Thats very nice, Miss Corning said. Ill go up and take a look around at that Presidential Suite. The probabilities are Ill want to be moved into something more modest. Theres no need for me to be rattling around in a lot of room I dont need, and those suites cost money.
Well go up right now and take a look, Miss Corning, Bailey said. We want to be certain youre satisfied.
The little entourage went up to the Presidential Suite. The bellboy opened the door and Bailey, Mason, and Drakes operative wheeled Miss Corning into the main room.
She looked around and sniffed. Ill bet this costs a hundred dollars a day, she said.
A hundred and thirty-five, Bailey said apologetically.
All right, I want to move out and get into something smaller.
The rental has been arranged, I believe, Bailey said.
She sniffed. Thats Endicott Campbell for you. Spending company funds on a luxury that I dont need, trying to impress me. By the way, where is he?
Bailey looked at Mason inquiringly.
Bailey looked at Mason inquiringly.
Mason glanced at his watch and said, Apparently he hasnt arrived yet, Miss Corning, but you can probably expect him.
Bailey said, Now, Miss Corning, theres a certain formality that we have to go through on account of security reasons. Youll probably be wanting to cash checks here at the hotel and wed like to establish a line of credit. Of course, the financial end of it is all taken care of; all we need is a complete check on identity. Im wondering if youd mind letting me see your passport.
Humph! she said. I havent asked you for anything yet except smaller quarters.
But, he said, if its all the same to you, wed like to see your passport, Miss Corning.
Well, of all things! she said. Ive been showing that damn passport... I was hoping that when I got to my own country I wouldnt need to wear it on my sleeve and keep showing it to every Tom, Dick, and Harry that would ask for it.
Suddenly she realized how her remark sounded and gave a frosty smile. Not that youre Tom or Dick or Harry... or are you?
No, Miss Corning, Bailey said. Im Colton. Colton Bailey.
Oh, all right, she said. Im glad you took it in good part. I guess my nerves are a little frayed.
She opened her purse and took out a passport.
Bailey carefully inspected the passport, then nodded to Mason as he returned the passport to Miss Corning.
Well, he said, with a voice that plainly showed his relief, theres nothing more I can do here, Miss Corning; at least at the moment. Ill withdraw and leave you and Mr. Mason to talk things over.
Drakes operative said, And I have discharged my duties, Miss Corning. I guess there is nothing else you need of me.
As they opened the door, Della Street, neatly tailored, calmly efficient, came walking into the room.
She sized up the situation, moved over to the chair and said, How do you do, Miss Corning? Im Della Street. Im Mr. Masons executive secretary and Mr. Mason asked me to come here so that I could be of any assistance possible. In case theres anything thats in the feminine department I want to do all I can to make you comfortable.
Miss Corning twisted her head with a distinctive birdlike gesture, tilting it from one side to the other as though hoping to get a better view through the heavy lenses.
Well, my dear, she said, I cant see you very clearly, but I can see you have a very trim figure and your voice is wonderful. As my eyes get worse, I depend more on my ears. I rely a great deal on voices. I certainly like yours.
Thank you. Thank you very much indeed, Della Street said.
Not at all. Now, Mr. Mason, youre a lawyer. If your time isnt valuable you arent a very good lawyer. If youre a very good lawyer your time is worth a lot of money. Neither of us wants to waste it. So lets get to the point.
Wouldnt you like to freshen up first? Mason asked.
You go right ahead, young man, she snapped. Youll find Im fresh enough. Now, just what is it you want?
Its not what I want, Mason said. Its something one of my clients wants.
Well its the same thing, she told him. Now, go on. Start talking. Sit down, make yourself comfortable and have that delightful secretary of yours make herself comfortable.
Youre all right in the wheelchair? Della Street asked. You dont want to move into a more comfortable chair?
Im all right, right here, Miss Corning said.
Mason said, Im not going to take the time to try to be diplomatic, Miss Corning. In a matter of this sort, I have only one approach and that is to put the cards right on the table.
Face up, Miss Corning said.
Face up, Mason said, smiling. Now, the first thing that I have to tell you, and which may come as something of a shock to you, is that yesterday a woman who claimed to be you appeared at the airport and telephoned the offices of the Corning Mining, Smelting & Investment Company.
What! she exclaimed.
Mason nodded.
Well, go on, Miss Corning said. What happened?
There, Mason said, we get into the realm of speculation. I cant tell you exactly what happened. However, I can tell you this much. This woman telephoned the company offices. A young woman by the name of Susan Fisher, who acts as confidential secretary to Endicott Campbell, the manager, and who was called up by Mr. Campbell to get certain things in readiness for your arrival, was working overtime there and answered the telephone.
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?