70 The Case of the Stepdaughter's Secret by Erle Stanley Gardner

Author:Erle Stanley Gardner [Gardner, Erle Stanley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Della Street was waiting in the office when Mason arrived.

“Don”t you ever go home?” Mason asked. “Do you have any idea what lime it is?”

“1 know,” she said.

“Had anything to eat?”

“No.”

“Well, let”s see what we can do about that situation.”

Della said, “You have someone waiting in the outer office.”

“Who?” Mason asked.

“Someone I think you’ll want to see, so I had him wait. Jetson Blair.”

“The man who is going to marry Rosena Andrews?”

She nodded.

“What sort of a chap, Della?”

“A square-shooter clean-cut, reserved - looks like a fine young fellow. Good breeding sticks out all over him and … well, he”s just a prince.”

“Apparently,” Mason said, “he made quite an impression.”

“He did,” Della Street said, “and he”s going to make the same impression on you.”

“All right,” Mason said, “let”s talk with him. What does he want to see us about?”

“He said it was entirely personal and 1 didn”t press him.”

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S$$$ “

“Bring him in,” Mason said, “and we”ll press him, and then we”ll go get something to eat.”

Della vanished through the door to the outer office, returning with Jetson Blair, a tall individual with wavy, dark hair, cameo-like features, steady eyes and the carriage of an athlete. “This is Mr Mason, Mr Blair,” she said. Blair shook hands with the lawyer.

“What is it that you want?” Mason asked. “It is, of course, rather late and - “

“I know,” Blair interrupted. “I’ve been waiting for quite a while. I’m sorry I have to present myself at this unconventional time and in such an unconventional manner, but after all my errand is unconventional.”

Mason nodded. “Be seated,” he said, “and let”s see if we can get things straightened out.”

Blair said, “1 know enough from clues 1 have received here and there to put two and two together and make four.” “Go ahead,” Mason said.

“That blackmail note was intended for Rosena,” Blair said. “It was the first attempt on the part of blackmailers to squeeze some money out of a situation which could prove very embarrassing.” “What situation?” Mason asked.

“I believe that my brother, Carleton Blair, is still alive. I think that he has, perhaps, been involved in some things that would be very embarrassing to the family, to say the least.” “And so?” Mason said.

“And so, when 1 saw that article about the blackmail note and the money in the coffee can which had been picked up in the lake at a point which obviously was not too far from the Bancroft lake residence, 1 put two and two together.”

“Go ahead,” Mason said, “tell me just what it is you want to get cleared up.”

“Simply this,” Blair said. “I am in love with Rosena, 1 think she is in love with me. If it turns out that there is a black sheep in the Blair family, we”re going to have to face it. Blackmail doesn”t ever solve anything. I don’t want anybody to pay blackmail in order to spare the feelings of anyone in my family.

“If the scandal is such that Harlow Bancroft and Mrs

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