During an earlier visit, Campbell had told him that Valentines family back in Russia had been taken away by the state. The infant Valentine had been left alone and then whisked out of the country by family friends. That deputy district attorney got hold of me after court, and told me he didnt like my answers, and that he would have to dismiss the case if I couldnt be more cooperative. So I pushed back my chair, managed to put on quite an act, told him I was entitled to more consideration as a taxpayer, but that as far as I was concerned, he could go ahead and dismiss the case that Id seen enough of his courtroom tactics to know that Perry Mason would tie him up in a knot and make me a laughingstock instead of an aggrieved victim, so I didn’t give a damn. Then I turned and stalked out of the office. You have Ruth Marvel with you? No. No, the man said. She only came in fifteen minutes ago, and Pauls orders were to case the joint, keep her spotted, find out everything we could about her background, and wait for you. Howd you manage that? he asked, thinking that he had learned that it was murder before she had, from Detective Hancock. And what time is that? I shoved off of the porch rail and sailed out over the pond. At the top of the swings arc I let go and started falling. When I hit the water I made a fine big splash and it was as much fun as I had thought it would be. Maybe even more. Overruled, Judge Sedgwick said, his voice showing sudden interest. The first duty of a lawyer is to protect his client. You have to understand the relative values, Della. Please hold. She hesitated for a moment, then poured forth the thoughts that were on her mind.Mr. Mason, I never felt so downright cheap in all my life. I did lie to you. I lied to you because... well, when I got home to change my shoes and stockings, Ruth Marvel came over. Shes my closest friend. Her house adjoins mine, and when she saw me drive up in the cab, she came running over to see what was wrong. She knew I had taken my car with me when I left. In other words, you think you convinced him? I wanted to hurry on, so I could follow Lutts and the defendant, and this man became abusive and I was in a hurry and impatient and lost my temper and... well, I said some things and he said some things and— A photograph of a man came onscreen. Scrambled..