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〃Don't tell anybody who this is；〃 he said； 〃but this is Mason； the lawyer； who represents Frances Celane。 Your wife spoke to me about getting some money for her； and I can't locate her。 Do you know where she is？〃
〃I think；〃 said the man； 〃she went to the District Attorney's office。 They called for her in a car and took her there。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason。 〃It's important that I get in touch with you and talk with you about this business matter which your wife took up with me。 Now； the question is； can you take one of the cars and e in to meet me？〃
〃Maybe I could； sir； but I'm not certain。 I'd much rather walk up and meet you at the corner of the boulevard if you could drive out here； sir。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason； 〃I'll do that。 You meet me at the boulevard； and don't tell anybody that you're meeting me there。〃
Mason returned to the garage； got his car； and made time out to the place where the curving roadway which led to the Norton residence intersected the boulevard。
A man who was stooped of shoulder； heavily framed and big…boned； stepped out from the gathering dusk as Mason parked the car。
〃You're Mr。 Mason？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 said the lawyer。
〃I'm John Mayfield。 What was it you wanted？〃
Mason got partially out of the car and stood with one foot on the running board； and surveyed the man with keen scrutiny。
He saw a stolid； unemotional face； with sullen eyes and heavy； unsmiling lips。
〃Did you know what your wife spoke to me about？〃 he asked。
〃My wife told me she had had a talk with you；〃 said the man； cautiously。
〃Did she tell you what she talked about？〃
〃She told me that maybe we were going to get some money。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason。 〃Now； in order to know where I stand on this thing； you've got to tell me about that speedometer。〃
〃About what speedometer？〃 said the man。
〃About the speedometer on that Buick car。 You set it back； didn't you？〃
〃No； sir；〃 said the gardener。
〃Would you say that you set it back if I pleted the business arrangements with your wife？〃 asked Mason。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Never mind what I mean；〃 said the lawyer。 〃You simply tell your wife that if business arrangements are going to be pleted between us； I would want to know first whether there would be testimony that the speedometer of that Buick automobile had been set back。〃
〃What's that got to do with it？〃 asked the gardener。
〃Just this；〃 said Mason； making little jabbing motions with his forefinger to emphasize his statements。 〃We know that Edward Norton telephoned in to the police that his Buick had been stolen。
〃Now that means that the Buick most certainly wasn't in his garage at the time he telephoned。 Somebody had that Buick out。 It doesn't make any difference whether Miss Celane was home or not。 Somebody had the Buick out。 That Buick was missing at the time Norton telephoned。 Now； when the police got there； the Buick was in the garage； and the speedometer on the Buick was set back to the same mileage that it showed when it was taken out。 So somebody set that speedometer back。 Now； the question is； who did it？〃
〃I didn't； sir；〃 said the gardener。
〃How about Devoe； the chauffeur？〃
〃I don't know about him； sir。〃
〃How about the butler？〃
〃I don't know about him。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason。 〃You don't know very much about anything； but your wife has a pretty good idea about what's going on。 I want you to tell her that if we are going to do business she has got to find out who set the speedometer back on that car。〃
〃You mean the person that had it out； sir？〃
〃No；〃 said Mason； 〃I don't care a damn about the person who had it out。 I'd just as soon the police figured it was Miss Celane who had the car out。 What I want to do is to prove that the speedometer was set back； and I want to find out who set it back。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yes； I think I do now。 Yes； sir。〃
〃When is your wife ing back？〃
〃I don't know。 Some men from the District Attorney's office came and talked with her。 Then they told her they wanted her to go to the office and make a statement。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason。 〃Do you think you can give her my message？〃
〃Yes； sir； I know I can。〃
〃All right。 See that you do；〃 Mason told him。 〃Now there's one other thing that I want to find out about； and that's where you were at the time the murder was mitted。〃
〃Me？〃 said the man。 〃I was asleep。〃
〃You're certain about that？〃
〃Of course I'm certain。 I woke up with all of the motion going on。〃
〃Your wife wasn't asleep；〃 said Mason。
〃Who says she wasn't？〃 demanded Mayfield； his sullen eyes showing some trace of emotion。
〃I do；〃 said Mason。 〃Your wife was around the house。 She hadn't gone to bed when the murder was mitted。 You know that。〃
〃Well； what of it？〃 said Mayfield。
〃Just this；〃 Mason remarked； lowering his voice impressively； 〃there was a woman in the room with the man who struck that blow。 Now your wife had intimated that woman was Miss Celane； or may have been Miss Celane。 I want you to tell your wife that I now have evidence which leads me to believe that she was the woman who was in the room at the time。〃
〃You mean；〃 said the man； bristling； 〃that you're accusing my wife of murder？〃
〃I mean；〃 said Mason； standing his ground and staring at the belligerent gardener； 〃that I'm telling you I have evidence that indicates your wife was the woman who was in the room at the time the blow was struck。 That doesn't mean that she struck the blow。 It doesn't mean she knows anything at all about the fact that a blow was going to be struck。 But it does mean that she was in the room at the time。〃
〃You want me to tell her that？〃 asked Mayfield。
〃I want you to tell her that；〃 said Mason。
〃All right；〃 said Mayfield； 〃I'll tell her that； but she won't like it。〃
〃I don't care whether she likes it or not；〃 said Mason。 〃I told you to tell her that。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mayfield。 〃Is there anything else？〃
〃No；〃 Mason told him； 〃except that you want to be sure and tell her about this interview when no one is listening。 In other words； I don't want the representatives of the District Attorney's office to know about it。〃
〃Oh； sure；〃 said Mayfield； 〃I know enough for that。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason； and got in his car and drove down the boulevard。
He drove in to a cafe； where he dined leisurely and thoughtfully。
By the time he had finished dinner； the newsboys were crying papers on the street； and Perry Mason bought one； took it to his automobile； lounged back against the cushions； turned on the domelight and read the headlines which spread across the top of the page。
NEW MYSTERY IN MILLIONAIRE MURDER。。。 WOMAN IN ROOM AT TIME OF CRIME IS CLAIMED。。。 POLICE TRACING MARKED MONEY TAKEN FROM BODY OF MILLIONAIRE。。。 HEIRESS SECRETLY MARRIED AND HUSBAND SOUGHT AS MATERIAL WITNESS。。。 BEAUTIFUL NIECE MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARS FOLLOWING VISIT TO PROMINENT LAWYER