Upon being advised that Miss Corning was at the airport, that a telegram had been sent announcing an earlier date of arrival and upon being unable to get in touch with Mr. Campbell, she dashed out to the airport.
There she found a woman who apparently had a very striking physical resemblance to you seated in a wheelchair, surrounded by baggage bearing the labels of South American hotels and South American airlines. She escorted this woman to this suite of rooms and the woman insisted on going almost immediately to the office in order to check into certain things.
What happened? Miss Corning asked.
This woman showed a surprising familiarity with the business. She inquired about various details, then she sent Susan Fisher down to buy some suitcases and put certain vouchers and books of account in those suitcases and then vanished. There is a possibility that she took with her a fairly large sum of money from the safe. We cant be certain about that.
Why cant you be certain about it?
Because the origin of that money is shrouded in a certain amount of mystery.
All right, Miss Corning said, where do you come in?
Im representing Susan Fisher.
Does she need an attorney?
She may need an attorney.
Why?
Because, Mason said, she may have let an impostor into the office; she may have been the victim of an impersonation and turned over certain vouchers and books of account and permitted them to leave the office.
Why all that hurried activity on a Saturday? Miss Corning asked.
Frankly, Mason said, because there is some reason to believe that there may have been irregularities in the operation of the company. Take, for instance, the mine in the Mojave Desert known as the Mojave Monarch. That mine
That mine, Miss Corning interrupted firmly, needs looking into. You dont need to go on to tell me any more about that, Mr. Mason. Thats one of the reasons Im here. Now then, wheres Endicott Campbell?
I dont know, Mason said. Frankly, I was somewhat anticipating your arrival at the airport and the man who met you was one who is in my employ rather than in the employ of the company.
And you think somebody is going to make trouble for this young woman client of yours?
Mr. Campbell has indicated as much.
All right, Miss Corning said, lets get hold of Mr. Campbell and lets get hold of this young woman. Wheres this very efficient secretary of yours? Is she here?
Right here, Della Street said.
All right, Miss Corning said. I presume you know the number of your clients telephone. Here are some numbers that Mr. Campbell gave me where he can be reached in case hes not at home. However, this is his home number and you can try that first. Now, lets get both of them up here.
All right, Miss Corning said. I presume you know the number of your clients telephone. Here are some numbers that Mr. Campbell gave me where he can be reached in case hes not at home. However, this is his home number and you can try that first. Now, lets get both of them up here.
Della Street started putting through the telephone calls.
Mason said, Of course, Miss Corning, in view of your large holdings in the company, regardless of what Mr. Campbell may feel should be done, the ultimate fate of Susan Fisher rests very largely in your hands.
Thats right, Miss Corning said. You dont need to waste time pointing out the obvious to me, Mr. Mason. Thats why I want to get her up here. My eyes arent too good, but Im a pretty good judge of voices. Now that I cant see so well, I have to make up for it by listening. After I hear a person talk I can tell whether I want to trust that person or not. My judgment isnt infallible but it suits me all right.
And Ill tell you something else. The reason Im here is that I called up Endicott Campbell on international long-distance telephone and I didnt like the sound of his voice. There was a certain equivocation in his voice that I didnt like. I dont know whats happening. I dont know whether hes trying to protect himself or someone else, but... well, Im here to find out.
Della Street reported, Endicott Campbell isnt at home. The housekeeper who is there doesnt know where he is. Shes there alone. Elizabeth Dow, the governess, Carleton Campbell, the young son, and Endicott Campbell are all out somewhere.
Together? Mason asked.
She doesnt know, Della Street said.
What about Susan Fisher, Della?
I got Miss Fisher on the line and told her to get up here right away Shes corning up immediately.
All right, Miss Corning said. Now, Im going to do this freshening up you were talking about. If this secretary of yours, Mr. Mason, wouldnt mind assisting a somewhat helpless old woman, well retire to one of the bedrooms. You can sit here in the room which I believe is still known as a parlor in hotel lingo. I dont want to have anyone else around. Just sit here and wait, Mr. Mason, and Ill be out shortly. In the meantime, if that young woman client of yours comes in, just tell her to sit down and be comfortable, and that well be out before too very long.
Now then, she said, turning to Della, your name is Della Street?