Chapter 4 second scene

Last Friday afternoon (the following is narrated by Inspector Sam, with additional information from District Attorney Bruno), the living room of one of the suites of the Grant Hotel, built of reinforced concrete at the corner of Forty-second Street and Eighth Avenue in New York, Inside, a man and a woman cling to each other. The man’s name was Harry Longstreet, he was a tall, middle-aged man. Years of drinking and debauchery had ruined his originally strong body, and his face was also sickly red. He was wearing a tweed shirt; Her name is Qiao Li Brown, a musical comedian, she has Latin black hair, black shining eyes, with a beautiful curve of lips, she is a hot woman.Lonstreet kissed Qiao Li with wet lips, and Qiao Li hugged him tightly.

"I really hope those people don't come." "As long as the old brother loves you alone, right?" Longstreet let go of his hand, showing off his arm muscles like an athlete, "But they will come - they must come, I told DeWitt to jump, I didn't lie to you, little beauty , he absolutely dare not not dance." "Why do you make DeWitt's gang come here if they're not happy to come?" "I like to see that old vulture look embarrassed, the old boy hates me, I like it, damn it, let him go to hell." He roughly put the woman off his lap and walked across the room He poured himself a glass of wine at the cutlery table, and glanced at him lazily like a cat.

"Sometimes," she said, "I don't understand you, but it's none of my business to fix him." She shrugged her fair shoulders. "You drink as you please, my dear!" Longstreet muttered twice, and drank the wine with a vigorous tilt of his head. The moment he raised his head, the woman asked nonchalantly, "Is Mrs. DeWitt coming too?" He put the whiskey glass back on the sideboard: "Why don't you come? Well, don't keep talking about that woman, Qiao Li, I've told you hundreds of times, I have nothing to do with that woman, never .”

"I don't care if you're involved or not," she laughed, "but you really look like the kind of guy who would steal Mrs. DeWitt . . . who else?" He grimaced: "A bunch of, oh man, I can't wait to see DeWitra's stinking face. And that guy named Ahan who lives next door to his house in Westwood— Like an old woman, crying and complaining of stomachache all day long." He looked at his flat stomach with dirty eyes stimulated by alcohol. Uncle Longstreet is not like them. Also, DeWitt's precious daughter Jane will come, and she hates me too, but her dad will make her come, especially Jane's kid boyfriend Luo De will come to join in. Wow, this is a really sweet big party."

"Rod is a very nice boy!" Lonstri's eyes showed a fierce look: "Yeah, good boy, damn it, a self-righteous, nosy guy. It's unbearable to have a brat like him walking around in the office. I should have known Tell DeWitt to kick him off early... eh! ok!" he sighed, "there's one more—that'll make you laugh out loud, the one who grew up chewing Swiss cheese," he laughed dryly , "What's Louis Impoli, the guy I told you about, old man DeWitt's Swiss client...and, of course, Mike Collins." The doorbell rang, and Qiao Li got up to open the door.

"Plack, you old boy! Come in come in!" It was a well-dressed old man with a swarthy face, with oily hair and a beard carefully set in shape with wax.He hugged Qiaoli intimately, Lonstreet stood up unsteadily, with a threatening voice in his throat, Qiaoli blushed and hurriedly pushed the visitor away, brushing her hair with her hands. "Remember my old Plaque?" Her voice was happy. "Plaque, the great Plaque, the master mind reader of this century, come, you two shake hands." Pluck shook hands perfunctorily, and was immediately attracted to the sideboard table where the wine was placed.Lonstree shrugged and was about to sit back in his chair when the doorbell rang again.He had no choice but to stand up again, Qiaoli went to open the door, and a bunch of people came in.

Walking in front was a thin, middle-aged man with gray hair and beard, he was a little timid, but Lonstree's face brightened immediately when he saw it, and he strode forward, as if more passion emerged with every step he took, Holding DeWitt's hand hard, DeWitt was blushing and half-closed his eyes because of the pain in his hand and the feeling of nausea in his heart.There is also a contrast between these two people in appearance. DeWitt is depressed, with sad wrinkles on his face, as if he has been hovering between decisiveness and hesitation; Lonstra is tall, confident, arrogant and domineering.

It wasn't until Lone Street went back to greet the others that DeWitt escaped the torment of Lone Street's enthusiasm. "Fo'an, it's great to have you here." ——This Hispanic woman who is no longer young and her figure is beginning to lose shape, under heavy makeup, she can still see some of her former beauty. She is DeWitt wife.As for Jane DeWitt, a petite brunette, she just nodded grimly as she leaned against her tall, blond young flower protector, Christopher Rhodes.Longstree completely turned a blind eye to Rhodes, turned his head and shook hands with Ahan and the well-dressed middle-aged Swiss man Impoli.

"Mike!" Lonstra ran over and patted the shoulder of the man who had just entered the door.Mike Collins was a tough Irishman with a pair of piggy eyes. He whispered back a few polite words, but his eyes glanced at everyone like a poisonous snake spitting out a letter.Lonstreet grabbed his arm, his eyes twinkling, "Listen Mike, don't make trouble here," he warned viciously in a low voice, "I told you, I'll tell DeWitt to take care of it, now you go over there Go, get yourself a drink—be nice." Collins waved Lonstree's hand away and walked over to the sideboard without a word.

The waiter brought ice cubes clinking in the tinted wine glasses, and a group of people sat awkwardly without speaking—polite but very stiff.DeWitt himself sat on the front edge of the chair, pale and expressionless, sipping the wine in his hand mechanically, but his knuckles were white from the force of the glass. Longstreet suddenly grabbed Qiaoli in a dramatic way, hugged her tightly and announced loudly: "Everyone, you all know without me telling you that today is a good day for my old Harry, and it is also a good day for DeWitt Longstreet. Good day for the company and all the relatives and friends of the company.” Speaking of this, Lons Cui’s voice became thicker, his face turned redder, and his eyes narrowed, “Now, I am honored to introduce to you—the future Lons Cui Madam Cui!"

There was a small commotion during the dinner, DeWitt stood up, bowed to the actress a little unnaturally, and shook hands with Lonstra stiffly to congratulate, Impoli stepped forward, put his heels together like a soldier, bent down and kissed the actress Manicured fingers, Mrs. DeWitt, who was beside her husband, clutched her handkerchief tightly and forced a forced smile, and Pluck, who had been buried in the sideboard table, staggered over to hug her. Qiao Li's waist, however, was unceremoniously waved away by Lonstra. The old Pluck muttered a few words about wine, and then walked back to the side of the wine bottle on his sideboard. The ladies all admired the sparkling engagement diamond ring on the actress' left hand. At this moment, several waiters came into the room with cutlery... After a simple snack, Prak turned on the tape recorder, the music sounded, and everyone danced like a routine Only Longstrai and Qiaoli enjoyed the dance.Lonstree was as happy as a child, and half-jokingly wanted to hug Jane DeWitt. The blond-haired Rhodes stood in the middle coldly, took Jane and danced to the side. Qiaoli stood aside, her sweet smile remained the same, but she could see that a storm was coming. At 5:45, Lonstra turned off the tape recorder and announced happily: "I forgot to tell you that at my home in Xigawu, I arranged a small dinner for you, and I will give you a small surprise." He yelled, "Everybody, everybody gotta go. You come too, Mike, and you, that one over there, Pluck or something—you come along and show us your mind-reading skills Open your eyes." He looked at his watch like an owl, "There is still time to catch the bus, let's go, everyone!" DeWitt explained hesitantly that he had an appointment to go that evening, and that he was the host... Lonstra became angry. "I told you, everyone's going!" Impoli shrugged, still smiling, and Rod looked at Lonstra with disdain—as he turned his gaze back to DeWitt. , but there was a look of embarrassment in his eyes... At 5:50, a group of people left Qiaoli's suite, leaving behind a mess of cups and trays. They took the elevator downstairs and went to the hotel lobby. Longstreet asked the waiter for an evening newspaper and told him to call a taxi. Then the group stepped onto the sidewalk—to the Forty-second Street exit opposite the hotel. The concierge whistled desperately to hail a taxi, but the driveway was jammed with almost immobile vehicles of all kinds.The sky was overcast with dark clouds and occasional thunderstorms. The dry and hot weather for weeks had evaporated the moisture violently, and a downpour was imminent. Sure enough, it began to rain immediately, and it was caught off guard, like a crack in the sky.The rain poured in overwhelmingly, and the pedestrians who were in a hurry to hide from the rain and the congested vehicles were in chaos. The concierge whistled harder to hail a car, but he could only turn his head and smile helplessly at Lonstra, and the group ran to the corner of Eighth Avenue under the awning of a jewelry store to hide from the rain. DeWitt leaned close to Longstreet and said, "By the way, what do you think about Weber's complaints being dealt with as I said?" DeWitt handed him a letter. Longstreet held Qiaoli's waist with his right hand, and took out a silver glasses case from his jacket pocket, then let go of the woman, put the glasses case back in his pocket, put on his glasses, and pulled out a typed letter from the envelope , watching casually, while DeWitt waited with half-closed eyes. Longstreet snorted: "You ignore him!" He threw the letter back to DeWitt, but DeWitt didn't answer it for a while, and the letter fell on the wet sidewalk. DeWitt bent down to pick it up Letter, "Whether Webb is happy or angry to death, I have made a complete decision, this matter ends here, and you don't bother me with this matter anymore." Prak suddenly shouted: "The bus is here, let's take this bus." In the hustle and bustle of traffic in front of him, a red-headed snub-nosed tram came swaying. Lonstra took off his glasses, put them in a case, and put the case back into the left pocket of his jacket. His left hand was in the in the left pocket.Qiaoli pressed close again, and Lonstra waved his empty right hand: "Fuck his ghost taxi," he yelled, "Just take this bus." The tram creaked to a stop, and when the brakes were on, a flood of people desperately rushed towards the opened rear door. Longstreet and his party also bravely jumped into the crowd and squeezed towards the entrance of the car.Qiaoli was still holding on to Lonstree's left arm, and Lonstree's left hand was still in his left pocket. They stepped on the steps, and the conductor kept yelling in a hoarse voice: "Hurry up! Get in the car!" The rain soaked everyone's clothes. DeWitt squeezed forward between the two huge bodies of Ahan and Impoli.Impoli protected Mrs. DeWitt in a very chivalrous manner, and even took the time to wink humorously at Ahan, saying in his foreign accent that it was a great honor to have the opportunity to participate in such a strange banquet in the United States. .