“That depends.” Parker sounded like a lawyer. “If it’s rushed all possible and there are no unforeseen obstacles and the defendant is accessible for service, it could be merely a matter of hours.”
“By noon tomorrow?”
“Quite possibly, yes.”
“Then proceed, please. Mr. Koven has destroyed, by slander, my means of livelihood. I wish to bring an action demanding payment by him of the sum of one million dollars.”
“M-m-m-m,” Parker said. He was frowning.
I addressed Wolfe. “I want to apologize,” I told him, “for jumping to a conclusion. I was supposing you had lost control for once and buried it too deep in Cramer. Whereas you did it purposely, getting set for this. I’ll be damned.”
Wolfe grunted.
“In this sort of thing,” Parker said, “it is usual, and desirable, to first send a written request for recompense, by your attorney if you prefer. It looks better.”
“I don’t care how it looks. I want immediate action.”
“Then we’ll act.” That was one of the reasons Wolfe stuck to Parker; he was no dilly-dallier. “But I must ask, isn’t the sum a little flamboyant? A full million?”