The Case of the Deadly Scalpel
Chapter 6
1
"Mason is in for a big surprise," Carly Williams laughed. She figured a way around legal proceedings against her. The more she thought about it, the more she was certain it would work. She walked across her cabin and picked up her cellphone. Sure enough Mason had deleted all of the photos she had taken of the two cabins he rented. It was so obvious they weren't using the one cabin. If they wanted people to believe they were staying separately, they should have gone about making the other cabin look like someone was staying in it. Ruffling the sheets, putting Street's clothes in the other cabin would have made it look like she was staying there and not in his cabin. Instead, they had everything, including her clothes, in Mason's cabin. How stupid was that? Maybe Mason wasn't as smart as everyone made him out to be.
She looked over to the table where her laptop computer was sitting. She smiled as she stared at it. Did Mason really think she wouldn't back up those photos she took of the two rooms. Carly walked over and sat down in front of the computer. Accessing the photo program, she went through the photos one by one. They were perfect! She would be able to use all of them in her article. Not one picture was blurred. Everyone of them showed exactly what she wanted them to show! Mason and Street were having an affair. She couldn't help but wonder if Della Street was being forced into it. After all, Mason was a pretty powerful attorney, not only in Los Angeles, but also around the entire country. How many attorneys could have cleared the President of the United States of a murder he probably committed? She didn't believe for a second that President Whitmore was innocent of that crime. Somehow Mason tricked the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court into confessing he spearheaded the conspiracy. She had no doubt of that. He and his brother, the equally famous, Chief Robert Ironside were close friends of the President. Naturally, President James Whitmore could talk them into defending him and destroying anyone in the process who got in the way. If they refused to help him, well, he could just kill them like he did his wife.
Carly begged her boss to allow her to go to Washington D.C. to cover the President's trial, but he refused. What was it he said? Oh yes, she remembered. He said he wanted a real reporter in Washington. He sent Byron Davidson, the man the paper considered their top reporter. When were women going to be treated as equal to the male reporters? They were just as good. She was aware her boss considered her reckless, and would open the paper to a libel suit. She just couldn't see she was lucky to even have a job at the paper, let alone be given an assignment of that level of importance.
Carly opened the word processor on the computer and began typing…
It has long been speculated that the famous attorney, Perry Mason and his secretary, Miss Della Street have been and are engaged in a sexual affair. There is nothing more demeaning than a poor secretary who is forced to give in to her boss in order to keep her job. Is that the case with Perry Mason and Della Street, or is she willingly sleeping with him to get ahead? Up until now, there really has not been anything to substantiate it either way. However, there finally is proof that they are definitely involved in an illicit affair.
This reporter has the proof. In this article, I will provide absolute proof that Perry Mason and Della Street are sailing on the Pacific Princess and staying in the same cabin. They have rented two cabins, but are only using one for their sleeping arrangements. In one, all of their clothes are hung in the closet and folded neatly in the dresser. In the other, are two empty suitcases, and a bed that is not being slept in. Skinny dipping in the pool at 3:00 in the morning when everyone else is sleeping and kissing passionately is not the behavior of just a boss and secretary …
Carly stopped and read what she had written so far. She smiled at the results. Mason would regret his rude treatment of her. She was more than willing to write a favorable article about them if they would only cooperate. She would write one explaining how much they were in love, if they only agreed to come clean about their relationship. Instead, Mason threatened to sue her and the newspaper. She kept going over what Mason said in her mind. She came to the realization Mason would never do that. It was her first instinct, and she should have stuck with it. He wasn't going to sue her or the newspaper. It would mean a very messy court trial, which would bring out everything they were attempting to hide.
Carly was pleased with herself that she copied the photos onto her computer. Mason was now under the mistaken belief that she had nothing to prove her story! Wouldn't he be surprised? The whole world would know that either they were willingly sleeping together, or Street was being forced into an illicit affair to keep her job, proving the so-called charming, handsome lawyer was a creep. Either way, she didn't care. She had the story of the century!
2
Perry Mason held Della Street in his arms watching her slumber. Sleep just would not overtake him. He couldn't get Carly Williams off his mind. She was ruining the dream vacation he wanted to provide for Della. Every time they appeared in public, she was there. Others stared at them; a few even came up to him asking legal questions, requesting an autograph, or even mistaking him for Raymond Burr. He could live with that. Gone were the days he could go anywhere and not be recognized. It certainly made it difficult to take Della on a well deserved vacation anywhere. He knew Carly Williams was right about one thing: people certainly figured they were more than boss and secretary. That didn't matter to him. What did matter was they didn't have the facts to prove it. It was important to him to protect Della. He didn't want them thinking she was a tramp. Nothing could be further from the truth. She was a lady in every sense of the word. Mason could never understand why people thought it was okay to invade their privacy, and at the same time, believe no one had the right to invade their own. Being a public figure didn't mean one didn't have a private life, and that it didn't give the public the right to invade it.
Della began to stir in his arms. Her eyes opened. She looked at her lawyer and could tell immediately he had not been sleeping at all. "Perry, why are you still awake? You are not letting that nasty reporter spoil our vacation, are you?"
Mason sat up in bed. When he did, Della sat up with him. "I can't shake the feeling we have not heard the last of Carly Williams."
She sighed. "You are letting her spoil your time on this cruise. I have been telling you for years I don't care what other people think. It doesn't bother me. You shouldn't let it bother you either."
"Della, our relationship is nobody's business but yours and mind. I resent people sticking their nose into it. Our friends, Paul, Hamilton, Arthur, and Andy can't help but know we are a couple. Not one of them sticks their nose into our private business."
"They are not part of the curious public. Those people deal with us and interact with us personally. Perry, you know that. People are fascinated by famous people. Maybe it is because they fantasize about living the life the way the rich and famous do, or maybe they make the mistake of thinking they know a famous person. For instance, when a person watches the movies of a certain actor on television or the motion picture screen, they can begin to think they know that person just by the roles they play, and maybe by the interviews they do. So, they become more involved in finding out everything they can about them. The law is much more lenient when it comes to ordinary people prying into the lives of famous people. Their privacy is invaded much more often than the common individual.
"You haven't been one of the common folks for a long time. Your success as a criminal attorney is becoming legend. You have to face the fact that being known as the attorney that never loses fascinates people. Look at the crowds you draw with every trial. The courtroom is always packed. Tell me, what is your response when a reporter asks you a question about the trial you can't or don't want to answer?"
Mason didn't hesitate answering her question. "I respond with 'No comment'"
"Exactly, and that is how you should treat a nosy reporter sticking his or, in this case, her nose into our private life."
"It's not that simple, Della," Mason said, shaking his head.
"It is if you would just handle it that way." Della placed her hand on his cheek. "I love you for trying to protect my reputation. I really do. However, I think you actually provoke reporters like Carly Williams."
Mason was taken aback by her remark. "I don't believe that. Just how do I do that?"
"By your insistence on responding to them. Simply handle them the same way you do with the reporter who asks you questions about the murder trials you are involved in. Just tell them, 'No comment.'"
"If I do that, they will assume we are sleeping together."
Della raised an eyebrow. "Mr Mason, we are sleeping together. Why care what they think? By responding the way you do, you only make them more determined to pry further."
The lawyer thought about what Della was saying. He looked into her eyes. Maybe she was right. After all, he depended on her for her opinion and intuition on clients. Why not listen to her in this case. He supposed it was his overwhelming desire to protect her.
Della could read into the look in his eyes. "I know why you do it. You want to protect me. When are you going to realize that I am a big girl who doesn't need that kind of protection? If you insist on doing it, then stop them in their tracks with 'No comment.'"
He nodded. "Alright, we'll try it your way."
Della kissed him. "See, that wasn't so difficult, now was it?"
"More than you know," he responded and then smiled.
"What do you say we get some sleep?"
The couple slid down under the covers. It didn't take long and both of them were sound asleep.
3
Mark cleared the dishes from the table, filled the sink with soapy water, and began washing the morning dishes. His boss remained at the table. Normally, Chief Ironside would be reading the San Francisco Chronicle, waiting for Ed and Eve to arrive. Mark noticed he hadn't even opened the newspaper. Ironside was staring straight ahead. Sanger knew it meant something was bothering him. He finished the dishes and joined his boss at the table. Knowing Chief Ironside never revealed his thoughts or feelings until he was ready, Mark chose to just sit there in solidarity with him. This was the man who took him out of the gutter and saved his life. He took an interest in him, gave him a job, and helped him to turn his life around. No one else cared about Mark Sanger. He knew the chief didn't expect anything in return, and would insist Mark turned himself around, but Sanger knew differently. It was because of Robert T. Ironside that Mark was now studying to be a lawyer. It never would have happened without the interest and support the chief expressed in him.
Ironside looked over at his young aide. "Have you got something to say, Mr Sanger, or are you just going to sit at this table and stare at me?"
Mark had to hold back a smile. Typical Ironside response. "Chief, it is obvious something is bothering you. I know you don't usually confide in us until you are ready, but it might help if you bounce it off me."
"Would you like to explain just how one can bounce words off another?" Ironside said gruffly.
"You know what I mean, Chief."
The detective sighed. "I suppose I do." He sat there in silence until it got to Sanger.
"Well, are you going to tell me what is bothering you, or shall I go back and finish the dishes?"
Ironside pondered whether he should discuss it with his aide and friend. He would have to discuss it with Ed and Eve, so he should just wait until they came in. Then again, Mark was the one who was with him all the time. He deserved to know and understand his moods. "I was thinking about Samantha Maynard. That girl is totally messed up emotionally, and all because of Corbin Schulte. If only I could get her to testify against him in court, I could get the man off the street and prevent a lot of young girls from the same fate."
"You do realize if you take him off the street, some other scumbag will just take his place," Mark pointed out.
What Mark said was true, but that was no reason not to find the evidence to stop Corbin Schulte. "All we can do, Mark, is take them off the street one at a time. Right now, that's Schulte."
"I agree, but how?" Sanger asked. "If she won't testify against him, how are you going to charge him?"
"There has to be someone out there; some girl willing to testify. If we can get just one to agree to testify, then some of the others might fall in line and do the same."
"Okay, but how do you find out who the others are?" Mark went into the kitchen and returned with a pot of coffee and two mugs. He poured one and placed it in front of Ironside and the other in front of himself.
"I believe we have one that just might do exactly that," the detective said.
"You mean Teresa Farnsworth?"
"That is exactly who I mean."
"But Chief, she will be reluctant to testify because her mother is a city council member. She won't want to embarrass her."
"That is why I have decided to tell her mother what Teresa has been doing." Ironside ran his hand down his face. "Gladys will have to convince her to testify."
"Do you really think she is going to do that? It would mean a scandal. You know how the media will run with a scandal."
Ironside nodded in agreement with Mark. "I have to convince her it is better the media finds out from her, than finds out when I arrest Corbin Schulte."
"That is another problem in itself, Chief."
Ironside looked at the young man who was becoming more of a detective every day. He knew Mark already figured it out, but he would force him to say so. "And why is that?"
"You know why. Corbin Schulte is having surgery later today. What if the surgery is a complete failure? Like you, he will be confined to a wheelchair. What will it look like when you go after him?"
"It would be more of a problem for any other detective on the force, but less of a problem for me," Ironside said.
Mark knew exactly what he was thinking. "Because you are in a wheelchair, it will go over better with the public than a detective who can walk."
The chief couldn't help but smile. "You are sounding more like a detective every day."
"Chief, you know I am going to be a lawyer, don't you?" Mark asked.
"So you say. Let's go see Gladys Farnsworth."
"What about Ed and Eve?"
Ironside gave him a look that said 'You should know the answer to that.' "Let's go, Mr Sanger."
Mark followed him up the ramp. When they arrived at the Hall of Justice, they headed for the office Gladys Farnsworth was assigned as a member of the city council. Unlike the mayor, Mrs Farnsworth didn't have a secretary. Ironside knocked on the door.
"Come in," Councilwoman Farnsworth said.
Mark opened the door and stepped back to give the detective room to wheel his chair inside. Ironside placed his hands on both sides of the door frame and pulled his chair into the room.
Farnsworth stood up to greet them. "Robert, thank you for coming to see me. I hope you have news of my daughter," she said, hopefully.
"I have some news, Councilwoman Farnsworth, but it is not what you will want to hear," Ironside said.
She put her hand over her mouth, the terror she felt was obvious. "Oh my God! She's dead, isn't she."
The detective realized he scared her and tried to put her mind at ease. "No, as far as we know, she is all right. That is not what I came to discuss. What I have found out is Teresa is involved in prostitution."
Farnsworth was stunned into silence by Ironside's words. When she found her voice, she shook her head. "No, that is not possible. You must be mistaken, Robert."
Ironside wheeled over to her and took her hand. Using her first name, he tried to comfort her. "I would not tell you this if I wasn't sure it was the truth."
Mark's cellphone rang. He stepped across the room, pressed the answer icon and said, "Sanger."
"Mark, it's Ed. I need to speak with the Chief."
Mark walked over to his boss. "Ed says he needs to speak with you."
Gladys Farnsworth looked anxiously over at the detective. "Go ahead, Robert, it could be important."
Ironside took the phone from Mark. "Yes, Ed."
"Chief, Eve and I assumed you would want us to continue on our own when we arrived at the office and found you and Mark had gone. After speaking with a couple of the girls whom Schulte was pimping out, it led us back to the hospital. We found out Teresa went there to see him. She was identified by one of the nurses. According to Jill Gilbert, the nurse on duty, she heard Schulte ask Teresa if she was keeping her appointments. She told him she couldn't do it anymore, although she didn't say what it was she couldn't do. He threatened to tell her mother. Teresa told him if he did, she would kill him."
"Alright, Ed. Keep at it." Ironside hung up.
Gladys Farnsworth waited for Ironside who sat quietly. When she could wait no longer, she said, "What is it? What did Sergeant Brown say?"
Ironside repeated the conversation he had with his detective. He watched as tears appeared in her eyes. "Then it is true. She has been performing sex acts for money."
"Councilwoman …"
"Gladys, please Robert, call me Gladys. Don't be so formal."
"Gladys, we believe Schulte promises these girls they can make a lot of money. Once he has them on his hook, he refuses to let them go. If I can get just one of them to testify against him, I am positive I can get others to do the same. But, I have to get one of them so the dominos will start to fall."
"In other words, you want Teresa to be the one. You know what this is going to do, don't you?"
The chief again took her hand. "I do. It will cause a scandal for you. It is better the press hears it from you. If they get hold of this, and they will, it will be much worse. You will be accused of trying to cover it up. You know what they are like. They might even say you knew about it and did nothing." He said nothing more, giving her the space to think about it.
After a couple minutes of total silence in the room, she spoke up, "What is it you want me to do?"
"Once we find Teresa, and we will, I would like you to convince her to testify against Schulte. If she does, it will encourage the other girls to do the same. I want to nail this man and put him behind bars. In order to do that, I need their testimony. Also, you and Teresa will have to agree to allow me to call a press conference and tell your side of the story. It will be embarrassing for both of you, I realize, but it is the only way we are going to put this man out of business."
"And if she won't do it?"
"I think she will. She is keeping quiet because you are on the city council and she knows it will cause a scandal for you. You have to convince her you are strong enough to handle it. You know the saying, Gladys, the public will forgive a scandal, but they will not forgive a cover up. They will accuse you of exactly that if they find out from anyone other than you and Teresa."
"I know you are right, Robert. You always are."
"You give me too much credit," Ironside said.
"No, you don't get the credit you really deserve. This is a hard decision. You must understand what this will do to Teresa."
"And you must understand what it will do to both of you if the press finds out on their own."
She lowered her eyes from him. She knew he was right, as well as the decision she was about to make. "Alright, you find her, and I will convince her to do the press conference. You must agree to protect her from the press after she does," she said with one condition.
"I intended to do that anyway," Ironside told her.
"Find her, Robert."
He kissed the back of her hand. "I'll find her." He turned his chair around and wheeled out of her office.
4
Nurses were in and out of Corbin Schulte's room. Corbin couldn't understand why Ben Stern had not shown up yet. He wanted to talk to him again and explain what was at stake. He didn't believe for a minute it was too late to do the surgery. Stern just wanted Corbin to end up like Ironside. He was trying to get revenge for what he forced Stern to do. Well, he was in for a rude awakening. Corbin had control of him now, and did ever since Stern made the decision to help him. There was no wiggling out of it. The one thing he was worried about was would Stern botch the surgery for revenge upon him? He didn't believe he would, but he had the entire past evening to think about it. If Stern felt his career was over because of what he did, would he be capable of taking away Corbin's legs. It bothered him so much the night before that he requested a sedative so he could sleep. Otherwise, he would have been up all night.
The nurse came in and attempted to enter medication into the IV. Corbin pushed her hand away. "Get that the hell away from me," he snarled.
"Mr Schulte, you must have this. You certainly can't be awake when the surgery is done. This will only make you drowsy. They will put you under in the operating room."
"I want to see Stern, and I want to see him now!" he shouted.
"Doctor Stern will be in shortly. As I said, this medicine will only make you drowsy. It will not put you out. You will still be awake when he comes in."
"Bullshit! He just doesn't want to see me before he butchers me!"
The nurse stepped back from the irate patient. She couldn't understand why Doctor Stern would even consider doing surgery on the ungrateful jerk. If she were his surgeon, she would have told him to find someone else.
Ben Stern walked into the room. "Doctor, he won't let me administer …"
Before she could finish, Ben interrupted her. "Please step outside and give me a moment with my patient." When Nurse Jill Gilbert hesitated, Ben said, "It's alright, Nurse."
She looked at him and then at Schulte. Something was going on. She didn't know what it was. She always had the greatest respect for Ben Stern. He was an excellent doctor and surgeon. In fact, Jill was in love with him and had been for some time now. She hated the way Schulte treated him. He didn't deserve it. She nodded at the doctor and left the room. Jill didn't go far. Standing to the left of the door, she listened to their conversation.
"Corbin, you need to allow the medicine to be injected into your IV. By the time you reach the operating room, you will be relaxed. Then the anesthesiologist will administer the drug which will put you to sleep."
He looked at Stern with unmistakable hatred in his eyes. "You mean put me to sleep like a dog … for good."
"Don't be ridiculous. You can't have surgery without being put out." Stern's voice showed the irritation he was feeling.
"You would like to do that wouldn't you, Stern? I meant what I said, if you screw up my operation, I will call the press and tell them what you have been doing."
"I already told you of the poor chances of success. I have no intention of trying to screw up the surgery. I can't be held accountable for the surgery you insist on having when it is too late for success."
"I not only will hold you responsible, I will destroy you Stern. You remember that."
There was nothing more Ben could say. He was going to try to talk him out of it again, but it would be a waste of time. How could he be so stupid as to get involved with the likes of Corbin Schulte? Ben turned and left the room.
Jill Gilbert could tell the conversation was over. She stepped out of listening distance before the doctor came out. When he appeared, she walked toward him. "Can I put the drug in his IV now, Doctor?"
Stern smiled at her. "Yes, Jill, go ahead. He will cooperate with you now." He smiled again and left her to do her job.
5
Sherry Schulte entered the hospital. She headed for Corbin's room. His eyes were closed. She realized they must have administered the sedative. That was alright with her. She really didn't want to see him anyway. She was done with him. Sherry had to do it in such a way, he would divorce her. Otherwise she wouldn't be getting any of the money in a divorce settlement. Sherry could kick herself for ever signing the pre-nup. She was tied to the cheating bastard pimp unless she could convince him to divorce her. Would he do it? That was the problem. She was afraid he never would. He would lose half of everything they own. If she divorced him, she would get nothing. The agreement was far from fair. There had to be another way. Maybe if she was lucky, he would die on the operating table. Unfortunately, Doctor Stern was too good a surgeon to let that happen.
Sherry saw Stern approaching the operating room. "Doctor, I didn't get a chance to see Corbin. He was sleeping when I arrived. What did they give him?"
"Midazolam was injected into his IV. It is a sedative that relaxes him before we put him out for the surgery."
"Goodness, the combination won't harm him, will it?" she asked.
He smiled. "Of course not. He will be fine." As he attempted to walk away, she grabbed his arm.
"What are the chances of the surgery being a failure?"
Surprised at her question, he asked, "Didn't he tell you?"
"No, Corbin and I are having problems, Doctor," she admitted.
Somehow, he wasn't surprised. He patted the hand on his arm. "He will come through the surgery. The chances of success are not very good, I am afraid. I tried to convince him that he waited too long but he insisted on going through with it. I promise you I will do everything I can."
Don't bother, she thought. Nodding, she smiled and let go of his arm.
After several hours of surgery, Corbin Schulte was wheeled into a recovery room. The surgical team was about to clean up the room when they were called upon to assist with an emergency. After watching them leave, the assailant entered the operating room, picked up the scalpel, and minutes later Corbin Schulte lay dead having been stabbed in his chest over a dozen times. The murderer left the room quietly.
6
Ed and Eve returned to the office at the end of the day. Ironside could see they were unsuccessful in finding Teresa Farnsworth. They sat down on each side of the detective. "Well," Ironside said.
"Chief, we talked to several of the girls. None of them could tell us where Farnsworth is. They all claimed they had no idea where she would go. According to them, she didn't associate with any of them. She kept her distance from all of them," Eve reported.
"Eve, she has to be somewhere, and someone must know where she is. Did you check with Councilwoman Farnsworth to see if she returned home?"
Ed responded before Eve could answer. "We did, Chief, and she has not heard from her."
Ironside was about to say something when the phone rang. He punched the intercom and announced, "Ironside."
"Chief, it's Carl. I thought you would like to be informed."
The detective listened for several minutes, the frown on his face caused lines across his forehead. He hung up the phone, turned his chair around, and headed toward the ramp. "Come on, Carl just got a call from the hospital. Corbin Schulte has been murdered.