The Case of the Baited Hook Read Free Page A

said. "Take the telephone directory, list the number of the page, the column, and the position of the name in that column. For instance, if it's a person on page 1000 of the telephone directory, the fourth name down from the top in the third column, you will simply say, 'If I accept employment for 1000 – 3 – 4, would I be in danger of handling a case against you?'"
    "And you'll answer it?"
    "If I don't answer it within forty – eight hours," Peltham said, "you may consider yourself free to accept the employment."
    "And how," Mason asked, "will I know about your affairs? I take it, you have somewhat diversified business interests. I may not know…"
    Peltham interrupted. For the first time, there was in his voice evidence of mental tension. "You'll know by tomorrow," he said, "-that is, if you read the newspapers."
    Mason said, "It's goofy. It doesn't make sense."
    Peltham indicated the two thousand dollars on the desk. "There's two thousand dollars," he said. "That money is paid over to you with no questions asked. I don't want a receipt. I'll take your word. Ninety – nine chances out of a hundred you won't have to turn a finger. That money will be velvet. But if you should become active on behalf of this woman, you will then automatically receive the additional ten thousand dollars."
    Mason said, with finality, "I'll take you up on that proposition on one condition."
    "What's the condition?"
    "That I'll use my best efforts to be fair. I'll act in the highest good faith. If I make a mistake, and find myself involved, I have the right to return the two thousand dollars and wipe the matter off the books as effectively as though we'd never had this conversation."
    Peltham glanced inquiringly at the masked woman.
    She shook her head vigorously.
    Mason said, "That's my proposition. Take it or leave it."
    Peltham looked about him at the walls of the office. His eyes fastened on the door to the law library. "Could we," he asked, "go in there for a moment?"
    "Go right ahead," Mason said, and then added, "Are you afraid to have me hear this woman's voice?"
    It was Peltham who started to answer the question, but the vigorous nodding of the woman's head gave Mason his answer.
    The lawyer laughed. "Go ahead," he said. "After all, it's your show. I'm just sitting in the wings."
    "In a twelve – thousand – dollar seat," Peltham said with some feeling. "It's bank night as far as you're concerned, Mr. Mason, and you've won the jackpot."
    Mason indicated the door of the law library with a gesture. "Go ahead," he said. "I'm going to be back in bed within thirty minutes. You have my proposition. Take it or leave it."
    Peltham crossed over to her chair. "Come, dear," he said.
    She arose with some reluctance. He cupped his hand under her elbow, and they walked across the office, her raincoat rustling as she walked.
    The galoshes gave her a somewhat awkward gait. The raincoat, hanging loosely from her shoulders, gave no indication of the contours of her figure, but there was something in her gait which showed that she was young and lithe.
    Mason pinched out his cigarette, tilted back in the chair, crossed his ankles on the corner of the desk, and waited.
    They were back in less than three minutes. "Your proposition is accepted," Peltham said. "I only ask that you use the highest good faith."
    "I'll do the best I can," Mason said, "and that's all I can promise."
    For a moment, it seemed that Peltham was about to put more cards on the table. His face twisted with expression as he leaned forward across Mason's desk. "Look here," he said, in a voice harsh with emotion-and then caught himself.
    Mason waited.
    Peltham took a deep breath. "Mr. Mason," he said, "I wouldn't do this if it weren't absolutely necessary. For two hours now, I've been racking my brain trying to find some method of accomplishing what I want to accomplish without undoing everything in the process. If it were ever surmised by anyone that this woman and I had any