The Case of the Blonde Bonanza by Erle Stanley Gardner Read Free Book Online

as you are concerned the contract is at an end. There are no further obligations on your part under the contract. But we intend to hold Boring for damages because of the breach of the contract. If anyone asks you anything about the contract, you refer them to me. You simply refuse to discuss it. If anyone asks you how you are coming with your diet, or your weight-gaining program, you tell them that the person with whom you had the contract broke it and the matter is in the hands of your attorney. Can you remember that?"
    She nodded.
    "Where are you going now? Do you want to stay in town or go back to Bolero Beach?"
    "I had intended to go back to Bolero Beach."
    "You have your car?"
    "Yes."
    "Go on back to Bolero Beach," Mason said. "See that Della has your address and phone number and keep in touch with your telephone. I may want to reach you right away in connection with a matter of some importance.
    "Now, how do you feel about a settlement?"
    "In what way?"
    "What would you settle for?"
    "Anything I could get."
    "That's all I wanted to know," Mason said. "You quit worrying about it, Dianne, and incidentally start cutting down on the sweets and developing a more sensible diet."
    She smiled at him and said, "My clothes are so tight I… I was just about to get an entirely new wardrobe."
    "I think it'll be cheaper in the long run," Mason said, "to start taking off weight."
    "Yes," she said somewhat reluctantly, "I suppose so. It's going to be a long uphill struggle."

CHAPTER FIVE
    It was shortly before five o'clock when Gertie rang Della Street's telephone and Della Street, taking the message, turned to Mason.
    "Harrison T. Boring is in the outer office in person."
    "What do you know!" Mason said.
    "Do I show him in?"
    "No," Mason said, "treat him like any other client. Go out, ask him if he has an appointment, get his name, address, telephone number and the nature of his business, and then show him in. In the meantime slip Gertie a note and have her call Paul Drake, tell him Boring is here and I want him shadowed from the moment he leaves."
    "Suppose he won't give me his telephone number and tell me the nature of his business?"
    "Throw him out," Mason said, "only be sure there's enough time for Paul to get a tail on him. He's either going to come in the way I want him to or he isn't going to come in at all. My best guess is the guy's scared."
    Della Street left and was gone nearly five minutes. When she returned she said, "I think he's scared. He gave me his name, telephone number, address, and told me that you had said you wanted to have him call you upon a matter of importance, that rather than discuss it over the telephone he had decided to call in person since he had another appointment in the vicinity."
    "All right," Mason said. "Now we'll let him come in."
    Della Street ushered Harrison Boring into the office.
    Boring was rather distinguished-looking, with broad shoulders, sideburns, keen gray eyes, and a certain air of dignity. He was somewhere in his late thirties, slim waisted and spare-fleshed, despite his broad shoulders. He had a close-clipped mustache which firmed his mouth.
    "Good afternoon, Mr. Mason," he said. "I came to see you. You asked me to get in touch with you, and since I was here in the neighborhood on another matter I decided to come in."
    "Sit down," Mason invited.
    Boring accepted the seat, smiled, settled back, crossed his legs.
    "Dianne Alder," Mason said.
    There wasn't the faintest flicker of surprise on Boring's face.
    "Oh, yes," he said. "A very nice young woman. I'm sorry the plans we had for her didn't materialize."
    "You had plans?"
    "Oh, yes, very definitely."
    "And made a contract."
    "That's right-I take it you're representing her, Mr. Mason?"
    "I'm representing her."
    "I'm sorry she felt that it was necessary to go to an attorney. That is the last thing I would have wanted."
    "I can imagine," Mason said.
    "I didn't mean it that way," Boring interposed hastily.
    "I did," Mason