A Year to Forget (The Accidental Time Travellers Book 2) (14 page)

Chase managed to refrain from laughing as Sarah Salmond walked towards them and shook their hands. 

“We have a meeting room just along the hall.”  She turned and led the men down the corridor into a room with a long wooden table, surrounded by chairs.

“Take a seat.”  She said pleasantly.

Both men took the seats nearest the door and Sarah sat directly opposite Bobby.

“Okay so you said you wanted to talk about some articles I have written.  I’m guessing you are referring to the ones about our President?”

“That’s right.  But I’m not here on behalf of the President, I’m here because the man who is giving you your information killed two women and a four year old child this morning.  One of them was a very dear friend of mine and the other two were related to me.  I want to know where he is.”

“He killed two women and a child?”  Sarah asked, dismayed by the news.

“Do you not know who this man is?  He was sent to prison for being a war criminal, he bit a prison guard’s throat out and then he escaped from Alcatraz.”

“Well I knew he had escaped from prison but he is a CIA agent, I presumed it was part of a cover story.”

“The CIA doesn’t exist anymore.”  Bobby stated forcefully.

“Not officially, but from what he told me it is still very much in existence.”

“That can’t be true.”  Bobby argued.

“That’s what he told me.”  Sarah said defiantly.

“Where are they getting their money from?”

“I don’t know, he said they have wealthy backers.”

“No names?”

“No he only tells me what he wants me to report.”

“Why are you doing what he tells you, he’s a psychopath?”

“He is a scary man, but my job is to report the news to the people, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.  The President has skeletons in his closet and from what I’ve heard so do you Mr Stinson.”

“What you said about me was completely untrue.  I tried to stop the assassination.”

“That’s not what Mr Oswald said.”

“They killed him are you that stupid you can’t see what these men are like?”

“I understand perfectly well what these men are like, but I also understand what you are like Mr Stinson.  If the news that I broke was untrue the President would have sued me, but he didn’t.  Hoover would have tried to crush me, but he hasn’t.  And I imagine you would have done something about it.”

“Parts of what you said were true, but the parts about me were not among them.  I don’t want to argue about this, just tell me how I find him.”

“I don’t know, he contacts me.”

“When did he last contact you?”  Chase interjected.

“Not since Oswald’s death.  Although I got an anonymous call last night about Rosemary.”

“Who?”  Bobby asked.

“Kennedy’s sister, they reported she had had a lobotomy at the behest of Joe Kennedy.”  Chase again interjected.

“You really are a bitch!”  Bobby yelled.

Sarah didn’t even flinch.  “I’m doing my job.”

“Unbelievable!  He’s the best President this country has ever had and you are burying him!”

“He and his family have done this to themselves, if they hadn’t I would have nothing negative to write about him.  Don’t shoot the messenger.” She smiled sweetly, for such a beautiful woman she was disgusting on the inside Bobby thought.

“What about this Sirhan Sirhan, do you know him?”

“I’ve met him, he’s a bit odd he just does whatever Jacob tells him to.”

“You must know something?”

Sarah shook her head.

“I could arrest you right now.”

“For what?”

Bobby just stared back at her, he wanted desperately to have a reason.

Bobby struggled from the seat, Chase followed suit.  “Contact me if you hear from him.”  Bobby removed a business card from his pocket and put it down on the desk.

“I’ll do what I can.”  She replied.

“Somehow I doubt that.”  Bobby snapped.

Chapter 29

The flight from Washington to Hyannis Port left at 16:30, with the time difference it was almost 23:00 when they arrived at the hospital.  It was the first time that Will and Faraday had been alone together following their argument at the hospital two months previously.

The conversation had been almost nonexistent on the journey, Faraday’s thoughts were on Jane.  He couldn’t believe he was in this position again.  But this time there was no light to follow, just a trail that would hopefully end with her killer.  He knew that Will had been fond of Jane, perhaps too fond in his opinion and all that did was make him angry.  The drink had worn off from earlier in the day and he knew he would not be able to best Will physically, but he wanted to.  He knew what they were doing together was more important, but he wanted to beat someone.

They stepped from the car and walked into the hospital. They were directed to Gottlieb’s office and when they knocked on the door they were greeted by the man Faraday had met briefly when he had come to visit David.

“Dr Gottlieb, you may remember me.  I’m James Faraday and this is my colleague Will Carter.  May we come in?”

Sidney gave a forced smile and gestured for both men to enter.  They both sat down as Gottlieb struggled to his side of the desk and took his seat.

“Have you got trouble with you leg Dr Gottlieb?”  Faraday asked.

“Yes, I have a club foot.  I’m surprised you didn’t notice during our last meeting.”

“I had other things on my mind and I’m afraid that is the case today.”

“Go on.”

“My wife was murdered this morning by a friend of yours named Jacob Cohen.”

Gottlieb nodded his acknowledgement of the name.  “I wouldn’t say he’s a friend.”

“But you do know him?”

“We used to work together.”

“I wasn’t aware he’s a doctor.”

Gottlieb laughed as if they were old friends catching up.  “We both worked with the CIA before it was disbanded.”

“So when did you last meet?”

Gottlieb chuckled.  “Must be in the late fifties I’d say.”

“You’re lying, Josef Mengele told us that you have been testing your patients with LSD, hypnosis and eclectic shock therapy in an attempt to build soldiers that don’t have any knowledge of the crimes they commit.”

“Yes, so?”

“You admit it?”  Faraday asked astounded.

“Well of course, it’s my job.”

“What?”

“I am part of the Office of Strategic Services, it is part of our research in the war against communism.”

“You are doing this for our government?”

“That’s right.”

“And Mengele?”

“No of course not, he’s a Nazi war criminal.”

“So is Jacob working for the OSS?”

“No, absolutely not.”

“Mengele said he mentioned your name?”

“Well this was also my job when we were part of the CIA, he may well have mentioned me.”

Faraday was astounded.  “Can I check this with the President?”

Gottlieb smiled.  “Of course you can, although I don’t think he takes a very active role in the organisation, you may be better speaking to Abaddon.”

“But when I came here to see David I mentioned the President and you didn’t say anything?”

“I don’t publicize the fact Mr Faraday.”

“Did you test LSD on David?”

“I did but I was not aware of who he was, I would never have done that had I been aware of his position.”

“And that makes it okay?”  Will asked sarcastically.

“It is my job Mr Carter.  I’m sure that there are some things in your roles that are unpleasant.”

“Usually it’s the people we meet.  We don’t test mind altering drugs and electric shocks on the most vulnerable people in society.”

Gottlieb smiled.  “It is for the greater good, our enemies are doing the selfsame thing.”

“That doesn’t make it okay either.”  Will barked.

“May I use your phone to verify this with Abaddon.”  Faraday interrupted.

“Of course you may Mr Faraday.”

Faraday picked up the phone and dialled Abaddon’s home number.  “Abaddon, its Faraday.”

“Hello Faraday, I’m so sorry about Jane.” 

It stung his heart like a knife. “Thank you.  I’m calling because I’m with Dr Sidney Gottlieb, we got his name from Josef Mengele.  He claims that he works for the OSS and his research is authorized by you?”

“Josef Mengele?  How would he know Sidney?”  Abaddon asked, sounding surprised.

“Well I asked him if he knew the name, he said Jacob Cohen mentioned it.”

“I believe they both worked in the CIA a few years ago.”

“So the OSS has no ties to Cohen?”

“Why would you even ask such a ridiculous question?”

“Just with what Mengele said, and I saw David when Gottlieb tested him with LSD.”

“That was a mistake on his part, he was not aware of who David was.  When I found out I was furious myself.”

“Well alright then, sorry to bother you.”

“Not a problem.  Also just to make you aware, David will be away for a few days, he’s looking into Apollo 8 for me.  I just want to ensure that we haven’t missed anything, I would have asked Bobby or you but given what happened I assumed you would be taking some time off.”

“We think Cohen may be behind what happened this morning.”

“I would have to agree.  But if you don’t feel up to it just let me know, you can take as much time as you need.”

“Thanks Abaddon, I appreciate that.”

“You’re quite welcome and if you need anything you just let me know.  My door is always open.”

“Okay, I’ll speak to you later.”

“Bye James, God bless.”

As Faraday replaced the receiver he felt quite silly.  “Dr Gottlieb I’m sorry to have wasted your time.  We should have considered the source before we walked in here accusing you of working with Cohen.  It’s just been a traumatic day.”

He smiled sweetly reminding Faraday of his grandfather.  “You have no need to apologise, you were doing your job.  Most people wouldn’t be able to function in this kind of situation, it is inevitable that a mistake would be made.  Just take care of yourself.”

“Thanks for your time.”  Faraday rose to his feet, and he and Will left the room.  They walked from the hospital in silence and got in the car, Will was driving them back to the airport.  He had been driving for a few minutes when he decided to break the silence.

“Don’t you think it’s terrible that he is doing that to people?”

“Well yes, it is.”  Faraday replied half heartedly.

“But because your friend has authorized it, that’s alright?”

“No I didn’t say that but it’s like he said, it’s his job.”

“Are you kidding me?  Mengele’s job was experimenting on the Jews, blacks, homosexuals, children, that doesn’t mean that’s okay.”

Faraday really wanted to hit Will.  “Will my wife died this morning, I am sick of you rambling on about fucking Nazis.  I know they are evil but I have other things on my mind!”

Will brought the car to a halt and stared at Faraday.  “Well I don’t have that luxury!  I was in Auschwitz, I’ll never think of anything else!  And you go sucking up to the American Josef Mengele.”

“Will, shut the fuck up!”  Faraday screamed.

“You were a fucking terrible husband you one eyed fuck!”

Faraday dove across the car on top of Will and managed to punch him in the face.  He struggled to stay on top of him, he was strong.  “Fuck you!”  He screamed.  To his surprise he managed to get another punch in and then again.  He was winning the fight.  He punched him once more and broke his nose.  He was about to throw another punch when Will opened the door and both men fell out of the car, their legs remained inside, but Faraday was lying on top of Will at the side of the road.

“I slept with her!”  Will screamed.

Faraday felt like he had been shot in the heart, his eye closed when he heard the words.  He had no fight left in him.  He pushed himself off Will and got to his feet.  When he had done so, Will struggled to his feet holding his nose.

Faraday walked to the front of the car and took a cigarette from the packet, before sparking it up.  The tears had returned, but this time they were not for Jane, they were for him.  He tried to cry silently but he couldn’t keep his pain inside.

Will kept his hand on his nose as he watched Faraday.  He knew he shouldn’t have said it but the anger had taken over him.  He was unsure as to whether to explain himself or not.  Should he comfort him?  No that would be crazy.  Without thinking he put his hand to his holster to ensure that his gun was in place, it was.  He hoped he wouldn’t need it but if Faraday tried to shoot him, there would only be one man left standing.