Holcomb said, “That answer sort of floored you, didn’t it, Mason?”
“What’s wrong with that answer?” Mason asked.
Holcomb said, “You don’t need to be so fast when it comes to covering up, Mason. I know what you’re afraid of. Now let me tell you something. This young woman told us all about that last night. I asked her if she took the gun with her, and she said yes. She and her friend were doing some shooting.”
Mason flashed a swift glance of inquiry at Virginia Trent. She nodded and said, “All right, what if I did? We’ve been doing it for the last six months. He can account for every minute of my time during the afternoon.”
“Just who is this boyfriend?” Mason asked.
“Lieutenant Ogilby. He’s in my psychology class at night school.”
Mason looked at Sergeant Holcomb. Holcomb nodded. “He checks,” he said shortly. “They went out about one-thirty. Trent was eating lunch at the counter next to his office building when they left. She arrived back here about six. They’d been together all the time.”
Mason said, “Excuse me, I’m going to put in a telephone call. Where’s the telephone, Miss Trent?”
“There in the hallway,” she told him.
Mason dialed Paul Drake’s office, said, “Is Paul in?... All right, let me talk with him... Hello, Paul. This is Perry Mason. What did your men find out from the janitor at Trent’s office building?”