The Innocent Woman

drawer?”
    “Objection.”
    “Sustained.”
    “Is it correct that the only bills that Mr. Macklin compared to the serial numbers on his list were those of the defendant?”
    “That’s right.”
    “And immediately upon finding that she had two of those bills, you called the police?”
    “I didn’t personally call the police.”
    “Who did?”
    “Frank. Mr. Fletcher.”
    “Mr. Fletcher called the police. They came to your office. They found you, Frank Fletcher, Mr. Macklin and Miss Dearborn. Miss Dearborn was arrested for petty theft. The basis for the charge was that she had in her possession two twenty dollar bills containing the serial numbers on Mr. Macklin’s list. Is that, right?”
    “That is substantially correct.”
    “When the officers arrested Miss Dearborn for having those twenty dollar bills in her possession, did you stand up and say, Excuse me, officer, but I also happen to have some of those twenty dollar bills in my possession, why don’t you arrest me too?”
    “Objection.”
    “Sustained.”
    “At the time of the defendant’s arrest, did the police make any inspection of the money on your person?”
    “No, they did not.”
    “Or any of the money on Frank Fletcher’s person?”
    “No, they did not.”
    “So, is it or is it not a fact that Mr. Macklin was employed solely to catch Miss Dearborn?”
    “Absolutely not. He was hired to find out why cash was missing from the petty cash drawer.”
    “How much was he paid?”
    “Objection. Incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial.”
    “Overruled.”
    “His rate was two hundred dollars a day, with two days guaranteed. He was paid four hundred dollars in advance for the two days, Friday, April 30th, and Monday, May 3rd.”
    “Since the defendant was arrested on the third, am I to assume he received no further compensation? Aside from his appearance here in court, I mean.”
    “Actually, he was paid more.”
    “Oh?”
    “Yes. There was provision for additional compensation in the event the case was solved.”
    “Solved?” Steve said. “What an interesting term. And just what would constitute that? Are you telling me if Mr. Macklin’s testimony results in the defendant being convicted, he will get more money?”
    “Not at all,” Lowery said indignantly. “As a matter of fact, he’s already been paid.”
    “Oh?”
    “Frankly, we considered the case solved upon the defendant’s arrest.”
    “You paid Mr. Macklin then?”
    “That is correct.”
    “How much additional did you pay him?”
    “Two hundred dollars.”
    “Did you pay him by check?”
    “No, we paid him in cash.”
    “Really?” Steve raised his eyebrows. “Would that be from petty cash?”
    It took only one look at Lowery’s face to see that shot had scored.
    “So,” Steve said. “Would it be safe to say that on Monday, May 3rd, you, Frank Fletcher, Mr. Macklin and the defendant Miss Dearborn were all in possession of twenty dollar bills matching the serial numbers on Mr. Macklin’s list?”
    A. D. A. Pearson’s vehement objection was sustained, but Steve, having made his point, merely smiled and said, “No further questions.”
    And when Pearson announced that he was resting his case, Steve Winslow promptly rested his.

8.
    S TEVE W INSLOW’S CLOSING ARGUMENT was brief.
    “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” he said. “I’d like to begin by explaining why I put on no defense. The reason is, I don’t have to. I don’t have to prove the defendant innocent. The prosecution has to prove her guilty. She is presumed innocent before we even begin.”
    Steve smiled. “As I’m sure you will all recall. Hard to believe that was only this morning. This trial has moved very quickly.
    “And for a good reason.
    “The prosecution has no case.
    “Search through all the testimony of all of their witnesses and what have they got? Two twenty dollar bills.
    “That’s it. Out of everything you’ve heard today, the only evidence whatsoever liking the defendant to the crime is those two twenty dollar bills. The ones Mr. Macklin has testified that he found in her purse. On the basis of those two twenty dollar bills, the prosecutor would like you to find the defendant guilty.”
    Steve smiled and shook his head. “Well, I can understand why he feels that way. And I can understand why he brought this prosecution. At first glance, it certainly appears damning.” Steve assumed a mock dramatic voice. “Here are the twenty dollar bills, the serial numbers