The Case of the Malevolent Mugging, 3/?
Title: The Case of the Malevolent Mugging, chapter three
Fandom: Perry Mason
Rating: T/PG-13
Word Count: 3,854
Main Characters: Lieutenant Anderson, Amory Fallon, Lieutenant Tragg, Edith Fallon, Lieutenant Drumm, Perry Mason, Hamilton Burger, Della Street, Paul Drake, Sergeant Brice, Officer Jimmy Anderson, Erna Norden
Supporting Characters: Officers Reed and Malloy, Ned Thompson (via a letter)
Summary: As everyone scrambles to find Andy, Amory and Edith are reunited. Meanwhile, Andy is shown a shocking letter.
Fanfiction.net Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8342827/3/
Notes: I’m unsure if it’s plausible that Amory’s partner would even write the letter revealed here, but we know so little about him that perhaps it’s just as plausible as many other possibilities.
Chapter Three
Tragg was thunderstruck by the patient’s announcement. “Amory Fallon?!” he cried, jerking his wrist free from the panicked grasp.
He took a step back, scrutinizing the injured man. Amory was a dead ringer for Andy, that was for sure. No one had had any doubts in the park or at the hospital. He was the same height, around the same weight, and had the same blond hair and blue eyes. His voice was the exact same tone and pitch as well.
Mrs. Norden gave a cry and rushed into the room. “I don’t understand!” she exclaimed. “You are not my Andy? You look exactly like him!”
Amory looked to her, uncomfortable by both her anguish and the fact that he could not lessen it. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m not him. If I was, I’d never play such a cruel joke.”
“He wouldn’t, either,” Mrs. Norden said sadly as she turned away.
Jimmy entered and drew an arm around her shoulders. “This is unreal,” he said. “You can’t be Andy, but . . .” He trailed off and shook his head. “This just can’t be real.”
In the doorway, everyone else was staring, aghast. “Amory Fallon?” Paul echoed Tragg’s exclamation. He looked to Perry, lowering his voice. “Perry, do you think this is for real?”
Perry sighed. “Yes, Paul, I do. We all know that Amory and Andy could be twins. And Amory still lives in Los Angeles. We haven’t seen him, but Clay has mentioned him and Edith fairly often.”
“But him and Andy showing up at the same place, at the same time . . . !” Paul gave a helpless gesture. “What are the chances of that?!”
“Surely it’s a coincidence,” Hamilton said. “Fallon was mugged and was just mistaken for Andy by the police.” He looked to the agonized man, worried. “What we really have to find out is, if Fallon’s here, what really happened to Andy?!”
“That bothers me too,” Perry said. “I’m just wondering if it is a coincidence. Maybe they also mistook him for Andy. And after they knocked him unconscious they found his identification and realized they had the wrong man.”
“That’s possible, I suppose,” Hamilton agreed.
“Poor Andy,” Della whispered in alarm. “And Mr. Fallon too. This is terrible for both of them!”
Amory was trying to climb out of bed. “I have to call Edith,” he said. “Look at that clock! She’ll be worried sick about me!”
Tragg reached for his shoulders, trying to hold him down and push him back into the bed. As he did so, the doctor was hurrying in to assist.
“Now, I’ll see that your wife is called,” Tragg told him. “For goodness sake, man, you’ve been unconscious and unresponsive for several hours! That was a nasty knock you took.”
The doctor nodded. “Please relax, Mr. . . .” He glanced at Tragg. “. . . Mr. Anderson, or Mr. Fallon, or whoever you are. You’re in no state to get up!”
At last Amory slumped back into the pillows, more from his increasing dizziness rather than their protests and restraints. “Alright,” he mumbled with reluctance. “But you will call her?”
“Right now,” Tragg assured him. “Just tell me this, Mr. Fallon-do you remember being assaulted?”
Amory stared into the distance for a moment, trying to think. “. . . I had an appointment with a business client at eight,” he said slowly. “I arrived at the Griffith Observatory a few minutes late. It was crowded and I had to park down the road. I hadn’t gone far when someone came up on me from behind and addressed me as ‘Cop’. He was sticking a gun in my back.”
“Didn’t you tell him you weren’t a police officer?” Tragg frowned. His stomach was turning at the tale. Someone had definitely been out to get Andy, to promptly corner Amory as they had.
“I was so rattled by the gun that I just did what I was told,” Amory said. “I was going to tell him I wasn’t a policeman once my hands were in the air, but he never gave me a chance.” He cringed. “That was when he hit me.”
Mrs. Norden gasped. “Oh no. That’s horrible. That poor man.” She gripped Jimmy’s arm. “And poor Andy. What’s become of Andy?!”
Jimmy shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said in helplessness. “He’s just gone, vamoosed into thin air.”
“Someone has taken him,” Mrs. Norden said. “They must have taken him! He isn’t around anywhere!”
Jimmy swallowed hard. Mrs. Norden was no doubt right. And the sick feeling in his throat just kept coming back stronger.
He and Andy were cousins, but they were close enough to be brothers. He had always idolized Andy. That was why he had been so determined to become a police officer.
And now Andy was gone. If some nut out to get him had taken him on purpose, they might never find him. Not until it was too late.
Tragg was still hoping to glean a bit more information. “Have you ever heard the man’s voice before?” he asked.
Amory shook his head. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Would you recognize it if you heard it again?”
Now Amory hesitated. “. . . I might,” he said at last. “But I’m afraid I just couldn’t say for sure. I was so upset when he held a gun to my back.”
“No more questions, Lieutenant,” the doctor said, giving Tragg a stern look.
Tragg nodded, weary. “That’s all for now, Mr. Fallon. I’ll call your wife.”
But that proved unnecessary. Frantic footsteps echoed down the hall, followed by a familiar, panicked voice. “I still don’t understand! This police officer looks exactly like Amory?!”
Again Amory tried to rise. “It’s Edith!” he exclaimed. “How on earth did she end up here?!”
Perry, and everyone else in the doorway, turned to look. “She’s with another doctor and Officers Reed and Malloy,” Perry announced.
Reed was in the process of trying to explain the bewildering situation to Edith. “I know it sounds crazy, Mrs. Fallon, but yes, he does look like Mr. Fallon. Everyone was sure they had Lieutenant Anderson, but after seeing your husband’s picture, we have to check. If he’s not awake, we’ll take his fingerprints. Mr. Fallon’s should be on file, since he was accused of murder several years ago.”
Perry hastened forward to meet them. “Mrs. Fallon?” he called.
Edith looked up with a start. “Oh, Mr. Mason!” She ran the rest of the way to him. “Is that poor man awake? Do you . . . do you know if . . .”
Perry laid a hand on her shoulder. “It’s Mr. Fallon,” he said gently. “Yes, he’s awake. He’s been very emphatic about his identity and very worried about contacting you.”
Edith stared. “Is he going to be alright?!” she demanded. “Please tell me he isn’t seriously hurt. This doctor said no one could be sure unless he woke up!”
Perry gave her a kind smile. “He seems to be somewhat dizzy, but otherwise fine. I’m sure he’ll recover.”
Her eyes immediately sparked with light. “Thank God! May I see him?”
“Of course.” Perry stepped aside and allowed Edith to rush past him. The others also moved aside to make way for her.
She did not even pause when she reached the room. Instead she focused on Amory in the bed and was at his side in the next instant. “Amory!” she cried. “Oh Amory. . . .”
Amory reached and took her hand. “Hello, Edith. I’m sorry I didn’t come home or call,” he said with regret. “I would have, if I’d been awake.”
Edith gripped his hand in both of hers. “I heard about the mugging on the radio, but I had no idea it was you. I thought it was the police lieutenant. And then I found these officers and showed them your picture and . . .” She shook her head. “It’s been horrible. But of course it’s been so much worse for you. Amory, are you in much pain?”
“It’s nothing,” Amory said. “I should be out of here soon.”
“Not until tomorrow at the very least,” the doctor grunted.
Amory sighed. “Well, that’s only the rest of the night away,” he said. “And there’s not much left of that.”
Tragg slipped to the doorway and into the hall, pulling the heavy door shut after him to give the couple some privacy. He was lost in thought, and obviously it showed.
“Tragg?”
He looked up at Hamilton’s concerned voice. “. . . I can still hardly believe it,” he said. “It’s like some horrible nightmare. We were supposed to have Andy. I thought that once he woke up, everything would be fine. But now we know we don’t even have Andy! And Heaven knows where he is!”
“Have you heard back from Steve on Andy’s recent cases?” Perry asked with both sympathy and agreement.
“No.” Tragg passed a hand over his face. “Now I have to call and let him know about this mess.” He walked past the group, his hat in his hand. “Excuse me.”
Della stared after him. “I feel terrible for poor Lieutenant Tragg. And Mrs. Norden and Jimmy, too. They’re not even still here.”
“Jimmy took Mrs. Norden to the cafeteria just a moment ago,” Perry said, “when Mrs. Fallon ran into the room.” He sighed, looking to the others still with him. “We have a lot to do.”
“And nowhere to start,” Paul moaned. “Perry, just what do you think we can do?”
Perry looked in the direction Tragg had taken. “Well, after we find out what Steve said, we might have something more to look into. If not, we’ll go back to Griffith Park. As Tragg said, it’s over four thousand acres. One man could be easily overlooked.”
Hamilton raised an eyebrow. “Perry, do you really think Andy is still at the park?”
Perry sighed. “To be honest, no, I don’t. I’m afraid he was taken by an unknown enemy. But we have to look into every possible angle. And if nothing else, we might find a clue.”
“We have to find that mysterious informant, too,” Hamilton frowned. “If he’s genuine. The only thing we have to go on is that hat he said he’d be wearing. And maybe that was a lie.”
“Maybe it was,” Perry agreed. “But I certainly intend to look for him anyway.”
Hamilton nodded. “I’m going to put some of my investigators on it.”
Paul sighed. “None of us are going to get any sleep tonight,” he predicted. “Not that I feel like sleeping now, anyway.”
“I’m sure none of us do, Paul,” Perry said. He clapped a hand on Paul’s shoulder. “We have a friend to find. Let’s move out as best as we can.”
****
Lieutenant Steve Drumm hung up the phone with Tragg in utter disbelief and shock. This was preposterous. They had mistaken another man for Andy. That man had also been mistaken for Andy by whoever had hurt him. And Andy himself was who knew where.
He glowered at the stack of assorted files on his desk. He had been going over and over Andy’s cases for the past few hours-up, down, and sideways. No specific names had jumped out at him. The list of people who might feel bitter enough towards Andy to harm him was practically endless. And starting today, he would have to open investigations into every known one.
Considering the case involving Andy’s cousin Jimmy several years earlier, it was even conceivable that the culprit was someone who just wanted to hurt a police officer, any police officer, rather than caring if it was Andy.
“Lieutenant?”
He looked up at Sergeant Brice, who had been helping him with the search. “What is it, Sergeant?”
Brice set another stack of folders on top of the ones already there. “I can’t find anything helpful, Lieutenant.” His slightly drawling voice was mostly impassive, but Steve picked up on the worry behind it. “What are we going to do?”
“That’s the problem; we’re practically at a dead end,” Steve answered. “We’ll investigate every name in every one of these files, including the families, friends, and acquaintances as well as the convicts themselves. And we’ll keep searching Griffith Park. But other than that, at this point there’s nothing much we can do.”
Brice hesitated. Noticing, Steve glanced up at him. “Do you have any other ideas?”
Brice snapped to attention. “Well, Lieutenant, it’s just that . . .” He mulled over the best way to phrase it. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but . . . Amory Fallon was mistaken for Andy. Is there any possibility that the reverse happened, too?”
Steve raised an eyebrow. “You mean Andy being mistaken for Amory Fallon.”
“Yes, Lieutenant.”
Steve pondered on that. “I wouldn’t think it would happen,” he said. “Why would they both have enemies at the park at the same time? . . . Of course, on the other hand, what were they both doing at the park at the same time themselves?” he muttered as an aside.
Louder he said, “And what about the problem of their identification, Sergeant? Anyone could look at it and see they’d made a mistake.”
“But someone took Mr. Fallon’s identification,” Brice pointed out. “That’s how he got mistaken for Lieutenant Anderson by us.”
“So someone took Andy’s identification too?” Steve shook his head. “That would almost mean that someone was trying to cause confusion and hoping they’d be mixed up.”
“And who’s to say they didn’t, Sir?” Brice said.
Steve sighed. “Ordinarily I’d scoff at this. But this case is already so convoluted that it actually makes a sick kind of sense.” He grabbed for the phone. “I’ll see if I can find out if Amory Fallon has any enemies.”
****
Andy had gotten up in spite of the persistent headache and was wandering the room, searching for either a way out or a clue as to what was going on in this madhouse. So far he had found neither.
Exasperated, he went back to the door. It was sealed tight and could not be budged, even when he slammed into it with his full weight. And that had been a bad idea anyway. Now the dizziness and the headache were worse. Groaning, he slumped against the door and pounded as loud as he dared.
“Hello?!” he called. “What’s going on here? Let me out!”
Of course there was no response. He turned away, hitting the door with the side of his curled fist.
He moved back to the window. The dogs were quiet now. Maybe if he pushed the table under it he could climb up and get out. He did not want to risk being attacked by the Dobermans, but he would rather take his chances with them instead of with the people holding him here.
The floor was rough and the table was old. He cringed as he attempted to push it along. The resulting screech of protest could surely be heard all over the compound. And it was too big for him to simply lift and carry over in silence. He paused, waiting for someone to come running. When, miraculously, no one did, he resumed the cacophony but struggled to go as slowly as possible. He discovered in annoyance that the lack of speed made little difference in the amount of sound.
At last it was against the wall. He hoisted himself onto the surface and stood, peering out the old window. Unfortunately, there was very little he could even make out other than a florescent light in the distance and what might be the outline of a wire fence. Most likely electrically charged, he thought in irritation.
The abrupt sound of the key in the lock and the doorknob turning nearly sent him tumbling to the floor in surprise. He scrambled to get off the table, but as he slid to the floor he realized how pointless it was. His captor would see the table at the window and know that he had been trying to get out.
It was the same unknown man from before. “Okay, Fallon, I have men checking out your story,” he said. “We’ve confirmed there’s a Lieutenant Anderson, but that doesn’t prove you’re him.”
“And it doesn’t prove I’m not,” Andy retorted.
The other man sneered at the sight of the table. “Trying to escape, in spite of my warning? Or did you just want a better look at the view?”
“Maybe both,” Andy said.
“Maybe.” The silhouette reached into the hall and flipped a switch. Light flooded the room from a dim bulb on the low-hanging ceiling.
Andy squinted and blinked. It was hard to get used to the light now, after being in the dark for Heaven knew how long. “Why are you allowing me to see you?” he asked.
His captor, shorter than him but appearing just as strong, smirked from behind his long and full mustache. “It’s not me so much as it is this note.” He waved a piece of paper in Andy’s face. “This was intercepted several years ago, before it ever reached you. I want you to read it. Then you should know exactly what we want from you.”
Andy extended his hand and slowly took it. “If you took it several years ago, why didn’t you do this then?” he demanded.
Mustache narrowed his eyes. “I never said we intercepted it,” he said. “But even if we did, I don’t have to explain our reasons to you. Just read it, Fallon.”
Andy glowered but refrained from again proclaiming his true identity. He looked to the paper. It was written in a sweeping and distinguishable hand. The words quickly made him forget his admiration of the penmanship. Even without knowing much about his counterpart’s backstory, he was stunned.
Amory-
By the time you receive this, I don’t know what will have happened to me.
I don’t even know why I’m writing to you, particularly after everything I’ve done to both you and the company. Maybe it’s the pangs of guilt they say strikes those about to die. Or maybe it’s not nearly so dramatic, but instead is only the result of realizing that I’ve lost, that there’s no point in continuing with my plans.
I, along with your brother-in-law, embezzled heavily from the company. If anyone is blamed, it will probably be you. All the evidence of the embezzlement was destroyed in the explosion the other day.
Carlos Silva is going to receive the Martin formula. Bert Nickols and I closed a private deal with him. If you receive this in time, maybe you can still turn the tide and stop Silva from taking the formula.
You have every reason to not forgive me for the crimes I’ve committed against you. We were friends once, when you first made me a partner in the company. But I discarded that friendship out of both greed and desperation when my gambling debts began to accumulate.
However, Amory, I want to make one thing clear. About the only thing I haven’t done to you is to take your wife. You probably won’t believe me any more now than you ever have, but Edith and I have never had an affair. Edith is completely devoted to you. She would cut off her right arm before she would consider betraying you.
There’s one other deal I got involved in, a deal that has nothing to do with the company. This is the one I’m worried about, Amory. They’re going to kill me. At least if I can get this letter to you, someone will know what happened to me. I don’t hold any illusions that you will want to see them brought to justice, but before I’m dead I want to ensure that someone knows the truth.
I know too much about them. I’ve hidden my collection of evidence against them in a place where they’ll never find it. I won’t ask you to be the gallant knight and find it, and have you become entangled in another of my messes, but if you give this to the police, maybe they’ll find it and see that my killers are checkmated.
I’m sorry. It doesn’t make any difference, I know, but as I’m writing this I’m honestly regretting everything I’ve done to you. I knew I needed help for my gambling addiction. But I never got it, and now I’ve brought us to this.
It’s going to take a lot to pull the company out from what I and the others have done to it. I know you can repair the damage, and I’m sure you will. I wish it wasn’t necessary.
Goodbye, Amory.
-Ned
Andy looked up at Mustache. “What is this?” he exclaimed. “Is it genuine?”
“It’s from your business partner, Ned Thompson,” was the reply. “And it’s genuine. He wrote it only minutes before his death. It was taken off his body by his murderer, who entered several minutes after he finished. How ironic, that he was killed by his own accomplice and not by the people he was expecting.”
“Is his murderer still free?” Andy cried.
Mustache’s lips twisted in a cruel smirk. “Still putting on an act, Fallon? You know you were the one arrested for Thompson’s murder. Perry Mason exposed the real killer when he got you off.
“This letter was taken from Frank Wells before he had the chance to destroy it. Thompson had only been dead for several moments. But it’s only come into our possession now, thanks to some aggravating dents in our plans.”
“And you think Amory Fallon can find this incriminating evidence,” Andy retorted. “A location wasn’t even given!”
“Not on the surface,” Mustache answered. “See, we think there’s a clue in it, a clue that only you would understand.”
Andy glanced at the letter again. “You’re taking quite a chance, telling me this,” he said. “What if I am the police officer I keep insisting I am?”
Mustache’s visage darkened. “Like I said, we’d kill you. But I don’t believe you. And if you are Fallon, I don’t want to waste time waiting to ask you about this while my men blunder around in the night, looking up Lieutenant Anderson.”
He stepped to the door. “Just look over that letter some more. If anything comes to you, tell me if you don’t want to be a cripple. And that’s just for starters.” He allowed Andy to see the flash of light off his gun as he stepped outside the room.
Andy watched as the door closed. Then, frowning, he looked to the letter again.
If there was a clue in it, it probably would be something only Amory Fallon would understand. Andy would have to smuggle it out with him when he left.
If he left.
Fandom: Perry Mason
Rating: T/PG-13
Word Count: 3,854
Main Characters: Lieutenant Anderson, Amory Fallon, Lieutenant Tragg, Edith Fallon, Lieutenant Drumm, Perry Mason, Hamilton Burger, Della Street, Paul Drake, Sergeant Brice, Officer Jimmy Anderson, Erna Norden
Supporting Characters: Officers Reed and Malloy, Ned Thompson (via a letter)
Summary: As everyone scrambles to find Andy, Amory and Edith are reunited. Meanwhile, Andy is shown a shocking letter.
Fanfiction.net Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8342827/3/
Notes: I’m unsure if it’s plausible that Amory’s partner would even write the letter revealed here, but we know so little about him that perhaps it’s just as plausible as many other possibilities.
Chapter Three
Tragg was thunderstruck by the patient’s announcement. “Amory Fallon?!” he cried, jerking his wrist free from the panicked grasp.
He took a step back, scrutinizing the injured man. Amory was a dead ringer for Andy, that was for sure. No one had had any doubts in the park or at the hospital. He was the same height, around the same weight, and had the same blond hair and blue eyes. His voice was the exact same tone and pitch as well.
Mrs. Norden gave a cry and rushed into the room. “I don’t understand!” she exclaimed. “You are not my Andy? You look exactly like him!”
Amory looked to her, uncomfortable by both her anguish and the fact that he could not lessen it. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m not him. If I was, I’d never play such a cruel joke.”
“He wouldn’t, either,” Mrs. Norden said sadly as she turned away.
Jimmy entered and drew an arm around her shoulders. “This is unreal,” he said. “You can’t be Andy, but . . .” He trailed off and shook his head. “This just can’t be real.”
In the doorway, everyone else was staring, aghast. “Amory Fallon?” Paul echoed Tragg’s exclamation. He looked to Perry, lowering his voice. “Perry, do you think this is for real?”
Perry sighed. “Yes, Paul, I do. We all know that Amory and Andy could be twins. And Amory still lives in Los Angeles. We haven’t seen him, but Clay has mentioned him and Edith fairly often.”
“But him and Andy showing up at the same place, at the same time . . . !” Paul gave a helpless gesture. “What are the chances of that?!”
“Surely it’s a coincidence,” Hamilton said. “Fallon was mugged and was just mistaken for Andy by the police.” He looked to the agonized man, worried. “What we really have to find out is, if Fallon’s here, what really happened to Andy?!”
“That bothers me too,” Perry said. “I’m just wondering if it is a coincidence. Maybe they also mistook him for Andy. And after they knocked him unconscious they found his identification and realized they had the wrong man.”
“That’s possible, I suppose,” Hamilton agreed.
“Poor Andy,” Della whispered in alarm. “And Mr. Fallon too. This is terrible for both of them!”
Amory was trying to climb out of bed. “I have to call Edith,” he said. “Look at that clock! She’ll be worried sick about me!”
Tragg reached for his shoulders, trying to hold him down and push him back into the bed. As he did so, the doctor was hurrying in to assist.
“Now, I’ll see that your wife is called,” Tragg told him. “For goodness sake, man, you’ve been unconscious and unresponsive for several hours! That was a nasty knock you took.”
The doctor nodded. “Please relax, Mr. . . .” He glanced at Tragg. “. . . Mr. Anderson, or Mr. Fallon, or whoever you are. You’re in no state to get up!”
At last Amory slumped back into the pillows, more from his increasing dizziness rather than their protests and restraints. “Alright,” he mumbled with reluctance. “But you will call her?”
“Right now,” Tragg assured him. “Just tell me this, Mr. Fallon-do you remember being assaulted?”
Amory stared into the distance for a moment, trying to think. “. . . I had an appointment with a business client at eight,” he said slowly. “I arrived at the Griffith Observatory a few minutes late. It was crowded and I had to park down the road. I hadn’t gone far when someone came up on me from behind and addressed me as ‘Cop’. He was sticking a gun in my back.”
“Didn’t you tell him you weren’t a police officer?” Tragg frowned. His stomach was turning at the tale. Someone had definitely been out to get Andy, to promptly corner Amory as they had.
“I was so rattled by the gun that I just did what I was told,” Amory said. “I was going to tell him I wasn’t a policeman once my hands were in the air, but he never gave me a chance.” He cringed. “That was when he hit me.”
Mrs. Norden gasped. “Oh no. That’s horrible. That poor man.” She gripped Jimmy’s arm. “And poor Andy. What’s become of Andy?!”
Jimmy shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said in helplessness. “He’s just gone, vamoosed into thin air.”
“Someone has taken him,” Mrs. Norden said. “They must have taken him! He isn’t around anywhere!”
Jimmy swallowed hard. Mrs. Norden was no doubt right. And the sick feeling in his throat just kept coming back stronger.
He and Andy were cousins, but they were close enough to be brothers. He had always idolized Andy. That was why he had been so determined to become a police officer.
And now Andy was gone. If some nut out to get him had taken him on purpose, they might never find him. Not until it was too late.
Tragg was still hoping to glean a bit more information. “Have you ever heard the man’s voice before?” he asked.
Amory shook his head. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Would you recognize it if you heard it again?”
Now Amory hesitated. “. . . I might,” he said at last. “But I’m afraid I just couldn’t say for sure. I was so upset when he held a gun to my back.”
“No more questions, Lieutenant,” the doctor said, giving Tragg a stern look.
Tragg nodded, weary. “That’s all for now, Mr. Fallon. I’ll call your wife.”
But that proved unnecessary. Frantic footsteps echoed down the hall, followed by a familiar, panicked voice. “I still don’t understand! This police officer looks exactly like Amory?!”
Again Amory tried to rise. “It’s Edith!” he exclaimed. “How on earth did she end up here?!”
Perry, and everyone else in the doorway, turned to look. “She’s with another doctor and Officers Reed and Malloy,” Perry announced.
Reed was in the process of trying to explain the bewildering situation to Edith. “I know it sounds crazy, Mrs. Fallon, but yes, he does look like Mr. Fallon. Everyone was sure they had Lieutenant Anderson, but after seeing your husband’s picture, we have to check. If he’s not awake, we’ll take his fingerprints. Mr. Fallon’s should be on file, since he was accused of murder several years ago.”
Perry hastened forward to meet them. “Mrs. Fallon?” he called.
Edith looked up with a start. “Oh, Mr. Mason!” She ran the rest of the way to him. “Is that poor man awake? Do you . . . do you know if . . .”
Perry laid a hand on her shoulder. “It’s Mr. Fallon,” he said gently. “Yes, he’s awake. He’s been very emphatic about his identity and very worried about contacting you.”
Edith stared. “Is he going to be alright?!” she demanded. “Please tell me he isn’t seriously hurt. This doctor said no one could be sure unless he woke up!”
Perry gave her a kind smile. “He seems to be somewhat dizzy, but otherwise fine. I’m sure he’ll recover.”
Her eyes immediately sparked with light. “Thank God! May I see him?”
“Of course.” Perry stepped aside and allowed Edith to rush past him. The others also moved aside to make way for her.
She did not even pause when she reached the room. Instead she focused on Amory in the bed and was at his side in the next instant. “Amory!” she cried. “Oh Amory. . . .”
Amory reached and took her hand. “Hello, Edith. I’m sorry I didn’t come home or call,” he said with regret. “I would have, if I’d been awake.”
Edith gripped his hand in both of hers. “I heard about the mugging on the radio, but I had no idea it was you. I thought it was the police lieutenant. And then I found these officers and showed them your picture and . . .” She shook her head. “It’s been horrible. But of course it’s been so much worse for you. Amory, are you in much pain?”
“It’s nothing,” Amory said. “I should be out of here soon.”
“Not until tomorrow at the very least,” the doctor grunted.
Amory sighed. “Well, that’s only the rest of the night away,” he said. “And there’s not much left of that.”
Tragg slipped to the doorway and into the hall, pulling the heavy door shut after him to give the couple some privacy. He was lost in thought, and obviously it showed.
“Tragg?”
He looked up at Hamilton’s concerned voice. “. . . I can still hardly believe it,” he said. “It’s like some horrible nightmare. We were supposed to have Andy. I thought that once he woke up, everything would be fine. But now we know we don’t even have Andy! And Heaven knows where he is!”
“Have you heard back from Steve on Andy’s recent cases?” Perry asked with both sympathy and agreement.
“No.” Tragg passed a hand over his face. “Now I have to call and let him know about this mess.” He walked past the group, his hat in his hand. “Excuse me.”
Della stared after him. “I feel terrible for poor Lieutenant Tragg. And Mrs. Norden and Jimmy, too. They’re not even still here.”
“Jimmy took Mrs. Norden to the cafeteria just a moment ago,” Perry said, “when Mrs. Fallon ran into the room.” He sighed, looking to the others still with him. “We have a lot to do.”
“And nowhere to start,” Paul moaned. “Perry, just what do you think we can do?”
Perry looked in the direction Tragg had taken. “Well, after we find out what Steve said, we might have something more to look into. If not, we’ll go back to Griffith Park. As Tragg said, it’s over four thousand acres. One man could be easily overlooked.”
Hamilton raised an eyebrow. “Perry, do you really think Andy is still at the park?”
Perry sighed. “To be honest, no, I don’t. I’m afraid he was taken by an unknown enemy. But we have to look into every possible angle. And if nothing else, we might find a clue.”
“We have to find that mysterious informant, too,” Hamilton frowned. “If he’s genuine. The only thing we have to go on is that hat he said he’d be wearing. And maybe that was a lie.”
“Maybe it was,” Perry agreed. “But I certainly intend to look for him anyway.”
Hamilton nodded. “I’m going to put some of my investigators on it.”
Paul sighed. “None of us are going to get any sleep tonight,” he predicted. “Not that I feel like sleeping now, anyway.”
“I’m sure none of us do, Paul,” Perry said. He clapped a hand on Paul’s shoulder. “We have a friend to find. Let’s move out as best as we can.”
****
Lieutenant Steve Drumm hung up the phone with Tragg in utter disbelief and shock. This was preposterous. They had mistaken another man for Andy. That man had also been mistaken for Andy by whoever had hurt him. And Andy himself was who knew where.
He glowered at the stack of assorted files on his desk. He had been going over and over Andy’s cases for the past few hours-up, down, and sideways. No specific names had jumped out at him. The list of people who might feel bitter enough towards Andy to harm him was practically endless. And starting today, he would have to open investigations into every known one.
Considering the case involving Andy’s cousin Jimmy several years earlier, it was even conceivable that the culprit was someone who just wanted to hurt a police officer, any police officer, rather than caring if it was Andy.
“Lieutenant?”
He looked up at Sergeant Brice, who had been helping him with the search. “What is it, Sergeant?”
Brice set another stack of folders on top of the ones already there. “I can’t find anything helpful, Lieutenant.” His slightly drawling voice was mostly impassive, but Steve picked up on the worry behind it. “What are we going to do?”
“That’s the problem; we’re practically at a dead end,” Steve answered. “We’ll investigate every name in every one of these files, including the families, friends, and acquaintances as well as the convicts themselves. And we’ll keep searching Griffith Park. But other than that, at this point there’s nothing much we can do.”
Brice hesitated. Noticing, Steve glanced up at him. “Do you have any other ideas?”
Brice snapped to attention. “Well, Lieutenant, it’s just that . . .” He mulled over the best way to phrase it. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but . . . Amory Fallon was mistaken for Andy. Is there any possibility that the reverse happened, too?”
Steve raised an eyebrow. “You mean Andy being mistaken for Amory Fallon.”
“Yes, Lieutenant.”
Steve pondered on that. “I wouldn’t think it would happen,” he said. “Why would they both have enemies at the park at the same time? . . . Of course, on the other hand, what were they both doing at the park at the same time themselves?” he muttered as an aside.
Louder he said, “And what about the problem of their identification, Sergeant? Anyone could look at it and see they’d made a mistake.”
“But someone took Mr. Fallon’s identification,” Brice pointed out. “That’s how he got mistaken for Lieutenant Anderson by us.”
“So someone took Andy’s identification too?” Steve shook his head. “That would almost mean that someone was trying to cause confusion and hoping they’d be mixed up.”
“And who’s to say they didn’t, Sir?” Brice said.
Steve sighed. “Ordinarily I’d scoff at this. But this case is already so convoluted that it actually makes a sick kind of sense.” He grabbed for the phone. “I’ll see if I can find out if Amory Fallon has any enemies.”
****
Andy had gotten up in spite of the persistent headache and was wandering the room, searching for either a way out or a clue as to what was going on in this madhouse. So far he had found neither.
Exasperated, he went back to the door. It was sealed tight and could not be budged, even when he slammed into it with his full weight. And that had been a bad idea anyway. Now the dizziness and the headache were worse. Groaning, he slumped against the door and pounded as loud as he dared.
“Hello?!” he called. “What’s going on here? Let me out!”
Of course there was no response. He turned away, hitting the door with the side of his curled fist.
He moved back to the window. The dogs were quiet now. Maybe if he pushed the table under it he could climb up and get out. He did not want to risk being attacked by the Dobermans, but he would rather take his chances with them instead of with the people holding him here.
The floor was rough and the table was old. He cringed as he attempted to push it along. The resulting screech of protest could surely be heard all over the compound. And it was too big for him to simply lift and carry over in silence. He paused, waiting for someone to come running. When, miraculously, no one did, he resumed the cacophony but struggled to go as slowly as possible. He discovered in annoyance that the lack of speed made little difference in the amount of sound.
At last it was against the wall. He hoisted himself onto the surface and stood, peering out the old window. Unfortunately, there was very little he could even make out other than a florescent light in the distance and what might be the outline of a wire fence. Most likely electrically charged, he thought in irritation.
The abrupt sound of the key in the lock and the doorknob turning nearly sent him tumbling to the floor in surprise. He scrambled to get off the table, but as he slid to the floor he realized how pointless it was. His captor would see the table at the window and know that he had been trying to get out.
It was the same unknown man from before. “Okay, Fallon, I have men checking out your story,” he said. “We’ve confirmed there’s a Lieutenant Anderson, but that doesn’t prove you’re him.”
“And it doesn’t prove I’m not,” Andy retorted.
The other man sneered at the sight of the table. “Trying to escape, in spite of my warning? Or did you just want a better look at the view?”
“Maybe both,” Andy said.
“Maybe.” The silhouette reached into the hall and flipped a switch. Light flooded the room from a dim bulb on the low-hanging ceiling.
Andy squinted and blinked. It was hard to get used to the light now, after being in the dark for Heaven knew how long. “Why are you allowing me to see you?” he asked.
His captor, shorter than him but appearing just as strong, smirked from behind his long and full mustache. “It’s not me so much as it is this note.” He waved a piece of paper in Andy’s face. “This was intercepted several years ago, before it ever reached you. I want you to read it. Then you should know exactly what we want from you.”
Andy extended his hand and slowly took it. “If you took it several years ago, why didn’t you do this then?” he demanded.
Mustache narrowed his eyes. “I never said we intercepted it,” he said. “But even if we did, I don’t have to explain our reasons to you. Just read it, Fallon.”
Andy glowered but refrained from again proclaiming his true identity. He looked to the paper. It was written in a sweeping and distinguishable hand. The words quickly made him forget his admiration of the penmanship. Even without knowing much about his counterpart’s backstory, he was stunned.
Amory-
By the time you receive this, I don’t know what will have happened to me.
I don’t even know why I’m writing to you, particularly after everything I’ve done to both you and the company. Maybe it’s the pangs of guilt they say strikes those about to die. Or maybe it’s not nearly so dramatic, but instead is only the result of realizing that I’ve lost, that there’s no point in continuing with my plans.
I, along with your brother-in-law, embezzled heavily from the company. If anyone is blamed, it will probably be you. All the evidence of the embezzlement was destroyed in the explosion the other day.
Carlos Silva is going to receive the Martin formula. Bert Nickols and I closed a private deal with him. If you receive this in time, maybe you can still turn the tide and stop Silva from taking the formula.
You have every reason to not forgive me for the crimes I’ve committed against you. We were friends once, when you first made me a partner in the company. But I discarded that friendship out of both greed and desperation when my gambling debts began to accumulate.
However, Amory, I want to make one thing clear. About the only thing I haven’t done to you is to take your wife. You probably won’t believe me any more now than you ever have, but Edith and I have never had an affair. Edith is completely devoted to you. She would cut off her right arm before she would consider betraying you.
There’s one other deal I got involved in, a deal that has nothing to do with the company. This is the one I’m worried about, Amory. They’re going to kill me. At least if I can get this letter to you, someone will know what happened to me. I don’t hold any illusions that you will want to see them brought to justice, but before I’m dead I want to ensure that someone knows the truth.
I know too much about them. I’ve hidden my collection of evidence against them in a place where they’ll never find it. I won’t ask you to be the gallant knight and find it, and have you become entangled in another of my messes, but if you give this to the police, maybe they’ll find it and see that my killers are checkmated.
I’m sorry. It doesn’t make any difference, I know, but as I’m writing this I’m honestly regretting everything I’ve done to you. I knew I needed help for my gambling addiction. But I never got it, and now I’ve brought us to this.
It’s going to take a lot to pull the company out from what I and the others have done to it. I know you can repair the damage, and I’m sure you will. I wish it wasn’t necessary.
Goodbye, Amory.
-Ned
Andy looked up at Mustache. “What is this?” he exclaimed. “Is it genuine?”
“It’s from your business partner, Ned Thompson,” was the reply. “And it’s genuine. He wrote it only minutes before his death. It was taken off his body by his murderer, who entered several minutes after he finished. How ironic, that he was killed by his own accomplice and not by the people he was expecting.”
“Is his murderer still free?” Andy cried.
Mustache’s lips twisted in a cruel smirk. “Still putting on an act, Fallon? You know you were the one arrested for Thompson’s murder. Perry Mason exposed the real killer when he got you off.
“This letter was taken from Frank Wells before he had the chance to destroy it. Thompson had only been dead for several moments. But it’s only come into our possession now, thanks to some aggravating dents in our plans.”
“And you think Amory Fallon can find this incriminating evidence,” Andy retorted. “A location wasn’t even given!”
“Not on the surface,” Mustache answered. “See, we think there’s a clue in it, a clue that only you would understand.”
Andy glanced at the letter again. “You’re taking quite a chance, telling me this,” he said. “What if I am the police officer I keep insisting I am?”
Mustache’s visage darkened. “Like I said, we’d kill you. But I don’t believe you. And if you are Fallon, I don’t want to waste time waiting to ask you about this while my men blunder around in the night, looking up Lieutenant Anderson.”
He stepped to the door. “Just look over that letter some more. If anything comes to you, tell me if you don’t want to be a cripple. And that’s just for starters.” He allowed Andy to see the flash of light off his gun as he stepped outside the room.
Andy watched as the door closed. Then, frowning, he looked to the letter again.
If there was a clue in it, it probably would be something only Amory Fallon would understand. Andy would have to smuggle it out with him when he left.
If he left.