Chapters Fifteen - Sixteen Summary

Marlowe drives the Lavery's house and sits in his car trying to decide how to handle Lavery. He finally walks to the house and rings the bell. There is no answer, but Marlowe notices the front door is not latched and pushes it open. Marlowe stands in the front room and listens for sounds to indicate someone else is there. As he watches and listens, a woman comes up from the downstairs bedroom. She is holding a gun, which she points at Marlowe. The woman approaches Marlowe with the gun, telling him she had only come to see about Lavery's past due rent money. She claims to be Mrs. Fallbrook, the owner of Lavery's home. Marlowe tells Mrs. Fallbrook that he has come because Lavery is behind in his car payments. As Marlowe tries to make a...