Ganten said coldly, “Well, I’m here. Go ahead with the interview.”
Mason seemed to be enjoying himself. He inhaled deeply, and then watched the cigarette smoke as he exhaled it through half-parted lips. “Unfortunately,” he said, “there seems to be some difference of opinion as to when Tidings met his death.”
“What has that to do with the stock sale?” Loftus asked. “We had no infor—”
“Please, Mr. Loftus,” Ganten interposed hastily.
Mason said, “It may have a good deal to do with that stock sale. The transaction, as I understand it, was concluded by Mr. Tidings’ secretary. Tidings had left his office before the matter was concluded. Tidings was acting in the capacity of trustee.”
“What does all that have to do with us?” Ganten asked.
Mason said, “Simply this. The medical examiner claims that Tidings couldn’t possibly have been alive after ten o’clock Tuesday morning.”
“That’s poppycock,” Loftus said. “His secretary saw him after that. His secretary talked with him over the telephone after the deal had been concluded.”
“His secretary might have been mistaken,” Mason said.
“Bosh,” Loftus remarked explosively.