The Case of the Golddigger’s Purse

“Won’t you sit down, Mr. Mason?” Dixon invited, after giving the lawyer a cordial grip with muscular fingers. “I’ve heard a great deal about you, and naturally it’s a pleasure to meet you, although, of course, I can’t understand why you should look me up. I presume it’s connected in some rather remote way with the tragic death of Harrington Faulkner.”

“It is,” Mason said, giving Dixon a steady look.

Dixon met his eyes with calm assurance. “I have, of course, managed the affairs of Genevieve Faulkner for some years. She was the first wife, you know. But of course you do know.”

And Dixon smiled, a disarming, magnetic smile.

“You knew Harrington Faulkner personally?” Mason asked.

“Oh yes,” Dixon said, as though stating a fact which must have been well known and perfectly obvious.

“Talked with him occasionally?”

“Oh yes. You see, it was a little embarrassing for Genevieve to hold business conferences with her former husband. Yet the first Mrs. Faulkner — I’ll call her Genevieve if you don’t mind, Mr. Mason — was very much interested in the business transactions of the firm.”

“That firm made money?” Mason asked.

“Ordinarily, Mr. Mason, I would consider that question involved Genevieve’s private affairs. But inasmuch as an investigation in connection with the Faulkner Estate will make the whole matter public, I see no reason for placing you to the inconvenience of getting your information through more devious channels. The business was immensely profitable.”

“Isn’t it rather unusual for a real estate business to make that much money under present conditions?”

“Not at all. It was more than a real estate business. The business was diversified. It administered various other businesses which had been previously used as investment outlets. Harrington Faulkner was a very good businessman, a very good businessman, indeed. Of course, he was unpopular. Personally, I didn’t approve of Mr. Faulkner’s business methods. I wouldn’t have employed them myself. I was representing Genevieve. I certainly was in no position to... well, shall we say, criticize the goose that was laying the golden eggs?”

“Faulkner was the money maker?”

“Faulkner was the money maker.”

“What about Carson?”

“Carson was an associate,” Dixon said suavely. “A man who had an equal interest in the business. One third of the stock was held by Faulkner, one third by Carson and one-third by Genevieve.”

“That still isn’t telling me anything about Carson,” Mason said.

With every appearance of candid surprise, Dixon raised his eyebrows. “Why, I thought that was telling you everything about Carson.”

“You haven’t said anything about his business ability.”

“Frankly, Mr. Mason, my dealings were with Faulkner.”

“If Faulkner was the mainspring of the business,” Mason said, “it must have galled him to do the bulk of the work and furnish the bulk of the capital, and then receive only one-third of the income.”

“Well, of course, he and Carson had a salary — a salary that was fixed and approved by the court.”

“And they couldn’t raise those salaries?”

“Not without Genevieve’s consent, no.”

“And were the salaries ever raised?”

“No,” Dixon said shortly.

“Was any request made to raise the salaries?”

Dixon’s eyes twinkled. “Several times.”

“Faulkner, I take it, didn’t feel too friendly toward his first wife?”

“I’m sure I never asked him about that.”

“I presume that originally Harrington Faulkner furnished most of the money which started the firm of Faulkner and Carson.”

“I believe so.”

“Carson was the younger man and Faulkner relied on him perhaps for an element of young blood in the business?”

“As to that, I couldn’t say. I only represented Genevieve after the separation and during the divorce.”

“You had known her before then?”

“No. I was acquainted with the attorney whom Genevieve employed. I’m a businessman, Mr. Mason, a business advisor, an investment counselor, if you wish. I try to be a good one. You really haven’t stated the object of your visit, why you’re here.”

Mason said, “Primarily, I’m interested in finding out what I can about Harrington Faulkner.”

“So I gathered. But the reason for your interest is not apparent. Doubtless, many people would like to know something of the affairs of Mr. Faulkner. There’s a difference between a casual curiosity, Mr. Mason, and a legitimate interest.”

“You may rest assured I have a legitimate interest.”

“Mr. Mason, I merely wanted to know what it was.”

Mason smiled. “I shall probably be the attorney for a claimant against the Faulkner Estate.”

“Probably?” Dixon asked.

“I haven’t as yet definitely accepted the case.”

“That makes your interest rather — shall we say, nebulous?”

“I wouldn’t say so,” Mason said.

“Well, of course, I wouldn’t have a difference of opinion with an attorney who has such an established reputation, Mr. Mason. So perhaps let us say you have your opinion and I shall try to keep an entirely open mind. I’m perfectly willing to be convinced.”