The Case of the Lazy Lover by Erle Stanley Gardner Page B

Mason followed her. The door slid shut and Patricia pushed the button for the eighth floor.
    Mason said, "I thought you were the frightened girl who couldn't get back here fast enough."
    "I changed my mind."
    "What caused you to change your mind?"
    She pretended not to hear him. The elevator stopped at the eighth floor. They walked down the corridor together. Patricia fitted a latchkey to the door, said, "I suppose you know you're kicking my good name out of the window."
    Mason didn't say anything.
    She switched on lights in the apartment. Mason closed the door.
    She said, "I'm going to fix myself a drink. A big one. What do you want?"
    "What are you having?"
    "Scotch and soda."
    "Okay by me. Where have you been, Pat?"
    "Out."
    Mason said, "We might get farther if you'd be more cooperative."
    She laughed breezily and said, "I've heard that before somewhere. Believe it or not, I just drove out here from our house in the city."
    Mason followed her out into the kitchenette. She took a bottle of Scotch from the shelf, then took out two glasses; then she took ice-cubes from the refrigerator.
    "Been drizzling up in the mountains," the lawyer said. "Rather nasty weather."
    "Is that so?"
    "And," the lawyer went on, "I noticed that your car was pretty much a mess. Evidently you've had it out where it's wet."
    She splashed Scotch into the glasses without bothering with the jigger measure that was on the shelf by the Scotch bottle.
    "See your mother?" Mason asked.
    She said, "You'll find soda in the icebox, Mr. Mason."
    "See your mother?" he repeated, taking a siphon of soda water from the refrigerator.
    "I think I want to let this drink take effect before I do any talking at all."
    "What's the matter?" the lawyer asked. "Something to conceal?"
    She made no answer, but led the way back to the living room, took a quick drink from the glass, said, "What's this going to be, the third-degree?"
    "Not unless it has to be. I want to know whether you saw your mother."
    "I…"
    Knuckles tapped gently on the panel of the door. For one panic-stricken second, Patricia pretended not to hear them. Then the chimes sounded and Mason said casually, "Do you want to open the door, Pat, or shall I?"
    Without a word, she put her drink on the stand by her chair, walked across and opened the door.
    A woman's voice said, "Thank heavens, you're up, Pat. I…"
    She broke off at the sight of Mason.
    For a moment, she and Pat faced each other. Then the elder woman said, "I'm sorry. I guess I have the wrong apartment. I…"
    "Come on in, Mrs. Allred," Mason said. "One would hardly take you for Pat's mother. You look more like her sister."
    She smiled and said, "It's a nice opening line. I've heard it before. Aren't you keeping Pat up rather late?"
    Mason said, "It isn't a line and it isn't flattery. You might call it a professional appraisal of an article of merchandise I may have to sell to a jury."
    Patricia closed the door. "Perry Mason, Mother."
    "Oh!"she said in a single sharp exclamation.
    "We're having a drink," Patricia went on. "You must be cold."
    "I'm numb," her mother admitted.
    "I'll fix you one."
    Mrs. Allred smiled vaguely at Mason, hesitated a moment, then followed her daughter into the kitchen.
    "Have any trouble getting in?" Patricia asked.
    She said, "The night man at the desk was a little dubious, but I flashed him a smile and walked directly to the elevator with all of the assurance in the world. He finally decided I belonged here."
    "There's ice there in the refrigerator, Mother. You want Bourbon and soda?"
    "That's right."
    Mason could hear the gurgle of liquid, the clink of ice in a glass, then the sibilants of swift whispers.
    The lawyer settled back in his chair, lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, arose politely when the two women reentered the room.
    "Got it all fixed up?" Mason asked.
    "What?" Patricia asked. "The drink?"
    "No. The story."
    Patricia glared at him. Both women sat down.
    Mason said, "You can beat around the bush if you want