“Notwithstanding anything, and notwithstanding your attempt to confuse the jury about what I’m...”
Judge Barnes pounded on the desk, “Sergeant Holcomb,” he said, “just one more violation of the Court’s admonition, and you will find yourself fined for contempt. You will answer questions and confine your comments to statements necessary to answer questions. Now, answer Mr. Mason’s question.”
Sergeant Holcomb said sullenly, “I put the Cullens bullet in my left pocket, and the Trent bullet in my right. I didn’t mix them up.”
“There’s no chance you could have been mistaken?
“None whatever.”
“Not one chance in a million?”
“Not one chance in ten hundred thousand million,” Sergeant Holcomb said.
Mason waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. “That,” he said, “is all.”
Sampson took occasion to smile at the jury. “Call Eva Tannis,” he said.
Eva Tannis took the stand, and answered Sampson’s questions in a low well-modulated voice. She gave the impression of being a tigress, with her claws momentarily sheathed as she corroborated the testimony of Bill Golding in every detail.