The Case of the Baited Hook by Erle Stanley Gardner Read Free Book Online

Gailord, a widow with a daughter. They lived together four or five years, then Marjorie died. A while later. Tidings married Nadine Holmes, an actress, twenty – eight, brunette, and class. They lived together about six months. She left him. He more or less publicly accused her of infidelity. She filed suit for divorce on grounds of cruelty, and then suddenly dismissed the action. Rumor is that after his lawyers told her lawyers what they had on her, she decided to be a good girl; but she won't go back and live with him, and he won't give her a divorce. He's either crazy about her or just plain mean.
    "He's in the brokerage business, also director in a bank, reputed to be pretty well fixed. He's one of the trustees of the Elmer Hastings Memorial Hospital, and Adelle Hastings doesn't like him. They've had some differences, which culminated when Miss Hastings demanded an audit of the books of the trustees. She seems to have something rather definite to work on."
    "Who is she?" Mason asked.
    "Granddaughter of the original Hastings," Drake said. "The money in the family ran out along in the depression. She could sure use some of that money which the old grandfather scattered around to charity. She's poor but proud, thinks a lot of the family name, and points with pride to the hospital."
    "Does she have anything at all?" Mason asked.
    "Nothing except looks and social standing. She's working as a secretary somewhere, but the bluebloods all recognize her as being one of the social elite. She works during the week and goes out on millionaires' yachts and to swell country estates over week – ends. Some of her friends have tried to give her good – paying jobs, but she figures they're just making things easy for her. She prefers to stand on her own."
    Mason said, "Okay, Paul. Now I've got something for you. Beat it down to police headquarters. They found Tidings' car parked in a vacant lot somewhere with blood on it and a topcoat with a bullet hole through it. Apparently, the coat belonged to Tidings, and he may have had it on when the bullet went through."
    Drake said, "That's something! How did you get it, Perry?"
    "Last minute flash on the news broadcast. Della phoned me a few minutes ago."
    Drake said, "I'll get on the job. Want me to do any investigating on that car business?"
    "Just tag along behind the police," Mason said. "Don't bother to do anything on your own hook as yet. Just gather facts and keep me posted."
    "Call you later on?" Drake asked.
    "No," Mason said. "I'm going to sleep. They dragged me up in the wee small hours this morning."
    "I heard about that," Drake said. "By the way, Perry, that man the boys were covering for you was also on the board of trustees of the hospital with Tidings… I presume you knew that."
    "Uh huh."
    "Mean anything?" Drake asked.
    "I think so," Mason said, "but I don't know what- not yet."
    "Want me to do any work on that angle?"
    "I don't think so, Paul. I don't know just where I stand yet. Pick up what information you can without going to too much expense. Don't bother with it personally. Just put a good leg man on it, and we'll check over the dope in the morning."
    "Okay," Drake said.
    "Here's something I am interested in, Paul," Mason went on.
    "Shoot."
    "This has to be handled with kid gloves. I want the dope on it, and I want it just as fast as you can get it."
    "What is it?"
    "Robert Peltham," Mason said. "He must never know that I'm making the investigation, but I want to find out whom he's sweet on. I tried to telephone him this afternoon. He wasn't in, and his secretary said she didn't know when he'd be in. She was delightfully vague."
    "Isn't he married?" Drake asked.
    "I don't know," Mason said. "If he is, my best hunch is that his wife isn't the center of attraction."
    "If he's married, he'll keep his love affairs pretty well covered up," Drake warned. "I may not be able to get you anything on it for a day or two."
    "I'd like very much to have it before two o'clock tomorrow