“Within the next few days?” Mason asked. “Was he then anticipating something...?”
“No, no, nothing like that. It seems that what he had in mind was to make another appointment with me and have his will, this holographic will, reduced to a more conventional form and duly signed in the presence of witnesses. He was making this holographic will as something in the nature of a stopgap so that in case anything did happen to him he wouldn’t be bound by the old will that he had made.”
Mason nodded, said, “You went out there that night to have him make a new will?”
“That’s right. He was, however, too upset to see me. I couldn’t understand it at the time. In the light of subsequent developments I can put the whole picture together.
“You had jarred the man’s self-assurance, Mr. Mason. And I can assure you he was a hard man to jar, a very hard man.
“Now then,” Hardwick went on, “I probably have no right to do this, but I am going to read you a portion of the holographic will that Mr. Addicks made, a will that I am going to offer for probate. I think there are some things in here which are of the greatest importance to you gentlemen, and particularly to your client.”
“Go ahead,” Mason said, glancing significantly at Della Street so that she would be certain to include the quotation from the will in her shorthand notes.
Hardwick unfolded a paper and read:
I, Benjamin Addicks, make this my last will and testament entirely in my own handwriting, in a spirit of abject humility. I have been arbitrary. I have been self-righteous. I have been too prone to judge my fellow men. I particularly regret the circumstances that alienated me from my brother, Herman.
I have had a very great emotional shock tonight. Mrs. Josephine Kempton, a former employee, whom I had more or less directly accused of theft, is absolutely innocent. The valuable objects which I had thought she had stolen have been discovered under such circumstances that it is quite apparent that they were stolen by a mischievous monkey, and that I alone am responsible for the actions of this monkey.
I therefore make my last will and testament as follows: To Josephine Kempton, my former housekeeper, I leave my heartfelt apologies and the sum of fifty thousand dollars. To Mortimer Hershey, my business manager, who has, incidentally, been well paid for his services, I leave the sum of ten thousand dollars. To Nathan Fallon, who, I think, has been grossly overpaid, and who at times has been completely disloyal to my interests, I leave the sum of one dollar and my admonition to him that the prime requisite of an employee is absolute, unswerving loyalty. I trust that this admonition will stand him in good stead in whatever position he may next occupy in his new employment.
I appoint my bank, the Seaboard Mechanics National Trust Company, as executor of this my last will, and direct that all legal matters in connection with the probate of the estate shall be in the hands of Sidney Hardwick of the firm of Hardwick, Carson and Redding.
Hardwick glanced up from the paper and said, “There you are, gentlemen. The will was dated Tuesday evening, and it is entirely in the handwriting of Benjamin Addicks, and is signed by him.”
Mason said, “That undoubtedly throws a new light on the situation. I notice that you said you were going to read a portion of the will.”
Hardwick smiled. “That’s right. There are several other bequests to former employees and a residuary clause leaving all the balance of the estate to his brother.”
“His brother’s last name is Addicks?” Mason asked.
“It is not.”
“May I ask what it is?”
“It will be disclosed later.”
“How did his former will dispose of his property?”
Hardwick merely smiled.
“I’ll put it this way,” Mason said, “was Mrs. Kempton mentioned in that will?”
“No. She definitely was not.”
“So that Addicks apparently tried to make atonement,” Mason said musingly.
“I felt you should know that,” Hardwick said. “It strengthens the position of your client, and it might be valuable information for you gentlemen to have in fixing your compensation. In other words, I felt you might be embarrassed if you fixed a definite fee for your services and then found your client had fifty thousand dollars you knew nothing about.”
“Thanks,” Mason said. “Now what do you want?”
Hardwick said, “I want to talk with your client, Josephine Kempton. I want to talk with her alone. I want to talk with her on a matter which is absolutely confidential.”
“I take it,” Mason said, “that you are indicating that you don’t wish us to be present?”
“I want to talk with her in absolute confidence.”
Mason glanced at James Etna.
“It’s all right by me,” Etna said. “I certainly feel very grateful and...”
“I don’t,” Mason said.
“What?” Hardwick exclaimed.
Mason grinned. “I don’t feel that grateful.”
“I certainly have given you information...”
“Sure,” Mason said, “you’ve given us information that helps in fixing fees. We’re grateful. I’d do anything for you I could, personally. But our client is in a different position. I’m not going to start writing any blank checks on my client’s account until I know what it is you’re after.”
“I can assure you, Mr. Mason, that it’s a matter which has absolutely nothing to do with the case in which you client is now involved. It is a matter that must remain highly confidential. In fact, Mrs. Kempton herself will not know what it is I am trying to clear up.”
Mason shook his head. “I want to know what you’re gunning for before I let any client of mine move onto the target range.”
“She’s not going to get hurt.”
“That,” Mason said, “is something on which she’s entitled to the benefit of legal advice, legal advice that is completely and solely to her best interests.”
“I’m afraid, Mr. Mason, that you’re putting too high a price on your offer.”
Mason smiled and said, “You put a high enough price on reading us the provision of the will.”
Hardwick said, “All right, suppose you would have learned the provisions anyway after the will had been filed for probate. Having them in advance may make several thousand dollars difference to you gentlemen personally.”
“We’re grateful,” Mason said, “But we advise our clients for their best interests, not ours.”
“I don’t think my request is unreasonable,” Hardwick said.
“What do you want to talk with Mrs. Kempton about?”
“I am not at liberty to tell you.”
“All right, then,” Mason said, “I’ll tell you, and we’ll see how close I come to it.”
“You’ll tell me?” Hardwick asked in surprise.
“That’s right,” Mason said. “You want to ask Josephine Kempton about the murder of Helen Cadmus.”
“The murder of Helen Cadmus?” Hardwick echoed.
“That’s right, the murder. You have reason to believe that someone tossed Helen Cadmus overboard from that yacht. You have some information that we don’t have. You also have some problem that bothers you in connection with the estate. When I know more about why you’re interested I’ll give you a better answer.”
Hardwick cleared his throat with a loud harrumph, took off his glasses, polished them vigorously, adjusted them back on his nose.