Chapter 12 Chapter Twelve

Mason parked the car on Covina Street. Two police cars and a fire chief's red car were parked on the other side of the street, and several cars were parked not far away.The store on Covina and Hendersey Streets, apparently once a low-rent big box store, is old and the neighborhood is similarly gray and decrepit.This kind of building was once used as a stronghold for stockpiling surplus goods, and a sign that has been weathered and marked "clearance sale" still hangs on the front of the building. As Mason got out of the car, a man walked up to him. "Perry Mason?" "yes."

"I'm Rob Bittman, one of Derek's operators. Derek found me on his car phone and told me to get here immediately. When I got the call, I was on another mission not far away, so I arrived at the scene almost at the same time as the fire brigade." Mason watched the man intently. "Let me see your identification card," he said. Bittman produced his identification card. "Okay," Mason said. "Now, tell me what's going on here." "It was a false alarm," Bittman said. "The fire brigade took control of the situation first. The fire truck was on standby. After a comprehensive inspection, it was about to leave. At this time, a firefighter looked in the window and said something to the others. They pried open the window and entered the house. , apparently they had radioed the police. Officers arrived shortly after, rushed inside and found a man trapped inside the building."

"Trapped inside?" Mason asked. "good." "Did he not escape?" "No." "He's supposed to get away," Mason said thoughtfully. "He should have left before the fire engines got here. Go on, what happened next?" "Then I don't know, I just know that more police cars are coming here. Something obviously happened in the house, which alarmed the officers, and they were obviously looking for the man - look, they came out." The front door of the store swung open, and Sergeant Trager, accompanied by a plainclothes detective and two ununiformed constables, escorted Horace Warren out of the building.

"My God!" said Mason. "Do you know him?" Bittman asked. Suddenly Mason stepped forward, across the street, towards the group of people. One of the officers said something to Sergeant Trager, and Trager looked up, unable to hide the surprise on his face when he saw Mason walking in their direction. "Wow!" Trager said. "It's so fast! How did you come here? Could it be that your client called you and..." Mason's eyes were fixed on Warren. "Don't reveal anything, Warren," he said. "Don't say a word, don't open your mouth!"

An ununiformed officer stepped forward and pushed Mason away. "Get out of the way," he said. "This is a murder case." "Don't say a word." Mason reminded again, and said to the officer: "I'm his lawyer." "I don't care who you are," the officer said. "After he is in custody, he has the right to find a lawyer. Then you can come and see him. Don't interfere with our business here, get out of the way." Mason moved sideways so that he could still exchange glances with Warren.Warren responded with a slight nod. Mason walked back across the street.

The group got into two police cars and drove away. "Isn't that Trager? Was it a murder?" Bittman asked. "Yes," Mason said. "He's not here unless there's a dead body or a murder in the house. They still have the police and a police car on the scene. The store looks like a lot of land, with a warehouse attached to the back. Also Permission to find the entrance on another street. Once your support arrives, have them surround the building and try to report to me on the phone everything that's going on here." Mason crossed the street dejectedly and walked towards the car.He got into the car, started the car with the key, and drove towards the office.