The Innocent Woman

turned on.”
    “I see.”
    “Now then,” Officer Hanson said. “Watch what happens when I push the button marked save .” He did so. The light on the machine began blinking. “You’ll notice that the light is now blinking. That’s because there was one message on this tape at the last time the messages were set. Now then, look what happens when I press the button marked play .”
    He did so. The blinking light stopped blinking. The tape whirred. Then Officer Hanson’s voice came through the speaker, saying, “Testing. Testing. This is Officer Hanson, conducting a test of the answering machine to see what happens with the blinking light.”
    Then there was a beep and the answering machine clicked off.
    “You will notice,” Officer Hanson said, “that the light that was blinking is now steady. That’s because we listened to the message. That’s how the light goes from blinking to steady—when the messages are played back.”
    “And what about the other methods I suggested?” Steve Winslow said.
    “Let me show you,” Officer Hanson said. “First off, let’s get the light blinking again.” He pressed a button on the machine. “I’ve pressed the button marked save . That saves the message you just heard. It’s now blinking, indicating that that message is on the machine.”
    He held up a finger. “Now then. You asked me what would happen if I turned the machine off and then turned it on again. I will do so now.”
    Hanson pressed the button and the light went off.
    “There,” Hanson said. “I’ve pressed the on/off switch, turning the machine off. Now then, I’m going to turn it back on again.”
    Hanson pressed the button again.
    The light began blinking.
    There was a murmur in the courtroom. Some of the jurors looked at each other. They were clearly impressed.
    “Now then,” Officer Hanson said. “You also asked what would happen if the answering machine was unplugged.”
    Hanson took the plug, pulled it out of the extension cord, The light went out.
    “Same thing,” Hanson said.
    He plugged it back in again.
    The light resumed blinking.
    “You also asked about a power failure and suggested that we throw a circuit breaker. I don’t know if Judge Wylie would like us to turn out every light in the courtroom, but I can tell you that when I performed the test last night, throwing the circuit breaker had absolutely no effect on the blinking light. It just kept blinking. It keeps blinking until you listen to the message.”
    “Is that so?” Steve Winslow said.
    “Yes, it is,” Officer Hanson said. “We’ve performed every test possible on the machine. The conclusion is inescapable. For the light to go from blinking to unblinking you have to listen to the message. There’s no way around it.”
    “That’s your conclusion?” Steve Winslow said.
    “Yes, it is.”
    “What I mean is, that’s not a fact, that’s just your conclusion.”
    Hanson smiled. “If you want to characterize it that way, I suppose you can. It’s a conclusion I can draw. It’s a conclusion you can draw. It’s a conclusion the jury can draw. From the tests conducted, it happens to be the only conclusion.”
    “Is that so?” Steve Winslow said. He reached in his pocket, pulled out a micro-cassette. “Your Honor, I ask that this be marked for identification as Defense Exhibit B.”
    “Objection, Your Honor,” Dirkson said. “Where did that tape come from?”
    Steve Winslow smiled. “I just pulled it out of my pocket.” He handed it to the court reporter. “And now I’m marking it for identification. Which I have every right to do. If you’d like to object to me introducing it into evidence, why don’t you wait till I do so?”
    Judge Wylie banged the gavel. “Once again, gentlemen, I would caution you.”
    When the exhibit had been marked, Steve Winslow said, “Now then, Officer Hanson. I show you a micro-cassette marked for identification as Defense Exhibit B and ask you if you have ever seen it before?”
    “No, I have not.”
    “Fine, Officer Hanson,” Steve Winslow said. “I ask you to remove the tape that is now in the answering machine.”
    “Very well.” Hanson flipped up the cover, removed the tape.
    “Now then,” Steve said. “You’ll notice I am inserting this micro-cassette, the one marked for identification Defense Exhibit B.”
    Steve Winslow did so, and closed the lid. “Now then,” Steve said. “You’ll notice the light is steady. Is it not?”
    “That’s