The Case of the Blonde Bonanza Read Free

years and now I'm just reveling in having everything I want. Now I've built up my appetite to a point where I just can't resist food. I'm going to make the weight all right but the hard part is whether I can shut off the supply of food when I've made the weight. I'm afraid I'm going to overshoot the mark."
    Mason said, "You certainly have the figure to make women curve-conscious and sell clothes."
    "Well, of course," she said, "that's what's at the back of it. They want to sell clothes. They feel that the average woman is simply sick and tired of starving herself and that I can make-that is, that they can make a new trend in styles if they can find the right model."
    "I think they've found her," Mason said. And raising his coffee cup, smiled at the highly embarrassed Dianne Alder and said, "Here's to success!"
    Fifteen minutes later, however, when Mason was able to get Della Street to one side, he said, "Della, there's something terribly fishy about this whole business with Dianne Alder. She says she has a contract. Apparently it's a written contract. She seems to be a very nice girl. I would dislike very much to see her victimized. I'm going to make my excuses and leave. See if you can get a heart-to-heart, woman-to-woman talk with her and find Out more about that contract. You've been around law offices long enough to be able to spot the joker if you can get a look at it."
    "If she's getting money for putting on weight," Della Street said wistfully, "she's living an ideal existence."
    "Until someone jerks the rug out from under her," Mason said, "and leaves her with all those curves."
    Della Street smiled. "I know how easy and rapid it is to put it on and how very slow and painful the process is of taking it off-but what in the world could anybody want with her- Well, you know, I mean why would anyone make a contract of that sort?"
    Mason said, "Since she's a friend of your Aunt Mae, it might be a good plan to find out."

CHAPTER THREE
    It was nine o'clock the next morning when Mason's phone rang.
    "Are you decent?" Della Street asked.
    "Fully clothed and in my right mind," Mason said. "Where are you?"
    "I'm down in the lobby."
    "What gives?"
    "The contract."
    "What contract? Oh, you mean with Dianne Alder?"
    "Yes."
    "You know what it's all about?"
    "I've done better than that. I have her copy with me."
    "Good," Mason said. "Come on up. I'll meet you at the elevator."
    Mason met Della and asked, "Have you had breakfast?"
    "No. You?"
    Mason shook his head.
    "I'm famished," she said.
    "Come on in," Mason told her, "and we'll have some sent up to the suite and eat it out on the balcony overlooking the ocean."
    The lawyer called room service and placed an order for a ham steak, two orders of fried eggs, a big pot of coffee and toast.
    Della Street, walking over to the full-length mirror, surveyed herself critically. "I'm afraid," she said, "I'm being inspired by the example of Dianne Alder and am about to go overboard."
    "That breakfast won't be fattening," Mason said.
    "Hush," she told him. "I've been at the point where I've even been counting the calories in a glass of drinking water. And now, inspired by the example of Dianne getting paid for putting on weight, I feel that you should supplement that order with sweet rolls and hashbrown potatoes."
    "Shall I?" Mason asked, reaching for the phone.
    "Heavens, no!" she exclaimed. "Here, read this contract and prepare to lose a secretary. Why didn't someone tell me about this sooner?"
    "Inspired?" Mason asked.
    "To quote a famous phrase," Della Street said, "it's nice work if you can get it. I'm thinking of getting it. Eat all you want and get paid for it. Have a guaranteed income. Be free from worries so you can put on weight in the right places."
    "What," Mason asked, "are the right places?"
    "The places that meet the masculine eye," she said. Mason settled in his chair, glanced through the contract, frowned, started reading it more carefully.
    By the time the room service waiter