“The chocolate was drugged?” Mason asked.
Drake nodded. “They’d used up most of the chocolate, but the small amount left in the package is pretty well doped with barbiturate.”
Mason began toying with a lead pencil.
“The police theory,” Drake went on, “is that Fay Allison had been playing house with Carver Clements. She wanted to get married. Clements wouldn’t let her go. She slipped him a little poison. She intended to return and get her things out of the apartment when it got late enough so she wouldn’t meet someone in the corridor if she came walking out of seven-oh-two with her arms full of clothes. Anita, who had gone out, unexpectedly returned, and that left Fay Allison trapped. She couldn’t go up and get her things out of the apartment upstairs without disturbing Anita. So she tried to drug Anita and something went wrong.”
“That’s a hell of a theory,” Mason said.
“Try and get one that fits the case any better,” Drake told him. “One thing is certain — Fay Allison was living up there in apartment seven-oh-two. As far as Dane Grover is concerned, that’s the thing that will make him throw everything overboard. He’s a sensitive chap, from a good family. He doesn’t like having his picture in the papers. Neither does his family.”
“What about Clements?”
“Successful businessman, broker, speculator, lots of dough, domestic troubles, a wife who was trying to hook him for a bigger property settlement than Clements wanted to pay. Clements has a big apartment he leases by the year, where he lives officially. This place was a playhouse. Only a few people knew he had it. His wife would have given a lot of money to have found out about it.”
“What’s the wife doing now?”
“Sitting pretty. They don’t know yet whether Clements left a will, but she has her community property rights, and Clements’ books will be open for inspection now. He’d been juggling things around pretty much, and now a lot of stuff is going to come out — safety deposit boxes and things of that sort.”
“How about the four people who met us in the hall?”
“I have all the stuff on them here. The men were Richard P. Nolin, a sort of partner in some of Clements’ business, Manley L. Ogden, an income tax specialist, Don B. Ralston, who acted as dummy for Clements in some business transactions, and Vera Payson, who is someone’s girl friend, but I’m damned if I can find out whose. Anyhow, those people knew of the hideout apartment and would go up there occasionally for a poker game. Last night as soon as the dame across the hall said Clements had company, they knew what that meant and went away. That’s the story. The newspapers are lapping it up. Dane Grover isn’t going to stay put much longer. You can’t blame him. Pressure’s getting pretty strong. All he has is Fay Allison’s tearful denial. Louise Marlow says we have to do something fast.”
Mason said, “Tragg thinks I had Carver Clements’ key.”
“Didn’t you?”
“No.”
“Where did you get it?”
Mason shook his head.
“Well,” Drake said, “Carver Clements didn’t have a key.” Mason nodded. “That is the only break we have in the case, Paul. We know Clements’ key is missing. No one else does, because Tragg won’t believe me when I tell him Clements hadn’t given me his key.”
Drake said, “It won’t take Tragg long to figure the answer to that one. If Clements didn’t give you the key, there’s only one other person who could have given it to you.”
Mason said, “We won’t speculate too much on that, Paul.”
“I gathered we wouldn’t,” Drake said dryly. “Remember this, Perry, you’re representing a girl who’s going to be faced with a murder rap. You may be able to beat that rap. It’s circumstantial evidence. But in doing it, you’ll have to think up some explanation that will satisfy an embarrassed lover who’s being pitied by his friends, laughed at by his enemies, and ridiculed by the public.”
Mason nodded.
“Whatever explanation you’re going to make has to be made fast,” Drake said. “My best guess is this Grover guy isn’t going to stand the gaff much longer.”
Mason said, “We’ll push things to a quick hearing in court on a preliminary examination. In the meantime, Paul, find out everything you can about Carver Clements’ background. Pay particular attention to Clements’ wife. See if there isn’t a man in her life. If she had known all along about that apartment...”
Drake shook his head dubiously. “I’ll give it a once over, Perry, but if she’d even known about that apartment, that would have been all she needed. If she could have raided that apartment with a photographer and had the deadwood on Carver Clements, she’d have boosted her property settlement another hundred grand and walked out smiling. She wouldn’t have needed to use any poison.”
Mason’s strong, capable fingers were drumming gently on the edge of the desk. “There has to be some explanation, Paul.”
Drake heaved himself wearily to his feet. “That’s right,” he said without enthusiasm, “and Tragg thinks he has it.”
Chapter seven
Della Street, her eyes sparkling, entered Mason’s private office from the door which led from the reception room and said, “He’s here, chief.”
“Who’s here?” Mason asked, frowning.
She laughed. “Don’t be like that. As far as this office is concerned, there is only one he.”
“Dane Grover?”
“That’s right.”
“What sort?”
“Tall, sensitive-looking. Wavy, dark-brown hair, romantic eyes, with something of the poet about him. He’s terribly crushed, of course. You can sec he’s dying ten thousand deaths every time he meets one of his friends. Gertie, at the switchboard, can’t take her eyes off him.”
Mason grinned and said, “Let’s get him in, then, before Gertie either breaks up a romance or dies of unrequited love.”
Della Street went out and returned after a few moments, ushering Dane Grover into the office.
Mason shook hands, invited Grover to take a seat. Grover glanced dubiously at Della Street. Mason smiled. “She’s my right hand, Grover, keeps notes for me, and her thoughts to herself.”
Grover said, “I suppose I’m unduly sensitive, but I can’t stand it when people patronize me or snub me or pity me.”
Mason nodded.
“I’ve had them do all three ever since the papers came out this morning.”
Again Mason’s answer was merely a nod.
“But,” Grover went on, “I want you to know that I’ll stick.”
Mason thought that over for a moment, then held Grover’s eyes. “For how long?”
“All the way.”
“No matter what the evidence shows?”
Grover said, “The evidence shows the woman I love was living with Carver Clements as his mistress. The evidence simply can’t be right. I love her, and I’m going to stick. I want you to tell her that, and I want you to know that. What you’re going to have to do is going to take money. I want it to take lots of money. I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. I’m here to see that you have what money you need — all you want, in fact.”
“That’s fine,” Mason said. “Primarily, what I need is a little moral support. I want to be able to tell Fay Allison that you’re sticking, and I want some facts.”
“What facts?”
“How long have you been going with Fay Allison?”
“A matter of three or four months. Before then I was... well, sort of squiring both of the girls around.”