“Why didn’t you put your cards on the table the first time you came to the office?”
“I did.”
Mason said, sarcastically, “Yes, you certainly did. You and your masked friend. You and your mysterious allusions to what was going to happen. Why the devil didn’t you tell me Tidings was dead?”
“Because I didn’t know it.”
“Bunk,” Mason said. “And why didn’t you tell me that I was to represent Mrs. Tidings? Then I might have done a decent job of it instead of floundering around.”
“You’ve done nobly,” Peltham said.
“That’s what you think,” Mason told him. “Now you listen to me. Time is precious. I want you to do exactly as I tell you to do… You’re dead, do you understand?”
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I say. You’re dead. You’ve been murdered.”
Peltham said impatiently, “Mason, can’t you understand? I wanted you to protect Mrs. Tidings. I…”