Chapters Twenty - Twenty-three Summary

In chapter twenty, Marlowe returns to Lavery's house and reports Lavery's murder. Two Bay City police officers arrive to investigate the murder. Upon viewing the scene, they decide to wait for homicide to arrive. In chapter twenty-one, the two detectives arrive at the house. One of them is Degarmo. Webber looks over the scene and is unhappy that Marlowe has handled the gun. Webber tries to scare Marlowe into not making trouble over the murder, but Degarmo tries to convince Webber to let Marlowe help them. Marlowe tells the events of the day before and that morning. Webber then asks Marlowe if he believes that Crystal has been in Lavery's house. Marlowe answers yes to this question.

Three more men arrive to dust for fingerprints and inspect the body. While Webber goes with them downstairs, Marlowe takes...