Inferno Anthology (261 page)

Tony’s height loomed over Paul as he interrupted and handed Paul a paper from his breast pocket. “Of course, Mr. Task, I would have expected no less. Here’s the good judge’s written approval.”

Paul took the paper and scanned its contents. “Mrs. Rawlings, it appears to be in order.” The men started to walk toward the door. Jane didn’t move. She was the only member of either team to notice Claire’s physical reaction. She sat, looking at her notes, at Claire, and at Tony. The silence intensified.

Finally, Jane rose and met Tony’s eyes. “Mr. Rawlings.”

“Ms. Allyson.”

They nodded.

“Mr. Rawlings, this is unexpected. I would like to speak to our client for a few moments and determine her desire regarding this meeting. If you would please step into the hall with Mr. Evergreen and his team, Mr. Task and I will discuss this new situation with Mrs. Rawlings.” Tony started to speak, but Jane continued with conviction in her tone. “And then if Mrs. Rawlings agrees to your meeting, it may proceed under her conditions.” Claire felt a newfound appreciation for her young co-counsel.

Mr. Evergreen placed his hand on Tony’s arm and nodded. Tony looked directly at Claire. His dark eyes took her breath away. She hadn’t seen those eyes in almost a week. They filled her with intense emotions: both love and hate. Slowly, his grin broadened. Claire knew immediately he was amused. “Why of course Ms. Allyson.” Everyone, besides Paul, Jane, and Claire, left the room. When the door shut, Claire remembered to breathe.

Paul spoke first, “Claire, you don’t have to do this, but if you don’t, it’ll look like you’re not interested in the taxpayers.” She wasn’t. “It isn’t just that. The fact he’s willing to talk to you, the person accused of his attempted murder,, makes him appear honorable and forgiving. If you refuse…” Claire listened, but her mind whirled. She believed Tony knew she wasn’t guilty. Maybe he wanted to take her home, drop the charges, and forget the whole thing. If she left with him today she would be out of that cell. She’d be home!

Jane touched Claire’s arm, and Claire turned to her co-council’s concerned expression. “Claire, I think it’s completely up to you. Everything Paul said is true, but none of it matters. You started to shake when he walked in the room. If you want, Paul and I…” She looked at Paul, who didn’t appear as strong as Jane. “…or just me, would be willing to stay in here with you.”

Claire found her voice. “That isn’t what he said. He wants to talk to me alone.”

“Claire, what he wants isn’t the issue.” Her voice was strong and supportive. “What do you want?”

She looked into Jane’s eyes. “I want this to be over. I didn’t do it.” Jane didn’t speak, but lifted her brows. Claire straightened her back, stiffened her neck, and lifted her chin. “I want to talk to him.”

Paul said he would get Mr. Rawlings. Jane leaned close. “Do you want me to stay?”

Claire exhaled. She had kept his secrets. She hadn’t told people what she went through, and she needed him to know that. “No, I want to talk to him alone.”

Jane smiled and squeezed Claire’s arm. “It’ll be all right. Just know, you must discuss any deal with us before it can be initiated. We’ll be right outside the door.”

Claire said she understood and suddenly thought about her appearance. Her defense counsel exited as Tony entered. They nodded to one another. Tony shut the door and turned to Claire. She watched as he walked to the table. He looked handsome, fit, and healthy. Relief filled her soul, seeing that the murder attempt hadn’t caused him harm.

“Tony, I’m so glad you are all right.” She reached across the table. He took her petite hands in his. Claire continued, “You know I would never hurt you?”

His eyes showed only the smallest amount of brown. “It certainly appears you did.” She shook her head and felt tears. He continued, “You handed me the coffee. There was poison in the coffee.”

“You told me to get you coffee. I’ve thought about it a million times. There must have been poison in the coffee already, or in the cream. I just don’t know.” She felt his stare as she continued to speak, “I don’t know who would do this. The only other people at home were staff, staff you’ve employed for years, but it should be on surveillance. You have cameras in the kitchen—”

He interrupted. “All evidence points to you. Then, there’s the way you ran to the car and drove away.”

She lowered her eyes; she had disobeyed him. She knew not to drive. “I’m sorry.” The tears teetered on her lower lids. “It was impulsive. I knew not to take one of the cars, but I saw the keys. I hadn’t had the opportunity in so long. The sky was so blue, and you’d been… well, life had been unpredictable. I felt like I was suffocating and just needed a reprieve, a small break. Honestly, Tony, I was about to turn around to come home. I want to be home. I want to be with you.”

He lifted her chin. “Claire, how are your accommodations?” The tears slipped off the lids and onto her cheeks. She didn’t reply. Her thoughts were again spinning. His voice was low, no one else could hear. “Consequences. Appearances. I thought you’d learned your lessons better.”

“Tony, please take me home. I promise I’ll never disappoint you again. Please tell them you know I wouldn’t, couldn’t do this.” His black eyes penetrated, but she pushed on. “I know there’ll be consequences and punishment. I don’t care, as long as you’re all right. I just want to go home. Please…” Begging wasn’t part of her plan, but Claire wanted to be home. “Please, Tony, they’ll listen to you.”

Expecting his expression to contain compassion, she was disappointed.

“The entire thing seems to be a colossal
accident;
however, I’ve done some research and it seems you can plead insanity and receive treatment instead of incarceration.”

She sprung from her chair and started to pace. “What are you saying? I’m not pleading insanity! That means guilty and crazy. I’m neither!” She turned to look at him. “And this wasn’t an
accident
. I didn’t try to kill you!”

He stood and moved very close, looking down at her. “I’ve found a mental hospital which is willing to accept you. I’ll pay the expenses so the taxpayers aren’t responsible for your lack of judgment.”

“I have been here for over a week. I’ve been questioned over and over. I haven’t divulged any private information. I have followed all the rules. The only rule I broke was driving a car. That’s it!”

“This plea will avoid a trial. The entire unfortunate incident is understandable. You came from a modest background. The life we shared had pressures and responsibilities. With entertaining, charities, and reporters, it’s understandable: you just couldn’t handle it.”

Claire sat down, feeling increasingly ill.

Tony walked over to her. He bent down to maintain eye contact. “I should have recognized the signs. Perhaps, I was too busy with work. When you recently canceled your charity obligations, I should have realized how overwhelmed you felt.” Claire listened as he spoke and experienced an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. It was his expression, a grin, one she recalled from a masquerade dinner almost two years ago. His expression spoke louder than his words. “You wanted out, and in a moment of weakness… no, in a moment of
insanity,
you decided the only way out was to try to kill me.” She watched and realized: this was a prepared speech. Oh my God! “I’m only thankful you underestimated the amount of poison needed, or you may have succeeded.”

The confusion in Claire’s mind began to dissipate, the fog cleared, and she saw Tony, his expression and his unspoken meaning. His speech continued, “If you’d succeeded, I wouldn’t be here to help you now.” She suddenly realized he was done with her. It was like the workers in Pennsylvania, she no longer mattered. He didn’t need her anymore! Tony pulled out a chair and sat facing Claire. “Aren’t you glad I’m able to help you?”

The bewilderment turned to a reality which hit her hard: not a physical slap, but it might as well have been. He wasn’t going to help her, instead of overwhelming sadness, two years of obedience and submission caused an overpowering rush of hostility. Tony’s words continued, “And, Claire, I hear the rooms at the mental facility are larger than the cells at the federal penitentiary.” His grin broadened.

She straightened her neck and met his eyes. No longer did tears flow. Her eyes sparked with anger. “Yes, Tony. I’m so thankful. Would you like me to show you how thankful I am?” Her insincerity and sudden animosity came through loud and clear.

Tony stood, straightened his jacket. “Utilize the time you have to think this over. Don’t make another poor impulsive decision. This is your best offer.” He knocked on the door. “Goodbye, Claire.”

She didn’t respond. The attorneys re-entered the room. Claire had new resolve. If he planned to leave her, she was going to start talking.

Mr. Evergreen spoke first. “Mr. Task, if your client plans to plead insanity, the prosecution will need psychological evaluations.”

“Mr. Evergreen, I do not plan to plead insanity.” Everyone turned to Claire. The last five days she’d hardly spoken. She continued in a determined tone, one that none of them had heard before. “I can assure you, I’m not the person that’s insane, although I have cause. I am innocent. Now, if you’ll excuse me again, I need to speak to my counsel.”

She had entered this pre-examination willing to sit passively and wait for Tony to rescue her. Turning to Jane, the only counsel willing to confront her husband, she said, “Ms. Allyson, if we could postpone this pre-examination, I believe I have some evidence to share with you and Mr. Task.”

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life. Define yourself.

—Harvey Fierstein

THEY ONLY HAD
three days to prepare for the new pre-examination. Claire spent hours with her attorneys uncompartmentalizing everything. She recounted everything she could remember from the last twenty-two months. Tony wouldn’t approve; nonetheless, she was brutally honest, recounting details she’d tried to suppress. She explained the initial contact and contract. She said she suspected he’d used the date-rape drug Rohypnol to get her to Iowa, because she had no memory of traveling from Atlanta. This recount could have been demoralizing, but somehow it proved therapeutic: a catharsis.

Claire described the respected, adored businessman, Anthony Rawlings, as a cruel, vindictive, masochistic, and controlling human being. She did leave their home in a hurry. Justifiably, she did it to get a break from him: his rules, restrictions, and consequences. If he knew she’d left the property without his permission, she would’ve been punished. She explained his punishments ranged from verbal, to mental, to physical abuse. On one occasion, approximately six months after she arrived on his estate, he nearly killed her. She told about the isolation. She also told about the sexual exploits, video recording, controlling nature, domineering manipulation, and constant mental, and on again, off again physical abuse.

At times, her attorneys would stop taking notes and just listen. This was much bigger than anything they expected. Together, Paul and Jane worked to build a case: not of a woman trying to gain financially from the death of her wealthy husband, but of an abused woman wanting only to flee the situation.

Paul believed Claire had been living in hell, but there were points and events she would need to explain. She stated she was kidnapped, yet did she ever try to call for help? Didn’t she live in a multimillion dollar mansion? Did she expect people to believe she had no access to telephone, Internet, or anything? Didn’t she marry this man she described as a monster? Didn’t she accept gifts: clothing, money, jewelry, etc.? Didn’t she accompany him on multiple extravagant trips? Didn’t she sit with a reporter from
Vanity Fair
and give an interview about her wonderful husband and their amazing life together?

Claire understood how things looked. She knew about appearances, but she knew what she’d endured. She explained that even after things got better with Tony, there was always the underlying threat of abuse. Things did get better, after the near-death accident. He got better, and she believed she loved him, but always there were rules and reminders of consequences for her actions. Any failure to be perfect could result in punishment. The truth would set her free. Claire Rawlings was ready to tell the entire world the truth.

Her legal team prepared a preliminary brief. It informed the prosecution of their defense strategy. By no means was it all inclusive; however, it did emphasize the hostile relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings. It highlighted Mr. Rawlings’s aggressive, intimidating, and controlling tendencies. Mrs. Rawlings’ only intention on the day in question was to escape the harsh reality of her life. She didn’t plan, nor did she execute, a plan to cause Mr. Rawlings harm.

The time for the rescheduled pre-examination meeting arrived. Mr. Evergreen and his team, as well as Paul, Jane, and Claire were once again seated around a large table. The only noticeable difference at this meeting was Claire’s brown hair. Indulging Claire’s request, Jane brought her a box of Chestnut hair-dye. Claire looked younger. The blonde was striking, stunning, and beautiful. Claire didn’t feel any of those.