Chapter 18 seventh scene

On Friday morning, the sun finally showed its face again. The luxurious black Lincoln car was gliding along the quiet residential driveway. Rows of aspen trees stretched out their leaves and swayed in the wind, as if to catch the long-lasting warm sunshine. Ryan looked out through the car window, and said to Kuisi, the West Gow, at least its high-end residential area, the designer did not plan each household into a uniform format at the time, and each household was It occupies a large area and is clearly separated from the neighbors.Kuisi replied uninterestedly that he still likes Hamlet Heights.

The car was parked in front of a small house, and the green grass was lined with a white colonial-style house. There were tall birch trees and poplars planted beside the house, and the front and back were tidied up.Ren got out of the car, turned around and waved to Kuisi. He was still dressed as usual, with a black hat, shawl, and a plum wood cane in his hand. "Am I going too?" Kuisi was surprised, and even looked a little at a loss. His leather apron, which has the meaning of calming the mind, was tied on his body, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy.Quesy is wearing a plain top hat, a short black velvet coat, and shiny new leather shoes.But the new shoes seemed to squeeze a little, so that he flinched uncomfortably as soon as he hit the pavement.Limping, Kuisi followed Ren to the porch.

A tall old man in uniform greeted them and led them through a bright hall into a large living room, also furnished in a colonial style. Ren sat down and looked at the room appreciatively, while Kuisi stood behind him a little uneasy. "I'm Derry Lane," Lane said to the old man, "is the master there?" "No, sir, they're all out, Mr DeWitt's in the city, Miss goes shopping, and Mrs she—" He coughs, "goes for mud maintenance, I think that's the right name, Sir, so—" "What a coincidence," Ren asked with a smile, "Are you—"

"My name is Jorkens, and I am Mr. DeWitt's oldest servant." Ren leaned back on the Cape Cod chair easily: "Great, Jorkens, you are the most suitable candidate. Let me explain to you my identity and purpose of coming." "You mean me, sir." "You should know that the case of Longstreet's murder is currently being investigated by Prosecutor Bruno. Thanks to his love and perseverance, he allowed me to participate in this investigation. I—" Jorkens' original blank expression was swept away. And Kong, "Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt you, you don't need to explain this to me, Mr. Ryan, you are here today—"

"Okay," Ryan interrupted him impatiently, "Jorkens, I have a few questions to ask you, and I hope you can answer them truthfully, Mr. DeWitt—" Jorkens suddenly became hostile, so clearly seen in the change of his countenance: "If I have any disloyalty to Mr. DeWitt, sir—" "It's amazing, Jorkens, it's amazing," Ryan looked directly at Jorkens with sharp eyes, "I repeat-you are amazing, so loyal, and I can assure you that I am here today for Came here for Mr. DeWitt." Jorkens' pale lips relaxed into a smile. "Let's continue. Mr. DeWitt was involved in this sad murder case because of his close relationship with Longstreet. I thought that from the relationship between the two, we should be able to find information that would help solve the case. I Let me ask you, does Lonstra come here often?"

"No, sir, he seldom comes." "Jorkens, why doesn't he come often?" "I don't quite know why, sir, but I know that Miss DeWitt doesn't like Mr. Lonetree, and that Mr. DeWitt--well, sir, to put it more clearly, every time Mr. Mr Witt seems preoccupied..." "Oh, I see, what about Mrs. DeWitt?" Jorkens hesitated: "Uh, this, sir..." "You think it's best not to talk about it, don't you?" "Yes, sir, it's better not to talk about it." "For the fourth time, I have to praise you again—it's amazing...Quishy, ​​sit down, old man, you're tired too," Quishi obediently sat next to his master, "Okay, Jorkens , how long have you been working for Mr. DeWitt?"

"Sir, more than eight years." "Isn't Mr. DeWitt, in your opinion, the kind of guy who makes a lot of friends--a guy who makes a lot of friends?" "Well, sir, probably not. I think his only real friend is Mr. Aham, who lives around here. But I don't want you to misunderstand, but Mr. DeWitt is a very kind man, if you know his words." "You mean to say that there are not many visitors here?" "Not very often, sir, oh, of course, Mr. Impoli lives here now, but he's a friend in a special situation. He's probably been here three or four times over the years. Otherwise, Mr. DeWitt rarely Invite guests."

"I heard you said that there are very few customers, so do these few customers who come here occasionally have any customers—I mean those who have business dealings?" "Yes, sir, but very seldom, once in a long time, for example, recently when a visitor from South America stayed at the house." Ren thought for a while: "You said recently, when is it?" "The gentleman lived here about a month, and left about a month ago." "Has this person been here before?" "I don't think so." "You said South America, where exactly is South America?"

"Sir, I don't know that." "Do you remember a more detailed time when he left?" "I believe it was the 14th of August." Ren was silent for a while, and then he asked in a slow and extremely interested voice: "Do you recall, did Lonstra come here when the South American guest lived here?" Jorkens said without hesitation: "Yes, sir, and more often than usual, Mr Makunjo - oh, sir, Philip Makunjo is the gentleman from South America - the first That night, Mr. Longstreet stayed here all night, and he, Mr. DeWitt, and Mr. Macunjo shut themselves in the study, and the talk ended in the middle of the night."

"Of course you wouldn't know what they were talking about?" "Oh, sir, of course not." "Yes, yes, I asked a stupid question," said Reith softly. "Philip Makunjo, that sounds like a foreigner's name, what kind of man is he? Jorkens, Can you describe it for me?" Jorkens cleared his throat and said, "He's a foreigner, sir, he looks like a Spaniard, very dark, tall, with a short black military beard, and he's too complexioned, I should say- —Almost like a Negro or an Indian, and besides, he is also a very eccentric gentleman. They seem to be very close. Some nights, he went out until four or five o'clock in the morning and didn't come back, and he didn't even come home all night."

Ren smiled: "Such a strange guest, such a strange behavior, Jorkens, what do you think of Mr. DeWitt's reaction?" Jorkens became a little uneasy: "Well, no, Mr. DeWitt doesn't care, let Mr. Ma Kunqiao come and go freely." "What else do you know about this man?" "Well, he speaks English with a strong Spanish accent, and has very little luggage, except for a large suitcase. He often talks secretly with Mr. DeWitt at night, and occasionally Mr. Longstreet. Sometimes there are other Mr. DeWitt doesn’t introduce Mr. Macuncho very much, just, how should I put it—it’s the level of introduction in general social occasions, and that’s all I know, sir.” "Does Mr. Aham know Ma Kunjo too?" "Oh, he doesn't know." "What about Mr. Impoli?" "Mr. Impoli didn't come then, and Mr. Impoli came after Mr. Makunjo had left for a while." "Mr. Makunjo left. Do you know where he is going?" "I don't know, he left with his big suitcase, and I'm sure no one in the family except Mr. DeWitt himself knew more about Mr. Joe Ma than I did, including Mrs. DeWitt and Miss DeWitt. .” "And one more thing, Jorkens, how did you know Mr. Maquinjo was South American?" Jorkens covered his mouth with hands as dry as parchment and coughed twice: "Once, when Mrs. DeWitt asked Mr. DeWitt, I happened to be there, and Mr. DeWitt said it himself." Ren nodded and closed his eyes. After a while, he opened his eyes leisurely, and asked again: "Can you recall, are there any other guests from South America? In recent years." "No, sir. Mr. Macuncho is the only South American visitor since I came here to work." "Very well, Jorkens, it was a pleasure talking to you. Now, would you please call Mr. DeWitt and say that Jerry Lane has something urgent to call on him, and I hope he can find some time anyway, Invite him to lunch today." "Yes, sir." Jorkens went to the coffee table, dialed the number calmly, and after a while, Jorkens spoke, "Mr. DeWitt? I'm Jorkens...Yes, sir, There is a Mr. Jerry Lane who is at home now, and he would like to invite you to lunch today, saying that there is something very important ... Yes, sir, Mr. Jerry Lane ... He specifically wants me to tell you that there is Important matter, sir..." Jorkens turned to Lane, "Mr. Lane, Mr. DeWitt, is it convenient to meet at the Securities Exchange Club at noon?" Ryan's eyes lit up: "It's very convenient, Jorkens, at the Stock Exchange Club at noon." So, Ryan and Quesy went out, got into the car, and Ryan said to Quesy - Quesy was busy ripping off his collar - "By the way, you haven't had a chance to make the most of it all these years." Make good use of your observation talent, how about it? Would you like to take this opportunity to act as a temporary detective?" The car started, and Kuisi also managed to tear off his collar: "How do you say what I do, Mr. Wren, but this collar..." Ren's smile came from deep in his throat: "It's a small test for you-I must apologize to you for making you deal with such trivial matters, but speaking of it, you are still a novice in the detective game... Today In the afternoon, I have to deal with a lot of things. During this period, you should go to the consulates of every South American country in New York City to find a way to find out which country's consulates have had contacts with that man named Philip Macuncho ... the tall, dark, bearded Makunjo, maybe part black or Indian. Oh, yes, Quesy, that's Othello... Quesy, you know and you have to play it safe , I don't want Inspector Sam and Prosecutor Bruno to find out the direction of my investigation, so you understand?" "Makunjo," Quesy said in his husky voice, twisting his beard into thin threads with his dry brown fingers, "how do you spell this weird old hag's name?" While thinking about it, Ren continued what he hadn't finished saying: "If Inspector Sam and Prosecutor Bruno don't even know how to ask DeWitt's housekeeper, then of course I don't need to tell them anything." "That talkative butler." Kuisi also said his own, his dislike for Jorkens is a typical reaction of the kind of person who spends his life less talking and more obedient. "On the contrary, you genie in the magic lamp," Ryan said softly, "he really talks too little."