make passes any more than she could

228 The Case of

be thirsty without drinking. The association with Manly was originally a business association.

"Mrs. Manly was a plain, vigorous, executive-type woman who had probably been a highly efficient secretary before she was married. She couldn't compete with the seductive curves and carefully cultivated sex appeal of Mauvis Niles Meade.

"Something happened to arouse her suspicions. She followed her husband. She traced him to the Gandarra Apartments where he had a jeep station wagon. Then she traced him to the cabin. Then she saw Mauvis Meade

show up.

"Mrs. Manly went back and waited. The next time her husband went to the cabin must have been well after midnight on the weekend. She took a .22 rifle, waited in die cover, perhaps twenty or thirty yards from the cabin. Her husband went into the bedroom. The window was open. She shot him, then wiped the gun clean of fingerprints, tossed it in through the open window and then went back, determined to implicate Mauvis Meade in the crime by planting evidence indicating Mauvis committed the murder. The time element shows this took place after Gilman had left the cabin. Gladys Doyle was sound asleep. She may have heard Manly's car, but only vaguely. She didn't hear the shot because it was fired outside the cabin, perhaps thirty or forty yards away. It was a single shot from a very small caliber gun.

"Mrs. Manly, of course, had no idea Gladys was asleep in the other bedroom. Having killed her husband, Mrs. Manly walked up to the cabin, wiped the gun clean of fingerprints and looked in die new stainless steel teakettle where Joseph Manly had been leaving sums of money for Mauvis Meade.

"Mrs. Manly took out the money and went home. Later on, after the police had investigated the murder widiout suspecting Mauvis Meade, Mrs. Manly started

the Mythical Monkeys 229

planting clues to be sure Miss Meade would be convicted of die murder."

"It always sounds simple when he explains it," Della Street said.

"What's going to happen to Mauvis Meade and to Gladys Doyle now?" Drake asked.

Mason laughed. "You don't need to worry about Mauvis. The way Dartley Irwin and two deputy marshals came forward to escort her from the courtroom leads me to believe that Miss Meade is, at the moment, appearing before a federal grand jury, and that Gregory Alson Dunkirk is going to be plenty busy trying to save his own skin widiout having anything else to worry about. And you don't need to worry about Gladys Doyle. My best guess is that at the moment she's renewing her association wiui Richard Gilman."

"The moral of all this is," Della Street said, "that a young woman who intends to write a sex novel should be more careful io doing her field work."

"No," Mason said. "Mauvis Meade is going to come

out all right. I think the fall guy is Gregory Dunkirk, and the moral probably is that when you work out a foolproof method of beating the law, you want to remember that is, law isn't always a fool!"

The End.