She nodded, and Mason picked up his own telephone, said, “Mr Doxey, Perry Mason talking. I would like to know a little more about the holdings of the Sylvan Glade Development Company. Can you tell me just how many acres are in the property, how much of it is level property, how much of it is on the hill, and whether there has been a survey to determine the exact boundary on the north?”

  Doxey cleared his throat importantly. “I have all that information in the form of an estimate by contractors as to the cost of levelling and hauling. You see, Mr Mason, at the time we started it hadn’t occurred to us that it would be possible to sell the dirt for the freeway fill. So we had bids as to the estimated amount of yardage and the cost of moving. There was a survey of the northern boundary, but the stakes aren’t there any more.”

  “Where are they?”

  “Some of them went down with that slide which followed the rain and some of them caved in when the contractor was taking out dirt on the Claffin property.”

  “I see,” Mason said. “In other words, they deliberately excavated some of our property?”

  “Not exactly, but they excavated close enough to it so that there was a cave-in.”

  Mason said, “I would like to see Mr Lutts at the earliest possible moment.”

  “You and about ten other people,” Doxey said.

  “How’s that?” Mason asked.

  Doxey laughed. “Your little stock transaction set off a chain reaction. Everybody wants to know how much you paid for that stock, and somehow there seems to be a rumour that my father-in-law is in the market for a lot more stock in the company.”

  “To take the place of the holdings which he sold me?” Mason asked.

  Doxey said, “He doesn’t confide in me. I was merely giving you the rumour which has resulted in a whole flock of phone calls. I’ve been trying to find him myself.”

  “If he should come in,” Mason said, “tell him that I’m looking for him.”

  “Thank you,” Doxey said. “I will. Can you leave a number where he can call you?”

  “Have him call me at my office.”

  “Won’t your switchboard be disconnected?”

  “No, I’m connecting the main trunk line through to my private office.”

  “Very well, I’ll have him call.”

  “As soon as he comes in,” Mason said.

  Doxey said dubiously, “Well, there are quite a few other messages, Mr Mason. It seems as though everyone wants him to call the minute he comes in. However, I’ll see that he gets your message.”

  “Thank you,” Mason said. “Tell him that it’s important.”

  Mason hung up, said to Della Street, “The board is connected so that incoming calls will be received in here, Della?”

  She nodded.

  After a while, Della Street said, “Chief, are you in the clear, protecting Mrs Harlan on this thing?”

  “I don’t know. Of course, I only know what my client told me, and that’s a sacred confidence.”

  “What about the canons of ethics?”

  “The first duty of a lawyer is to protect his client. You have to understand the relative values, Della.

  “Take, for instance, the case of a doctor speeding to the bedside of a patient who is critically ill. He’s probably violating a whole assortment of traffic laws, but the emergency makes it advisable to do so. He has to use his own judgment.”

  Della Street shook her head, “Every time I argue with you, I get the worst of it. And yet–”

  The telephone rang. Della Street picked up the receiver, said, “Perry Mason’s office … Yes, he is, Mrs Harlan. I’ll put him on.”

  She nodded to Mason and he picked up the telephone on his desk, while Della Street continued to listen in on her telephone.

  “It’s all right, Mr Mason. I’m back home.”

  “It’s all right to talk?”

  “Yes.”

  “You recognized the cab driver?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “It’s the same one?”

  “Yes.”

  “No question about it?”

  “No, none whatever.”

  “He didn’t recognize you?”

  “He didn’t pay the slightest attention to me, Mr Mason. I had Ruth flag him down. After we got in the cab I told him where I wanted him to go, but I was seated in such a position that I was directly behind his back. He turned around and saw Ruth, but I don’t think he even gave me a good look – and, of course, I was dressed differently.”

  “You have the taxicab receipt, showing a meter reading of two dollars and ninety-five cents?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s fine,” Mason said. “Leave that receipt in your purse.”

  “And what do I do now?”

  “Now, you simply relax and forget everything – provided you’ve been telling me the truth and you didn’t pull any triggers.”

  “I have been telling you the truth, Mr Mason.”

  “All right, fine. Go ahead and enjoy your fifth wedding anniversary.”

  “You can’t enjoy a wedding anniversary without a husband.”

  “You expect him home, don’t you?”

  “I expect him home, yes. I’m all jittery. I’m so nervous I don’t feel that I can–”

  “Do what I told you to do,” Mason said. “Forget everything. This is a crucial period as far as your marriage is concerned. You’ve sacrificed a lot in order to get this opportunity. Now, go ahead and capitalize on it.”

  “I’ll … I’ll do my best.”

  “And that,” Mason told her, “should be pretty good.”

  “Make no mistake about it, Mr Mason, it’s going to be damn good,” she said and hung up.

  Chapter Seven

  Mason looked at his watch. It was several minutes since Mrs Harlan had called. “I thought we’d hear from Doxey before this. He should be getting worried. I’d like to get some action before dark. I hate to do this to you, Della, but you’re going to have a late dinner. Get Doxey again, will you please?”

  Della nodded, put through the call, and said, “Just a moment, Mr Doxey. Mr Mason again.”

  Mason said, “Hello, Doxey. I’m just leaving the office. Any word from your father-in-law?”

  “No,” Doxey said. “I’m worried. We dine at seven o’clock every night. It’s a schedule that is like clockwork, and Daddy Lutts doesn’t let anything interfere with dinner. Once or twice, when he has been in the middle of a big business deal that hecouldn’t conclude he’s telephoned to let us know that he couldn’t be here. But tonight we haven’t heard a word. He’s nearly an hour late, now. We went ahead and had dinner.”

  “Oh, well, he’ll probably show up all right. I’m–”

  “But there’s something wrong, Mr Mason. He’s been in an automobile accident or something. He would have shown up or telephoned. He’s a stickler for dinner. He wants it on the table right on the dot – that’s been one of the things that has bothered us in connection with our housekeeping help. He doesn’t realize that some of these things can create rather difficult problems.”

  “Well,” Mason said, “it’ll probably turn out all right. I wanted to get him to take me out to show me the actual location of that north boundary line on the ground. He promised me he’d co-operate in every way he could. I wanted to get out there before dark.”

  “Yes, I’m certain he’ll help you all he can. He appreciated the fact that you didn’t do any haggling and that you were most considerate in your dealings with him.”

  Mason said, “I’m very much interested in this thing. I’m going to need certain information tonight. Would it be possible for you to go out there and show me the location of that line? Even with daylight saving time, we haven’t very many minutes of daylight left.”

  “Well … you know where the property is, of course.”

  “I’ve been there.”

  “Well, the line is just to the north of the building. You can see one of the stakes and–”

  “I’d like very much to have you show me. It wouldn’t take long. I could drive by and pick you up.”

  “Very well,” Doxey said. “It isn’t a long drive from here. We could get there in about seven minutes from my house. Do you know where I live?”

  “I have the address from the phone book,” Mason said.

  “Well, that’s right. Just drive up and tap on your horn. I’ll be right out. My wife is a little worried.”

  “Try calling the police and the hospitals. If he’s been in an accident, there’ll be a record of it.”

  “I’ve thought of that. I don’t like to do it, however, because it will worry my wife when she hears me placing the calls.”

  “He might be at the office and just not answering the phone.”

  “No, I’ve been up to the office. He isn’t there.”

  “Well, don’t worry about it,” Mason told him. “He’ll show up all right. I’ll be out in about … well, it’ll take me about fifteen minutes from here, I guess.”

  “I’ll be looking for you,” Doxey said.

  Mason hung up the telephone and said to Della Street, “Okay, Della, you’ll have to wait, and–”

  “I’m going with you. You can’t shake me that easily. You’ll need me to take notes.”

  Mason shook his head.

  “Yes, Chief, please. You’ll need someone to–”

  “You know what’s going to happen,” Mason said.

  “I won’t give the show away.”

  “All right,” Mason conceded. “Bring along a notebook and some pencils. Sit in the back seat and keep notes on any conversation. Let’s go.”

  They drove out to Doxey’s house, which they found without difficulty. It was a large white stucco, red-tile roofed house, a traditional California type of Spanish architecture. There were two palm trees in front of the doorway to the porch, a wide cement walk crossed a velvety, grassy lawn to the sidewalk. Mason tapped the horn button twice, and almost instantly the door opened and Herbert Doxey started out, turned, said something over his shoulder, closed the door and came running down the walk.

  “Heard from Lutts?” Mason asked.

  “Not a word. We’re really becoming quite apprehensive about him.”

  Mason introduced Doxey to Della Street.

  “Don’t you want to ride up in front?” Doxey asked. “I’d just as soon–”

  “No, she’s fine,” Mason said, “I’d like to talk with you. Sit up here and tell me something about the affairs of the company.”

  “I’m afraid there’s not very much I can tell you, Mr Mason,” Doxey said, getting into the front seat. “I think you’re fully conversant with the plans of the company, that is, the plans the company did have before this afternoon’s meeting.”

  “And now what’s happened?” Mason asked.

  “Well,” Doxey said, laughing, “there’s been a sharp division of opinion. You’ll appreciate my position. As an officer of the company I want to give you all the information you want, but I have to remain neutral.”

  “I understand,” Mason told him, “and I appreciate your courtesy. You mentioned a divided opinion. Just how is the opinion divided?”

  “Well, Mr Mason, a peculiar situation has developed. I … I don’t feel that I can tell you any more until I talk with Daddy Lutts.”

  “What’s the book value of the stock?” Mason asked.

  “I – Well, there again it’s a matter of opinion.”

  “What’s the book value per share with reference to the money the company has invested?”

  “Oh, that’s quite low, Mr Mason, Undoubtedly, very, very much below the market price. You see, the company made a rather speculative buy, and circumstances have developed that have made the original value important only from a bookkeeping standpoint.”

  “I see,” Mason said dryly, then asked, “Any recent transfers of stock?”

  “Well, I – Your transfer was recent.”

  “Been any since then?” Mason asked.

  Doxey hesitated.

  “After all,” Mason told him, “there’s no use being mysterious with me. I’m a stockholder in the company. I’m entitled to information.”

  “Some sales were made late this afternoon,” Doxey said noncommittally.

  “Who sold?”

  “Some of the others on the board of directors.”

  “Who bought?”

  “I … I … know certain things in confidence, Mr Mason. I–”

  “You’ll learn them officially as soon as the shares are surrendered for transfer?”

  “Yes, I suppose so.”

  “Have they been surrendered for transfer?”

  “To what shares are you referring, Mr Mason?”

  Mason said, “I’m referring to any shares that were sold this afternoon. Now don’t get so damned technical; if you’re going to get along with me, don’t start by trying to hold out information.”

  “There are others to get along with,” Doxey said. “I’m in the position of being between two fires.”

  “Where’s the other fire?”

  “I think you can figure that out, Mr Mason.”

  “All right,” Mason said, “let’s get down to brass tacks. How many transfers of stock have you entered this afternoon, after the transfer of my shares this morning?”

  “One,” Doxey said.

  “Who to?”

  “Daddy Lutts bought some shares.”

  “Who sold?”

  “Regerson B Neffs.”

  “How many shares of stock?”

  “The certificates that I entered for transfer on the books of the corporation amounted to three thousand shares of stock.”

  “What did Lutts pay for them?” Mason asked.

  “The consideration didn’t show on the transfers. It was a private matter.”

  “Neffs is sort of a stuffed shirt, isn’t he?” Mason asked.

  “I’m sorry,” Doxey said, laughing, “but the corporation doesn’t pay me to discuss members of the board with the stockholders.”

  Mason glanced sidelong at Doxey. They were silent for a while; then Doxey shifted his position and said, “I’ve got a sunburned back. You could do me a very great personal favour, Mr Mason.”

  “How?”

  “By telling me what you paid for Daddy Lutts’ stock.”

  “Why?”

  “I might do a little speculating.”

  “And you might get your fingers burnt.”

  “I’ll take a chance on that. I know that Daddy Lutts is … well, he’s …”

  “Exactly,” Mason said. “He’s greedy. He’s decided that something has happened to make the stock worth a lot more money than the directors think it’s worth. He’s out buying more stock. That’s why he forgot all about dinner tonight.”

  Doxey said irritably, “Well, at least he could have rung up Georgiana.”

  “Georgiana is your wife?”

  “That’s right. Daddy Lutts’ daughter. His name is George. He wanted a son, but when it turned out to be a daughter, they called her Georgiana. That was as close as they could come.”

  “I see,” Mason said.

  “You still haven’t answered my question,” Doxey told him.

  “I’ll put it this way,” Mason said. “I paid too damn much for the stock.”

  “Yes,” Doxey said sarcastically, “I have a picture of the great Perry Mason going around buying things at too high a price.”

  “We might make a trade,” Mason suggested.

  “In what way?”

  “You may have some information that I want.”

  “What?”

  “Does Lutts know who my client is?”

  Doxey glanced at Mason, hesitated, then said, “I think he does.”

  “Do you know?”

  “No.”

  “How did Lutts find out?”

  “I couldn’t tell you that. He might have traced the cheque that your client gave you. He has a bank teller who’s under obligations to him. That’s all I know. Now, it’s your turn.”

  Mason said, “I paid thirty-two thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars for Lutts’ two thousand shares of stock.”

  Doxey regarded Mason as one might look at an individual who had just started to put on water wings to jump from the upper deck of the Queen Mary in the middle of the Atlantic. “You paid what?” he asked.

  “You heard me.”

  “Good heavens, Mr Mason! That – Why … why if you’d only let me know, I could have bought all the stock you wanted at eight dollars a share. There have been some sales at seven.”

  “That’s the point,” Mason said. “I told you I paid too much money for it.”

  “Why?”

  “Now that,” Mason said, “is something that I can’t discuss. You can, of course, draw your own conclusions.”

  “You mean that you wanted … you wanted Daddy Lutts out of the corporation?”

  “He bought right back in again, didn’t he?” Mason asked.

  “Yes, of course. But during the period when he wasn’t a stockholder he had to resign from the board of directors because he wasn’t properly qualified. Look here, Mr Mason, you’re playing some sort of a deep game, with the control of this corporation at stake.”

  Mason grinned, turned the car into the bumpy, ancient road which led up to the property of the Sylvan Glade Development Company. He made the sharp turn at the foot of the hill. The car crawled up the hill, and then, as they reached the top, Doxey exclaimed excitedly, “Good heavens, Mr Mason! That’s Daddy Lutts’ car. He’s up here himself.”

  “That’s fine,” Mason said. “I want to see him.”

  “I simply can’t imagine why he didn’t come home,” Doxey said. “But it’s a relief to me to know that he’s all right. I suppose it’s some new business angle he’s working on. He’s sure a sharpshooter.”

  There was envy and a certain sharp-edged jealousy in Doxey’s voice.

  Mason parked the car. He and Doxey got out. “You may as well wait here, Della,” Mason said casually.

  “We’ll be right back, Miss Street,” Doxey said reassuringly.

  “Can we get into the place?” Mason asked.

  “We can if Daddy Lutts is in there. The door is kept locked, but he has the key.”

  Doxey tried the door. “It’s unlocked,” he said. “Come on in.”