Mason said, “It’s goofy. It doesn’t make sense.”
Peltham indicated the two thousand dollars on the desk. “There’s two thousand dollars,” he said. “That money is paid over to you with no questions asked. I don’t want a receipt. I’ll take your word. Ninety-nine chances out of a hundred you won’t have to turn a finger. That money will be velvet. But if you should become active on behalf of this woman, you will then automatically receive the additional ten thousand dollars.”
Mason said, with finality, “I’ll take you up on that proposition on one condition.”
“What’s the condition?”
“That I’ll use my best efforts to be fair. I’ll act in the highest good faith. If I make a mistake, and find myself involved, I have the right to return the two thousand dollars and wipe the matter off the books as effectively as though we’d never had this conversation.”
Peltham glanced inquiringly at the masked woman.
She shook her head vigorously.
Mason said, “That’s my proposition. Take it or leave it.”
Peltham looked about him at the walls of the office. His eyes fastened on the door to the law library. “Could we,” he asked, “go in there for a moment?”
“Go right ahead,” Mason said, and then added, “Are you afraid to have me hear this woman’s voice?”