HELEN MONTEITH — Buffeted by the winds of circumstance, whose ship finally reaches port
MRS. HELEN WATKINS SABIN — Widow of the murdered man — a juggernaut with a purpose
STEVE WATKINS — Suave son of Mrs. Watkins by a former marriage, and her able disciple
DISTRICT ATTORNEY RAYMOND SPRAGUE — Explosive, frustrated exponent of the high-pressure technique
RANDOLPH BOLDING — Handwriting expert, who found to his surprise that professional pride had better be denied
ANDY TEMPLET — Practical, non-partisan coroner, determined that justice shall be done
GEORGE WALLMAN — Innocent bystander, whose simple philosophy is the cause of much confusion
Chapter one
Perry Mason regarded the pasteboard jacket, labeled “IMPORTANT UNANSWERED CORRESPONDENCE,” with uncordial eyes.
Della Street, his secretary, looking as crisply efficient as a nurse in a freshly starched uniform, said with her best Monday-morning air, “I’ve gone over it carefully, Chief. The letters on top are the ones you simply have to answer. I’ve cleaned out a whole bunch of the correspondence from the bottom.”