The Case of the Caretaker's Cat Read Free

asked curiously.
    "Saved it. I don't have any expenses, and I've been saving my salary for twenty years. I've put it in gilt-edged stuff – stuff that the master recommended – and when the master cashed in, I cashed in."
    "On Mr. Laxter's advice?" Mason asked, eyeing his client curiously.
    "If you want to put it that way."
    "And you're willing to spend your money to keep your cat?"
    "I'm willing to spend a reasonable amount of it; I'm not going to throw it away. But I know it costs money to get a good lawyer, and I know I'm not going to get a poor lawyer."
    "Suppose," Mason said, "I should tell you it was going to cost you five hundred dollars by way of retainer?"
    "That's too much," Ashton said irritably.
    "Suppose I should say two hundred and fifty dollars?"
    "That's reasonable. I'll pay it."
    Ashton started counting bills.
    "Wait a minute," Mason said, laughing. "Perhaps it won't be necessary to spend any large amount of money. I was just trying to determine exactly how attached you were to the cat."
    "I'm plenty attached to him. I'd spend any reasonable amount to put Sam Laxter in his place, but I'm not going to be stuck."
    "What are Laxter's initials?" Mason asked.
    "Samuel C."
    "Perhaps," Mason told him, "a letter will be all that's necessary. If that's the case, it isn't going to cost you much."
    He turned to Della Street.
    "Della," he said, "take a letter to Samuel C. Laxter, 3824 East Washington Street. Dear Sir: Mr. Ashton has consulted me – no, wait a minute, Della, better put his initials in there – I've got them here on the memo – Charles Ashton, that's it – has consulted me with reference to his rights under the will of the late Peter Laxter. Under the provisions of that will, you were obligated to furnish Mr. Ashton with a position as caretaker during the period of his ability to work in that capacity.
    "It is only natural that Mr. Ashton should wish to keep his cat with him. A caretaker is entitled to pets. This is particularly true in the present case, because the pet was maintained during the testator's lifetime.
    "In the event that you should injure Mr. Ashton's pet, it will be necessary for me to contend that you have breached a condition of the will and have, therefore, forfeited your inheritance."
    Perry Mason grinned at Della Street. "That should throw a scare into him," he remarked. "If he thinks he's fighting over his entire inheritance instead of just a cat, he'll decide not to take any chances."
    He turned to Ashton, nodded reassuringly. "Leave ten dollars with the bookkeeper as a retainer. She'll give you a receipt. If anything develops I'll write to you. If you find out anything, ring up this office and ask for Miss Street – she's my secretary. You can leave any message with her. That's all for the present."
    Ashton's gnarled hands tightened about the crutch. He pulled himself to his feet, slipped the crutch under his arm. Without a word of thanks or farewell, he hobbledy-banged from the office.
    Della Street looked at Perry Mason with surprised eyes.
    "Is it possible," she asked, "that this grandson might forfeit his inheritance if he threw out the cat?"
    "Stranger things have happened," he answered. "It depends on the wording of the will. If the provision about the caretaker is a condition to the vesting of the inheritance, I might be able to make it stick. But, you understand, all I'm doing now is throwing a scare into Mr. Samuel C. Laxter. I think we'll hear from that gentleman in person. When we do, let me know… That's what I like about the law business, Della – it's so damned diversified… A caretaker's cat!"
    He chuckled.
    Della Street closed her notebook, started toward her own office, paused at the window to look down at the busy street. "You saved him two hundred and forty dollars," she said, her eyes aimlessly watching the snarl of city traffic, "and he didn't even thank you."
    A breath of wind, blowing in through the open window stirred her hair. She bent forward from