“The lights are on now,” one of the officers interrupted, indicating the lighted windows on the right-hand corner of the house.
“That’s another circuit,” Mason explained. “Apparently one fuse was blown. The room where the body lies has a fuse blown out. However, it’s only taken one of the circuits. I notice the radio is still on.”
“Who turned on the lights in the other part of the house?” the officer asked.
“That was done,” Mason said, “in order to locate a telephone.”
“Okay, we’ll go take a look. I thought the report came in that your name was Drake.”
Mason decided it was impossible to stall any longer. “Mr. Drake,” he said, “accompanied me at the time.”
“Where is he now?”
“Inside.”
“Why the hell didn’t you say so?”
“Why,” Mason said, with an expression of hurt innocence, “you didn’t ask me. I came out to explain to you what you’d find.”