esg.thecaseofthevelvetclaws-第40章
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rtain 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。 〃Well； why the hell didn't you say so instead of putting us to all this trouble？ Your name is Harry Loring； and you married Norma Veitch on the date mentioned in this plaint。 Is that right？〃
Loring leaned forward to look at the date mentioned in the plaint。
Mason indicated it with his right forefinger。
Loring nodded his head。 〃That's right。〃
〃And you separated on this date。 Is that right？〃 said Mason moving his forefinger down to the next date。
〃That's right。〃
〃All right；〃 said Mason； 〃this plaint says that at the time you were married； you had another wife living； from whom you had not been divorced； and that therefore the marriage was illegal； and that the plaintiff wants to have the marriage annulled。〃
Again Loring nodded。
〃Now listen；〃 said Mason； 〃that's not right； is it？〃
Loring nodded。
〃Yes； sir；〃 he said； 〃that's the ground she's getting the marriage set aside on。 That's right。〃
Mason asked； 〃Is it true？〃
〃Of course it's true。〃
〃Then it bees my duty to arrest you for bigamy。〃
Loring's face blanched。
〃He said there wouldn't be any trouble；〃 said Loring。
〃Who said that？〃 asked Mason。
〃The lawyer that called on me。 Norma's lawyer。〃
〃Just stringing you along；〃 Mason declared； 〃so that they can get the marriage set aside and Norma could marry this fellow who's heir to a couple of million dollars。〃
〃That's what they said； but they said there wouldn't be any trouble； that it was just a formality。〃
〃Formality be damned！〃 Mason told him。 〃Don't you know there's a law against bigamy？〃
〃But I wasn't guilty of bigamy！〃 protested Loring。
〃Oh； yes； you were；〃 said Mason。 〃Here it is set forth in black and white； over the signature of the lawyer； and the oath of Norma。 It says right here that you had another wife living at the time of the marriage； and that you were never divorced from her。 Therefore； we've got to ask you to go to Police Headquarters with us。 I'm afraid you've got in serious trouble over this thing。〃
Loring became nervous。
〃It isn't true；〃 he said； finally。
〃How do you mean it isn't true？〃
〃I mean that it isn't true。 I mean I was never married before。 Norma knows that！ The lawyer knows that！ I talked with them and they said that they couldn't wait to get a divorce； because that would take a long time； but that Norma had a chance to marry this man and that I would get a piece of change out of it if I let Norma go ahead and file this action。 Then I was to file some kind of an answer in which I admitted that I had had another wife living； but claimed that I thought that I was divorced at the time of the marriage。 They said that that would keep me in the clear； but it would fix things so she could get the marriage annulled。 The lawyer had an answer of that kind already fixed up； and I signed it。 He's going to file it tomorrow。〃
〃And then rush the annulment through； eh？〃 asked Mason。
Loring nodded。
〃Well；〃 said Mason； 〃it doesn't ever pay to try and lie to people who are trying to get the facts of the case。 Why didn't you tell me that in the first place and save all this trouble？〃
〃The lawyer told me not to；〃 said Loring。
〃Well； he was crazy；〃 Mason said； 〃we've got to make a report on the thing。 So you'd better give us a written statement to that effect； and then we can turn it in when we make our report。〃
Loring hesitated。
〃Or else；〃 suggested Mason； 〃you can e on down to Headquarters and explain it down there。〃
Loring said； 〃No； no。 I'll give you the statement。〃
〃Okay；〃 Mason said； and took a notebook and fountain pen from his pocket。 〃Sit down there on the trunk；〃 he said； 〃and write out the statement。 Make it plete all the way along the line。 Say that you never had another wife； that the lawyer explained to you that he wanted Norma to get a quick annulment； and that he fixed it up that you were to say you had another wife living so that Norma could marry this chap that's going to inherit the fortune。〃
〃That won't get me in any trouble then？〃
〃That's the only way you can keep out of trouble；〃 said Mason。 〃There's no use of my explaining it to you； but you almost got yourself in a pretty serious mess。 It's a good thing you came clean with us。 We were just planning to take you down to Headquarters。〃
Loring sighed。 〃All right；〃 he said； and took the fountain pen。 He sat down and began a laborious scrawl。 Mason stood and watched him； feet planted wide apart； eyes steady and patient。 Drake grinned and lit a cigarette。
It took Loring five minutes to make the statement。 Then he passed it over to Mason。 〃Will this do all right？〃 he asked。 〃I'm not much good at this sort of stuff。〃
Mason took the statement and read it。
〃That's fine；〃 he said； 〃sign it。〃
Loring signed it。
〃All right；〃 said Mason。 〃Now the lawyer wanted you to get out of here； didn't he？〃
〃Yes。 He gave me money and told me that I mustn't be here。 He didn't want me to be where I could be interviewed if anybody should try to find me。〃
〃That's fine；〃 Mason told him。 〃Do you know where you are going？〃
〃Some hotel；〃 said Loring。 〃It didn't make any difference which hotel。〃
〃Okay；〃 Drake said。 〃You e along with us； and we'll get you a room。 You'd better get it under some other name so that you won't be bothered in case anybody should try to look you up。 But you've got to keep in touch with us。 Otherwise there might be some trouble。 We may have to ask you to verify this written statement in the presence of some witness。〃
Loring nodded。
〃The lawyer should have told me about you fellows；〃 he said。 〃He might have got me into an awful mess。〃
〃He certainly should have；〃 Mason agreed。 〃You might have been on your way to Police Headquarters by this time； and it wouldn't have gone easy with you； once you'd got there。〃
〃Did Norma e up here with the lawyer？〃 Drake asked。
〃No；〃 said Loring； 〃her mother came first。 And then the lawyer came。〃
〃You didn't see Norma？〃
〃No； just her mother。〃
〃All right；〃 Mason told him。 〃You e with us； and we'll take you to the hotel we want you to stay at； and get you a room。 You'd better go under the name of Harry LeGrande。〃
〃How about the baggage？〃 asked Loring。
〃We'll take care of the baggage。 We'll send the transfer man after it。 The hotel porter will take care of everything for you。 All you've got to do is to go over there。 We've got a car waiting； and you'd better go over with us right now。〃
Loring wet his lips。 〃Believe me； gentlemen； this is a relief。 I was nervous； sitting there waiting for the man to e with the papers。 I got to wondering afterwards if that lawyer knew everything he was doing。〃
〃He was all right；〃 Mason mented； 〃but he just forgot to tell you a couple of things。 He probably was in a hurry； and excited。〃
〃Yes；〃 Loring admitted； 〃he seemed excited all right。〃
They took him down to the car； and Mason said； 〃We'll go to the Hotel Ripley； Drake。 It's conveniently located。〃
Drake said； 〃Yeah； I understand。〃
They drove in silence to the Hotel Ripley； where Mason was registered under the name of Johnson。 He approached the clerk and said； 〃This is Mr。 LeGrande from Detroit； my home town。 He wants to get a room here for a few days。 I wonder if you can give him one on the same floor that I have？〃
The clerk consulted a card index。 〃Let's see。 You're in 518； Mr。 Johnson？〃
〃That's right；〃 Mason said。
〃I can give him 522。〃
〃That'll be fine； and there's some baggage to take care of。 I'll speak to the porter about it。〃
They went up to the room with Loring。
〃Okay；〃 Mason said to Loring。 〃Now you stay right here； and don't go out。 Be where you can answer the telephone if we should give you a ring。 We've got to make a report to Headquarters。 Then it may b
