The Case of the Calendar Girl

Chapter Thirteen

It was well after nine-thirty in the morning when Mason unlocked the door of his private office, grinned at Della Street and said, “The newspapers didn’t do very well by our friend Hamilton Burger.”

Della Street laughed. “As a matter of good public relations, he should have at least hung around the courtroom and talked with some of the reporters. Pushing the reporters to one side and striding down the corridor didn’t do him any good.”

“So I see in the press,” Mason said. “Well, here we are, starting all over again. What’s new — anything?”

“You have another client,” Della Street said.

“What kind of a case?” Mason asked.

“Murder.”

“Indeed! Who’s been murdered now?”

“Meridith Borden.”

Mason raised his eyebrows.

“Dawn Manning telephoned,” Della Street said. “She is in durance vile. She said that she had been permitted to telephone for an attorney, and that she wanted you to represent her.”

“Where is she?”

“Up in the women’s section of Detention,” Della Street said.

Mason walked over and picked up his hat.

“You’re going?”

“Sure, I’m going.”

“Chief, can you take her case after—?”

“After what?” Mason asked.

“After virtually accusing her of murder in court yesterday.”

“Did I accuse her of murder?”

“You did — at least by innuendo. And so did Judge Erwood.”

Mason said, “All the time I was discussing the matter, I was thinking what an embarrassing situation Hamilton Burger was going to find himself in if he charged Dawn Manning with the crime.”

“What do you mean? There’s virtually a perfect case against her. You can see what she did. She was thrown out of that car, she retained the gun, she found herself in the Borden grounds, she went to keep an appointment with Meridith Borden. The evidence is all there. She can’t possibly deny her presence in view of the new testimony of the undeveloped photographs in the camera. She’s got to admit that she was there with him, and once she admits that, she has to admit she’s lied... Oh, Chief, don’t get mixed up in her case.”

“Why not?”

“Well, for one thing,” Della Street said, “suppose Hamilton Burger should manipulate things so that the preliminary hearing comes up in front of Judge Erwood. You know how Judge Erwood feels; his temper, his ideas about the administration of justice, and the way he feels about the duties of attorneys as officers of the court. He’d really be laying for you this time.”

“It’s a challenge,” Mason said, “and Dawn Manning is a very beautiful woman.”

Della Street said, “Chief, let me make a prediction. If the grapevine from the jail shows that you went up to see her, Hamilton Burger will manipulate things so that the preliminary hearing will come up before Judge Erwood. I’ll bet you ten to one on it.”

Mason thought that over and said, “No takers, Della. I think you’re right. I think that’s exactly what he’ll do. It’s what I would do if I were in Hamilton Burger’s position.”

“Well,” Della Street said, “Judge Erwood will— He’ll... he’ll throw everything at you, including the kitchen sink.”

“I’m good at dodging,” Mason said. “If anybody wants me for the next hour, I’ll be up talking with Dawn Manning, and I rather think we’ll take her case, Della.”