To Kill a President (9 page)

Bobby could not believe what he was hearing.  “Listen I’m no saint but I would never stoop as low as killing a president.”

“I didn’t say you did, but you were with Oswald in Dallas Police Head Quarters and you watched Kennedy die.  I think you were supposed to be his lawyer and maybe it was you that tipped off Ruby.”

Bobby was silent, David broke the silence first.  “Maybe he’s right Bobby, maybe we realised we could change things.  You know stop the assassination?  Maybe we can still save Sharon.  Maybe that’s why we went to Faraday because we needed his help.”

Bobby was shifting uncomfortably in his chair. “How did you get my cane?”

Faraday had no idea what to say he blurted out. “You gave it to me.”

“So I broke my cane and gave it to you?  The cane that Lansky bought for me?  Why would I do that?”  Bobby looked genuinely perplexed.

David saved Faraday from stumbling to an awkward excuse. “Maybe you gave it to him so that we would be convinced by what he was saying?”

Bobby considered this and seemed satisfied before glancing at his watch it was 09:15, “Shit I’m late.  Faraday what is Jane’s last name?”

“It’s Stuart why?”

“I’ll organize some false identification for you both, you’ll need them.”

“Oh thanks Bobby.”

“Are you going in today David?”

“Um no Bobby, I think I’d better stay here in case Jane needs me and I can keep Faraday company.”

With that Bobby left the condo and Faraday was left alone with an unconscious Jane and David.

“I just need to phone Earl to let him know I won’t be in today.”

Chapter 16

The two men sat around Jane in silence for nearly two hours.  She was still breathing and appeared to be in a deep sleep.  Every time Faraday had looked at David he appeared to be deep in thought.  When David finally spoke Faraday jumped as the silence was broken.

“You were quite convincing Faraday.”

“Excuse me?”  Faraday replied genuinely confused.

“The cane, I saw you panic when Bobby asked.  I know how much that cane means to him he would never give it away and even if he did why would he break it?  I think it’s time you told the truth.”

Faraday had no idea what to say, in the end he opted for honesty.  “He died.”

“Did you kill him?” David responded without missing a beat.

“No of course I didn’t.  After you came to see me I was stuck in the hospital for another few weeks.  I never heard from either of you after that.  When I got home I noticed the bookmark and saw Bobby.  So I Googled his name.”

“You Googled it?”

It dawned on Faraday that David had been sent through time in 1993, Google hadn’t even been invented yet.  “Do you know what the internet is?”

David nodded.  “Well I looked up Bobby using the internet and found a news report.  He had been found dead at Loch Ness the day after you came to see me.  Just before I came through the wormhole I found the cane on the shore.”

“How did he die?” 

“I’m not sure I think it might have been suicide.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because you committed suicide the night before.”

David was again stunned. “I committed suicide?”

“That’s what the news report said.”

“But why would I do that?”

“I have no idea.”

“Did you say it was the night that I visited you?”  David asked once again deep in thought.

“That’s when you did it, Bobby was the following day.”

David was silent for a long time.  Faraday wasn’t sure he had done the right thing by telling the truth.  But at least they hadn’t died from some disease, they could prevent this.

“How did I look when I came to see you?”  David finally asked.

“Well to be honest you were pretty old, you look completely different now.”

“Hmmm, what year did you say this was?”

“2014” Faraday replied.

  David paused for a moment and then replied. “Wow that would make me eighty.  No wonder I looked old.  Would you like to know what I think Faraday?”

Faraday nodded.  “I think you were our last hope.  Why else would we come to Scotland just to see you?  I think that maybe Bobby and I tried to fix things and it didn’t work.  I think you can save Sharon.  I also think that you are the key to saving Kennedy.”

“Well David I think you are maybe investing a little too much in my abilities, Bobby is right how much can we do to stop something like what happened to Kennedy?”

“Perhaps he is.  But I must say if Jane recovers as I fully expect her to, four people have a far better chance of changing history than one or two people do.”

Faraday thought for a moment before nodding, he gave a small shiver.  He was almost dry now.  They hadn’t even offered him a towel.

Chapter 17

As Bobby arrived at the office it was only 09:20, that was the beauty of living so close to the office even when he left late he wasn’t that late.  Nancy was already sitting at her desk with a cup of coffee smoking a cigarette. 

“You’re late.”  She said as Bobby walked through the front door.

“I’m the boss. I’m allowed to be late.”  He replied.

“What was it this time?”

“David was sick I had to make sure he was alright.” He lied.

“I’m starting to wonder if the reason you’ve never asked me out is because of David.”  This was certainly the downside of having his grandmother back in his life.  She knew he loved her but misread in what way he loved her.  He could hardly tell her she was his grandmother, she wasn’t even married yet.

“Nancy I’ve told you before I don’t think of you that way, you’re like family.  Anyway I thought you had a boyfriend and did you just ask if I’m a homo?”

She laughed. “I was only kidding and yes I do have a boyfriend, Derrick.”

“Has he found work yet?”

“No, it’s the criminal record.  Unless he wants to wash dishes in a restaurant he has no chance.”  She sighed.

“What did he do?”

“Nothing really it was just a bar fight but the guy he hit knows a few of the local police, they made it sound as though he had nearly killed the guy.  He was in prison for six years.”

“Six years?  Who’d he hit the mayor?”

“No some sleaze ball he owns some nightclubs and strip clubs in town.”

“Anywhere I’d know?”

“The only one I can remember the name of is the one where it happened, the Carousel Club.”

“He hit Jack Ruby?”

“You know him?”

“Not personally, I know of him Lansky has mentioned him before. I think he was involved in some smuggling operations for the mob.”  He obviously knew the name for other reasons but he could hardly tell Nancy that.

“I’d say Derrick was probably lucky he was punished by law enforcement rather than Ruby.  What did you say was Derrick’s surname?”

“Funny thing it’s the same as yours Stinson, I already asked him about it he says you’re no relation.”

How little he knew Bobby thought.  “Tell you what, get Derrick to swing by the office I might have some work I can throw his way.”

“Oh thank you Bobby that would be amazing, it won’t get you in any trouble will it?”

“No no, Ruby’s a scumbag they know that.  Besides I wasn’t planning on announcing it to the mob.”

“Shall I call him and ask him to pop by today?”

“Um no I might be a bit busy today, Monday will be fine.  Any calls?”

“Yes two I left the note on your desk.”

Bobby walked through to his office and sat down in his leather chair behind the mahogany desk.  He glanced at his watch it was only 09:30, he was already exhausted.  He had tried not to think about what Faraday had said, surely he couldn’t have been involved.  He was a lawyer just because he had represented Oswald it didn’t mean that he had tipped off Ruby.  His thoughts turned to his grandfather, until today he hadn’t even known his name and now he wished it had stayed that way.  What the hell had he been thinking getting in a fight with Ruby in his club?  He was lucky to walk out of there.  It’s a home of crooked cops and low level mobsters.

He looked on his desk and found the note that Nancy had left, there was one call from Wray Gill and another from Chauncey Holt.  He debated over which call to answer first.  It wasn’t that he disliked Wray it was just that he was a stereotypical lawyer.  You couldn’t trust him he would tell you one thing and do another.  He couldn’t deny that Wray was a talented lawyer.  He specialised in criminal defence and at the moment he was working for the New Orleans mob boss Carlos Marcello. Marcello was a good friend of Meyer Lansky’s and they had recently opened a New Orleans casino.  Wray would probably be calling about the accounts that Bobby was working on.  Although he wasn’t a qualified accountant he had shown real nous in that area.  Lansky had been a good teacher and had always praised Bobby’s accounting prowess after Al Capone was imprisoned for tax evasion.  Bobby had been the one to suggest they move their money to an account in Switzerland.  It was creative accounting that was responsible not only for an increase in the take but for keeping yourself out of prison.  That was the reason that Lansky could outlive other mobsters, he was just far more intelligent.  Despite being Jewish Lansky had made his way to the top of the Italian Mafia, and they aren’t keen on outsiders.                  

Chauncey on the other hand was an old friend.  He had been in the employ of Lansky for years.  He had led a difficult life and he looked much older than his forty one years. He was in the US Army for years before being court marshalled for attacking a fellow soldier with the butt of his rifle.  He eventually fled from the Army after the Pearl Harbour attacks and he had spent time in prison in the 40’s.  In 1950 he entered the employ of Lansky, his duty was essentially the creation of false documents and Bobby had planned on calling him anyway on behalf of Jane and Faraday.

He decided to call Chauncey first it would doubtless prove to be more enjoyable.  He dialled and the phone rang out twice before it was answered.

“Hello?”  Chauncey sounded tense.

“Chauncey, Bobby Stinson how are you?”

“Bobby, I’m good you keeping busy?

“As always Chauncey, Nancy said you called I was actually going to call you this morning anyway.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah I need you to do me two false birth certificates, passports and driving licenses like you did for my friend the doctor.”

“Sure what are the names and how old are they?”

“I’d say around 22, that should be fine and it is one male and one female.  The guys name is James Faraday and the girl is Jane Stuart.”

“Yeah no worries Bobby, I’ll get started on them right away and then I can give you them when I see you.”

“When are you seeing me Chauncey?”

“That was why I’d called Meyer told me he needs to see you tomorrow.”

“Have I got to come to you?”

“That’s what he said.”

“Any idea what’s so urgent”

“No but it seems like it’s pretty big, he’s been a little on edge recently.”

“Okay Chauncey I’ll be there tomorrow.  See you then.”

As Bobby ended the call he had the sinking feeling that Faraday was right.  Nothing put Lansky on edge.  The assassination of JFK might be enough to worry him.  Was that why Wray had called he wondered.  Surely he wouldn’t be in the loop on something this big.  He hastily dialled Wray’s number.

“Good Morning, Wray Gill.”

“Good morning Wray, its Bobby just returning your call.”

“Bobby how are you?”

“I’m good Wray, what can I do for you?”

“No small talk Bobby, what’s wrong?”

“I’ve had a hellish morning Wray what do you want?

“Okay Bobby I won’t take up too much of your time.  First off I need October’s accounts for the casino.”

“Jesus Wray give me a chance it’s not even ten in the morning on the first day of November and you want the accounts for October!  I am a lawyer not an accountant, I don’t sit by the phone waiting for you to call!”