The Case of the Daring Divorcee by Erle Stanley Gardner Page A

fast and I think you're the person to give it to me."
    "I'll do anything I can."
    "Of course I understand that as an employee of Hastings' far-flung business enterprises you have a lot of responsibilities and this is probably a very bad day for me to take up any of your time. Nevertheless, I consider the matter of some importance.
    "I also realize that you have a loyalty to the dead man and to the business, but I think you're essentially fair and feel certain you won't mind my asking a few questions."
    "Go right ahead," Beason said. "I'll be glad to do what I can." And then added meaningly, "In the brief time that I can spare from the business today. You'll understand I've had to answer a lot of questions."
    "I understand," Mason said. "I'll try to be as brief as possible. You've been working for the Hastings Enterprises for how long?"
    "About twelve years."
    "You knew the first Mrs. Hastings?"
    "Yes."
    "She died?"
    "Yes."
    "And the second Mrs. Hastings?"
    "That's Minerva Hastings," Beason said. "Yes, I know her."
    "Would you care to express an opinion?" Mason asked.
    Beason looked at the carpet for a moment, then raised his eyes to Mason's. "No," he said.
    "And, of course you know Adelle Hastings."
    "Yes."
    "Would you care to express an opinion?"
    "I have known Adelle since she came to work for the organization," Beason said. "She is a very fine woman. She was Mr. Hastings' secretary before he married her."
    "There was some sort of a scandal, I believe?" Mason asked. "Wasn't she named as corespondent?"
    Beason started to say something, stopped, stroked the angle of his jaw with the tips of his thumb and forefinger, said, "I wouldn't care to be quoted, Mr. Mason, but I can give you the situation in a nutshell. The first Mrs. Hastings was a very fine woman. When she died Hastings was lonely and he thought of women and of marriage in terms of his first wife. He met Minerva. It never occurred to him that marriage with her would be radically different from what it had been with his first wife. He was a pushover."
    "You mean Minerva was the aggressor?"
    "I didn't say that," Beason said.
    "Not in so many words," Mason said.
    "Let's leave it the way I said it."
    "Go ahead. Tell me about Adelle."
    "Mr. Hastings' thoughts of marriage were in terms of the happiness he had enjoyed with his first wife. Reality gradually dawned on him after he married for the second time.
    "Adelle was his secretary and-Well, we could all of us see that Mr. Hastings was suffering, suffering tremendously. I think he confided in Adelle and they were together a great deal. A close friendship ripened into love."
    "And of course Minerva was furious," Mason said.
    Simley Beason looked up quickly. "Not necessarily," he said.
    "What do you mean by that?"
    "There is, of course, a possibility that Minerva did not regard her marriage to Hastings as a permanent alliance, looking upon it as a means of financial advancement.
    "Mind you, Mr. Mason, I am not saying that is the case but if it had been the case, then of course she would have looked upon the situation which developed with a great deal of satisfaction because it would give her an opportunity to get a divorce, to pose as the aggrieved woman, to put Garvin Hastings in the wrong and to collect a large sum by way of alimony."
    "Were there indications that this might have been the case?" Mason asked.
    "About the time Mr. Hastings began to develop a warm friendship for Adelle, Minerva Hastings went back east to visit relatives and-It seemed to persons around the office that Minerva deliberately closed her eyes and created all sorts of opportunities for Garvin Hastings and Adelle Sterling to be together."
    "And then?" Mason asked.
    "Oh, then there was the usual blow-up, the recriminations, the negotiations for a property settlement, and it wound up by Minerva going to Carson City, Nevada, establishing a six weeks' residence and getting a divorce. Adelle Sterling and Garvin Hastings were married within a week of