Chapter 12 Chapter Twelve

In the evening, Della and Mason stepped out of the elevator and walked towards the long and narrow corridor.When they passed Derek's office, Mason opened the door, poked his head in and said to the lady at the switchboard, "Is Derek there?" "Yes, he is waiting for you." "Tell him to come to the office to find me. Huh? What are you doing in front of the switchboard? Aren't you taking a day off today?" "The lady on duty on Saturday and Sunday has a cold," she said. "So I've got to take over the job from her." She grimaced, then added, "But, Mr. Derek said, I can rest next week... oh, he's there."

The office door opened, and Derek said in a slow, feeble tone as usual: "Hi! Paley, I thought I heard your voice just now. Hello, Della! Do you want to talk now?" "Ok." "Okay, I'll be right there. Frances, if you need anything, just go to Mr. Mason's office and find me." Derek stepped forward and grabbed Della's arm, asking, "Why don't you sleep like everyone else? Five days a week, seven hours a day." "Yes, Frances asked me the same question just now." Mason opened the door to his office. Derek said, "Perry, there's a new discovery in that murder case. Remember the door on the yacht that leads to the back cabin? The door you can see in those photos."

"Well, I remember. How is it?" "Forensic opinion: Milfie's fatal injury may have been when he was knocked down, hitting the copper threshold of the main cabin and a smaller private cabin." "In other words, he may have been killed after a fight. If so, the charge of first-degree murder would become common manslaughter." "Of course it's up to the jury to decide. The police will investigate in the direction of first-degree murder. Paley, you should understand; the other situation you just mentioned is just a possibility, then..." The phone on Mason's desk rang loudly, and Mason said, "Paul, you'd better answer the phone, it may be that Frances has something to convey."

Derek picked up the phone and said, "Hello?" He listened carefully for nearly two minutes, wrote some words, and said, "Okay, tell him to wait by the phone for five minutes." Derek hung up and said, "We've got J.C. Reising, the guy who rented a double room at the Surf and Sun motel. My agent said he was in a grocery store himself. Called in the shop while the guy was sitting outside in the car waiting. He thought Reising was going to give him a written statement." Mason said a little excitedly, "What did he say?" Derek said: "J. C. Resing lives at 6842 Labrie Street, Coletown. It took a little work to track him down, because when he checked in at the motel, Swapped two digits in the plate number. Lots of people do this; even if they look at the correct plate number, they will swap a digit or two when writing it down..."

Mason said, "I know." Derek said: "I mean -- he could have written the wrong number inadvertently, or he could have done it on purpose. In any case, he pretty much confirmed what Burbank said; he said he rented the Two double rooms, four people came for an appointment, and he confirmed that 'two more people arrived later'. He would not disclose the names of these people." "You said your people could get a written statement from him, didn't you?" "He thought he could do it, and Reisin sat in his car and waited for him. But, there's one more thing that bothers me, and that's why my people give me a phone call before they get the written statement. .Ressing happened to mention that the attendees left the hotel shortly after noon on Saturday. Paley, that doesn't match the time you deduce, does it?"

Mason said, "Yes, Burbank apparently left around four or five o'clock in the afternoon. Paul, tell the person who called you to check with Lessing again about the time." Derek dialed his office and said, "Frances, tell Al to look up the exact time he left the hotel before asking for a written statement from Lessing. When he finds out, tell him to call immediately." return." Derek hung up, turned around, and was about to speak to Mason when the phone rang again. Della answered the phone and said, "Yes... yes, this is Miss Streeter... just a minute, don't hang up."

Covering the microphone with her hand, she said to Mason, "It's Carlo, she's at Union Terminal right now and wants to know if you've discovered anything." Mason made an impatient gesture and said, "Tell her we're waiting for an important call, tell her to wait there, and ask her for a number where we can reach her. As soon as our line is cleared, I'll ask her where her father is and why he went to see Frank Palermore on Friday afternoon. But don't tell her that, just ask her for a phone number and tell her to hang up .” Della conveyed what Mason had explained, and then hung up the phone.

They waited in tense and silent atmosphere for nearly a minute before the phone rang again.Della answered and said, "Wait a minute, Frances." Then she handed the phone to Derek. Derek said, "Hey...well. Frances...really...listen, can you try to get him to talk to me through the switchboard? It'll save time...Okay, give it a try!... ...oh, hi, Al...that's what Frances told me...please tell me exactly what happened." After a moment of silence, Derek said, "Wait a minute! Let me relay the message, and don't hang up yet." He told Mason, "Al said when he called me, Resin was still in the car he was parked outside. I just told him to wait five minutes on the phone and he was there. but when Frances called again and told him to ask J. C. Rising about the time, he went out to look and Rising was no longer there."

"Have you left?" Mason asked in a slightly harsh voice. "No, the police arrested him." "Are you sure Al?" "Yes, a little kid told Al that a few people came in a car with a red light on the roof and a star on the door, and one of them stepped out and walked Go to Lei Xin's side and talk to him, then take out a pair of handcuffs unexpectedly, cuff Lei Xin's hands, and then..." "Handcuffs!" Mason interrupted him. "Al said that's what the kid told him." Mason said, "Tell Al to get out of there quickly."

Derek said into the microphone, "Okay, Al, get back to the office—quick!" He hung up. Mason paced back and forth on the floor, gradually picking up his pace. Derek said, "I can't figure it out..." "Wait a minute." Mason interrupted.Perhaps due to nervousness, the voice seemed sharper. "Let me think." Mason paced for two or three minutes, then suddenly said loudly to Derek, "Paul, do you have any good female agents?—ones you can trust." Derek said, "For what? Menial work? Beauty tricks? Or..." "No, this woman must be with an upper-class woman at all times, guarding her day and night."

"I have someone like that in mind, but it's going to take a while to get in touch with her," Derek said. "how long?" "Oh, it may take four or five hours! Maybe it can be faster." Mason shook his head and said, "Paul, we have to act now." Derek said ambiguously: "I have a female staff member who was... oh no, Paley, I don't think she would want to do it." Mason said, "Hey, we're running out of time." "Can I?" Della asked. Mason looked her over thoughtfully, then said, "Yes, you can do it—and I think you must." "What kind of job is it?" Mason said: "When you leave here later, make sure you're not being followed. Take the tram first, and then take a taxi. Tell the driver you have to make sure you're not being followed, and the driver will know what to do. .” Della nodded. "When you're sure no one is following you," Mason continued. "Just pick up Carlo Burbank at Union Terminal and tell her not to ask you any questions and you don't give her any information. Take her to Woodridge, where we know the manager; before you get there , I'll set things up. Register your own name; as for Carlo, just register her initials. In other words, if her middle name is Anne, register her as C.A. Burbank—so her name sounds like a male businessman, not a woman—get it?" Della nodded again. "Book two rooms that can share a bathroom," says Mason. "Your room needs a double bed. After the waiter leaves, move Carlo's luggage into your room. Lock the bathroom door, so that you are separated from the adjacent room and let Carlo Lo is in your own room with you." "How long will it take?" "Until you receive my notice." Della went to the hat cupboard, took out her hat, put it on her head, and took her coat from a hook. Derek said, "Perry, I don't really like what you're doing." Mason was a little angry, and said loudly: "I don't like it either, really. It would be great if you could find a female agent who can take on this task in time..." "Perry, please do me a favor! You can't just pick a woman for any job these days. I should be lucky to have a female employee..." Della walked to the door, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Are you ready?" Mason waved her hand and signaled her to go on her way. "Della, go--good luck."