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Joanna Moore's character, Mrs Taylor, wife of a senator, explains that she didn't care for her husband when she first met him and wrote correspondence and sent unflattering cartoons of him (most likely political ones since the original story was published in 1956) to a serviceman named Duane Jefferson, who would only return them to her for a cash payout. But nothing is really what it seems and while Perry loses the case he does clear up the mystery....

(RKS wrote: "Duane Jefferson, who tried to blackmail her wasn't Duane Jefferson but a con man that was in cahoots with the other guy to steal diamonds from the company he worked for. The real Duane Jefferson was the guy that was being held in the mobile home. The fake Duane Jefferson was the guy that killed the diamond Currier and tried to blackmail Mrs Taylor. ")

Actually Mrs. Taylor did write correspondence and sent the cartoons to the real Duane Jefferson and it was from him she got a reply that he wished to meet her in person to give her back the cartoons ...but he also sought money from her. But he got ambushed on his way to see her and the fake Mr Jefferson (whose name in the story was James Kincaid) took his place. Yes it's all a bit complicated.

The plot of the original novel they had to condense to a 50 minute episode:

This Perry Mason mystery has an unusual twist, in that one of the principal characters enters Mason's life in a very strange way. The work load at the Mason law office is overwhelming, so Della Street contacts a temporary agency asking for help. Shortly after the request is made, an attractive woman enters the office and she is put to work typing material. She is extremely efficient and Della gives her high praise to Mason. When the woman suddenly leaves and does not return, a phone call to the temp agency reveals that they sent no one over. Furthermore, Della discovers a wad of chewing gum stuck to the bottom of the desk with two large diamonds embedded inside it. The situation is even further complicated when an office of diamond merchants in the same building report that a woman illegally entered their office.
This sets Mason, Street and detective Paul Drake on the path of a murder case where the accused seems to prefer conviction over revealing his relationship with a woman. When the man is found guilty of murder, Mason finally unravels the convoluted story of the murder and why the man had such a lack of interest in defending himself. The conspiracy involved several people, long-distance relationships and even some silly, childish messages.
Hamilton Burger and Mason once again battle in the courtroom and in this case Mason loses. However, even in the loss, he emerges victorious, demonstrating once again his talents for ferreting out even the most convoluted of truths.