Drake said, “And you want all of this in a hurry?”
“Yes. I’d like to have the information in an hour.”
“And that’s all you want?”
“No. Here’s another one. Walter Prescott, 1396 Alsace Avenue, suing his wife for divorce. Find out who his girl-friend is.”
“What makes you think he has one?”
“He short-changed his wife out of twelve thousand bucks. He didn’t put it in his business.”
“Any leads?” Drake asked.
“Nothing in particular. He’s an insurance adjuster. The firm name is Prescott & Wray, and they have offices in the Doran Building. Find out where he buys his flowers. Get a look at the delivery addresses at the florist’s. Have an operative bust into Prescott’s office and claim that a young woman driving Prescott’s automobile smashed into him and ripped off a fender and hasn’t settled. Watch what number he calls up when he refutes the story. Put a couple of shadows on him and find where he goes when he isn’t at the office.”
“Suppose he’s wise and doesn’t go?”
“Write him an anonymous letter that his sweetie has another boy-friend who calls on her every afternoon. Start him moving around, then see where he moves to.” Drake pulled a leather-covered notebook from his pocket and wrote names and addresses.