“Are we to understand that the clients whom you represent are aboard the ship?” Celinda asked innocently.
“I think,” Mason said, smiling, “that so far I have carefully avoided answering any questions about my client, other than to state that I am not representing Mr. Moar.”
“Then your client isn’t aboard,” Celinda Dail asked.
Mason said, “You really should have been an attorney.”
Dail said, “That doesn’t answer my daughter’s question, Mr. Mason.”
Mason stared at him with amused eyes. “No,” he said, “it doesn’t, does it?”
There were several seconds of silence. Then Dail got to his feet. “Very well, Mr. Mason, you understand my attitude.”
Mason stood looking down at the other man. “All right,” he said, “now let’s not misunderstand each other. Don’t make any promises to me on behalf of your company which your company won’t carry out to the letter. If we go through with this thing, I’ll shoot square with you and I’ll want your company to shoot square with me.”
“Just what do you mean, Mr. Mason?” Dail asked coldly.
“I mean,” Mason said, “that your auditor, C. Denton Rooney, doesn’t seem to have the interests of the corporation as much at heart as you have. If we reach an agreement I wouldn’t want to have him misunderstand the terms of that agreement. In fact, I would take steps to see that he didn’t.”