The Case of the Troubled Trustee Read Online Free PDF

he isn't there now?" Mason asked.
    She looked at the lawyer for a long, thoughtful moment and then said, "That's right. We don't."

Chapter Four
    Shortly after lunch Mason said, "Della, write out Kerry Dutton's name, address and telephone number on a card, will you please? And call Paul Drake at the Drake Detective Agency. Ask him if he can come in for a minute.
    "Also, ring up my broker and make certain I am now a stockholder in the Steer Ridge Oil and Refining Company."
    "If there's anything going on behind the scenes with inside information," Della Street said, "the insiders certainly had a wonderful opportunity for stock manipulation.''
    Mason said with a smile, "That's why I chose to become a stockholder, Della. As a stockholder of record, I'm entitled to protect my interests."
    Della Street typed out the card with Dutton's address and telehone number; called the Drake Detective Agency, which was on the same floor with Mason; and a few moments later, Paul Drake's code knock sounded on the door of Mason's private office.
    Paul Drake, head of the Drake Detective Agency, as tall as Perry Mason, broad-shouldered and goodlooking, tried always to minimize his appearance.
    He dressed in quiet clothes; always drove a car that was three to five years old-one of the more popular makes; and tried by every means to be self-effacing.
    "Hi, beautiful," he said to Della; nodded to Perry; slid into the overstuffed, leather chair for clients and settled himself for a cigarette. "Shoot," he said.
    "Paul," Mason told him, "this is on me. I want you to find a client. I am footing the bill."
    "Client skipped out?" Drake asked.
    "Could be."
    "Owing you money?"
    "No."
    "Witness to something you want hushed up?"
    "No."
    "Witness to something in favor of one of your clients and you want his testimony?"
    "No."
    "What then?"
    "Can't tell you," Mason said.
    "Think he skipped out?"
    "He could have."
    "What do I tell him if I find him?"
    "Nothing. Just let me know where he is."
    "And I take it I'm not supposed to leave any back trail?"
    "Try not to leave any back trail that leads back to me," Mason said. "Otherwise, you can go as far as you want. I realize that if you're going to get a guy located fast you can't go and ask questions without leaving some sort of a back trail. We'll have to take a chance on that."
    "Starting now?" Drake asked.
    "Yes," Mason said, handing Drake the typed card.
    "You're in a hurry?"
    "Yes. However, I have one other thing. This is something you should be able to get a routine check on. I want to find out something about Jarvis Reader, president of the Steer Ridge Oil and Refining Company."
    "There was an article about them in the paper," Drake said. "Seems they struck it rich."
    "You read that article, too?"
    "Uh-huh. You can't believe too much of what you hear in deals of that sort, but I understand the stock is going up out of sight."
    "You don't have any, do you, Paul?"
    "Detectives don't get rich buying and selling stock, They don't get rich, period."
    "Okay," Mason told him. "On your way, and let's see what you can turn up. Keep me posted."
    Less than fifteen minutes after Paul Drake had left the office, the telephone on Della Street's desk rang, and Della Street, answering it, said, "All right, tell him to sit down a moment, Gertie. I'll see if Mr. Mason can see him."
    Della Street turned from her telephone. "Speaking of angels," she said, "Jarvis Reader is in the outer office."
    "He wants to see me?" Mason asked.
    She nodded.
    "Go bring him in, Della."
    Della Street said, "Tell him Mr. Mason will see him, Gertie. I'm on my way out to get him."
    Della Street left the office to return a moment later with a powerful, somewhat stoop-shouldered man in his middle fifties. He had a weather-beaten face, bushy eyebrows, piercing gray eyes, and a belligerent manner.
    "Hello," he said. "You're Mason?"
    Mason grinned. "You're Reader?"
    "Right."
    "What can I do for you?"
    Reader said, "You're representing Kerry Dutton, I