The Case of the Daring Divorcee Read Free Page A

She's just all right, that girl. I'm terribly sorry her marriage didn't click."
    "How long has it been in existence?"
    "Around eighteen months."
    "Why did it break up?" Mason asked.
    Banner shrugged his shoulders. "Why does a man get bald? Why does his hair turn gray?"
    "Is it mutual or one-sided?" Mason asked.
    "Now look," Banner said, "I don't want to be quoted on this, but Hastings had been married twice before. His first marriage was ideal. His wife died. He became lonely. He looked back on that first marriage and forgot all the bickering, all the little, everyday nagging things that happen in a marriage and remembered only the rosy glow.
    "So Hastings married again. He didn't realize his first happiness hinged upon the personality of his wife. He began to think that because he had been so happy before it must have been the state of matrimony rather than the personality of the woman. So he tried this second marriage. That marriage just didn't work. It ended in a divorce. Then after a while Hastings got lonely again and married Adelle. That was his third marriage. Adelle was his secretary. She was sympathetic, kind and considerate.
    "The only reason Hastings wasn't happy was because he wasn't happy. I don't think he knows the reason and I'm sure I don't."
    "So Adelle Hastings said she was consulting me?" Mason asked.
    "That's right. She telephoned the office. I was out. She talked with my secretary, said she had driven in from Las Vegas and was going to put her affairs in your hands."
    "I'm rather an unusual choice for a lawyer in a divorce settlement," Mason said. "Mostly my practice concerns crimes of violence and things of that sort."
    "I know, I know, but nevertheless you're a glamorous figure and any lawyer who can make a spectacular success out of murder cases can handle divorce settlements with one hand tied behind him.
    "I'm going to be perfectly fair with you, Mason. When Elvina told me that you were going to be representing Adelle I gave a little inward shudder."
    "Elvina?" Mason asked.
    "Elvina Mitchell, my secretary."
    "I see," Mason said. "Well, I guess I'll be in touch with you a little later on then.. – . Care to comment on the amount of property involved?"
    "There isn't any," Banner said.
    "What!" Mason exclaimed. "I thought you were talking about ten thousand dollars a year and-"
    "I was. I am," Banner said. "You asked about the amount of property involved and I tell you there isn't any. There's lots of property but it isn't involved in the case and it isn't going to be involved in the case. It's all my client's separate property. Hastings can do what he likes with it. If he wants to make a settlement with Adelle so that she can get along for a while without having to go back to work, he can do so. If he doesn't want to give her anything, I don't know of anything anyone can do about it."
    "Then what was the reason you became concerned when you thought Adelle was going to consult with me?"
    Banner laughed. "It's just the idea of going up against a champ."
    "Well," Mason said, grinning, "I'll be on my way. I just wanted to get acquainted with you and get a fill-in on the background. I take it Adelle is applying for divorce or is going to apply for divorce."
    "She's established a residence in Las Vegas. She's filing for divorce the first of next week. Now of course, Mason, you and I both realize that we can't have any collusion or that would destroy the validity of the divorce, but within reasonable limits we want to co-operate in every way we can so as to expedite matters.
    "For instance, you can have a summons issued and arrange for service but I'll appear on behalf of Garvin Hastings and file an answer, a sort of general denial. Then the case will be set down for trial and I won't show up-provided, of course, we've reached a property settlement in the meantime.
    "That will enable you to short-cut all the delay incident to publication of summons and it will give a valid action because the court will have