“A nice bed-time story,” Sergeant Holcomb said.
“No, it’s logic,” Mason insisted. “I found a roll of money in the mattress of Freel’s bed. Freel hadn’t made that dough out of Mrs. Tump. She was too smart to pay in advance. The only other person who could have played Santa Claus was Tidings. I figured Freel had sold out to Tidings and I knew Tidings wouldn’t buy expensive ammunition without using it.
“I knew that Mrs. Tump would never hire a lawyer if she thought there was any possibility of getting a settlement without a lawyer. She didn’t hire me to negotiate a settlement but to give herself an alibi. One would hardly be expected to hire a lawyer to interview a dead man. It was a clever move but the trouble was I knew Mrs. Tump would never offer to pay a fee while there was any chance of chiseling a settlement without a fee.
“You police, incidentally, overlooked a bet. Your laboratory could analyze that lipstick and analyze the lipstick used by the women in the case.”
Sergeant Holcomb seemed thoughtful. “We could have done that — can do it yet — but that isn’t going to keep me from serving this warrant on you, no matter how much you talk.”
Mason got to his feet, stood broad-shouldered, eyes locking with those of Sergeant Holcomb. “Get this,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned I don’t give a damn what you do. If you’re foolish enough to drag me down to Headquarters while The Clarion is putting the news on the street, it won’t hurt me any. You’ll be the one who gets all the laughs. No, Sergeant, the reason I’m telling you this is because I’m trying to give you a break. Beat it up to The Clarion office, tell them you have doped the whole thing out, grab Freel as a material witness — and you’ll get your picture in the paper.”
Sergeant Holcomb said, “I am going to serve that warrant.”
“Go ahead. You’ll have your picture in the paper in any event. How would you prefer to have the caption read? Sergeant Holcomb Who Solves Murder Mystery in Clarion ’s Office, or Sergeant Holcomb Arresting Prominent Lawyer, While Clarion Newsboys, Seen in Lower Left-Hand Corner, Are Selling Newspapers Giving True Facts in Case to the Public?”
“How do I know this isn’t a stall so you can beat it?” Sergeant Holcomb asked.
Mason looked up at him and laughed. “I should run away from a law practice that keeps me in the high income-tax brackets. For another thing, figure it out for yourself. Somebody kissed him, somebody shot him — and beat it. Then Mrs. Tidings and Peltham came along, found him dying, took him up to Mrs. Tidings’ house, and started to telephone for an ambulance. Tidings died and they tried to cover up. It’s the only theory that…”