And before you go too far with this thing, Mason told him, it might interest you to know that Im considered one hell of a good fighter.
With that the lawyer turned his back on Campbell and marched towards the elevators.
Della Street took Susan Fishers arm, followed the lawyer.
Campbell started to follow them, then turned and said, All right, Ill get the house detective if I have to.
Mason paused for a moment thoughtfully, watching the departing Campbell.
Will he get the house detective? Della Street asked.
I dont know, Mason said, but first I think hell go to the room telephones, get Miss Corning, and ask her not to see us.
Im satisfied shell see me, Susan Fisher said. Shes nice and she likes me. She distrusts him already.
Well, lets go and find out how she feels, Mason suggested.
They entered one of the elevators, went to the twenty-first floor and Susan Fisher led the way down the corridor to the Presidential Suite.
Mason pressed the bell button on the door. They could hear chimes and farther in the interior of the suite they could hear the presistent and intermittent ringing of a telephone bell.
Mason tried the bell buzzer again and knocked at the door. He frowned, and said, She wanted the appointment at eight forty-five, Miss Fisher?
Thats right, and it was to be on the dot, Susan said.
Mason looked at his watch. Its twelve minutes to nine now.
We werent up here right on the button, Della Street said.
I have an idea it would be just like her to wait just about thirty seconds, then if Mr. Campbell hadnt shown up to get out of the suite, Susan Fisher said.
But she has to use a wheelchair?
Yes, she can walk a step or two, I think, but she has to hang on to something when she walks. She does nearly everything in the wheelchair.
Mason looked up and down the corridor, was looking towards the elevators when Campbell, accompanied by a quietly dressed, thoughtful-eyed individual, emerged from the elevators and started walking down the corridor.
This, Mason said, looks very much like the house detective.
That isnt the way I thought house detectives looked, Susan Fisher said.
That, Mason told her smiling, is the way they all look.
What way, Mr. Mason?
The way people think they dont look, Mason said, and stepped forward. There seems to be no answer in this suite, Mason said to the house detective.
Should there be? the man asked.
We would think so, Mason said.
The man shook his head. The occupant of this suite checked out a little after five oclock this afternoon.
What! Susan Fisher exclaimed.
Im just going to verify the information, the house detective said. On our books the suite is listed as vacant. The bill was paid in cash and the woman who was in here checked out.
The house detective produced a key from his pocket, said, I want you folks to notice that Im not entering a suite that is registered on our books as being occupied. This is a vacant suite, Im simply going in to look around and inspect the suite to see whether the maids have cleaned up and left soap, towels, and clean linen.
The house detective clicked back the lock, swung the door wide, stood aside, and bowed to Della Street. Ladies first, he said.
Della and Susan Fisher entered, followed by Endicott Campbell. Mason and the house detective brought up the rear.
It was a spacious suite, equipped with television, icebox, a little bar with a glassed-in shelf for bottles and glasses, cocktail mixers, and a thermidor for ice. There were two bedrooms, two baths, a spacious living room.
The entire suite was not only vacant but in that state of orderly cleanliness which marks vacant hotel rooms.
Thats what I thought, the house detective said.
Campbell was not content with the mans pronouncement. He went prowling around through the bathrooms, looking in odd comers, inspecting the clean towels, even looking on the tile floor of the bathroom.
Suddenly he turned to Susan Fisher and said, How do we know Miss Corning was here at all?
Mason caught her eye and warned her to silence. You might look at the hotel records, he suggested.
Thats exactly what were going to do, Endicott Campbell said.
Well, since were making this a joint investigation, Mason said, we may as well follow through on it ourselves.
Now, look here, the house detective interposed, we dont want to do anything thats going to involve us in any publicity.
Certainly not, Mason said. All you want to do is to get the facts so that you wont be involved in any publicity.
Certainly not, Mason said. All you want to do is to get the facts so that you wont be involved in any publicity.
The house detective narrowed his eyes. How do you know the facts wont involve us in any publicity?
I dont, Mason said cheerfully. However, Im assuming that you havent anything to conceal and I know we havent anything to conceal. Im sure Endicott Campbell hasnt anything to conceal.
I dont like that. I object to the insinuation, Campbell said.
What insinuation? Mason said.
That I have anything to conceal.
I specifically said you didnt have.
Well, Im not going to argue with you. Come on, lets go down to the desk and see what the records show.