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Authors: Mary Higgins Clark
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to get the heat back on in his house.'
'Did he give you any specific instructions concerning his family?' a district attorney asked.
'Yes. He said that his wife wasn't well and I shouldn't bother her; that if I needed anything, or wanted to discuss whatever problem I found, I should call him.' 'Did you follow Professor Harmon's instructions?' 'I would have, sir, but I couldn't help the fact that his wife followed me around like a little dog.'
'Objection! Objection!' But the defence attorney had been too late. The point had been made. And further evidence from the student had been totally damaging. He was asked if he had had any physical contact with Mrs Harmon.
His answer was direct. 'Yes, sir.' 'How did it happen?'
'I was showing her where the emergency switch was on the oil burner. It was one of those old-fashioned hot- airblower types, and the switch had caused the problem.'
'Didn't Professor Harmon tell you not to trouble Mrs
Harmon with any questions or explanations?'
'She insisted on knowing about it. Said she had to learn how to manage things in her house. So I showed her. Then she was sort of leaning over me to try the switch, and . . . well, I figured, why not? ... so I made a pass.' 'What did Mrs Harmon do?' 'She liked it. I could tell.' 'Will you please explain exactly what happened?' 'It wasn't really what happened. 'Cause nothing much actually happened. It was just that she liked it. 1 sort of spun her around and grabbed her and kissed her - and after a minute she pulled away, but she didn't want to.' 'What happened then?'
'I said something about that being pretty good.' 'What did Mrs Harmon say?'
'She just looked at me and said . . . almost like she wasn't talking to me ... she said, "I've got to get away." '
'I figured I didn't want to get in any trouble. I mean, I didn't want to do anything to get kicked out of school and end up being drafted. That was the whole reason for the college scene. So I said, "Look, Mrs Harmon" . . . only then I decided it was about time to call her Nancy ... so I said, "Look, Nancy, this doesn't have to be a problem. We can work something out so we can get together without anyone ever guessing. You can't leave here -you've got the kids." '
'How did Mrs Harmon respond to that statement?'
'Well, it's funny. Just then the boy . . . Peter . . . came down the stairs looking for her. He was a real quiet kid -didn't say "Boo." She looked mad and said, "The children"; then she sort of laughed and said, "But they're going to be smothered." '
'Mr Legler, this is a crucial sentence you're quoting. Are you sure you are repeating Mrs Harmon's exact phrasing?'
'Yes, sir, I am. It really made me feel spooky right then. That's why I'm so sure of it. But of course you don't really believe that anyone means it when they say something like that.'
'On what date did Nancy Harmon make that statement?'
'It was on November thirteenth. I know because when I went back to school, Professor Harmon insisted on giving me a cheque for fixing the burner.'
'November thirteenth . . . and four days later the Harmon children disappeared from their mother's automobile and eventually were washed in on the shores of San Francisco Bay with plastic bags over their heads - in effect, smothered.'
'That's right.'
The defence attorney had tried to reduce the impact of the story. 'Did you continue to embrace Mrs Harmon?'
'No. She went upstairs with the kids.'
'Then we have only your statement that she enjoyed the kiss you forced on her.'
'Believe me, I can tell a receptive babe when I'm with one.'
And Nancy's sworn testimony when asked about that incident: 'Yes, he did kiss me. Yes, I believe that I knew he was going to and I let him.'
'Do you also remember making the statement that your children were going to be smothered?'
'Yes, I do.'
'What did you mean by that statement?'
According to the article, Nancy simply looked past her attorney and stared unseeingly over the faces in the courtroom. 'I don't
'Did he give you any specific instructions concerning his family?' a district attorney asked.
'Yes. He said that his wife wasn't well and I shouldn't bother her; that if I needed anything, or wanted to discuss whatever problem I found, I should call him.' 'Did you follow Professor Harmon's instructions?' 'I would have, sir, but I couldn't help the fact that his wife followed me around like a little dog.'
'Objection! Objection!' But the defence attorney had been too late. The point had been made. And further evidence from the student had been totally damaging. He was asked if he had had any physical contact with Mrs Harmon.
His answer was direct. 'Yes, sir.' 'How did it happen?'
'I was showing her where the emergency switch was on the oil burner. It was one of those old-fashioned hot- airblower types, and the switch had caused the problem.'
'Didn't Professor Harmon tell you not to trouble Mrs
Harmon with any questions or explanations?'
'She insisted on knowing about it. Said she had to learn how to manage things in her house. So I showed her. Then she was sort of leaning over me to try the switch, and . . . well, I figured, why not? ... so I made a pass.' 'What did Mrs Harmon do?' 'She liked it. I could tell.' 'Will you please explain exactly what happened?' 'It wasn't really what happened. 'Cause nothing much actually happened. It was just that she liked it. 1 sort of spun her around and grabbed her and kissed her - and after a minute she pulled away, but she didn't want to.' 'What happened then?'
'I said something about that being pretty good.' 'What did Mrs Harmon say?'
'She just looked at me and said . . . almost like she wasn't talking to me ... she said, "I've got to get away." '
'I figured I didn't want to get in any trouble. I mean, I didn't want to do anything to get kicked out of school and end up being drafted. That was the whole reason for the college scene. So I said, "Look, Mrs Harmon" . . . only then I decided it was about time to call her Nancy ... so I said, "Look, Nancy, this doesn't have to be a problem. We can work something out so we can get together without anyone ever guessing. You can't leave here -you've got the kids." '
'How did Mrs Harmon respond to that statement?'
'Well, it's funny. Just then the boy . . . Peter . . . came down the stairs looking for her. He was a real quiet kid -didn't say "Boo." She looked mad and said, "The children"; then she sort of laughed and said, "But they're going to be smothered." '
'Mr Legler, this is a crucial sentence you're quoting. Are you sure you are repeating Mrs Harmon's exact phrasing?'
'Yes, sir, I am. It really made me feel spooky right then. That's why I'm so sure of it. But of course you don't really believe that anyone means it when they say something like that.'
'On what date did Nancy Harmon make that statement?'
'It was on November thirteenth. I know because when I went back to school, Professor Harmon insisted on giving me a cheque for fixing the burner.'
'November thirteenth . . . and four days later the Harmon children disappeared from their mother's automobile and eventually were washed in on the shores of San Francisco Bay with plastic bags over their heads - in effect, smothered.'
'That's right.'
The defence attorney had tried to reduce the impact of the story. 'Did you continue to embrace Mrs Harmon?'
'No. She went upstairs with the kids.'
'Then we have only your statement that she enjoyed the kiss you forced on her.'
'Believe me, I can tell a receptive babe when I'm with one.'
And Nancy's sworn testimony when asked about that incident: 'Yes, he did kiss me. Yes, I believe that I knew he was going to and I let him.'
'Do you also remember making the statement that your children were going to be smothered?'
'Yes, I do.'
'What did you mean by that statement?'
According to the article, Nancy simply looked past her attorney and stared unseeingly over the faces in the courtroom. 'I don't