Back in Rong City, Basil Jaak had intended to invite Dawn Sutton out for dinner, but a phone call from her sister called her away to help plan a wedding. She quickly hailed a taxi and left.
Checking the time, Basil noticed it was still only a quarter past seven, and decided to call Yetta Astir.
The phone rang for what felt like ages before Yetta finally picked up.
"Hello, what's up?" Yetta's tone was as terse as ever, cutting straight to the chase.
"Working on a holiday?" Basil asked.
Yetta responded indifferently, "Why is that surprising? We police officers often work extra hours to ensure the safety of people's property. Now, what do you want?"
Basil could hear rustling sounds coming from Yetta's end of the line, suggesting that she was tidying up. He asked, "Have you had dinner yet?"
"What a stupid question! I've just finished work, what do you think?" Yetta huffed.
Basil laughed, "Perfect timing. How about I treat you to dinner?"
"No!" Yetta refused without hesitation.
