The Case of the Grinning Gorilla

“Your making her sound naked,” Mason said.

“Oh, no, no! My dear Mr. Mason, please! Please, I beg of you.”

Della Street glanced mischievously up from her notebook.

Fallon hurried on with his explanation. “I meant only that I had read about her, that she had been an intangible. Now she has become very, very definite, very tangible.”

“And,” Mason reminded Fallon, “is waiting to take notes as to the nature of your business so she can make out a proper file and keep the office records straight.”

“Yes, yes! You’ll pardon me, Mr. Mason. I realize, of course, the value of your time. I’m a man who believes in coming right to the point, Mr. Mason.”

“Go ahead.”

“I am an associate of Benjamin Addicks, and, strangely enough, I am also related to Helen Cadmus.”

“Just what’s the nature of the relationship?” Mason asked.

“Oh, rather a distant relative. She always called me Uncle. I was instrumental in getting her position with Benny.”

“Benny?” Mason asked.

“I beg your pardon, Benjamin Addicks. We call him Benny.”

“I see.”

“Poor dear Helen. I can’t imagine what possessed her to do the terrible thing she did, and, above all, in the manner in which she did it. If she had been determined to end it all, an overdose of sleeping pills would have been so much more simple, so... well, if I may express myself frankly, Mr. Mason, so much more considerate.”

“I presume,” Mason said, “that when a girl finds the problems of life too much for her and decides to take her life, she is primarily concerned with her own adventure into eternity.”

“Yes, yes, of course. I understand that. The poor thing. I can understand it personally, and yet, Mr. Mason, it couldn’t have been planned so that it was more... well, shall I say more inopportune.”

“In what way?”

“All of the newspaper notoriety, all of the inconvenience that it caused Benny — Benjamin Addicks, that is. Mr. Addicks was very much attached to her. Just as an employee, you understand, Mr. Mason, just as an employee. He would have done anything possible to alleviate her suffering if he had only known. I think I am in a position to assure you definitely, Mr. Mason, that if the poor girl’s troubles were in any way financial, Mr. Addicks would have done almost anything, made almost any concession...”

“What were her troubles?” Mason asked.

Fallon threw out pudgy palms in a gesture. “Now there, Mr. Mason, I’m up a tree. I can’t tell you. I simply don’t know.”

“She didn’t confide in anyone?”

“Yes, Mr. Mason. Unfortunately she confided in me, and I didn’t believe her. I felt it was only the sort of talk that women sometimes indulge in during periods of despondency. She told me that she felt many times that she couldn’t continue to bear the great measure of responsibilities that she found life was heaping on her and that she was...”

“What sort of responsibilities?”

“She didn’t say, Mr. Mason. I’m sorry to admit that I didn’t encourage the girl. I... but then that’s neither here nor there. The matter is all over and disposed of, and I know how busy you are, Mr. Mason. I was surprised to read in the press this morning that you had purchased Helen’s intimate personal belongings. I had no idea that she had left behind any personal possessions of that nature. As her nearest relative...”

“I thought you said you were a distant relative?”

“Relatively distant, Mr. Mason. Ha-ha-ha! I don’t mean a pun. I mean that I am a distant relative, but because there are no nearer relatives I sometimes refer to myself as a near relative. That sounds a big ambiguous, but I’m quite certain you’ll understand.”

“I don’t share your optimism,” Mason said. “Now just what do you want?”

“Why, naturally, Mr. Mason, I want the personal belongings, the mementos of poor dear Helen. I understand that you made a bid largely for the purpose of accommodating your friend, the public administrator, and purchased articles that have no real intrinsic value. The bid, I believe, was five dollars.”

Mr. Fallon jumped to his feet, extracted a crisp five dollar note from his pocket, and held it tentatively toward Mason. When the lawyer made no move to accept it, he turned somewhat dubiously to Della Street and said, “I suppose you’re the one who has charge of financial transactions, Miss Street.”

Della Street looked up at Mason questioningly.

The lawyer imperceptibly shook his head.

Fallon stood holding the five dollar bill, looking from one to the other, his face showing his perplexity at being rebuffed.

“But I don’t understand,” he said. “Am I perhaps failing to make myself clear?”

Mason said, “I bought the package. It contains some diaries, a photograph album and some other personal belongings. I think I have my five dollars’ worth.”

“Diaries, Mr. Mason?”

“Exactly,” Mason said, his eyes holding those of his visitor. “They are rather complete diaries.”

“But my dear Mr. Mason, they certainly can’t be of any interest to you, and, if you’ll, pardon the expression, I know you don’t want to pry into the secrets of a dead girl.”

“Why not?” Mason asked.