“A friend.”
“Who was this friend?”
Serle paused and looked expectantly at Kittering. Kittering got to his feet, and said, “Your Honor, I object. Not proper cross-examination. Counsel can be given a reasonable latitude in checking the time element. Please note that so far as this witness is concerned, there is no question whatever of his testimony being pertinent to the case except insofar as it relates to the question of time. It is the contention of the defense, naturally, that this telephone conversation occurred after Leeds had left the apartment. It is the contention of the prosecution that it did not.”
Judge Knox glanced down at Perry Mason.
“I’d prefer to have you pass this question for the moment, counselor, and lay some foundation to show that it’s pertinent to the case. The court doesn’t want to embarrass other parties by dragging in their names — unless it’s necessary.”
Mason went on with the cross-examination, calmly, casually.
“Isn’t it a fact that when you entered the pool room, you told witnesses there that you were going to call Louie Conway around ten-thirty?”
“I may have,” Serle said.
“You were lying to these men?”
“I wasn’t lying. I saw no reason for telling pool-room loafers all of my private affairs.”