Chapter 17 Chapter Seventeen

We were passing over Arizona as dawn broke Sunday morning.The desert under my feet gradually receded, blurred, and turned gray, like an ocean.And the shape and color are constantly changing.The raised stones on the higher ridges get the sun's rays first.The deep canyons and dry rivers below remained in shadow.The stars had receded into the distance, the size of pinpoints.The sound of the twin engines caused great echoes in the intricate underground rocks all the way to the west.There was a rose-red light in the east, and the boulders on the ridge were like ice cubes in fine wine.We're flying westward at full speed through the desert, like we don't want the sun to catch up.But suddenly the sun rose from the horizon, and the morning light illuminated everything.The rocks to the east were already reflecting light.Strengthens the mystery of the darkness within the canyon.The sun climbed fast, and before long we saw the shadow of our own plane in the desert.Shadows drift across the Colorado River and we enter the skies over California.As soon as the rumbling sound of the twin engines changed, we stopped in a small city in the desert to refuel. All passengers on board were allowed to leave the plane. Free breakfast was served at the airport restaurant, including hot coffee, ham eggs and bread rolls.

We took off again, and the snow-capped mountains were in front of us.Before the plane flew into the two big mountains, the desert was no longer visible, and the ground was full of oranges and lemons.Farmhouses with red tiles and stucco walls are scattered among the green fields.The Grange becomes a small city, and the small city integrates into a big city, and Los Angeles is right in front of us. I turned to Fang Lvdai: almost there. She smiled and said to me: This is my best honeymoon trip. The plane broke through the clouds, and the runway was clearly ahead. It kept approaching, and finally the wheels touched the ground, arriving in Los Angeles.

I said: Here we are, let's find the hotel first, so I can contact my partner. Mrs. Ke you mentioned? Yes. Do you think she likes me? Won't. Why? She dislikes pretty young girls especially the ones she thinks I like. Are you afraid that she will lose you? Just because of this.I said: She may have no reason at all. Are we registering in our own name? Need not. But Tang Nuo, you You register under Lai Ludai's name.I said: I use my own name, and now we change it to brother and sister.Our mother was sick and we were in a hurry to get home. I'm Lai Ludai? Yes. Tang Nuo, you have brought yourself into it.

Why? Use your last name to cover me.You know, the police are looking for me! How would I know the police are looking for you?You didn't tell me again. She smiled and said: It can be said like this, but it doesn't work in practice.If you didn't know the police were looking for me, why did you take me under cover, under a false name, with a false relationship? The answer is very simple.I said: You are an important witness in the case I took over.I think having you as a witness can help me solve a murder case.Of course I take you as my confinement.In addition to reporting to Kebetha in writing, I am taking you to her to tell the whole story orally.

She was silent for a few seconds, and she said: I believe Kebaisha will hate me when she sees me. Never expect her to welcome you. We walked into a hostel, and after the desk clerk learned the story of our dying mother, I told him I was anxious to use the phone.He pointed me to the phone booth. I called Baisha's unregistered phone number, but no one answered. I came to my room to look for Baisha again.This time a black maid came to answer the call. Mrs. Ke?I asked. She is not here now. when will she come back I am not sure. where is she going fishing. When she comes back, ask her to call back, tell her that Lai Tangnuo has called.I call every hour until she answers.

Yes, sir.I think she went fishing early today, and she said the morning tide was seven-thirty.I think she's coming back soon too. I call every hour.Tell her what I said.Once an hour. I climbed into the comfortable tub.Soak in it for ten to fifteen minutes.Get up and take a cold shower.I rubbed my body with a towel until it was almost red.Shaved and dressed.Lean back in the chair and close your eyes. Fang Ludai opened the traffic door of the second room, entered my room, and woke me up.But I was so sleepy that I opened my eyes only after she closed the traffic door. something? It's time to call.

I groaned, picked up the phone, gave the number, and waited. This time, the voice of Baisha putting down her things came from the phone at home. She just entered the room and rushed to answer the phone.I also heard the voice of the black maid calling her, running towards her, and then Baisha's piercing call over the phone: Don Nuo?God!Why do you have sores on your butt, always refusing to stay in one place.To run around.Do you think that if there is a lot of money in our company, you will grow it yourself?You can call me if you want to discuss something, I told you a thousand times, ten thousand times

Finished? not yet!She said in full belligerence: "I haven't even started talking yet." OK, I'll call you when you're done talking.A good man does not fight a woman. I gently put the microphone back in place, cutting off Betha's roar. Fang Ludai's eyes are as big as eggs.I could see her fear. Tang Nuo, are you offending someone for me? Maybe. Please do not do this. People always have to fight.Don't fight over this. what do you mean? Refers to Baisha.In no time at all, she climbs on top of you.It's not on purpose.She was born with this temper.You have to start first.I'm going to bed, don't disturb me, you also sleep for a while.

You don't look for her anymore? Look for it later. She smiled worriedly and said: You are so interesting. Where?I asked, simply fell on the bed to rest. I am just joking.She said she had to go back to her room. It also took me over ten minutes to fall asleep.After sleeping for two hours, I woke up and immediately hung up the phone to look for Baisha. Hello, Baisha, I'm Tang Nuo. You little bastard who thinks you are great and should kill a thousand dollars, you will suffer a lot if you don't listen to advice, how dare you hang up on me, I will teach you a lesson, you and I will

I'll call you back in two hours.I said hang up the phone. About an hour later, Lu Dai came over and said: I didn't hear you get up. It's because you fell asleep.Must be very tired. is too tired. She sat on the arm of my chair with her hand on my shoulder.Seeing the newspaper in my hand. Are you calling again? Yes. what did she say? Old tune. what would you do? same as usual. I thought you were eager to exchange ideas with her. Yes I am. She smiled: You chartered a car, took a plane, and drove all the way across half of America in order to negotiate with her, and now you are sitting here doing nothing.

Also working! what to do Wait for Baisha to calm down. will she?I think this makes her even angrier. I know, she is very angry now, and she is furious.But she was also curious.Curiosity will slowly rise and become saturated.Anger will gradually die down.I have unique experience with Baisha.Read the newspaper?There are comics today. Her laugh is not high, a little nervous.Don't look now, she said, what is this? She leaned forward and stared at a paragraph in the newspaper in my hand.I feel her hair brush against my cheek.I took the newspaper and told her to read this paragraph, put the newspaper on the ground, she sat on my lap, and I kissed her. Her warm lips rested on mine for a while, and suddenly her hazel eyes stared into mine, she turned her head back and said: I knew you would do this sooner or later. which hand? Want to seduce me. I nudged her to sit on the floor next to my chair. I said: This is not to seduce you, but to kiss you. oh. She sat there for a while, looked up, smiled and said: You are so interesting. Where? I can't say, many places.do you like me?Tang Nuo? like. Do you think I will kill someone? have no idea. Do you think I might have? Yes. So you rein in the brink. Have I reined in?I didn't face the cliff either. Tang Nuo, you have helped me too much.She's sitting on my instep now, with her elbow on my lap: I think you're a nice guy. not necessarily. At least you have been very good to me.You are not like others, you treat me like I am a decent person.You have restored my faith in my view of human nature.The first time I lost myself was by getting involved in something ugly, cruel, and mortal.I can't tell you.I don't want you to know.But it is true that this incident has completely shattered my faith in human nature.My conclusion: People, especially men, turn the doorknob of their room very quickly, and some people lightly press the door with their shoulders. Fang Ludai looked at me in fear, and said softly: Police? I pointed to the connecting room. She ran back to her room in two steps.Came back suddenly, reached out and touched my face, touched my chin, and raised my head.Before I knew what she was going to do, she kissed mine with her lips. There was an angry knock on the door. Fang Ludai said in a low voice: If so, thank you, goodbye. She flew back to her room like a bird out of its cage.The door was carefully closed. There was a knock on the door again, and then Ke Baisha shouted angrily: Tang Nuo, open the door. I walked across the room, opened the door, and said: You came so fast!let her in. Please sit down, Betha.You can use that chair.Presumably you have seen the newspaper.You can track down the hostel from the second phone call, it is really not easy.A little tip right? Bai Sha said: It's really bad luck for eight lifetimes to have you as a partner.Missing suddenly, no one knows where you are.Mr. Hay is calling from New Orleans.He is very upset and he thinks you are cheating on him.Saying that there will be no more bonuses and no travel expenses, they may sue us for breaking the contract. She took a deep breath, prepared to say something, changed her mind, and squeezed her lips together into a slit. I light a cigarette. Baisha said: That's why it's not good to be a partner with you who have no roots.When you are so hungry that your belly touches your back, I will take you in.Give you food, give you work.In less than two years, your wings have hardened, and you will be my partner.You now have full control over the business.I think in a few days, I will become your employee. I said: You'd better sit down first.It seems you don't want to leave just yet. She prefers not to sit.I walked over, stretched out on the bed again and half-lyed, moving an ashtray by my side.Obviously, Bai Sha had no idea that Fang Ludai was in the next room. That's right, I won't be leaving just yet.Baisha said: From now on, I will follow you until this case is clarified.I can handcuff you and me together if necessary.Now, you call me to New Orleans and tell Mr. Hay where you are.Tell him you came to Los Angeles to meet me for business.Tell him you didn't notify him because it was too urgent and too important.Tell him you just arrived.You find ways to reduce the losses for yourself and our agency. I continued to smoke and made no attempt at calling. Did you hear me? heard it. That's not moving fast. Take it easy.I said. Baisha went to the phone, picked up the receiver and said to the switchboard: Mr. Lai wants to pick up Mr. Highmore in New Orleans.You can find him at the Dreamland Hotel.It's a caller.People are not canceling numbers. Yes, I am, I know.This is Mr. Lai's room.It was he who was going to talk, of course he was here. She gripped the microphone so tightly I could see her knuckles turning white.She said: very good.Shake the microphone towards me. They want you to say the phone is what you want. I didn't seem to answer the phone. She shook the phone to me again: Say hello! I smoke by myself. You don't seem to want to. unwilling. She slammed the receiver back onto the phone, and I thought both the receiver and the phone would be smashed to pieces. You ignorant little rascal.Her voice rose to a shout and choked in her throat. You'd better sit down, Baisha. She stood and looked at me for a while, then suddenly said: "Okay, be good, don't be like this."Baisha was too excited, but it was always because of caring for you.You suddenly disappeared, Baisha was afraid that someone gave you a bullet. sorry. sorry!You didn't even give me a telegram or a phone call.You see, Betha doesn't like this.You make me so angry. Sit down and you'll be less agitated. She went to the chair and sat down. Smoking a cigarette, I say, makes it easier for you. Why did you leave New Orleans?She rested for a minute or two and said. I think we should talk about it. What are you talking about? I'll tell you when you calm down. Now, Don Nuo. No, not now. Why? You are so excited. I am not excited. When you're actually enjoying your cigarettes, let's talk. She leaned back in her chair and tried to relax, but her eyes remained hard and her anger lingered. I waited until she threw the cigarette butt away. Can you tell me now? Another cigarette. She sat there, her eyebrows furrowed: all this comes from your inappropriate use of money, and you have never had a sense of responsibility in managing your business.Even if the first few cases we take on after we partnered do well, it doesn't mean that Are we going to do it all over again? She started to get up from the chair, then stopped midway and sat back down. She didn't say a word, and I didn't say a word, and we faced each other in silence for fifteen minutes.Finally Baisha took another cigarette and took the first deep puff. OK, she said, let's talk. That old murder case, what did you find? Tang Nuo, why are you so anxious to know about that old murder case. I said: I think it has something to do with what happened in New Orleans. I haven't got everything on that case yet, I already have several people working on it, will find out by noon tomorrow. Got all the clippings? Bu Aiqian has been asked to go to the library to make photocopies of all relevant information from the old newspapers.Tang Nuo, the most important thing for you is to find that woman. which one? Fang Lvdai. I found her once. Then find her a second time.Bai Sha said angrily. I'm a little worried about High Mole. What's the matter with him? He may have conspiracies on both sides. Listen carefully to me, Lai Tangnuo, we don't make a living by criticizing our employer's motives, we run a detective agency, and our purpose is to make money.If a customer comes to find a person, we will find this person, and the rich one is the uncle. I understand.I said. This is business. Maybe. I know, I know it's not your way, you like to play tricks.You open a detective agency and call yourself a Knight of the Round Table.You fall in love with every girl who has trouble, and they fall in love with you, so But I'm still worried about Highmore. I am also worried, I am worried that he will not pay our bonus. Don't you have a contract with him? There is a contract, but sometimes it’s technical, you know, what worries you about him? Let's look at it from one angle first, Haimolai came from New York.He invited us from Los Angeles to New Orleans to find a woman, a woman who was easy to find. But Mr. Hai didn't know it was easy to find. He didn't believe he didn't know, Hemerley knew where she lived, and he could find her himself any time.In fact, the night before Highmore came to see us, he was still with the woman he was looking for. Maybe it doesn't matter.she says. Well, let's not talk about this, change to something else. Don't be smart, these are exactly what Mr. Hai couldn't stand you at first. Why did he point it out? I don't know, maybe he doesn't want us to waste our time on these boring things, maybe he doesn't want to waste his money on such stupid ideas. I said: We found Fang Ludai, you plan to visit her early the next morning.Highmore was supposed to be in New York, but he wasn't in New York, he was in New Orleans. how do you know? Because I went to the airport to check, the one who flew to New York and immediately flew back to New Orleans under the name of High Mole weighed 146 pounds. Maybe the weight is wrong. I smiled at her. oh!Don't be so smug, if you have something to say, say it. I said: You once called Mr. Hai in New York, but you couldn't find him, but Mr. Hai did find you.He said he called you from New York or some intermediate station, of course you can't know, and no one will know.In fact, it is possible that he is just down the street from you, and his method is just to ask a woman to say: New York is looking for Mrs. Kebetha, are you?Please don't hang up, here we come.Betha, isn't it? Baisha had an ominous feeling, and said quietly: "Go on." The next morning, he showed up in New Orleans, and I told him I found Fang Ludai, and he wanted me to go to her apartment, but he knew she wasn't there. how do you know? Because he wants me to go with him. What does it matter? You still don't understand?Fang Ludai only knew that his name was Wang Yaqi. When Fang Ludai saw Haimolai, her first words must be: Hey, Mr. Wang, why are you here.In this way, wouldn't the trick be revealed immediately.Of course, Haimolai knew that if he thought that Fang Ludai was at home, he would never ask me to visit her together. Baisha is really interested, is there anything abnormal? very many. Tell me. The only witness who could really determine the time of the shooting was a woman named Mary Winn.She was a nightclub waitress, and she was going back to her apartment when she heard gunshots, and a few minutes later, she looked at her watch.She later fixed the time of the gunfire at two-thirty. Um. I said: Somebody saw Highmore come into this apartment at 2:20. When you said he was supposed to be in New York, he actually went to Fang's apartment. Yes. Who saw him? I can't tell you just yet. She asked me with a broken face: What do you mean you can't tell me? I just can't tell you, it's a secret and temporary. She glared at me, wishing she could swallow me in one gulp.It must be a woman.She said: It must be some bitch who has swindled you around, leaning on your shoulder, whispering in your ear that she saw Highmore come into that apartment, but you must keep it a secret and not tell anyone.And you turned your back on your partner for a new, worthless hooker.snort! Another person confirmed that I was right. who? Hemolay himself. Tang Nuo, do you mean that you have already talked about this matter with him?How dare you Tang Nuo, we had an agreement with him in advance, under any circumstances, we can't control what he did, we don't care about business, he wants us to Take it easy, I interrupted, he didn't tell me with words, he told me with actions. What do you mean? I said: He was very eager to meet Marie Wen, and I arranged to take him to a nightclub. After we each had four or five drinks, he wanted to know how much I knew, and why he was so eager to see Marie Wen. He paid for the drink, right? certainly.Maybe I'm not good at handling money, but I'm not that stupid. what did you see? He talked to Marie Winner about the time she had heard the gunshot, whether she could be sure it was two-thirty or between two-thirty and three. Um? She told him that it was indeed her watch at two-thirty, and Highmore suddenly admired her watch and asked to show him it. Why? At that point, he was drinking Coca-Cola and gin. What does it matter?she said impatiently. He took the glass under the table and clamped it between his knees.On the table, she played with Wen Marie's watch.The show starts and the lights dim.He took the watch with his right hand and brought it under the table for a few minutes.Then he frantically twisted his nose twice with a handkerchief.So he put the glass back on the table, and put the watch in his handkerchief.Return the watch to Mary. After putting the watch back on, Mary Wen wiped it with a napkin.Then dipped a paper towel in water and wiped the back of the watch and the skin under the watch. Don't disturb my heart with those things, Baisha said, what does this have to do with this matter?How many times he twisted his nose, what does it matter to me?As long as he pays for the drink and he wrings his nose off, I don't care, he You missed the point, I said, why did Mary wipe the watch with a paper towel dipped in water, and the skin under the watch is a key point. Why? Because watches are sticky. Why? I said: You soak the watch in a glass of Coca-Cola and gin, let it soak for one to two minutes, take it out and wipe it with a handkerchief in a hurry, of course this watch will be sticky. Coca-Cola contains a lot of sugar. Baisha said: Why would someone soak a watch in a glass of Coca-Cola and gin? In this way, when the person who wore the watch testified in court that she heard the gunshot at the correct time, when she was cross-examined, she had to admit that she found out that the watch was broken a few days later, and that she had taken it to some watch shop to have it repaired. Baisha sat there, her eyelids flapping at me, as if I had flashed her a strong light once. His grandma's. I didn't say anything, just sat there and let her meditate. After a while, she said: Can you be sure about the watch?Tang Nuo?He dipped it into Coca-Cola. Not sure, I'm just giving you clues, it's reasoning. What the hell reason is he going to Fang Ludai's apartment? Two reasons. Fang Lvdai herself is one? Yes.Another reason is for the dead lawyer Qu Paulo. What is the connection with lawyer Qu? Fang Ludai was escaping from reality, she ran to New Orleans.Geyna was in New Orleans at the time, and Geyna was Gemarco's wife.Marco's plan made her very ugly and divorced her. Yi Na couldn't face the reality. She ran to New Orleans and happened to meet Fang Ludai, so she asked Ludai to be her substitute.When the summons for the divorce case arrived at the apartment, it was delivered to Fang Ludai. Ge Mako thought that the divorce case was a foregone conclusion. Before the final verdict, he married a rich but caressing woman.Perhaps because she had to get married at the time, Ge Yina appeared at the right time and insisted that she had not received a court summons and did not know about the divorce at all.It was a successful ruse, and Ge Yina had her husband completely hooked.Unless Ge Mako can prove that this is deceit, this is collusion, this is a conspiracy conceived by the lawyer. Can he prove it? He might try. How to try? Hire a private investigator. Which private eye? us. Baisha's small eyes blinked even harder.Good boy.she says. understand?I asked. Of course I understand, Marko is a rich man, if he comes to hire us to work for him, of course Baisha will set a good price for him.Other than that it's just for him to cheat us, we should give him a good knock too.He hired a New York lawyer to hire us, so we always thought New York was behind the scenes. Go on, you reasoned well. Afterwards, the ghost lawyer claimed to be surnamed Wang again, and found Fang Ludai, trying to find some evidence from Fang Ludai's mouth, but to no avail.He had no choice but to come to us.He already knew what he wanted us to investigate, but he didn't say it.It was just a cover that he sent us to New Orleans to find Fang Ludai.What he really hopes is for us to investigate Fang Ludai's past, dig out her past scandals, and he will talk to her again, threatening her to tell Ge Yina's tricks.He lied to us that Fang Ludai would have an inheritance or something, because he wanted everyone to open their mouths when they heard the money was coming.I paused for a while, and said, although these are inferences, they are probably not far from the truth. I'll give them a good price for not telling us the truth, said Betha, and making us go around in circles.Oh, a really good price, at least two or three times more than a non-travel job.god i don't know You know now. Baisha looked at me, blinked again and said: Yes, I understand now. I said: something else happened. What?Speak quickly! I put Heimole in my rented apartment, and it wasn't long before he found some old newspaper clippings related to the Gouhoude murder behind the old writing desk.The newspaper clipping said that when Gao Haode and Fang Ludai were swimming in the river, the love tax collector suddenly appeared, not only took Gao Haode's wallet, but also wanted to take advantage of Fang Ludai.According to the girl's confession, Gao Haode was killed to protect her. Come on, tell me all about it. I said: There is a .38 caliber revolver under the table. Gao Haode was also killed by a .38 caliber bullet. So Fang Ludai was the murderer who killed Gao Haode, and the love tax, robbery and murder were all fake? uncertain. If this gun worked well with the murder bullet, Fang Ludai could not escape being convicted.Baisha said with certainty. I shake my head. Why not. I said: Haimolai changed his name to Wang Yaqi to contact Fang Lvdai, claiming to be in insurance business in Chicago.He wants to make Fang Ludai speak, but there are two possibilities: one is that Fang Ludai is unwilling to speak; What did Hemolay want to hear. He wanted Fang Ludai to prove that there was collusion between her and Ge Yina; Yi Na knew that her husband was going to divorce; she knew that the court would send her a subpoena; she deliberately invited Fang Ludai to live in the apartment; the purpose was to wait for the subpoena to be sent to the wrong person. And after that? Ge Mako remarried without waiting for the final judgment. If Ge Yina came to the court and claimed that she had never received a court summons, did not know that her husband wanted a divorce, and proved that the court summons had indeed been sent to the wrong person, what would happen to her? It's the legal Mrs. Ge. Ge Marko committed bigamy, and she may still be able to sue Ge Marko and the current Mrs. Ge.Of course, there are two sides to every matter. If Ge Yina really doesn't know about the divorce, we will become standard helpers and be used by others. How do you say that? It is also possible that this matter is a better conspiracy, and our appearance is only used by others to increase authenticity and credibility. Still don't understand. Suppose Ge Mako wants to divorce, and if he knows that his wife Ge Yina will fight the lawsuit with him to the end.Ge Mako is unwilling to continue to go to court, which will damage his own image.Someone gave him an idea, and they found Fang Ludai to cooperate.Fang Ludai was sent to New Orleans by them, it was Fang Ludai who found Ge Yina and gained her trust.Ge Yina was at a very low ebb at that time, and Fang Ludai carefully instilled the concept in her. It was at this time that disappearing seemed a good idea.Yi Na agreed, and after Yi Na disappeared, Lu Dai notified Ma Ke, and Ma Ke notified the lawyer to start the divorce proceedings, and asked a special person in New Orleans to serve the court summons, and of course it was delivered to Fang Lu Dai.Ge Yina was indeed the victim, and she did not know about the divorce proceedings, nor did she know about the court summons.Ge Mako kicked her out, and she had no chance. And after that? I said: Everything was carried out secretly until Ge Yina found out.Just when she was about to respond, Haimolai appeared in front of us and asked us to find Fang Ludai.We found it quickly, by accident.In fact, she would have appeared at the right time, maybe she would show up subtly in the street, maybe I went to Master Jia's bar and she came in just in time. These are the possibilities of the background, don't waste too much time, let's go on.Bai Sha said hastily. I said: The other party arranged for us to find Fang Ludai, she was very friendly and cooperative.You can even let me take advantage of it, and then she will tell me everything.All this of course means that Ge Yina took the initiative to ask her to use Ge Yina's name strangely.It leads us to think that the whole case is a trick launched by Ge Yina, the purpose is to trap her husband, and it is useless for Ge Yina to file any lawsuits. Good boy, Betha said: what shall we do? Do nothing, let's see how much money we get from being exploited, and see if there is any progress in this matter. We must find Fang Ludai. done. What's done? find her. where is she? ! I smiled and said to Baisha: I have already arranged for such a small matter, and she will never be found by others again. Why? I have hidden her, and this time I have hidden her well. Why hide her, why not tell Mr Hay that we found her again, maybe we can clear the whole thing up. And after that? Then we close the case with a bonus. What about Fang Lvdai? Fang Ludai doesn't care about my business, I only care about ourselves. Then you think for ourselves. How to think for yourself. I said: Someone gave you a marked deck, we didn't know it was a marked deck, but our order was to put the deck on the table.We put it up, charged the agreed money, and that was it.However, suppose we put this marked deck of cards in our pockets and forget to bring them to the gaming table.But the stakes on the gaming table are getting bigger and bigger, so what? She was suddenly ecstatic, and stared at me greedily: Hey, I thought you didn't know how to manage money!For a moment I really thought she was going to kiss me. I stood up and walked to the door. what are you doing? I said: I want you to sit in the office, don't know where I am, and I myself will disappear soon. Bai Sha frowned and said: Then I will lie to Hai Molai. You will have to lie now.I said: If you're not that capable of finding me, you don't have to lie you don't know where I am. What shall we do about this matter? I said: When he calls you tonight, you tell him you don't know where I am. You still want me to lie? I smiled and said to her: No. Baisha said: Why is it not a lie? I don't like you lying, I want you to tell the truth. How can it be. I opened the door and pouted at her.Maybe, I said, at that time, you couldn't possibly know where I was.