Chapter 8
Mason, wearing a low, black felt hat, a topcoat, and gloves, stepped casually from the taxicab in front of the Giltmont Arms Apartment Hotel. A liveried doorman reached for the two travel-stained suitcases which the cab driver handed out, suitcases which bore the labels of half a dozen foreign countries.
Mason paid off the cab driver, gave him a generous tip, and followed the doorman into the apartment hotel.
A heavy-set man, wearing square-toed, rubber-heeled shoes with heavy soles, looked up from a newspaper as Mason entered. He gave the lawyer a quick, flashing scrutiny, and then returned to his paper.
Mason said to the clerk, “I may be here for as much as two months. My niece is driving up her automobile for me to use. I’ll want garage space for it. I don’t care to be too high above the street, nor too near it. Something on about the tenth floor would be satisfactory. I am willing to go as high as two hundred and fifty dollars a month.”
The clerk nodded. “I think I have just the thing,” he said. “Mr… er…”
“Perry,” the lawyer said.
“Yes, Mr. Perry. I’ll have a boy take you up for an inspection.” He nodded to a bellboy. “Show Mr. Perry to 1042,” he said.
Mason followed the bellboy to the elevator.
1042 was a well-furnished, three-room apartment with two exposures. Mason announced that it was quite satisfactory and had the bellboy bring up his suitcases. When he had been settled, he picked up the telephone and said to the clerk, “I told you my niece is bringing an automobile for my use. Kindly notify me when she arrives, and I’ll go down and make arrangements for proper storage.”