Chapter 3 Chapter two

Shortly after ten o'clock the next morning, Della received a call from the operator outside and said to Mason, "Miss Alice is here." "Alice?" Mason couldn't remember the name for a while. "Catherine Alice, that's the waiter!" "Oh, it's her." Mason said with a smile. "Bring her in." Della went out and was soon followed by the beautiful Catherine Elise. "Mr. Mason, I don't know how to thank you! You are so understanding." Mason smiled. "Is the tip enough?" Catherine handed the ten dollars to Della and said, "I'm going to hand over the consultant's fee to your secretary now. I can't thank you enough for the way you handled it. Mr. Maddison must have thought I was going to bother you . . . Ideal."

Mason said, "Please sit down, Miss Alice. Is there any trouble for you?" "It's my aunt Sophia." "What happened to her?" Mason asked. "She's mysterious." "A lot of women are mysterious," says Mason. "But since you're going to see a lawyer, is there something that scares you?" "It's not fear, it's worry." "Talk about the whole thing first." She said: "I am 22 years old and my family lives in the east. My parents died in a car accident half a year ago. I only saw my aunt once when I was a child, but every month I would write her two letters, mostly about About the situation in life."

"What were you doing?" Mason asked. "Study. My father was very good at earning and spending money. I always wanted to be a lawyer, so my father asked me to study law. When my father died, I was studying law at the university. The death of my father was a big blow. , but the family’s financial situation shocked me even more. By general standards, my father’s income was very substantial, but when he died, all sources of income were cut off. There are two consecutive loans for the house, and a loan for the new car. Everything is paid for in instalments. This is my father's way of life, easy come, easy go. My father is a real estate seller, and he can speak black and white. But he is more than just getting The commission was spent, and the client started borrowing money as soon as he signed the contract. In short, I found out immediately that I was completely broke."

"Didn't your mother save any money?" Mason asked. Catherine shook her head. "My mother admired my father very much. She believed that his judgment was correct, so my father made decisions about everything. Indeed, the only thing my father did wrong was not taking out insurance. He didn't believe in insurance. He believed that as long as If everyone lives in peace, there will be peace in the world. Mr. Mason, I think I have strayed too far." "Come on," Mason said. "I guess your aunt Sophia asked you to live with her, and you said yes." Catherine nodded.

"Why would you want to?" Mason asked. "I think since you are going to start working, you should want to stay in your hometown and find a girl of the same age to share the house..." She shook her head and interrupted him, saying, "Mr. Mason, I can't face my friends at all. My father has always been very generous to me. Not only do I have pocket money, but I have my own car. I never have to worry about money, and I I usually treat those sisters out. I can't bear such a sudden change. After a few years, these things may become trivial, but at the time, it was a big deal for me. More The important thing is that I don't want others to pity me. For example, if I go to work as a waiter, my sister Tao will take pity on me, treat me with special care, and give me a lot of tips, then I really can't bear it."

"Why do you want to be a waiter?" Mason asked. "Because I had no choice," she said. "I wanted to find another job. If I had waited longer, I might have found a better job, but not only had I no work experience, I hadn't even looked for a job. I was terrified of saying the wrong thing and making a fool of myself. Later Sophie Aunt Ya asked me to live with her, but she said she would stay at least for a while. She was very lonely, and there were two vacant rooms at home, so she said she hoped that I would live with her." "So you're here?" Mason asked.

Catherine nodded. "Did you plan to work when you came?" "No. We always thought Aunt Sophia was doing well. It used to be, but she has a sad past and doesn't seem to be doing very well financially." "Go ahead." Mason became more and more interested. "What happened next?" "I just moved in with Aunt Sophia. I figured I could work half-time, or work for a year and save some money before finishing college. I don't have to hide it from you, I was Hopefully Aunt Sophia will sponsor me for college." "Didn't she fund you?" Mason asked.

"No. She... I really don't know what to say." "Did you come to see me because of your aunt?" Mason asked. "you could put it that way." "What's up with her?" "It's a long story," she said. "And it's not easy to say, so I'll just pick the key points. She's my father's sister, a working woman. We always thought she was doing well. I think so. Her house and property, it seems to me Is very rich. About two years ago, a man named Jello Elwood came into her life, and then some notorious things happened. Elwood was married, but separated from his wife Bernice .Forgive me for saying something bad. His wife is a bitch, ruthless and possessive, which just confirms a sentence - a bitch woman is more terrible than the flames of hell. After Elwood and his wife separated, give her A sum of money went to Nevada, and then divorced her. Later, Elwood met Aunt Sophia and wanted to marry her, so he asked Bernice to give him the divorce certificate. But Bernice kept delaying, and Elwood and Sophie Aunt Ya went to Mexico and said she got married there, but in fact there must have been no formal ceremony. I think Elwood is the kind of person who is very speculative. He and Bernice lived in Palm Springs, and the office It’s a home that he’s been visiting a lot, and it’s the only house he didn’t sell to Bernice. One weekend, Elwood went to Palm Springs to sort out some errands, and he planned to stay there for a few days. The weather started to warm up. Unfortunately, when he went to a club to play golf, he died suddenly due to the hot weather. The club's information registered his wife as Bernice, and she happened to live in the local area. The people in the club quickly found out her phone number and notified her The news of Elwood's death. Bernice immediately went to the stadium to dispose of the body, arrange the funeral, and then moved into the house in Palm Springs, taking everything of value. Aunt Sophia was completely kept in the dark, and later because of Elwood never called her. When she was in a hurry, she called her house in Palm Springs. The person who answered the phone was Bernice, and she knew that Elwood was dead. Bernice said that she had arranged everything for In consideration of face, she hopes that Aunt Sophia will not go to the funeral."

"So they didn't really divorce?" Mason asked. "Apparently not. Bernice told Elwood she was going to Nevada to get a divorce, but apparently she never did." "Isn't the property also disposed of?" Mason asked. "Of course there is, but it's just a verbal settlement. Because almost all the property is in the name of Bernice, Elwood has almost nothing, and he intends to start from scratch. Aunt Sophia told him not to take care of the property, she wants Helped him make a comeback. Then she gave Elwood nearly all of his money." "Will she ever get it back?" Mason asked.

"Now that Elwood is dead, and Bernice is his widow, of course she can't get it back. At the beginning, Aunt Sophia gave the money to Elwood unconditionally, and he invested it in his own name. Later Aunt Sophia was always evasive when anyone asked about their marriage. I think that while they were talking about marriage, Elwood began to suspect that Bernice hadn't gone for a divorce at all. If he married my aunt Well, Bernice will definitely sue him for bigamy, of course he dare not do it. I think he deliberately went to Mexico with Aunt Sophia, and came back to tell his friends that they were married, and everyone believed it. But Every time I asked about their marriage, Aunt Sophia always hesitated. Later she told me that their marriage may not be valid. So I suspect that they are not married at all."

"In this case," Mason said. "As long as there is evidence that your aunt and Elwood are in partnership, she can get half of the property in Elwood's name when she died. Of course, this involves some troublesome legal procedures, but it mainly depends on how the money was transferred in the first place. Yes, is it a gift, a joint venture, or something else. Do you know about this?" "I've told you all I know," she said. "Aunt Sophia didn't want anything to do with Bernice. She said, 'Keep Chambers, money can't buy happiness.' She thought Bernice was just a greedy, cold-blooded, money-seeking If she really loves money so much, then give it all to her." "Then your aunt has nothing left?" "That's one of the reasons I want to talk to you." "Be more specific," Mason said. "After I moved here, I heard from my aunt that she gave Elwood all her cash and that when he died, she had almost nothing. I was hoping my aunt would let me go back to college, but she never did. Mention, I don’t want to say anything. Something happened later... To be honest, if it’s not a last resort, I don’t want to live in my aunt’s house, but if I want to move out, I must find a job and become independent.” "What happened?" Mason asked. "It's a mystery," she said. "It made me worry and scared." "Go on," Mason said. "In some ways, Aunt Sophia is the most wicked person I've ever met." "You mean the way she treated you?" Mason asked. "Treat me the same as everyone else. She provides me with room and board, nothing else. I have only a few clothes I have with me, and no transportation. There is no way I can go on to college. In other words, unless otherwise There is foreign aid, otherwise I will not even think about going to school.” "Go on," Mason said. "At first, I thought Aunt Sophia was doing well. The house was spacious and comfortable, and she had hired a gardener. But she did the housework herself. She said the servant could not do an hour's work a day." "So you help with the housework?" Mason asked. Catherine nodded. "And then?" Mason asked. "I almost starved to death afterward." "why?" "Aunt Sophia used to study the advertisements for specials in the newspapers. If she could save three cents a pound of butter at one store and five cents a pound of bacon at another, she'd be willing to buy them on the same day. Traveling to several places. And one meal is about the same as bird food, I almost never get full." "So you decided to go to work?" Mason asked. "I decided to go to work because it would allow me to eat out for lunch and at least one good meal a day." "Go on," Mason said. "But I have the same problems here as I did back home. Although I have an orthodox education, I have absolutely no work experience." "Most girls make up some experience when they're looking for their first job." Mason stared at her. "I don't like to tell lies, Mr. Mason." "So, when you're looking for a job, you honestly say you have no experience?" She nodded. "Go on," Mason said. "It turned out that it didn't go well at first. I told my employer that I would like to learn by doing, but the salary had to be enough to cover transportation, lunch and daily expenses. Girls always have to dress up at home, which costs money. " Mason nodded. "That's why I work as a waiter in Madison's restaurant. I like this job very much, but I'm not very familiar with it now, and I don't know how to get more tips, but I still try to do a good job, And try to perform. Of course, the best thing is that the restaurant serves lunch, and you can eat as much as you like, and when I first came to do it, I really could eat. I really have never been this hungry in my life." "Is Madison still happy with you?" Mason asked. "I don't think he noticed me at all. The foreman is nice, but I think he seems interested in me. I'm afraid it will affect my work in the future, but everything is fine so far." "Lawyers can't help you with this kind of professional risk," Mason said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Miss Alice, why did you come to me?" "Actually, it was a temporary idea," she said. "Yesterday you and Miss Streeter came to the restaurant, and my colleagues told me that you are the famous lawyer, so I... I bought your table for seventy-five cents." "What were you going to do then?" "I didn't intend to do anything about it, but I know that someone went to report to Mr. Maddison, and he has been watching me since then. I don't think a waiter should bother a customer with a personal problem." Mason nodded. "I didn't expect you to be so considerate. I really don't know how to thank you." "You're welcome," Mason said. "I'm more interested in why you came to me." "Because Aunt Sophia is such a brilliant liar, it can be said that she is living a big lie, which bothers me." "Huh?" Mason encouraged her to continue. "She'd read the ad in the newspaper and run around the shops to buy cheap stuff just to save a few pennies on food, but the problem was, she took a taxi all the way and told the driver to wait for her outside. Think about it , just the car money is enough.” Mason's eyes twinkled with interest. "How is she otherwise? Is she normal?" "It's not normal either," Catherine said. "There's a chest in her room with a row of hat boxes on the top shelf. It's always locked... I find it odd." Mason smiled. "You're curious to see what's in the closet, aren't you?" "After I found out that she often took a taxi, I was very curious about the cabinet. She usually locks it with a spring lock. You know, I have to help with housework. She was not at home a few days ago, so I went in to organize her things. room, and found that the door of the cupboard was unlocked." "Did you peek?" "I didn't peek. I walked in with a portable vacuum cleaner. The rest of it was fine, but the whole row of hat boxes made me wonder. How could Aunt Sophia collect so many hats? The child's instinctive curiosity overcame me, and I opened the box at the end to see—it was full of money!" "How much?" "I don't know, a lot. They're all fifty-dollar bills and hundred-dollar bills." "What about the other boxes?" "I don't know, I covered the box and walked out, then I closed the cupboard door and the latch snapped shut. That's what worries me, Mr. Mason. There may be a lot of money hidden in my aunt's house , in case the bad guys find out, there are only two of us living there... I am also worried about my aunt. Her method of saving money is very problematic, and maybe she will evade taxes. If Aunt Sophia really If you're rich and don't pay taxes, something will happen sooner or later." "I think the government will be more lenient with this kind of old lady," Mason said. "A lot of old people..." "Her situation is different. She is not old at all, she is only fifty-five years old, and she looks very young and beautiful. Looking at her face, you would think she is only in her forties, and she just dresses more old-fashioned." "How do you know she takes a taxi to shop?" Mason asked. "Once I happened to be in the same store. She read in the newspaper that there was a discount on cured meat in a certain store, so she ran to buy it; and I happened to be taking a bus there to buy electrical supplies, and I saw Aunt Sophia at the door. Got off the taxi and was telling the driver to wait for her to come out." "Then what do you do?" "I hid and waited. Aunt Sophia went in for about ten minutes and came out with a package in her hand. It was about a pound of bacon. I put it in a taxi and asked the driver to drive away. When the car started, it was a short distance from me. Recently, I saw a lot of bags in the car." "Didn't she take a taxi herself?" Mason asked. "No, she left by bus, and finally returned home by bus with a bag of cheap goods." "Is that why you came to talk to me?" Mason asked. She said: "Mr. Mason, I want to hear your opinion. I don't want Aunt Sophia to feel that I have abandoned her; but under the current circumstances, I don't want to stay in her house." "Why does your aunt think you've abandoned her?" Mason asked. "Now she has only one person. My father is her elder brother. After my father died, I was her only relative. She has gone through such a painful thing again, and I sympathize with her." "What happened to the house in Palm Springs?" Mason asked suddenly. "Bernice lives there. She applies for disposition as a widow." "Did Elwood leave no will?" "Of course there is," said Catherine. "In the house in Palm Springs, burned by Bernice." "Does Elwood have any other relatives?" "No. Bernice and her ex-husband had a son named Huber Diling. Besides that, she has no other relatives. And Bernice is determined to take all the property under her name. In fact, those The property was invested by Elwood with my aunt's money, but Bernice insisted that it was shared between her and Elwood." "Didn't Sophia raise any objections?" "She didn't make a sound like a little mouse," Catherine said. "I really can't see it. She often looks like a wily man, but in fact, she lives a monotonous life, refuses to say anything, and continues to live in that horrible two-and-a-half-story haunted house." "Haunted house?" Mason asked. Catherine lowered her eyes and said, "I didn't want to say it." "I'm most interested in haunted houses," Mason said enthusiastically. "I'd like to hear what kind of ghost lives in your aunt's house. Did you hear anything at night? Moans, wailing, footsteps, or..." "Footsteps." "What kind of footsteps?" "It's not the sound of people walking." "What kind of sound is that?" "The corridors are pitch dark," Catherine said. "But I hear footsteps up and down the stairs and down the hallway, very steady, and then there's a hissing whisper, and then footsteps again..." "Maybe your aunt has some mysterious visitor," Mason said. "It's impossible in the middle of the night in the dark! I once secretly opened the door to look, and I really couldn't see my fingers." Mason thought for a while, then said, "Catherine, to be honest, I don't think things are going well, and I think you'd better move out." "when?" "Moving right away," Mason said. "Before it's too late." "What am I going to tell Aunt Sophia? Say I found out she's saved a lot of money..." "Don't ever say that," Mason said. "Just say you've decided to move in with a girl your own age." "But it takes time, and I probably don't make enough money. The biggest source of our income is tips, and getting more tips is an art." "I'll talk about that later, but I want you to move out now," Mason said. "Now?" "What time do you go to work?" "Today is from half past eleven to half past three, and then from five to nine." "You're not going home with such a short afternoon break, are you?" "No, there should be a lounge for the off-duty waiters to rest. We can lie down or put our feet up to rest, or we can take a shower and take a nap on the sofa." Mason said: "After you get off work at nine o'clock, you go home and pack up your things and move out." "Where are you going? I can't..." "Go to the hotel. Get out soon anyway," Mason said. "It's too dangerous to live there. Not only will the money be coveted by outsiders, but if you lose it, you will become the biggest suspect. Your aunt is obviously not as frank as you. She treats you well, and you owe her a share." Love, but I think you have done your duty. Besides, you have to think for yourself." She said: "I originally thought of having a detective follow my aunt to see if I could find..." Mason shook his head. "A detective costs fifty yuan a day, and other expenses will be calculated separately. You can't afford it, and if your aunt finds out... No, you have to move out immediately! Call your aunt and say you have other plans , so I decided to move tonight. I don't think you have much luggage, do you?" "Very little. When I left home, I had only the clothes I was wearing and some simple luggage. It was two suitcases and a purse in all. I kept the luggage light on purpose to make it easier to travel. I also had a few more suitcases. The things of my family can be shipped by air, and when I receive them, I will probably have money to pay the rent. I decided to let myself get used to living a life of nothing and nothing.” Mason said: "Move out as soon as possible. Write Miss Streeter's name and address to your aunt, and when you find the hotel and settle down, call me and tell me." "Can I call you after get off work?" Mason thought for a while and said, "You can find me by calling the Derek Detective Agency. The owner of the Detective Agency is Paul Derek. They are helping me with my investigation. They are in this building, on the same floor as us. ..." "I saw the sign when I got out of the elevator, so I had an idea and wanted to find out why Aunt Sophia behaved so weirdly." "Forget it," Mason said. "Since you've told me the problem, you should take my advice. Call your aunt and tell your aunt that you're moving out tonight, go home after get off work to pack your bags, and take a taxi to the hotel. Where does your aunt live?" Catherine took a card from her purse and gave it to Mason. "I printed it when I applied for the job." Mason looked at the address above. "It's about half a mile to a mile away from your aunt's house. There are several good hotels on the same road. You should pass by when you take the bus. But don't take the bus. It's inconvenient to carry luggage, not to mention it's night. Instead of standing alone on the street waiting for the bus, take a taxi. Do you have money?" "Have." "What did your aunt look like?" Mason asked casually. "About one hundred and sixty centimeters, in her fifties, but looks about forty-five years old, of medium height, good build, iron gray eyes, brown hair, about fifty-four kilograms, well-groomed, but she I just like to dress old-fashioned and talk old-fashioned." "Well," Mason said. "After you settle down, remember to call and tell me."