Local Lit

On the day he finally called her, Claudia had worn the “blueberry” dress. Although she still felt like an overripe blueberry in it, she cared very little. At this stage in her pregnancy, comfort trumped
appearance any day of the week. Besides, the dress reminded her of her mother. Audrey had returned to Texas and she missed her. Wearing the dress reminded her of her mother’s support. Plus, if her mother watched the hearings, she’d be happy to see that Claudia was wearing the dress.

She tried unsuccessfully to reach Rita Jane from her cellphone on the cab ride to the Hill, which was fine, because she didn’t really want Rita Jane to watch her testify anyway.

By the time she took her place at the heavy oak witness table, sweat was clinging to the back of her neck. Her bare thighs stuck to the wooden chair. She dearly wished she were anywhere but where she was. When Weymouth told her to begin, she took a deep breath, pulled the microphone closer, and prayed she wouldn’t throw up or say anything too embarrassing.

Weymouth asked the questions in a way that enabled her to explain what she had done for her client and why she had done it. She answered him directly, looking straight at him, trying not to think about the fact that the room was packed with spectators and dozens of reporters. She was getting into the rhythm of the questions, feeling more confident, when Weymouth paused and took a sip of water. Claudia felt her stomach turn.

“Miss Connors, why do you believe the U.S. Attorney’s office chose to prosecute you?”

Claudia hesitated, unsure of what Weymouth was getting at. She took a slow sip of water buying time to think of what answer he wanted. Then she answered, “I can’t say for sure, but I believe they did not want me to represent Mr. Emad. By charging me as an accessory, they forced me off his case.”

Weymouth nodded. “Why would they do that?”

“Because I was something of a zealot about this case.”

“Can you explain?” Weymouth asked.

Claudia nodded. “I knew Mr. Emad personally. I considered him a friend. He spent time in my community.” She paused, “I was involved in political activities with him.”

Weymouth interrupted her, “Such as?”

“We were both part of an anti-war organizing committee.”

“Did you attend meetings together?”

“Yes.”

“Were some of those meetings at your community?”

“Yes.”

“Anything else you’d like to add?” Weymouth asked, with a tone that suggested there was some other information he was looking for.

“We had organized a support committee for Emad. Kind of a defense committee.”

“Did the U.S. Attorney’s Office know about these activities?”

“I hadn’t thought so then, but now I suspect that they did.”

“Why do you say that?”

Claudia hesitated, wanting to explain about the FBI visits without getting into her relationship with Dan. “The FBI visited our community on several occasions ostensibly to find out information about me.”

“What kind of information?”

“Information to help make their case against me, I suppose.”

“How many times did they visit?”

“At least twice.”

“Can you describe those visits?” he asked. Claudia realized this was her opportunity to talk about the break-in at Dan’s house without Dan having to do so. If this was a real trial that information would have been inadmissible as hearsay, but this wasn’t a real trial, and besides, Weymouth was in charge.

“Once they executed a delayed-notification search warrant on Dan Canavan’s apartment.”

“Can you explain what that is?”

“It’s a sneak-and-peek search. A black-bag job. They went into his house when he wasn’t there and looked around, but Dan came home early from work and found them there.”

There were gasps in the audience. Claudia continued. “Another time we were having a community work day and two officers — the same two that went into Dan’s place — set up surveillance right in front of our community.”

“Really, in broad daylight?”

“Yes. One of our members became suspicious and asked them what they were doing. When she found out they were FBI she invited them to lunch.”

Laughter filled the room.

“Did they join you for lunch?”

“No, they declined.”

“Were you present that day?” Weymouth asked.

“No, I was inside my home resting. Pregnancy exhausts me,” Claudia said. A murmur of understanding went through the audience. Claudia relaxed a bit. Things were going well.

“Ms. Connors,” Weymouth asked, “is Emad Khadonry a terrorist?”

She knew this question, which would also be inadmissible in court, must be infuriating Martin. She smiled inwardly but outwardly put on her best lawyerly voice and said, “No, sir. Emad is a law-abiding citizen. This so-called ‘terrorist’ investigation is a colossal waste of time and money. It would be laughable if it weren’t so tragic. Emad’s young daughter hasn’t seen her Daddy in seven months!” A buzz filled the room.

“One more question,” Weymouth said. “Are you a terrorist?”

“No, sir.”

“Thank you, that’s all the questions I have,” Weymouth said.

Claudia stood up to leave when she felt a stab of pain so sharp she gasped. Her legs felt wobbly so she leaned on the table. She fell back into her seat as she vaguely heard Weymouth announce that the hearing would be in recess for 15 minutes.

Dan was at her side with a cup of water looking at her with an expression of mixed excitement and horror. “Is it time?” he whispered urgently.

“It can’t be. It’s not due for another two weeks,” Claudia said.

Weymouth asked her, “Are you alright?”

She nodded bravely but sucked in her breath as another stab of pain coursed through her body.

“I think we should take her to the hospital,” Dan said frantically.

Weymouth looked at him sympathetically. “Dan, I’ve been through this a few times already. Let’s not overreact. Help me take her into my office and we’ll call her doctor and see what he advises.”

Claudia walked jerkily to Weymouth’s office braced on either side by Dan and the congressman. As soon as they eased her onto the couch in Weymouth’s office, Dan was on the phone to her doctor who advised that they bring Claudia into her office for a check up. He immediately called Dave for a ride to the doctor’s and called Rita Jane and told her to meet them there.

Weymouth returned to the hearing after promising Dan that he would not call him as a witness that day. Weymouth also called the Capitol Police and obtained permission for Dave to drive his car into the secured area at the rear of the Rayburn Building, an area that had been restricted to the general public since September 11. Weymouth also sent a security guard who offered to help escort Claudia to the car.

Dan insisted on going to the doctor’s office even though Claudia urged him to stay and watch the hearing. It took Dave almost an hour to maneuver the traffic on Capitol Hill so that by the time they pulled up to the entrance to the Georgetown University Professional Building, Rita Jane was already there looking anxious.

Claudia insisted that Dan wait outside while the doctor examined her but let him return to hear her advice. “I’d like to admit you to the hospital. You appear to be in the beginning stages of labor, but your cervix is not dilated and your water hasn’t broken. You’ll need to be on complete bed rest for the remainder of your pregnancy. You could stay at home but that would mean someone else would have to wait on you hand and foot because I mean complete bed rest. I recommend that you go into the hospital so we can make sure you are properly cared for.”

The doctor left the room giving them privacy to discuss their options. Claudia began to protest but Rita Jane interrupted her, “Please listen to what she’s saying, Claudia. For the baby’s sake.”

“I agree,” Dan said vehemently.

“I’m not even going to ask you,” she said to Dave. “You’re a doctor. I know your kind always stick together.”

Dave smiled, “Try to think of it as a vacation.”

She felt such weariness she didn’t have the strength to argue anymore. “I’ll get Georgia to bring over some files. You guys better bring me some good books to read or I’ll go out of my mind,” she said resignedly. The doctor sent for an orderly with a wheelchair to push her over to the hospital. At her insistence, the others left to go back to work, promising to return later with comfortable clothes and books. As she waited for the orderly, she thought of all the people who had a stake in her life now, who were personally affected by the decisions she made, and who felt that they had a right to have a say in those decisions, a thought that both comforted and annoyed her.