Paul Drake had been busy on another case out of town when his friend Perry had called him. When Perry Mason was out of town business could be a little slow at the Drake Detective Agency and he was glad to hear that his friend was back.

Perry had asked for Paul to come over to his office and so Paul came to the back door as he usually did. When he knocked Perry answered the door with a smile. They shook hands and Paul took a seat in his regular chair. Della came into the office and the three friends were back together where they belonged.

"What did you find out about Harriet Barker?" Perry asked his wife Della.

"It seems that she and the victim Dean Brice. She had gone to a wrestling match and he had hit her in the rear end. He had seen her new ford mustang and had assumed that she had money. So, he had claimed injury. There was no damage to either car, but Dean had insisted that he had hurt his back and was taken to the hospital.

"Harriet had wished to leave everything up to the insurance company, but Dean had offered to make a settlement with her and not involve the insurance company. Perry, I think that she was an innocent victim of insurance fraud. But, Dean called her and told her that he had wanted to talk. She went over his house and found the man dead on the floor." Della told Perry and Paul"

"Yep that sure sounds like a scam of some sort. That has become the new thing around the city. A person hits a car and then claims either back injury or whiplash. They then agree to a settlement out of court. It is a new get rich scheme and becoming very popular." Paul told his friends.

"Paul I want you to look into this and get any information that you can for me." Perry asked his friend.

"I am right on it. Good to see you. It has been dull with you and your family not around. Paul Jr. has a new video game that he is dying to play with Sally. Check with you later." Paul told them with a smile and out the back door he went.

Harriet Barker was a nervous wreck. The police had spoken to her the day of the murder and had been by the night before to ask her a few more questions. She knew that she needed a good attorney and Perry Mason was the best. But she worried about how much money he would charge. She was not a wealthy woman . Her friend Makayla had agreed to come with her.

When Harriet heard the sound of Makayla's horn, she took a quick look in the mirror and went out the door. The drive into town was not far, but the traffic was bad and it seemed to take forever on this day. As they pulled up to the tall building where Perry Mason had his office she looked up. It was a tall building and very foreboding it seemed. As Makayla and Harriet got into the elevator Harriet took a deep breath.

"Don't be nervous Harriet if anyone can help you Mr. Mason can. I spoke to his secretary and he agreed to meet with you. Everything will work out I am sure." Makayla told her with a gentle squeeze of the arm.

Harriet and Makayla were welcomed into the office and there at the desk stood a large man with huge understanding eyes. He stood up and shook her hand. As he introduced himself and his wife Harriet and Makayla relaxed a little.

Perry looked at the two young women and smiled "I have been looking into your case and have a friend of mine looking into things a little further right now. Can you tell me what happened? Please don't leave anything out. I just want an honest statement with everything that you and your friend remember." Perry told the two women kindly.

Harriet spoke up first "Makayla and I went to a wrestling match and on the way out of gate eight we were tapped in the rear end. I barely felt it, but got out of my car to make sure that there was no damage. I was given the car by my parents as a graduation gift and it was brand new. But when I got out the other driver did not, so I went over to check on him. He was yelling that he had hurt his back and that he was going to sue me. Someone called an ambulance and he was taken to the hospital" she told him.

"Did you see the man that hit you at the game ?" Perry asked.

"No I had never seen him before. But there was a large crowd and he could have been there. I just might not have seen him." Harriet told him.

"Usually people don't go to games like that by themselves. Was someone else in the car with him?" Perry asked.

Harriet thought for a moment and told him "He was alone. You are right. Perhaps he met someone there that night." she offered.

"Don't worry Miss Barker I will contact you once I have any information." Perry offered

Harriet and Makayla left that day feeling much better. But they had no way of knowing that Lt Tragg was hot on Harriet's case and very close to getting a warrant out for Harriet's arrest.

Lt. Tragg had been working very hard on the case involving Harriet Barker. There was something that didn't set right with him. Dean Brice had been trying to get money on an accident scheme he was sure. But, why would Mrs. Barker kill him for that? It didn't make any sense. But, her prints had been found on the murder weapon and she had been seen standing over the body. When the police had come she had readily admitted this.

He had also looked into Harriet Barker and found out that she was known to once in a while have a hot temper. There was a boyfriend from her hometown that had called the police on her once because she had slapped him across the face. As Tragg looked over all the crime scene photos he thought that it was time to talk to Hamilton Burger the district attorney. It was time for an arrest warrant.