Chapter 3 third chapter

Della walked into Mason's office with the morning's mail in her hand and said, "The bread you put on the water seems to have come back as a cake." "What bread?" Mason asked. "Your letter to Wenworth yesterday." "Oh, that." Mason said with a smile. "I'm afraid I have to send you to culinary school." "why?" "Bread on water," Mason remarked. "It doesn't come back as cake, but as dough." "Dough?" she asked. "Exactly," said Mason. "It's money! How long has he been waiting?"

"About half an hour. Seems very troubled." "Bring him in," Mason said. Wenworth was in his early fifties, and it was obvious that he had taken great pains to retouch his appearance in order to conceal the traces of his age.His clothes are ironed perfectly.The waist-to-chest ratio, the fit of the clothing, and his posture all show that the natural slack of the abdomen has been restrained by the elastic waistband. His hands are also well maintained with manicured nails.The ruddy smooth face that had been carefully tended by the barber formed a sharp contrast with the gray-green eyes.A small beard has been carefully trimmed and the ends are waxed.

"Good morning, Mr. Mason," he said. "Hi," Mason seemed casual. "Please sit down." Wenworth sat down in the appointed chair.He looked at Mason as a shrewd bridge player glances at his cards for the first time. "The weather is fine," he said. Mason's face became serious. "Do you think it's going to rain?" he asked. "No," said Wenworth. "It's just foggy. I got your letter." Mason said, "I thought it was going to rain. Is there anything wrong with that letter?" "I think I should give you an explanation."

Mason said seriously: "Very well, I never refuse what should be given to me." "Please don't get me wrong, Mr. Mason." "I will not." "I think there is no doubt that you have been deceived. If you knew all the facts, with your identity, reputation and ability, you would never agree to represent Mei Feier." "Smoking?" Mason asked. "Yes, Thanks." Mason handed over the cigarette case, and Wenworth reached for a cigarette.He seemed happy to have a gap. Mason struck a match, lit a cigarette, and absently tossed it into the wastebasket, saying, "Go on."

"You might be surprised to learn that Phil is a fugitive." "Indeed." Mason said flatly. "The police have issued an arrest warrant for her." "What charge?" Mason asked. "Fake." "Fake what?" "A check," said Wenworth indignantly. "This check is a contemptible betrayal of friendship. She is a gold digger, an ungrateful person, a selfish, scheming..." "Wait a minute," Mason said, ringing the bell at the same time. Mason held up his hand, palm facing outward. "Just one click," he said. "I'll ring for the secretary."

"Is it your secretary?" "Yes, I want her to take note of your moral accusations against my client." "Listen," said Wenworth, suddenly alert. "You can't quote me." Della opened the door from the outer office and came in.Mason said, "Della, please take note of Mr. Wenworth's comments about Phil." Della glanced calmly at the seemingly disturbed visitor, then walked to the table and handed Mason a note. Mason opened the note, which read: "A man named Harold Anders in the out office sought Wenworth on a personal matter, but refused to say what it was. He lives in North Mesa. He was told Wenworth is here, and he will wait for him to come out."

Mason slowly tore up the note and threw it into the wastebasket. Wenworth said, "What I say is known only to the two of us." "You wouldn't make such a serious charge against a young lady," said Mason. "Unless you can prove it." Wenworth said, "Don't try to frame me. I'm here to warn you of her type out of good intentions, not to get into a defamation suit." "I just thought of it now, isn't it too late?" Mason asked. "What's the meaning?" Mason turned suddenly to Della and said, "Let Mr. Anders come in. Tell him Mr. Wenworth will meet him here."

Wenworth rose from his chair and looked at Mason suspiciously and warily. "Who's Anders?" he asked. Della walked out quietly, and Mason comforted Wenworth and said, "This guy has a private matter to see you. He is looking for you. He heard that you are here, so he followed." "But I don't know this Anders," said Wenworth. "I don't want to see him either. Can I go out by the other door?" "There's something you don't know," Mason said. "He's from North Mesa. I think he came to you because of Miss Fell." Wenworth walked out, but after only two steps, Della opened the door, and a tall and strong man A man walked in, he was in his early thirties.

"Which of you is Mr. Wenworth?" he asked. Mason made a friendly gesture. "Mr. going to that door," he said. Anders strode across the room, quickly blocking Wenworth's path. Wenworth tried to walk past him, but Anders grabbed the shoulder of his coat. "You know who I am, don't you?" he said. "I've never seen you." "But you know who I am." Wenworth was silent. Anders said, "Of all the abhorrent tricks I've ever heard of, the one that got Mae arrested is the best. Here's your eight hundred and fifty dollars, and I'll make the check valid."

He took a wad of bills out of his pocket and started counting. "Come over to the table and count. I want witnesses and receipts." "You can't pay that check," said Wenworth. "Why not?" "Because this matter has been handed over to the prosecutor, it is a crime for me to collect money. Mr. Mason is a lawyer, and he will tell you that I am right. Right, Mr. Mason." "Do you want professional counseling?" Mason asked. "Don't talk nonsense, I'm talking about common sense." "Put your money away, Anders," Mason said. "Sit down, and you too, Wenworth. You are both here, and I have something to say."

"I have nothing more to say," said Wenworth. "I have come here with the utmost sincerity to spare you an embarrassing experience, Mason, and I did not come to be fooled, deceived, or insulted. I suspect that you and Anders orchestrated this meeting. " Anders looked surprised. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "I've never heard his name in my life." Wenworth looked longingly at the door. "No, don't think about it," Anders said. "I've searched all over the city for you, and here and now we have to make it clear. If you try to walk out of that door, you will regret it." "You have no right to stop me," said Wenworth. "Maybe not," Anders said grimly. "But I can beat you up." Mason smiled at Della as he leaned back in his chair, resting his ankles across the corner of the table. "Leave me alone, gentlemen," he said. "Go ahead!" "What kind of trap is this?" asked Wenworth. "There's no trap," Anders said, his voice vibrating with anger. "You played a nasty trick, and I tell you, you can't get away with it. Here's your eight hundred and fifty dollars." "I refuse to touch the money," said Wenworth. "Money is not important, what is important is the principle of doing things." Anders suddenly jumped up and said, "If you dare to stop me, I will call the police and sue you for breaking the law..." Mason said to Anders, "Let him go, Anders," and turned to Wenworth. "I just want you to know that I represent May Fell. You may also be interested to know that I have sent a copy of that check to the handwriting specialist." Wenworth, who was holding the doorknob, stopped and stared at Mason. Mason said: "I doubt whether your signature is a forgery like May Fell's signature." Wenworth said: "My kindness went unrewarded. I should have asked my lawyer to speak to you." "Bring him, please," Mason invited. "When he comes, you can explain the check to him and take his advice." "What's the meaning?" Mason said: "You're accusing Phil of forging checks purely on your assumptions. You think that because the checks are for payments she owes to fashion department stores, she must have forged them. But I don't think you have evidence to support that. Allegation, there is no way to prove that she sent the check, you can't prove that she wrote that check, because a handwriting expert will prove that she didn't. So, the check was forged by someone else." Wenworth hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously: "Oh, of course, if that's the case..." "If it's true," Mason said flatly. "You're defaming Phil's character. You're defaming her as a forger and a fugitive, and you're claiming that to the police and everyone else. You swear you're going to charge her with the criminal law . . . Go to your lawyer, Wenworth, I I am sure he will advise you to ask your bank to pay that check. You can come to me any time, but please call my secretary first to make an appointment. Goodbye." Wenworth stared at him in horror, then suddenly opened the door and went out, leaving Anders staring at Mason in bewilderment. "Sit down, Anders," Mason invited. Anders walked towards the big leather chair that Wenworth had just sat on, and sat down. "My problem is," Mason said with conversational interest. "I'm a showman by nature. My friends say I'm a dramatic genius, and my enemies say it's mystification. My love of show, combined with my curiosity about people and my interest in mysterious events, often get me into trouble. What's wrong with you Are you used to it?" Anders laughs: "I'm too angry, I can't take rejection. I like dirt too much, I have a redneck idea." Mason blinked at him. "These comments sound like they came from a young lady who just left Beimeisha and came to the city." "Indeed," Anders said. Mason said: "I was hired to represent Phil. As far as I know, all her troubles are on this forged check, which you seem to know well. I don't think there will be any other troubles." "Listen," Anders said. "It's true that she didn't forge the check. Meiyi wouldn't do such a thing, and I can't guess who would do that." "Wenworth did it," said Mason. "Wenworth?" "It was him. We may not be able to prove it, but he must have done it, or had someone else do it." "God, why?" Mason said lightly: "It is very likely that Wenworth is also a person who cannot accept being rejected." Anders gradually showed a look of understanding. He suddenly pressed his hands on the handrail, stood up, and walked quickly to the door.Mason called to him. "Wait a minute, Anders," Mason said, his voice soft but authoritative. "I'm in charge of this matter, you come back, I want to talk to you." Anders hesitated, his face flushed and his jaw raised. "Please come back and sit down," Mason said. "Remember, I'm Phil's lawyer and I don't want anything to happen that isn't in her best interest." Anders walked back slowly and sat down.Mason studied his rugged features, his brown skin, and the extra dark color on the nape of his neck. "Working on the ranch?" he asked. "Yeah," Anders said. "What kind of ranch?" "Mostly cattle, a little bit of clover, some hay." "How big is it?" Mason asked. "Fifteen hundred acres," said Anders proudly. "Is everything cleaned up?" "No, there are some bushes, mostly hillsides, all fenced in." "Fine," Mason said. The two sat in silence for a few seconds.Mason gazed calmly at the man sitting across from him.Anders' anger seems to be gradually dissipating, and his approval of Mason seems to be gradually increasing. "Have you known Meiyi for a while?" Mason asked. "Nearly fifteen years." "Do you know her family?" "know." "Is her mother still alive?" "yes." "Does she have siblings?" "I have a younger sister named Sylvia." "where is she?" "She's in North Mesa, working in a candy store." "How do you know that Meiyi is in trouble?" "Sylvia was very worried about her. She didn't receive a letter from Mei Yi for a while, and all the letters she wrote to Mei Yi returned, saying that Mei Yi had moved away and did not leave a new address." "Don't you guys communicate often?" Mason asked. Anders hesitated for a moment, then said curtly, "Yes." "Did you contact her through Sylvia?" “Exactly,” Anders said, in a tone that suggested he didn’t see the issues as relevant to the lawyer’s business. "But this time she called me herself and said she was in a lawsuit for a fake check for 850 yuan." "Have you seen Miss Fell?" "Not yet. I hope...well, I'm her friend, and I want her address." "I'm so sorry," Mason said. "I don't have her address." "I think she hired you." "The young lady who hired me," Mason said. "She said she hired me for Meiyi, but she said she didn't know where Meiyi was." Anders looked disappointed. "However," Mason said. "If you keep looking, I'm sure you'll find her. When did you leave North Mesa?" "Two days ago." "Where's her sister Sylvia? Is she still in North Mesa? Or did she come with you?" "She is still working there. The two of them have to support their mother, but Meiyi earns more money." "Did she stop sending checks a few months ago?" Mason asked. "Yes, that's why I'm looking for Wenworth. Sylvia received three checks from Wenworth. He said that Mei Yi worked for him, and Mei Yi asked for part of the salary to be sent directly to Sylvia." "I see." Mason showed a thoughtful expression. "Listen, Mr. Mason, I don't think we can stop here. We must find a way to deal with Wenworth." "I feel the same way," Mason agreed. "And then?" Anders asked. "I don't like to jump to conclusions before I have good evidence, but our guesses should be right. As far as I know, Wenworth is a gambler. I don't know what he is up to, but he Clearly rich. Miss Fell works for him and is not afraid of friends knowing where she works." Anders seemed anxious, but tried to sound calm. "That bill from the department store..." "That bill said it without a doubt," Mason told him. "She was working as a hostess at a place run by Wenworth, or something that required public contact. Wenworth insisted that she be well dressed, so sent her to a department store and issued her a bond You may have noticed that Wenworth did not agree to pay the shopping account unconditionally and at the same time sent a check to Sylvia, so we can reasonably speculate that Wenworth kept most of Meiyi's salary and used it to pay The bill from the department store, and the remittance to Sylvia." "But Meiyi said in the letter that she worked for him, and..." "Yes," Mason added. "But she didn't explain the nature of her job. If she was working as a waitress in a nightclub or something, she probably didn't want to let Sylvia know." "I see," Anders thought for a moment, as if suddenly enlightened. "Indeed, it makes sense. Meiyi doesn't want her mother to know what she's doing. Her mother is very reserved and not in good health. Meiyi is afraid that she will worry." "Exactly," Mason said. Anders stood up. "Mr. Mason, I don't want to disturb you too much. I know you are a busy person. I live in room 309 of the Great View Hotel. If you see Mei, you can tell her that I am here and want to see her, okay?" ?” "I'll tell her," Mason said, standing up.Anders stepped forward to shake hands.They were both about the same size, tall and rugged.Anders' brown hand held Mason's. "I don't know how to thank you," he said. "Mr. Mason, what's your fee? I can..." "No," Mason interrupted him. "I think Miss Fell would like to arrange everything herself, don't you think?" "She does," Anders said. "Please don't tell her I ever made that proposal." Mason nodded. "Is there any news, will you let me know?" "I'll tell her where you are." Anders said: "Mr. Mason, I'm glad I met Wenworth with you, otherwise I might do something stupid. Good-bye!" "Goodbye," Mason said. Anders hesitated, then bent over Della.She sat quietly on the sidelines throughout the conversation. "Thank you too, uh..." he said. "Street," Mason went on. "Della Streeter, my secretary." "Thank you very much, Miss Streeter." Anders made his way to the door, his cool stride revealing that he was a man accustomed to living outdoors. After the door closed, Della glanced at Mason and said, "Do you really believe that story?" "what story?" "The one you told Anders, the story that explained Phil's behavior." Mason smiled. "Oh! Della, I don't know either. That's the best explanation I can come up with. Damn it! I wish I wasn't so interested in people and sympathetic to their difficulties." There was some melancholy in Della's eyes, and she said thoughtfully, "That's a good story."