The Case of the Blonde Bonanza by Erle Stanley Gardner

here."
    "Okay," Mason said. "I'll be in touch with you."
    "You're going to see this man Winlock?"
    "I'm going to try to."
    "He's a pretty shrewd operator," Nye said. "He plays them close to his chest."
    Mason nodded to Della Street. "See if you can get him on the line, Della."
    "Maybe I'd better wait here until you find out what's cooking," Nye said.
    Della Street consulted the telephone book, put through the call and nodded to Perry Mason. "Mr. Winlock," she said, "this is the secretary of Mr. Perry Mason, an attorney of Los Angeles. Mr. Mason would like to talk with you. Will you hold the phone just a moment, please?"
    Mason took the phone which Della Street extended to him, said, "Hello, Mr. Winlock. Perry Mason talking."
    Winlock's voice was cold and cautious. "I've heard of you, Mr. Mason," he said. "And I have seen you. I was in the courthouse very briefly one time when you were trying a case up here in Riverside."
    "I see," Mason said. "I would like to have a few minutes of your time, Mr. Winlock."
    "When?"
    "At the earliest possible moment."
    "Can you tell me what it's about?"
    "It's about a matter which concerns you personally, and which I think it would be unwise to discuss over the telephone even in general terms."
    "Where are you now?"
    "I'm at the Mission Inn."
    "I have an important meeting a little later on, Mr. Mason, but I can give you thirty minutes if you could come out right away."
    "I'll be there within ten minutes," Mason promised.
    "Thank you. Do you know where I live?"
    "I have the address," Mason said. "I'll rely on a cabdriver to get me there."
    Mason hung up the telephone, said to Della Street, "You're going to have to hold the fort, Della. Keep in touch with things and I'll let you know as soon as I leave Winlock's."
    Nye said, "I'll drive you out, Perry. I know where the place is. I can drive you out and wait until you finish your interview and drive you back."
    Mason hesitated a minute, then said, "Okay, do that, if you will, Sid. It will save a few minutes and those few minutes may be precious. I want all the time I can have with Winlock."

CHAPTER EIGHT
    George D. Winlock's house was an imposing. structure on a scenic knoll.
    Nye parked the car in front of the door and said, "I'll wait."
    "Okay," Mason said. "I shouldn't be very long."
    Mason ran up the steps to the porch, pressed the pearl button, heard the muted chimes in the interior of the house and almost instantly the door was opened by a young man in his late teens or early twenties who regarded Mason with insolent appraisal.
    "Yeah?" he asked.
    "I am Perry Mason," the lawyer said. "I have an appointment with George Winlock."
    "C'mon in," the young man said.
    Mason followed him into a reception hallway. The young man gestured toward a door on the right. "George," he yelled. "C'mon down."
    He turned to Mason and said, "Go on in there."
    Having said that, the young man turned his back, walked through a curtained doorway and disappeared.
    Mason went through the door indicated and found himself in a large room which was evidently used for entertaining purposes. In addition to the arrangement of chairs around the table in the center of the room and in front of the fireplace, there were enough chairs along the sides to seat a dozen guests.
    Mason was standing, looking around, when a tall, thin individual in the early fifties, wearing dark glasses entered the room. He came forward with an air of quiet dignity, extended his hand and said, "How do you do, Mr. Mason? I'm George Winlock."
    Mason shook hands and said, "I'm sorry to disturb you outside of office hours but it is a matter which I considered to be of some importance."
    "I would certainly trust your judgment as to the importance of the matter," Winlock said.
    Mason studied the man thoughtfully. "The matter is personal and it's rather embarrassing for me to bring it up."
    "Under those circumstances," Winlock said, "if you will be seated right here in this chair, Mr. Mason, I'll take this