Inferno Anthology (260 page)

“Mrs. Rawlings, do you have any idea what was in the mug that your husband drank from?”

She knew exactly what was in that mug: coffee, made by her. “Yes, officer. I would assume the mug contained coffee. Just before I left, I took him a cup of coffee.” Her stomach was now a tangle of knots.

“You and your husband don’t have household servants who usually prepare the food and drinks?”

“We do, but he asked me to get him coffee.” Claire definitely didn’t like how this was going. “I believe I need an attorney.”

“Ma’am, you haven’t yet been charged; however, asking for representation is your right. Be aware your husband’s legal counsel has sent word that representing you would be a conflict of interest. You’ll need to secure your own counsel.”

“I would like to call John Vandersol, my brother-in-law.” As the words left her mouth she remembered John’s incarceration. “No, wait, I can’t.”

Another officer entered the room and began to talk with Sergeant Miles. After the two whispered, Sergeant Miles spoke. “Mrs. Claire Rawlings, my commanding officer has informed me the prosecuting attorney of Iowa City believes there’s enough circumstantial evidence to hold you in this facility overnight and transport you back to Iowa City in the morning. The chief prosecutor of Iowa believes he will have an official warrant for your arrest signed by the judge by the time you arrive.”

Claire heard the words but couldn’t comprehend their meaning. Her internal voice tried to replay the day: I dressed in what I was told, was in Tony’s office at the time he told me to be, and asked like a five-year-old if I could go outside. This morning I poured my husband a cup of coffee, the coffee he asked me to get. Now, I am about to be charged with attempted murder?

Another officer directed Claire to a cell. It was small, clean, and had a door that locked. Worried about Tony, she couldn’t sleep. There was no one at home that morning, except the two of them and the regular staff. Everyone on the staff had been with Tony for years, and he implicitly trusted them. None of them would hurt him. She worried. Had he regained consciousness? Was the poison in the coffee in the pot? Maybe it was in the cream?

Claire wanted them to try to find the real criminal before he tried to hurt Tony again. Claire knew when Tony regained consciousness, he’d tell them she didn’t—couldn’t—do this and take her home.

No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.

—Eleanor Roosevelt

YESTERDAY, CLAIRE DROVE
in a luxurious
Mercedes Benz
to St. Louis. The trip back to Iowa City, riding in the back of a police wagon, wearing handcuffs and accompanied by a uniformed officer, wasn’t as comfortable. When they arrived, the county courthouse steps were filled with reporters and photographers. Claire tried to shield her face as people took pictures from all directions and shouted questions. “Why did you try to kill your husband?” “Did you do it for the money?” “Did you think you would get away with it?” Thankfully, the police rushed her through the crowd and into the building.

She couldn’t believe what she heard. How could they possibly be asking such questions? Claire worried about Emily: first John and now her. What must she be going through? Claire reassured herself, once Tony wakes, he’ll take care of everything
.

The officer took Claire to another room with a table, and Marcus Evergreen entered. She recognized him immediately. He attended her wedding, and she accompanied Tony to one of his fund-raisers. Claire thought Tony donated to his campaign. “Mrs. Rawlings, I’m Marcus Evergreen, chief prosecutor for Johnson County.”

“Yes, Mr. Evergreen, I believe we’ve met.” Claire held out her hand. Mr. Evergreen didn’t accept.

“Yes, I believe we have; however, this is a different situation and different circumstances. Mrs. Rawlings, I’m currently holding a warrant for your arrest recently signed by Judge Reynolds. Just so you know, before we reach the district courtroom for your arraignment, you’re being charged with the
attempted murder
of your husband, Anthony Rawlings.”

“I want you to know I didn’t do such a thing. I wouldn’t do such a thing. How is Tony?” When Claire added the last question, Mr. Evergreen’s eyes dropped to the table. Claire’s heart sank. Oh my God, he’s dead! No, then he would have said murder not attempted.

“He’s awake and conscious. He’s given a statement to the police, but he won’t be here today.”

Claire was relieved to hear he was conscious, but she needed him to be here. He would help and take her home. She wanted to explain things to him. There was no doubt he’d be upset about her leaving and driving. And there would be consequences; however, Claire was confident he’d know she would never try to kill him.

“I’m very happy he’s better. Can you tell me what evidence there is against me?” Claire didn’t know how this worked, but she thought she needed to find out.

“It will be discussed with you and your attorney after the arraignment.” He left the room.

With her wrists once again in handcuffs, Claire was led into the courtroom. She watched the proceedings from a distance, seeing it all, yet not comprehending it as reality. Judge Reynolds spoke, asking questions of Mr. Evergreen. He explained how the state believed it had sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mrs. Claire Rawlings did willfully and maliciously attempt to murder her husband, Anthony Rawlings, in an effort to profit financially. Furthermore, Mrs. Rawlings fled the scene of the crime and was found near St. Louis. Mrs. Rawlings has access to a passport and the financial ability to flee. Mr. Evergreen asked the judge to suspend bail.

Judge Reynolds said, “Mrs. Rawlings, do you understand that you’re being charged with a felony: attempted murder? And if convicted, you could be sentenced to a federal penitentiary for a length not to exceed 162 months?”

“Yes, Judge, I understand.” That wasn’t true. She didn’t understand.

“Are you aware that you have the right to an attorney? If you cannot afford one, one can be appointed for you. You also have the right to a trial by a jury of your peers. You also are presumed innocent. It is the burden of the state to prove your guilt. Do you understand your rights?”

“Yes, Judge, I understand.” Claire maintained eye contact with the bench. She had a lot of practice maintaining eye contact in difficult situations.

“Mrs. Rawlings, do you have an attorney?”

“No, Judge. I do not, and I can’t afford one.”

“The court will appoint one to you following the arraignment.” Judge Reynolds reviewed the file before her. “Due to the publicity and significance of the victim, I’m setting bond at five million dollars. I’m also scheduling a preliminary conference for eleven days from today, Tuesday, February 1. Next case…” Her gavel struck the bench, echoing throughout the courtroom.

A guard escorted Claire to a holding cell. She sat in the ten-by-seven cubicle waiting for her attorney. The seclusion should have upset her, but she was too confused to focus. They told her once her attorney arrived, her bond could be posted, and she could leave. Claire knew that wasn’t going to happen. She didn’t have enough money for a sandwich at McDonald’s, much less two-point-five-million-dollars for bond.

It was after 3:00 PM before she was once again taken to the small room with the table. A short while later, the door opened and a young man, Paul Task, entered carrying a briefcase, laptop, and wearing a cheap suit. Claire’s first thought was that he looked more like a high school student than an attorney.

“Hello, Mrs. Rawlings. I’m your attorney, Paul Task. I just want you to know that I’m so honored to work on your case. Mr. Rawlings has long been an inspiration to us in Iowa. Everyone has so much respect for him. Why did you try to kill him? Was it because you didn’t have a prenuptial agreement? I mean, for the money?”

“No! I didn’t do this. It’s a terrible misunderstanding. I know once my husband is better he’ll help me. He knows I wouldn’t do this to him.”

“Yes, of course, Mrs. Rawlings…”

After Mr. Task informed the court that Mrs. Rawlings wouldn’t be able to post bond, she was officially charged with a felony. They took her personal property: her jewelry and clothes. They took her picture, her fingerprints, and did a chemical test on her hands. A female officer offered her a prison jumpsuit, underwear, and a bra: Claire accepted it all.

For the next five days Claire waited and responded appropriately to her counsel. She met daily with Paul Task and his associate Jane Allyson. They asked questions, and she maintained her innocence. She told them repeatedly the events of the morning in question. She never broke Tony’s rules. When he came to save her, she would be able to tell him she maintained his confidence. She would explain to him, she drove away, but she had decided to turn around. She hadn’t left him, only left the estate, for a while. She would apologize, accept his punishment, and life could resume.

She spent untold hours wondering who poisoned Tony. The answer to that question could save her from 162 months in prison. Unfortunately, all the evidence pointed to Claire. She’d given Tony the mug of coffee at approximately 11:00 AM, in plain view of fifteen people via a Rawlings Industries web conference. He took a drink from
that
mug and suddenly lost consciousness. The video footage from their home security showed Claire pouring coffee in the kitchen and carrying the coffee to his office. The desk area wasn’t covered by cameras, but Claire was seen walking away from the desk without the mug.

To make this evidence worse, there was video from the garage of Claire telling Eric to go to Iowa City to get paperwork from Mr. Rawlings’s office. Anthony’s secretary, Patricia, provided a sworn statement that she didn’t have contracts for Mr. Rawlings, and furthermore, she hadn’t spoken to him that morning. Being Tony’s primary source of transportation, having Eric gone would help ensure that the poison would have time to work. The same camera in the garage captured Claire taking the keys to the
Mercedes
and hurrying to the car. The significance of this car was that it was the only car in the garage registered under the name
Claire Rawlings
.

Claire was shocked. “It can’t be registered in my name. I don’t drive.” Paul showed her a copy of the registration. The same one she handed to the policeman but hadn’t read. According to the dealership, Mr. Rawlings came in himself last December and paid cash. It was his wife’s Christmas present and had less than a thousand miles on it.

Her statement regarding
no valid driver’s license
also proved erroneous. Apparently, she did have an
identification card
with the name Claire Rawlings, but her
driver’s license
from Georgia under the name Claire Nichols was still valid. Paul couldn’t understand how Claire wouldn’t know.

She tried to explain, “Tony did everything.”

Paul didn’t understand, and told her it would be difficult to convince a jury.

With the court ordered preliminary conference six days away. Iowa furnished Claire with clothes for a pre-examination conference: a meeting that would set the tone and direction for the preliminary conference. The pre-examination was usually attended by the prosecuting attorneys, the defense attorneys, and the defendant, Claire; however, unbeknownst to the defendant, the victim requested to make an appearance. The judge agreed. The goal of this meeting was to determine if a trial could be avoided, and an agreement made. The victim convinced the judge, he could help facilitate that end.

Mr. Evergreen and two of his associates sat opposite Claire and her team, Paul Task and his co-council, Jane Allyson, at a large table covered in documents and laptops. The conference was about to begin when her heart skipped a beat. She saw him through the window of the door. She saw his profile: strong, handsome, and inflexible. She watched as he spoke to someone in the hall, turned the door handle, and entered.

Although Mr. Evergreen and Paul were talking, when the door opened everyone became silent. The entire room turned to acknowledge the entrance of Mr. Anthony Rawlings. Mr. Evergreen stood. “Mr. Rawlings, I thought we discussed this, and you weren’t to attend this conference.”

“Mr. Evergreen.” As the two men shook hands, Claire involuntarily trembled. If only she’d known he was going to be there. “I appreciate everyone’s concern for my safety. I’ll repeat what I told Judge Reynolds, I don’t believe my wife is a threat to my well-being. I believe if we can have a few moments alone, we can save the taxpayers of Iowa the cost of a lengthy trial, and this court some time. Judge Reynolds has agreed to my request.” Tony’s command of this situation was obvious. It sounded as though he just asked the others to leave the room, but in reality it was a mandate.

Mr. Evergreen and his team began to move their chairs and stand to leave. Paul and Jane whispered to one another as Paul stood. He leaned to Claire. “I’ll confirm that this has received Judge Reynolds’ approval.” Then speaking to Tony and doing his best to appear professional; however, obviously intimidated by Tony’s mere presence: “Mr. Rawlings, I’ll need to confirm that Judge Reynolds has indeed approved this visit. In situations such as this—”