The Case of the Caretaker's Cat by Erle Stanley Gardner

an accident. You come and put the car away."
    Burger pulled aside some drapes. The brilliant light from the porch illuminated a somewhat antiquated Chevrolet, with a broken windshield, a dented fender, and smashed bumper. Sam Laxter was climbing from the driver's seat. His face was cut. His right arm was bandaged with a bloody handkerchief.
    Burger started for the door. Before he reached it, headlights again illuminated the drizzling night. A smoothly purring automobile swung into view, circled the driveway and came to a stop. The door of a big sedan opened. A slender figure jumped to the driveway, turned and ran excitedly toward the house, saw Sam Laxter and came to a surprised stop.
    Perry Mason chuckled, and said to Burger, "We have with us none other than our esteemed contemporary, Mr. Nathaniel Shuster. During the course of the next half hour you can endeavor to discover whether he followed Sam Laxter because he knew you were going to be here or merely put in an accidental appearance."
    Burger, muttering an exclamation of disgust, strode to the porch.
    Shuster called, in a voice which was shrill with excitement, "Have you heard about it? Have you heard about it? Do you know what they're doing? Do you know what happened? They got an order to dig up your grandfather's body. They went out in the cemetery and dug it up."
    Sam Laxter's blood-stained countenance showed surprised consternation. Frank Oafley, standing near Burger, said, "What the devil's this?"
    "Take it easy," Glassman warned.
    "I just found out about the order. I've made an investigation. They dug the body up already. Do you want me to take legal steps to…"
    His voice trailed away into silence as he caught sight of Burger's figure standing in the light of the porch.
    "Come in, Shuster," Burger said. "You'll get wet standing out there."
    Rain glistened on Sam Laxter's face. The cut on his cheek dripped blood, unheeded. His lips were twisting with emotion. "What's the big idea?" he asked.
    "I'm just making an investigation," Burger said, "and I wanted to ask you a few questions. Have you any objection?"
    "Certainly not," Laxter replied, "but I don't like the way you're going about this thing. What was the idea digging up…"
    "Not a question! Not a question!" Shuster shouted. "Not unless I am present, and not unless I tell you you should answer."
    "Oh, bosh, Shuster!" Laxter said. "I can certainly answer any question the district attorney wants to put to me."
    "Don't be foolish," Shuster screamed. "It's not an investigation by the district attorney, it's stirred up by that busybody, Mason. It's all over this damned cat. Don't answer them. Don't answer anything. The first thing you know, you'll be outside in the cold, and then what? All your inheritance gone. Mason sitting in the saddle. Winifred inheriting your property. The cat laughing…"
    "Shut up, Shuster," Burger said. "I'm going to talk with Sam Laxter, and I'm going to talk with him without having to put up with a lot of your insane interruptions. Come in the house, Laxter. Do you need a doctor to dress those wounds?"
    "I don't think so," Laxter said. "I skidded and hit a telephone pole. It shook me up a bit and I've got a bad cut on the right forearm, but it only needs washing with a good antiseptic and a clean bandage. I may have a doctor look at it later, but I won't keep you waiting."
    Shuster ran toward him. "Please!" he said. "I beg of you! I implore you! Don't do it!"
    "Shut up," Burger said once more, taking Sam's arm as Sam walked up the steps toward him.
    Laxter and Burger entered the house, closely followed by Glassman. Shuster slowly climbed the stairs, moving like an old man whose every step was an effort.
    Mason watched the three men cross the living room and disappear through a door. He entered the living room and sat down. Drake pulled a cigarette from his pocket, sat crosswise on an overstuffed chair and said, "Well, that's that."
    Jim Brandon stood in the doorway and said to Shuster,