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Mrs。 Mayfield shook her head。
〃The car wasn't out；〃 she said。
〃Are you certain？〃 he asked。
〃Purkett； the butler；〃 she said； 〃sleeps right over the garage。 He was lying awake in bed； reading； and he'd have heard anyone take a car out。 He says that the garage doors were closed； and that no car went out。〃
〃Could he have been mistaken？〃 pressed Mason。
〃No；〃 she snapped。 〃The doors make a noise when they're opened。 It sounds very loud up in the room over the garage。 Purkett would have heard it； and I want an explanation of this crack that you made to my husband about me being in the room when the murder。。。〃
〃Forget that for a minute；〃 Mason interrupted。 〃We're talking about the car； and our time's short。 I can't do any business with you unless I can prove that speedometer was set back。〃
She shook her head emphatically。
〃You can't do any business with me anyway；〃 she said。 〃You've got things in a fine mess。〃
〃How do you mean？〃
〃You've handled things in such a way that the police have dragged Frances Celane into it。〃
The black eyes snapped at him in beady indignation； and then suddenly filmed with moisture。
〃You mean you're the one that got Frances Celane into it；〃 said Mason； getting to his feet and facing her accusingly。 〃You started it by blackmailing her about her marriage； and then you wanted more blackmail to keep her out of this murder business。〃
The glittering black eyes now showed globules of moisture。
〃I wanted money；〃 said Mrs。 Mayfield； losing her air of belligerency。 〃I knew it was an easy way to get it。 I knew that Frances Celane was going to have plenty。 I didn't see any reason why I shouldn't have some of it。 When she hired you； I knew you were going to get plenty of money； and I didn't see any reason why I shouldn't have some。
〃All my life I've been a working woman。 I've married a husband who is a clod； and hasn't ambition or sense enough to e in out of the rain。 All my life I've had to take responsibilities。 When I was a girl I had to support my family。 After I was married； I had to furnish all the ambition to keep the family going。 For years I've waited on Frances Celane。 I've seen her live the life of a spoiled lady of leisure。 I've had to slave my fingers to the bone doing housework and seeing that she had her breakfast in bed； and I'm tired of it。 I didn't see any reason why I shouldn't have some money too。 I wanted lots of money。 I wanted people to wait on me。 I was willing to do anything to get the money； except to get Frances into real trouble。
〃Now I can't do anything about it。 The police cornered me and made me talk； and they're going to arrest Frances Celane for murder。 For murder！ Do you understand？〃
Her voice rose almost to a shriek。
There was an imperative pounding on the door of the office。
〃Open up in there！〃 gruffed a voice from the outside。
Perry Mason paid no attention to the motion at the door； but kept his eyes fixed upon Mrs。 Mayfield。
〃If it would help clear up this mystery；〃 he said； 〃do you think you could find someone who would testify that the car was taken out and that the speedometer was either disconnected or set back？〃
〃No；〃 she said； 〃that car didn't go out。〃
Mason started pacing the floor。
The knocking at the outer door was redoubled in intensity。 Someone shouted： 〃This is a police detective。 Open up that door！〃
Suddenly Mason laughed aloud。
〃What a fool I've been！〃 he said。
The housekeeper blinked back the tears and stared at him with wide eyes。
〃Of course；〃 said Mason； 〃that car didn't leave the garage。 No car left the garage。〃 And he smacked his fist down upon his palm。
He whirled to the housekeeper。
〃If you want to do something for Frances Celane；〃 he said； 〃talk with Purkett again； and in detail。 Go over the case with him and strengthen his recollection so that； no matter what happens； he can't be shaken in his testimony。〃
〃You want him to say that the car didn't leave the garage？〃 asked the housekeeper。
〃I want him to tell the truth；〃 said Perry Mason。 〃But I want him to tell it with sufficient firmness so that he won't be rattled on the witness stand by a lot of lawyers。 That's all I want him to testify to … just the fact that the car did not leave the garage at any time on that night； that the garage doors were closed； and that they remained closed； and that no person could have taken a car from the garage without his hearing it。〃
〃Well；〃 she said； 〃that's the truth。 That's what he says。〃
〃All right；〃 he told her； 〃if you want to do Frances Celane a favor； you get to him and see that no pressure on earth can change that testimony of his。〃
〃I'll do it；〃 she said。
He asked hastily： 〃What did you tell the police about getting money from Frances Celane？〃
〃Nothing；〃 she said。 〃I told them that she gave you money but I didn't know how much； or whether it was in large bills or small bills。〃
The door creaked under the weight of a body which had been thrown against it。
Perry Mason walked to it； snapped back the lock； and opened the door。
〃What the hell do you mean；〃 he demanded； 〃by trying to bust into my private office？〃
A burly man with square shoulders； thick neck and scowling forehead； pushed his way into the room。
〃I told you who I was；〃 he said。 〃I'm a police detective。〃
〃I don't care if you're Mussolini；〃 said Perry Mason。 〃You can't break into my office。〃
〃The hell I can't；〃 said the detective。 〃I'm taking this woman into custody。〃
Mrs。 Mayfield gave a little scream。
〃On what charge？〃 asked Perry Mason。
〃As a material witness in a murder case；〃 said the detective。
Mason remarked： 〃Well； you didn't get the urge to take her into custody as a material witness until after she came to this office。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked the detective。
〃Exactly what I say；〃 said Mason。 〃You sat outside and watched this office until you saw Mrs。 Mayfield e in。 Then you telephoned your superior for instructions； and he told you to pick her up as a material witness before she had a chance to talk with me。〃
〃Pretty smooth； ain't you？〃 sneered the detective。
Mrs。 Mayfield stared from one to the other and said： 〃But I haven't done anything。〃
〃That ain't the question； ma'am；〃 said the detective。 〃It's a question of keeping you as a material witness where you won't be annoyed or inconvenienced。〃
〃And；〃 sneered Perry Mason； 〃where you won't have a chance to talk with anybody except representatives of the District Attorney's office。〃
The detective glowered at Perry Mason。
〃And we understand；〃 he said； 〃that you received ten one thousand dollar bills that were stolen from the body of Edward Norton。〃
〃Is that so？〃 said Mason。
〃That's so；〃 snapped the detective。
〃Just where do you think those bills are？〃 asked the lawyer。
〃We don't know； but we intend to find out；〃 the detective told him。
〃Well；〃 said Mason； 〃it is a free count