:47:01
The time for thinking had all run out.
:47:04
I wanted my movements accounted
for up to the last possible moment.
:47:08
So when I left the office I put my rate book
on the desk as if I had forgotten it.
:47:12
That was part of the alibi.
:47:16
From here on there was a question
of following the time table. Move by move.
:47:22
I got home about seven
and drove right into the garage.
:47:25
This was another item to establish my alibi.
:47:29
- Hiya there, Mr. Neff.
- Hello Charlie.
:47:32
How about giving the heap a wash?
:47:34
How soon you want it?
I got a couple of cars ahead of you.
:47:36
- Anytime you get to it, Charlie.
I'm staying in tonight.
- Okay.
:47:40
Up in my apartment I called Lou Schwartz,
one of the salesmen that shared my office.
:47:44
He lived in Westwood. That made it a toll call
and there'd be a record of it.
:47:48
I told him
I had forgotten my rate book...
:47:50
and needed some dope
on the public liability bond I was figuring.
:47:53
I changed into a navy blue suit
like Dietrichson was going to wear.
:47:57
Lou Schwartz called me back
and gave me a lot of figures...
:48:00
I stuffed a hand towel
and a roll of adhesive tape into my pockets
:48:03
so I could make it look like
a cast on a broken leg.
:48:07
Next I stuck a card
inside the telephone box...
:48:09
so that it would fall down
if the bell rang.
:48:12
That way I'd know if anybody had called
while I was away.
:48:15
Then I did the same thing to the doorbell
in case anybody came to see me.
:48:20
I left the apartment by the service stairs.
Nobody saw me.
:48:25
I walked all the way from
my apartment to the Dietrichson house.
:48:29
I didn't want to take the bus
because there was always a chance...
:48:31
that someone might remember seeing me on it.
:48:33
I was being that careful.
:48:36
I could smell that honeysuckle again,
:48:39
only it was even stronger,
now that it was night.
:48:46
I slipped the garage door open
as quietly as I could.
:48:49
She backed the car in,
just the way I told her to.
:48:52
I figured it was safer that way, in case he got
into the car before she drove it up.
:48:57
I got into the back of the car.