The Anonymous Client

client.”
    “I can’t help you there.”
    “What business did you have with David C. Bradshaw?”
    “I can’t tell you that either. You know that. Look, Dirkson, I’m here as a witness. If you want to ask me about what I did, fine. If you want to ask me about my business, go roll a hoop. You know the law.”
    Dirkson took a breath. “All right. You found the body of Bradshaw?”
    “That’s right.”
    “What did you do when you found the body?”
    “First I made sure he was dead.”
    “How?”
    “I felt for a pulse.”
    “Where?”
    “On his wrist.”
    “So you touched the body?”
    “I touched the wrist, yes.”
    “Is that the only place you touched the body?”
    “That’s right.”
    “You didn’t move the body in any way?”
    “No.”
    “What about the clothing on the body?”
    “What about it?”
    “Did you touch the clothing?”
    “My hand may have brushed his shirt feeling for the pulse.”
    “That’s not what I’m asking. You know what I’m getting at. Did you search the body in any way?”
    “No, I did not.”
    “Put your hands in any of the pockets?”
    “No.”
    “None of the pockets?”
    “No.”
    “Did you take anything out of any of the pockets?”
    “No.”
    “You certain?”
    “Absolutely.”
    “I see. Then let me ask you this: did you put anything in any of the pockets?”
    “No, I did not.”
    “You did not?”
    “That is correct.”
    “You understand you’re under oath?”
    “I object to that question.”
    Dirkson looked at him. “What?”
    “I object to the question.”
    “I just asked you if you knew you were under oath.”
    “Exactly,” Steve said. “It’s a thoroughly objectionable question. I’m a lawyer. I know what it means to be under oath. Your asking that is a snide attempt to imply to the grand jury that you don’t believe what I’m saying.”
    “No, it isn’t.”
    “Then what is it?”
    “It’s a question.”
    “Sure, it’s a question, but it’s not a question designed to elicit any information. It’s merely an attempt to belittle my testimony.”
    “How could that belittle your testimony?”
    “I told you. By implying you don’t believe what I’m saying.”
    “I don’t believe what you’re saying,” Dirkson blurted.
    Steve smiled. “There you are.”
    Dirkson suddenly realized he was fighting a losing battle. “All right,” he said. “Let’s get back to what you did. When you entered Bradshaw’s apartment, did you have any money on you?”
    “Certainly.”
    “You did?”
    “Of course I did. I always carry money on me. So many taxi drivers don’t take checks.”
    “This is no joking matter.”
    “I agree. Then ask me a question that makes sense. Everyone carries money.”
    “You know what I’m getting at,” Dirkson said. “When you entered that apartment, did you have a large sum of money on you? To be specific, did you have ten thousand dollars in one thousand dollar bills?”
    “No, I did not.”
    “You deny that you had ten thousand dollars on you when you entered that apartment?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    Dirkson crossed to the prosecutor’s table and picked up a piece of paper.
    “Mr. Winslow, I hand you a piece of paper and ask you if you have seen it before.”
    “Yes I have.”
    “What do you recognize it to be?”
    “It is the list of serial numbers off of ten one thousand dollar bills.”
    “Where did you get that list?”
    “You just handed it to me.”
    Dirkson frowned. “Don’t swap words with me. You know what I mean. Last night in my office I asked you to produce a list of the serial numbers of ten one thousand dollar bills. Is that the list you gave me at that time?”
    “Yes, it is.”
    “Where did you get it?”
    “Once again, you are inquiring into matters that are privileged and confidential.”
    “But you admit that you had that list in your possession?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    “And do you admit that you employed Mark Taylor of the Taylor Detective Agency to trace the numbers on that list and find out who withdrew those bills from the bank?”
    “Yes, I did.”
    “And do you know who did withdraw those bills from the bank?”
    “Only by hearsay.”
    “I understand. But the list speaks for itself, and it has been checked. Is it not true that, to the best of your knowledge, those bills were withdrawn from the First National Bank by David C. Bradshaw?”
    “That is correct.”
    “And where did that list come from?”
    “There again you are inquiring into things that