Drake interrupted him in a low voice, saying, "Listen, Perry, this may be serious as hell. You heard about young McLane?"
Mason nodded and said, "Yes, I heard some rumors. How do the police figure it, Paul? Was it murder or suicide?"
"I don't know. They're keeping it pretty close. But I'm wondering about that eye he was holding, Perry. You remember I got you a bunch of eyes. I'd feel a lot better if I saw that bunch of eyes again."
"Why?"
"I'd just like to make certain they're all there."
Mason shrugged his shoulders. "Those eyes, Paul, are all gone."
"Where?"
"Never mind where."
"Suppose they trace me through the wholesaler…"
"I told you," Mason interrupted, "not to leave a back trail."
"Sometimes a man can't help it."
"Then," the lawyer said, "it's just too bad."
"Look here, Perry. You said you'd keep me out of jail."
"You're not in yet, are you?"
The detective shivered and said, "I have a hunch I'm going to be."
Mason said slowly, "Paul, I think we'd better rush this case to trial. The district attorney wants to hold the preliminary examination day after tomorrow. I'm going to consent to it."
The detective puckered his forehead in a worried frown. "Look here, Perry, we're in this thing together."
"Get your suitcase packed, Paul," the lawyer interrupted; "you're taking the next plane to Reno."
"To get away from this eye business?" Drake asked.
"No, to serve papers on Hazel Fenwick, sometimes known as Hazel Chalmers, also known as Hazel Basset."
Drake gave a low whistle and said, "So, you did know where she was!"
Mason lit a cigarette. "You make too damn many comments, Paul," he said.
Drake started for the door.
"I'm packing my suitcase, Perry, but just remember one thing—you promised to keep me out of jail."
Mason waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal and rang for Della Street. She entered the room just as the detective was leaving. Mason waited until the door closed, and then said, "Take a divorce complaint, Della. The ground will be desertion. The defendant will be described as Hazel Chalmers, also known as Hazel Fenwick, and sometimes known as Mrs. Richard Basset."
The secretary stared at him in openmouthed surprise.
"Why," she said, "if you file the action that way, every newspaper in town will pounce on it. They follow the divorce actions as routine news."
Mason nodded. "I'm sending Paul Drake on to Reno by the evening plane," he said. "Get that girl started at once. When she wires us the address of her apartment, we'll wire Drake to serve papers on her there."
Della Street, watching him curiously, said, "A lot of the newspaper boys know that Paul Drake serves most of our papers."
Mason nodded his head slowly. "If," he said, "I can make the proper buildup on this thing, I can get away with it, but everything depends on the buildup. Go ahead and knock out that divorce complaint, then see that it gets filed."
Chapter 14
Judge Kenneth D. Winters, the judge of the lower court, who was acting as a committing magistrate, fully appreciated the spotlight of publicity which had been focused upon him.
"This," he said, "is the time fixed for the preliminary hearing of Peter Brunold and Sylvia Basset, jointly charged with the murder of one Hartley Basset. Gentlemen, are you ready to proceed with the preliminary hearing?"
"Ready," said Perry Mason.
District Attorney Burger nodded.
Newspaper reporters squared themselves over their notebooks and settled down to business. The case was virtually unique, in that the district attorney himself was conducting a preliminary hearing, and every newspaper man in the room knew that there were events in the making.
"James Overton," said District Attorney Burger, "will you please come forward and be sworn."
Overton held up his right hand, stood staring over the courtroom, dark saturnine, sardonic, yet, withal with an air of polished poise about him which seemed in some way, to set him apart from the others.
"Your name is James Overton and you were employed as a chauffeur for Hartley Basset?" Burger asked, as Overton, having been sworn, took the witness stand.
"Yes, sir."
"How long had you been employed by Mr. Basset?"
"Eighteen months."
"You were employed as chauffeur during all that time?"
"Yes, sir."
"What was your occupation before that time?"
Perry Mason pushed his way up from his counsel chair.
"I am aware," he said, "that it is usually poor policy for an attorney for the defense to enter a lot of technical objections at a preliminary examination. It is far better trial tactics to get the district attorney to expose his hand by asking everything that he wishes to. I am also aware that it is customary for a district attorney to put on only enough of a case to bind over the defendants, without giving to the defense any inkling of the case which he has built up. However, I sense there is perhaps something unusual in the present case. Therefore, I am going to ask the Court and Counsel whether any object can be served by going into this man's occupation prior to the time he entered the employ of Hartley Basset."
"I think it can," Burger said.
"Then I won't object," Mason announced smilingly.
"Answer the question," said Judge Winters.
"I was a detective."
"A private detective?" Burger inquired.
"No, sir, I was employed by the United States Government in connection with some of its intelligence work. I left the government and took employment with the municipal police department on the detective bureau. I had been working only a few days when Mr. Basset approached me and asked me to accept employment as his chauffeur."
Perry Mason settled back in his chair. His eyes drifted over to Brunold's face, then to Sylvia Basset.
Brunold, flanked by a deputy, sat with an expressionless face. Sylvia Basset's eyes were wide with surprise.
"During the time you were employed as chauffeur for Hartley Basset, did you have any duties other than driving an automobile?" Burger asked.
"We'll stipulate," Perry Mason said, with a sneer in his voice, "that this man was employed to spy upon the wife of Hartley Basset and that he endeavored to ingratiate himself with his master by reporting facts which made such espionage seem necessary."
Burger was on his feet.
"Your Honor," he thundered, "I object to such tactics on the part of the defense. He is seeking to discredit the testimony of this witness by a slurring offer to stipulate something which can't be stipulated to."
"Why not?" Perry Mason asked.
"Because it isn't a fact," said Burger. "This man is a reputable investigator, and…"
"They're all the same," Mason interrupted.
Judge Winters banged his gavel. "Gentlemen," he said, "I am going to have no more such discussions. And you, Mr. Mason, will make no more interpolations. You will confine your remarks to the Court and the crossexamination of witnesses, subject to your right to make objections in a proper and respectful manner."
Perry Mason nodded, sprawled out in his chair and smiled slightly.
"Your Honor," he said, "I beg the Court's pardon."
"Go on, Mr. Burger," said Judge Winters.
Burger took a deep breath; seemed to control his temper with an effort and said, "Just answer the question, Mr. Overton. What other duties did you have?"
"I was employed by Mr. Basset to keep him advised as to certain things that went on in his household."
"What things?"
"He told me that he wanted me to be his listening post."
"Was 'listening post' the expression he used?"
"Yes."