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e very specialized attention。 I； of course； will be busy representing the balance of the estate； and he has suggested to me that he might like to secure the services of some petent attorney to advise him； particularly with reference to the publication。 In fact； to take over the publication during the period that the estate is in probate。〃
Atwood ceased speaking； and gazed significantly； with his beady； glittering eyes； at Perry Mason。 Then； as Mason said nothing； he went on； 〃The matter would call for some expenditure of time。 You would be well pensated； very well pensated； indeed。〃
Mason was blunt。 〃All right；〃 he said。 〃Why mince matters？ What you want me to do is to dismiss the contest all the way along the line and leave Griffin in the saddle。 He'll see that I make some money out of it。 Is that the proposition？〃
Atwood pursed his lips。
〃Really； counselor； I would hesitate to mit myself upon so blunt an expression of policy； but； if you will think over the statement that I made； I think you will find that it keeps within the bounds of professional ethics； and yet is sufficiently prehensive to cover the case。〃
〃To hell with all that hooey；〃 Perry Mason said。 〃I want a plain understanding。 I'll talk plainly even if you won't。 You and I are on opposite sides of this fence。 You're representing Griffin； and trying to get control of the estate； and keep control of it。 I'm representing Mrs。 Belter； and I'm going to throw that will out of court。 It's a forgery； and you know it。〃
Atwood's lips continued to smile； but his eyes were cold and hard。
〃You can't get away with that；〃 he said。 〃It doesn't make any difference whether the will's a forgery or not。 She destroyed the original will。 She admits that in her confession。 We can prove the contents of that destroyed will； and take under it。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason； 〃that's a lawsuit。 You think you can。 I think you can't。〃
〃Moreover；〃 said Atwood； 〃she can't take any of the property because she murdered him。 It's against the policy of the law for a person to inherit property from one he or she has murdered regardless of any will or other instrument。〃
Mason said nothing。
Atwood exchanged glances with his client。
〃Do you question that？〃 he asked of Mason。
〃Hell； yes；〃 said Mason； 〃but I'm not going to argue it with you here。 I'll do my arguing when I get in front of a jury。 Don't think I was born yesterday。 I know what you want。 You want to be assured of convicting Eva Belter of first degree murder。 You think I can help you show premeditation by giving proof of a motive。 If you can convict her of first degree murder she can't take any of the property。 That's the law a murderer can't inherit。 But if she's not convicted of murder； even if she should be convicted of manslaughter； she could still inherit。 You're after the property and you want to bribe me。 It won't work。〃
〃If you persist in this course； counselor； you may find yourself in front of a jury。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason； 〃what's the English translation of that； a threat？〃
〃You can't keep us out of the saddle；〃 said Atwood。 〃And when we get in the saddle； we will have several important decisions to make。 Some of them may affect your activities。〃
Perry Mason got to his feet。
〃I don't like this business of talking around in circles；〃 he said。 〃I e out and say what I have to say。〃
〃Well；〃 said Atwood； still speaking suavely； 〃exactly what do you have to say？〃
〃No！〃 snapped Mason； explosively。
Carl Griffin coughed apologetically。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； 〃perhaps I might say something which would simplify the situation。〃
〃No；〃 said Atwood； 〃I'm doing the talking。〃
Griffin smiled at Mason。
〃No hard feelings； counselor；〃 he said； 〃it's a matter of business。〃
〃Please；〃 said Atwood； his eyes staring steadily at his client。
〃Oh； all right；〃 said Griffin。
Mason motioned toward the door。 〃Well； gentlemen； I guess the conference is over。〃
Atwood tried again。 〃If you could only see your way clear to dismissing the applications； counselor； it would save time。 As it is； you must admit that we have a perfect case； but we didn't like the time and expense necessary to present it。〃
Mason stared at him stonily。 〃Listen；〃 he said； 〃you may think you've got a perfect case； but right now I'm in the saddle； and I'm going to stay in the saddle。〃
Atwood lost his temper。 〃You're not in the saddle firmly enough to stay twenty…four hours！〃
〃You think not？〃
〃Permit me to remind you； counselor；〃 Atwood remarked； 〃that you might be considered an accessory to the murder。 The police would doubtless be guided by our wishes in the matter； since my client is now the legal heir。〃
Mason moved over toward him。 〃Any time I need you to remind me of where I stand； Atwood； I'll call you up。〃
〃All right；〃 said Atwood； 〃if you want to be disagreeable about it； we'll play that kind of a game。〃
〃That's fine；〃 Mason told him； 〃I do want to be disagreeable about it。〃
Atwood signaled to his client； and both men walked to the door。
Atwood strode through it unhesitatingly； but Carl Griffin paused with his hands on the knob； acting very much as though he had something he wanted to say。
Mason's manner； however； was not encouraging。 Griffin shrugged his shoulders and followed his attorney out of the office。
When they had gone； Della Street came in。
〃Did you reach some kind of an agreement with them？〃 she asked。
He shook his head。
〃Can't they beat us？〃 she asked； avoiding his eyes。
He seemed to have aged ten years。 〃Listen； Della； I'm fighting for time。 If they'd given me a little time； and some elbow room； I'd have worked this situation out all right。 But that woman had to go and drag me into it in order to get herself out。 That left me with only one alternative…to get her in so that I could be on the outside； where I could do some good。〃
〃You don't need to explain； chief；〃 she told him。 〃I'm sorry if I seemed to criticize you。 It was all so unexpected； and so totally unlike you； that it surprised me。 That was all。 Please forget it。〃 But her eyes still avoided his。
〃Sure；〃 he said。 〃I'm going down to Paul Drake's office。 You can reach me there if it's anything important； but don't tell anybody where I am。〃
17。
Paul Drake sat at a battered desk in a cubbyhole of an office and grinned across at Perry Mason。
〃Pretty clever work；〃 he said。 〃Did you have that up your sleeve all the time； or did you just pull it on her when the going got rough？〃
Mason's eyes were heavy。 〃I've had an idea what happened but getting an idea and getting proof are two different things。 Now I've got to save her。〃
〃Forget it；〃 said Drake。 〃In the first place she isn't worth it； and in the second place； you can't。 Her only chance is self…defense and that won't work because she admits he was across the room from her when she shot。〃
〃No；〃 said Mason。 〃She's a client。 I stay by my clients。 She forced my hand； and I had to make the play I did。 Otherwise； we'd both have been in a mess。〃
〃I wouldn't give her any consideration whatever；〃 Drake said。 〃She'