“I’ve had quite a trip,” Steve Watkins said by way of explanation. “I flew from New York down to Central America to pick up mother, and came back with her. Haven’t even tubbed yet.”
“Did you fly your own plane?” Mason asked.
“No, I didn’t, although I do quite a bit of flying. But my job wasn’t exactly tuned up for a long flight. I went on a passenger plane to Mexico City, and then chartered a private plane down and back. We had another plane fly down to wait for us in Mexico City.”
“You have had quite a trip,” Mason agreed.
Mrs. Sabin said, “Never mind the personal amenities, Steve. I see no occasion to waste time trying to meet Mr. Mason on friendly terms. You know perfectly well he’s going to try to knife us. We may just as well start our fight and get it over with.”
“Fight?” Mason asked.
She pushed forward her chin aggressively and said, “I said ‘fight.’ You should know what the word means.”
“And what,” Mason asked, “are we going to fight about?”
“Don’t beat around the bush,” she said, “it isn’t like you — not from all I’ve heard, and I don’t want to be disappointed in you. Charles has employed you to see that I’m jockeyed out of my rights as Fremont’s wife. I don’t intend to be jockeyed.”
Mason said, “Perhaps in the circumstances, Mrs. Sabin, if you retained your attorney, and let me discuss matters with him...”