'I've taken your retainer,' Mason said. 'I'm going to represent you. Before I get done I'm going to give you a damn good spanking and see if I can whale the truth out of you.
'Now, Della has told you about the background of this thing, about your father being alive?'
She nodded tearfully.
Mason said, 'You're in a mix-up and-'
The chimes sounded.
Mason frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then said to Della Street, 'See who it is, Della.'
Della Street opened the door.
A uniformed officer said, 'You'll pardon me, but I want to talk with Miss Dianne Alder.'
'What do you want of her?' Mason asked, stepping forward.
'Who are you?' the officer asked.
'I'm Perry Mason. I'm her attorney. I'm representing her on a contract over which there's been a dispute. What do you want of her?'
'We want to question her about a murder.'
'Whose murder?'
'Harrison T. Boring. He was fatally injured earlier this evening. We want to ask Dianne Alder if she knows anything that would help us.'
'Do you folks think she's in any way responsible?' Mason asked.
'We don't know,' the officer said. 'We're trying to piece together what did happen.'
'And why do you want to talk with Dianne Alder?'
'We have a tip.'
'Tips are a dime a dozen,' Mason said.
'The chief sent me to bring her down to headquarters to answer questions.'
'All right,' Mason said, 'she isn't going to headquarters. She's upset and nervous and she's had an emotional shock.'
'In connection with this case?' the officer asked.
'Don't be silly,' Mason said. 'The emotional shock was in connection with the loss of a modeling contract which she had expected would lead to movie and television appearances. She's on the verge of hysteria.'
The officer hesitated. 'That may or may not be significant,' he said. 'I was sent to bring her in. I-'
'All right,' Mason said, 'you're not going to bring her in. For the time being she's not going to talk with anyone. She's going to have a strong sedative, and after she gets her emotions under control she'll talk with the chief of police, the prosecuting attorney, or anyone who wants to talk with her. Right now she isn't talklug.'
'That's going to put her in rather a peculiar position. It may direct suspicion to her,' the officer said.
'Direct suspicion and be damned!' Mason told him. 'Do you want to adopt the position that the police force of this city is inhuman enough to question an emotionally upset, half-hysterical woman at a time when she's in such an emotional state she should be under the care of a physician?'
'I'll report to the chief,' the officer said. 'I don't think he'll like it.'
'You do that,' Mason told him, 'and you can tell the chief personally from me, that Dianne Alder is going to be out of circulation until tomorrow morning. She isn't going to answer questions from the newspapers, from the police, or from anyone until she has her nerves under control and has recovered completely from emotional shock.'
'We could take her into custody, you know,' the officer said.
'That's your right,' Mason told him. 'Any time you want to swear out a warrant for her arrest you go right ahead. However, you know and I know that you haven't a scintilla of evidence against her. The only reason that you're here to question her is because you've received an anonymous tip from someone who is trying to add to her troubles. For your information, Officer, this young woman has been the victim of a colossal conspiracy. She's just discovered what has happened and the emotional shock is tremendous.
'If you can assure me that you have one iota of actual evidence against her, we'll try and get a physician to quiet her nerves and then see if we can get a statement from her. But if you are acting on the strength of an anonymous tip telling you to get hold of her and question her, I'm going to tell you that that anonymous tip comes from the same individuals who have been trying to muscle in on this young woman's property rights- individuals who have played fast and loose with her emotions with absolutely no concern for the outcome.
'Now, what do you want to do?'
The officer grinned and said, 'I guess you called the turn, Mr. Mason. In view of that attitude we'll wait until she's in condition to be questioned.'
The officer indicated the tearful, frightened Dianne Alder. 'That is Miss Alder?' he asked.
'That's Miss Aider,' Mason said, 'and the young woman with her is Della Street, my secretary. I'm Perry Mason, her attorney.'
'You'll see she doesn't leave town?' the officer asked.
'I'll be responsible for her,' Mason said.
The officer turned to Dianne. 'I'm sorry, Miss Alder,' he said, and left the room.
Mason said to Della Street, 'Get another suite fast, Della. Get Dianne out of here. Stay in that suite with her tonight. We won't let anyone know where she is. I'll close the door to this bedroom and if anyone who calls on me here jumps to the conclusion that you and she are behind that closed bedroom door, I can't help it.'
Mason turned to Dianne. 'Whatever you do,' he said, 'don't lie. Tell the absolute truth. When you are feeling better you can tell your story in detail to Della Street, but if the police should try to question you, tell them that you aren't going to make any statement except in the presence of your attorney, and send for me. Do you understand?'
Dianne nodded.
'I understand,' Della Street said. 'Come on, Dianne, let's go.'
CHAPTER TWELVE
Della Street had been gone less than five minutes when Mason heard a soft code knock on the door; one rap, a pause, four quick raps, a pause, then two raps.
The lawyer made sure the door to the north bedroom of the suite was closed, then crossed the parlor, opened the corridor door and saw Sid Nye on the threshold.
'Hi,' Sid said. 'I just thought I'd pass the word along that the police have a tip on Dianne.'
'I know they do,' Mason said. 'Who gave it to them?'
'Probably Montrose Foster,' Nye said. 'It was an anonymous tip. I also wanted to let you know that you aren't going to have anything to worry about on that time schedule.'
'What do you mean?'
'Moose Dillard had a wrestling match with his conscience and decided that it wasn't necessary for him to make any report to the police. Of course, if they question him it's going to be another matter.'
'Did he get out of the place all right?' Mason asked.
'Like a charm,' Nye said.
'What happened?'
'Actually it was pretty simple. I parked my car about a block down the street, walked up to the entrance to the parking place, walked toward the office of the motel as though I were going in there, then detoured around to the side and ducked in at Number 5.'
'No one saw you?'
'I'm quite certain they didn't. They gave no indication if they did.'
'Then what?'
'I scouted the place, then went outside and got in Dillard's car. He'd given me the keys to it. I started the motor, got it warmed up, then gave a signal to Moose. He came out and got in the car and we shot out of there fast.'
'What did you do with the room key?' Mason asked.
