After Avery left the hearing room, Diana put the expert
document examiner's affidavit, that she had read from,
into evidence. The expert had sworn in this affidavit
that all of the student evaluations for the medical school
courses for those years should be analyzed. It was possible
that another person or persons had handwriting or printing
that was similar to Diana's. She read this portion to the
committee and added that she hoped they would read the
complete affidavit which contained several pages of the
document examiner's credentials.
All along, the women kept their eyes either on these papers
or on the witness. They steadfastly refused to look at Diana
or at the chair. They asked few questions of the witness,
tonelessly, and did not ask any follow up or clarifying questions.
Annette gives new dimension to the act of keeping a low profile,
thought Henry. Her demeanor resembles that of a puppy that has
just been whipped for pissing on the new carpet. Jane, on the
other hand, adopts a superior mien. Her greatly elevated nose
brings her whole being into an altitude seemingly far above
the detestable situation she finds herself in.
As for Esther, well, she's a wreck. Never terribly lucid
in her thought processes, she babbles incoherently and then
apologizes when asked to repeat them. Her piggy eyes dart
from witness to her papers in a flurry of indecisiveness.
Frank Anuse is up to form though and really enjoying it.
Henry watched Frank proudly as he flung Diana a shit eatin' grin
at every opportunity and at times actually taunted her in a way
reminiscent of a town bully.
At this point in the proceedings, Anuse laughed aloud in a derisive,
taunting fashion, causing everyone on the panel to look at him
in shocked silence. The chair put up a warning hand.
Esther, all the way out in left field and looking bewildered asked,
"I don't remember. Did we receive something from the students?"
Diana stood up and walked over to where Anuse sat. Jowl to jowl with him,
she said succinctly, "It isn't funny, Mr. Frank Anuse. It is not funny,
it is serious." To Esther, she said, "You probably don't see everything
that comes in or goes out of this committee.
"Again, I want to state that I have been denied access to all
these student evaluations that are needed for my defense.
In addition, this committee has steadfastly refused to confirm
the testimony of their witnesses concerning these documents
by demanding that they be produced." Diana returned to her chair.
Her attorney, Al Garret, leaned over and whispered into her ear.
He congratulated her on heeding his advice to be assertive and demanding.
Diana continued, "I would like to call Dr. Stacy Denton who
has information on the writing of the suspect documents."
"Is this. . .", Henry floundered. "Is this new information
referring to the document examiner we just heard from? This
hearing is restricted, as I told you, to his testimony and--"
"This witness has very pertinent information for the
committee regarding my innocence of your charges."
"We do need to restrict this hearing"
"Dr. Denton has been waiting nearly three hours to give her testimony."
The chair shrugged and muttered under his breath. What would Simon
Murrain advise. I need time to think about it. Aloud he said,
"The committee will recess to discuss this."
Everyone was told to leave the hearing room except the committee.
When they were alone, Henry made it clear. "We must limit this
hearing only to the evidence we presented."
Jane, with grave misgivings concerning her future at Belmont,
rose to the occasion. "I think we need to hear this. We should
at least appear to be giving her a fair hearing."
"She's already had that," snapped back Henry. "This hearing is expressly
for confirming the findings of the first document examiners. Nothing else."
Anuse, who had watched the others leave the hearing room
unexpectedly sided with Jane and urged caution. "Perhaps we
should hear her, Henry. Those damn reporters are still out there.
If we don't let her testify, it will be the lead story in tomorrow's paper."
"Still there, are they? Bothersome creatures! Well, that
puts a different face on it." He sat for a moment in thought.
He'd had his orders. They were to wind this up fast.
"All right. We'll hear that witness, however, I am declaring
this hearing closed as of right now. Her testimony will appear
to be heard by the panel and will be in the minutes to keep
the Attorney General and the press off our backs.
"But make no mistake, any of you." He looked around at all
the committee members, his face stern and his voice threatening,
"We meet tomorrow at nine o'clock right here to sign this report
that you have already seen. I'll redraft it to indicate that we
have had this additional testimony, but essentially, it will read
the same. Is that clear?"