The Case of the Drowning Duck Author:Erle Stanley Gardner HERITAGE OF DEATH — "I'll never let her marry Marvin Adams," Witherspoon said. "Adams's father was a murderer...executed for his crime." — "And if she insists?" Perry Mason asked. — "If she won't listen to reason," Witherspoon said grimly, "I'll see that Adams follows in his father's footsteps." — John L. Witherspoon was accustomed to having his way... more ». He hired Pery Mason to break up his daughter's love affair. Perry took the job because several things intrigued him. Old court records showed that Adams's father might have been convicted on circumstantial evidence. Soon Perry had smoked out a string of crooked plots, and run smack into MURDER-UP-TO-DATE.« less