The Case of the Golddigger’s Purse

“I certainly don’t know what Mr. Faulkner had in mind. I only know that the arrangement which was made by all parties concerned when the divorce decree was granted by the court was that salaries could not be raised without Genevieve’s consent unless the court was called in to reopen the whole business.”

“I can imagine,” Mason said, “you had Harrington Faulkner in a position that was very, very disagreeable to him.”

“As I have stated several times before, Mr. Mason, I am not a mind reader, and I see no reason for speculating upon Mr. Faulkner’s ideas.”

“You saw him several times yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“In other words, the situation was approaching a crisis?”

“Well, Mr. Faulkner definitely wanted to do something.”

“Of course,” Mason said, “if Faulkner had bought Genevieve’s stock, he would then once more have been a two-thirds owner in the company. Faulkner would have been in a position to have got rid of Carson, and firing him would have been a perfect answer to Carson’s lawsuit.”

“As a lawyer,” Dixon purred, “you doubtless see possibilities which, as a layman, I would not see. My own interest in the matter was simply to get the best possible price for my client in the event a sale was to be made.”

“You weren’t interested in buying Faulkner’s interest?”

“Frankly, we were not.”

“Not at any price?”

“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that.”

“In other words, what with Faulkner’s quarrel with Carson, the various and sundry suits Carson had been filing, and the situation in which your client found herself, you were in a position to force Faulkner to buy at your price?”

Dixon said nothing.

“It was something in the nature of a legalized holdup,” Mason went on, as though thinking out loud.

Dixon straightened in the chair as though Mason had struck him. “My dear Mr. Mason! I was merely representing the interests of my client. There was no longer the slightest affection between her and Mr. Faulkner. I mention that merely to show that there was no reason for any sentiment to be mixed with the business matter.”

“All right. You saw Faulkner several times during the day. When was the last time you talked with him?”

“Over the telephone.”

“About what time?”

“At approximately... well, sometime between eight and eight-fifteen. I can’t fix the time any closer than that.”

“Between eight and eight-fifteen?” Mason said, his voice showing his interest.

“That’s right.”

“And what did you tell him?”

“Well, I told him that in the event any sale was going to be consummated, we wanted to have the matter disposed of at once; that if the matter wasn’t terminated before midnight, we would consider that there was no use taking up further time with discussions.”

“And what did Faulkner say?”

“Faulkner told me that he would be over to see me between ten and eleven; that he wanted to look in very briefly on a banquet of goldfish fanciers, after which he had an appointment. He said that when he saw me he would be in a position to make us a final offer. That if we didn’t accept the proposition he’d make us at that time, he would consider the matter closed.”

“Did he say anything about anyone else being there with him at the time you phoned?”

“No, sir. He did not.”

“That conversation might have been as late as eight-fifteen?”

“Yes.”

“Or as early as eight o’clock?”

“Yes.”

“Earlier than eight o’clock?”

“I’m quite sure it wasn’t, because I remember looking at my watch at eight and speculating whether I’d hear any more from Mr. Faulkner that evening.”

“And you don’t think it was later than eight-fifteen?”

“At eight-fifteen, Mr. Mason, I tuned in a radio program in which I was interested, so I’m quite certain of the time there.”

“There’s no question but what it was Harrington Faulkner with whom you were talking?”

“No question whatever.”

“I take it Faulkner didn’t keep his appointment with you?”

“No, he didn’t.”

“That caused you some concern?”

“Well, Mr. Mason,” Dixon said, running his chunky, capable fingers through his white hair, “I see no reason why I shouldn’t be frank with you. I was — disappointed.”

“But you didn’t call Mr. Faulkner back?”

“No indeed I did not. I was keeping myself in the position of — well, I didn’t want to show any eagerness whatever. The deal which I had previously outlined to Mr. Faulkner would have been quite profitable if it had gone through.”

“Can you remember exactly what Faulkner said over the telephone?”

“Yes, he said that he had planned on attending a rather important meeting that night and was just getting dressed to go out to it. That he would much prefer to attend that meeting, keep his appointment and conclude his deal with us some time today.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I told him I didn’t think that would be satisfactory to my client because today was Saturday. He then said he’d be here between ten and eleven.”

“Would you mind telling me the amount of the price you had fixed?”

“I don’t think that needs to enter into it, Mr. Mason.”

“Or the price at which Faulkner was willing to sell?”

“Really, Mr. Mason, I’m quite certain it would have no bearing on the matter.”