Drake hesitated for a moment, then said, “Well... well, no.”
Mason winked at him and said, “In all probability, it’s just a crazy theory I have, but here’s a newspaper clipping giving an account of how Carr Luceman happened to shoot himself in San Francisco. I’d like to have you make an investigation of the circumstances.”
Drake said, “When do I leave?”
“Charter a plane. You can grab forty winks on the plane.”
“Oh, not forty winks,” Drake protested sarcastically. “Twenty would be all I could possibly use. I don’t want to start getting too much sleep! Does Wenston know about this?”
“He must.”
“About the bullet wound?”
“Probably. He flew Karr up there this afternoon. Karr was beginning to run a fever when I saw him last. His skin was dry and parched, and his face flushed.”
“Who knows about what happened the night of the shooting?” Drake asked. “Anyone besides Karr?”
“Yes,” Mason said. “One person anyway.”