How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #10
COUNTY ATTORNEY: [...] No, Mrs. Peters doesn't need supervising. For that matter, a sheriff's wife is married to the law. Ever think of it that way, Mrs. Peters?
MRS. PETERS: Not—just that way.
SHERIFF: (chuckling) Married to the law.
The men are totally confident in the idea that a man's wife is his property. In their minds, there's no way that Mrs. Peters could be up to sketchy business. Immediately after these comments, Mrs. Peters actively tries to hide the evidence, so the irony seems to be that the men's overconfidence in their total control is very thing that causes them to lose control over the situation.