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ridiculous—”
    Judge Dalrymple banged the gavel. “That will do. If you have an objection, state it in legal terms.”
    “Incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial.”
    “It goes to his qualifications, Your Honor.”
    “Nonsense,” Pearson said. “That’s a facetious question. It—”
    The gavel cut him off again. “You will argue objections at the sidebar, counselor,” Judge Dalrymple snapped. “Only in this case no argument is necessary. The objection is sustained.”
    “I’ll withdraw the question and ask another. Mr. Macklin, are you clairvoyant?”
    “Same objection.”
    “Same ruling. Mr. Winslow, if you have a point to make, please lay the groundwork first.”
    “Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Macklin, I believe you stated Mr. Fletcher could not have substituted any twenty dollar bills for the ones you gave him because you’re a trained observer and you would have seen him do it. Is that right?”
    “Yes, it is.”
    “You also stated that when the defendant arrived for work Monday morning you identified yourself as a private detective and removed two bills from her possession. Is that right?”
    “Yes, it is.”
    “I believe you stated that you had to identify yourself to Miss Dearborn because she had never seen you before?”
    “That’s right.”
    “She didn’t see you on Friday when you wrote down the serial numbers from the bills?”
    “No, of course not. She wasn’t there.”
    “She wasn’t?”
    “No. That was the whole point. I came while she was out to lunch.”
    “And left before she returned from lunch?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “And did Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Lowery leave with you?”
    “No. Why would they do that?”
    “So you left alone?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “Well, Mr. Macklin,” Steve said. “So, when you testify that Mr. Fletcher could not have substituted any bills, because as a trained observer you would have seen him do it, is it not a fact that unless you’re clairvoyant or have x-ray vision, you would have no way of knowing whether he made such a substitution after you had left his office and before the defendant returned from lunch?”
    Pearson lunged to his feet to object, but Judge Dalrymple’s banged the gavel and cut him off. Gesturing with it, Dalrymple said, “Sidebar.”
    A.D.A. Pearson could hardly contain himself waiting for the court reporter to get set up. When he was finally allowed to speak, it was like opening the flood gates.
    “Your Honor, Your Honor,” he said. “This is totally outrageous. It is beyond all bounds. X-ray vision. Clairvoyant. Your Honor has already ruled on those questions. And here is counsel raising them again. It’s misconduct. It constitutes contempt of court.”
    Judge Dalrymple shook his head. “My ruling at the time was that no proper foundation had been laid. That no longer applies.”
    “Then I object on the grounds that it’s incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial, assumes facts not in evidence, calls for a conclusion on the part of the witness and is leading and suggestive.”
    “It is a hypothetical question only, Your Honor,” Steve said, “for the purpose of impeachment.”
    “It is an adroitly framed question,” Judge Dalrymple said dryly, “conveying an entire argument by inference.” He took a breath. “But it happens to be legal. So the objection is overruled. Let’s get on with it.”
    The attorneys resumed their positions and the court reporter read the question to the witness.
    Macklin shrugged. “Obviously, I can’t answer for what happened after I left the office.”
    Steve Winslow smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Macklin. That’s all.”

6.
    A S M ARVIN L OWERY TOOK the witness stand, A.D.A. Pearson was actually rather pleased with how things had worked out..
    Frank Fletcher had not made a good impression on the stand. He was too sharp and angular. Too cunning and conniving. He simply did not inspire trust.
    Macklin would have been good, until he stubbed his toe by boasting about his detective