“Then,” Mason said, “you didn’t know that Byrl Gailord was a social climber, that she was trying to crash the set that Adelle Hastings travels with, that she’s set her cap for a young man in whom Adelle Hastings is interested.”
“Byrl Gailord!” Peltham exclaimed.
Mason nodded.
“Why, I can’t believe such a thing is possible. Adelle Hastings has never said a word to me about it.”
“She,” Mason told him, “would be the last person on earth to say a word about it to anyone — particularly to you.”
“But your request to represent her was forwarded to me through Adelle.”
“All right,” Mason said. “We won’t argue about it. That’s done. That’s water that’s already gone under the bridge. What’s Nadine Tidings to you?”
“What do you think?”
“I’m not thinking,” Mason said. “I want to know.”
Peltham met his eyes and said tersely, “She’s everything in the world to me.”