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The Case of the Velvet Claws :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 131 из 149His manner was that of one who had, at one time, been a peace officer, and still retained something of the bearing of an officer.
He looked at the two men and said, “Are either of you Harry Loring?”
Mason promptly stepped forward.
“Yes,” he said, “I’m Loring.”
The man reached in his pocket.
“I guess,” he said, “you know what this is about. I have here a summons and a copy of a complaint, and copy of summons in the case of Norma Loring versus Harry Loring. I hereby show you the original summons, and deliver to you a copy of the summons and the complaint.”
He smiled wanly.
“I guess you know what it’s all about. I understood it was a case that wasn’t going to be contested and you were expecting me.”
Mason took the papers.
“Sure,” he said, “that’s all right.”
“No hard feelings,” said the process server.
“No hard feelings,” said Mason.
The process server turned, made a notation on the back of the original summons in pencil, and walked slowly and methodically to the stairs. As he went down, Mason turned to Drake and grinned.
“A break,” he said.
The two men unfolded the copy of the complaint.
“It’s an action for an annulment instead of a divorce,” said Mason.
They read down the allegations of the complaint.
“That’s the date of the marriage, all right,” said Mason. “Let’s go back.”
They pounded on the panels of the door to the apartment.
Loring’s voice sounded from the inside.
“Who is it?” he asked.
“Papers to be served on you,” said Mason.
Loring opened the door and recoiled as he saw the two men standing there.
“You!” he exclaimed. “I thought you’d gone.”
Mason pushed his shoulder against the door, and walked into the apartment. Drake followed him.
Mason held out the papers which he had taken from the process server.
“Listen,” he said. “There’s something funny. We had these papers to serve on you, and understood that you knew all about it. But before we could serve them, we had to make certain that we were serving the right party, so we asked you the questions about your marriage, and…”
Loring said, eagerly, “Oh, that’s it, is it? Why didn’t you say so? Sure, that’s what I was waiting for. They told me to wait here until the papers came, and then to get out just as soon as they were served on me.”
Mason gave an exclamation of disgust.
He looked at the two men and said, “Are either of you Harry Loring?”
Mason promptly stepped forward.
“Yes,” he said, “I’m Loring.”
The man reached in his pocket.
“I guess,” he said, “you know what this is about. I have here a summons and a copy of a complaint, and copy of summons in the case of Norma Loring versus Harry Loring. I hereby show you the original summons, and deliver to you a copy of the summons and the complaint.”
He smiled wanly.
“I guess you know what it’s all about. I understood it was a case that wasn’t going to be contested and you were expecting me.”
Mason took the papers.
“Sure,” he said, “that’s all right.”
“No hard feelings,” said the process server.
“No hard feelings,” said Mason.
The process server turned, made a notation on the back of the original summons in pencil, and walked slowly and methodically to the stairs. As he went down, Mason turned to Drake and grinned.
“A break,” he said.
The two men unfolded the copy of the complaint.
“It’s an action for an annulment instead of a divorce,” said Mason.
They read down the allegations of the complaint.
“That’s the date of the marriage, all right,” said Mason. “Let’s go back.”
They pounded on the panels of the door to the apartment.
Loring’s voice sounded from the inside.
“Who is it?” he asked.
“Papers to be served on you,” said Mason.
Loring opened the door and recoiled as he saw the two men standing there.
“You!” he exclaimed. “I thought you’d gone.”
Mason pushed his shoulder against the door, and walked into the apartment. Drake followed him.
Mason held out the papers which he had taken from the process server.
“Listen,” he said. “There’s something funny. We had these papers to serve on you, and understood that you knew all about it. But before we could serve them, we had to make certain that we were serving the right party, so we asked you the questions about your marriage, and…”
Loring said, eagerly, “Oh, that’s it, is it? Why didn’t you say so? Sure, that’s what I was waiting for. They told me to wait here until the papers came, and then to get out just as soon as they were served on me.”
Mason gave an exclamation of disgust.