We had, Mason said, but I didnt want the house detective to know just where we were going.
Where are you going?
To my office, Mason said. Were going to get Paul Drake on the trail of Amelia Corning and were going to try to reach her before Endicott Campbell does. When Endicott Campbell left I feel certain he was planning to do a little amateur detective work of his own. Unless I miss my guess hes on his way to the Union Depot right now and when he gets there hell start checking with the various redcaps, trying to find out just what happened.
Then arent you afraid hes beating you to the punch? Susan Fisher said.
Not necessarily, Mason told her. There are ways of going about these things. Up in the office we have a timetable. Well check what trains were pulling out at about that time. Well get Paul Drake to put some professionals on the job and well find out what tickets were sold. Campbell may find out where she went after she got to the Union Depot before we do, but Ill bet we find out where she is now before Endicott Campbell does. That is, unless hes shrewd enough to hire professional detectives.
And then what?
Then, Mason said, well wait in my office until we get some definite word. A woman who is nearly blind and confined to a wheelchair cant simply vanish into thin air.
The lawyer retrieved his car from the restaurant parking attendant. They drove to Masons office. Della Street rang Paul Drake and asked him to come to the office.
A few moments later Paul Drakes peculiarly spaced knock sounded on the door of Masons private office and Della Street let the detective in.
Mason said, Paul, this is Susan Fisher. Shes an employee of the Corning Mining, Smelting & Investment Company. The company is pretty much a one-man outfit thats owned by Amelia Corning, a wealthy woman whos been living in South America.
Miss Corning is about fifty-five years old, nearly blind, wears very large-lensed dark blue glasses, and apparently because of arthritis has to spend most of her time in a wheel chair. She was at the Arthenium Hotel. She checked out shortly after five oclock, and took a cab to the Union Depot.
Drake, his manner indolent to the point of suggesting chronic laziness, listened with a bland expression which masked the professional competence with which he was sizing up Susan Fisher.
What do you want done? he asked Mason.
Find her, Mason said.
Drake walked quietly towards the outer office. Ill use the phone in your reception room, if you dont mind. It wont disturb you so much.
Drake gave Susan Fisher a vaguely reassuring smile, vanished into the outer office.
Hes good? Sue Fisher asked.
The best, Mason said.
Drake returned to the private office after some ten minutes, said, Ive been playing tunes on your telephone, Perry. Ive got men on the job. Ive got men covering the taxi companies and broadcasting inquiries over their communications system asking for information. Ill have three men at the depot within ten minutes, probably less. Theyll be interrogating the cab starter, the redcaps; inquiring at the ticket windows.
Good work, Paul, Mason said.
Della Street handed a neatly typewritten piece of paper to Paul Drake. These are the scheduled trains on both Southern Pacific and Santa Fé leaving after four PM tonight.
Paul Drake folded the paper, slipped it in his pocket, said, Thanks, Della. And then added, after a moment, Great minds run in the same channel.
Meaning youve already checked on the timetables? Mason asked.
Meaning the first thing my men will do when they reach the depot after giving it a quick once-over to see if shes still there in the waiting-room will be to find the outgoing trains. If shes on a train, Perry, I take it youd like to know where she is before the train reaches its destination.
Thats right, Mason said.
Any ideas? Drake asked.
Mason said, Theres a train that goes up to Sacramento. It goes through Mojave. I wouldnt be at all surprised if the person we want was a passenger to Mojave.
Good heavens! Sue Fisher exclaimed. Ill bet thats exactly what she did.
If she waited for that train, Della Street said, she would have been in the waiting-room for some little time.
Mason nodded.
Any ideas why she would have checked out of the hotel and gone to the depot in order to put in the time waiting in a public waiting-room when she could have put in the time just as well in a luxurious suite at the Arthenium?
Now, wait a minute, Drake said, youre going at this thing all backwards. Youre starting out with a surmise and then trying to fit facts to it. Now, lets first find out the facts, and then well make our surmises afterwards okay?
Okay, Mason said, grinning.
All right, Drake assured them, Im going down to my office and start handling calls from there.
He left the office and Sue Fisher turned uneasily to Mason. You havent asked me for money yet.
Thats right, I havent, Mason told her, smiling.
Im a working girl on a salary, Mr. Mason, and Well, I didnt want to say anything in front of Mr. Drake, but I simply cant afford all these detectives and all of this high-priced action.