“That wasn’t a prowl car,” Drake said bitterly. “They were tagging us. And like a fool, I played it wide open.”
Mason said gloomily, “I could kick myself all over the lot for not understanding. Why the devil didn’t I have confidence in her?”
“What do you suppose she knows. Perry?” Drake asked.
Mason put his chin on his hands, propped his elbows on his knees, stared at the floor and said, “Hell, she’s the one who telephoned the bridge. I should have known it all along.”
“What can we do?” Drake asked. “Nothing ‘
“Well, she can’t hurt your case much,” Drake said. “They can’t drag anything out of her. She...”
“She’s going to tell the truth,” Mason said. He got to his feet and stared at Drake. “She’s going to tell the truth,” he repeated, “because I’m going to make her tell the truth. If my client’s guilty of murder, she’s guilty of murder. No client is going to make Della Street get on the witness stand and take a chance on a perjury rap in order to give me a break. Do you get that?”
Drake said soothingly, “Okay, Perry. I’m not arguing with you. I was just asking, that’s all.”
Mason said, “All right, then, you know the answer.”
He got to his feet, crossed the cabin, hoisted the suitcase on the bed and started packing it. “Go down to the office, Paul,” he ordered in a husky voice. “Find out what her bill is, and pay it. We’re checking out of here.”