To Kill a President (15 page)

“Freeze, drop the weapon and put your hands behind your head!”  The policeman from the passenger door yelled as he pointed his gun at Bobby.  Bobby did as he was told.  When the policeman that had yelled approached him he handcuffed Bobby and put him in the back of the police car.  Nobody spoke during the journey, Bobby had gotten enough people out of trouble that he had no fear of prosecution it was an open and shut self defence he had two witnesses who would testify to that if the case were to go to trial.

Once they had arrived at Dallas Police Headquarters he was put through the indignity of having his fingerprints and a mug shot taken.  But oddly enough they didn’t put him through the rest of the booking process.  Bobby began to smell a rat.  The officers that had arrested him took him into a questioning room.

“Okay Bobby this is Sergeant Hill and I am Detective Walker”

“Shouldn’t you be recording this?” Bobby interrupted.

Detective Walker looked annoyed.  “I was just about to let you know that it seems you have some guardian angels in your corner tonight.  There is a gentleman from the FBI that would like to speak with you and then you are free to go, there is a man waiting out front for you.”

“Who?”

“Mr Jack Ruby.” Walker replied.  Hill walked over to him and removed the cuffs.  The two cops left the room and Bobby was left alone with his thoughts.  What the hell is going on?  Was essentially all he could manage before the door opened and the aforementioned gentleman from the FBI entered the room.

“Hello Mr Stinson, I’m Special Agent James Hosty, how are you this evening?”

“How the fuck do you think I am Special Agent James Hosty?”

“I’m going to have a stab in the dark and say pissed off.”  Bobby could not think how to respond.  “Anyway I am just here to pass along a message from Director Hoover, he was hoping that you may be able to join him for a spot of lunch on Thursday?”

“Why?”

“He wants to speak with you.”

“What about?”

“I think he would prefer to discuss it personally.”

Bobby was feeling exasperated. “Sure where?”

“Director Hoover usually dines at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, shall we say 12:30?”

“Sure.  Is he paying for the plane ticket?”

Hosty pulled out an airline ticket from his jacket pocket.  “He sure is.”  He handed the ticket to Bobby and continued. “You are free to go. I think I heard the officer say there is someone waiting outside to collect you.”  With that Hosty got out of his chair and walked Bobby to the exit.

Bobby could see two people and a sausage dog standing by a car.  He hobbled towards them.

“Look who it is Sheba its Bobby he’s been naughty.”  Ruby laughed at his own wit.

“Hello Jack why are you here?”

“Is that any way to greet a friend?”

“Are we friends?”

“I guess we must be Bobby, I don’t go picking just anyone up from jail.”

“Okay thanks Jack I appreciate it really I do, but can we talk another time I can’t face it I’ve had a long day.”

“Sure. Seriously I’m just here to help out, Tippit heard that you had been brought in and we were leaving the club so we came to give you a ride.”

Against Bobby’s better judgement he was beginning to like Jack Ruby.

“Anyway I haven’t introduced you to my two little angels.  He gestured to the beautiful woman standing by the car, this is my soon to be wife Gail Raven.”

“You’re getting married?”  Bobby asked genuinely shocked.

“Well she’s bound to say yes one of these days right Gail?”

“I’ve told you a hundred times Jack I don’t want to get married.  It’s nice to meet you Bobby.”

Bobby felt like he had been hit by a lightning bolt, she was beautiful she had jet black hair and dark eyes she had her hair in a beehive style.  “Hi Gail the pleasure is really all mine.”  He meant it.  “Who’s the sausage dog?”  Bobby asked.

“She’s a Dachshund and don’t call her a dog this is my baby Sheba.”

Bobby bent down to stroke Sheba but she only had eyes for Jack.

The four of them packed into the car, Jack drove, Bobby was in the passenger seat and Gail was with Sheba in the back.

During the journey home Bobby felt good for the only time that day.  It wasn’t just Gail, but Jack Ruby was a good guy he was not the same nutcase he had heard about in the history lessons at school.  This was the pain with knowing what would happen to the man, in under a month he would be arrested for gunning down Lee Harvey Oswald.  He had never met anyone since Lincoln where this was the case, he didn’t know the history of the mob.  As they arrived outside the condo Jack gestured to the glove box.

“Your guns in there.”

“How did you get this?”

“I have a lot of friends Bobby, that’s an odd make you went for I’ve never heard of them.”

“It’s not mine its Derrick’s.”

“I could have sworn when they checked they said it was registered to a “B. Stinson.”

“It must have been “D. Stinson” they sound pretty similar.”

“Yeah I guess so, you going to pop by the club this week then?” Ruby asked.

“Yeah I’ll try to, if not it will be next week.”

“Okay Bobby, take care.” Ruby said.

“Bye, Bobby” Gail said.

“Bye guys and thanks again, bye Sheba.”

As Ruby, Gail and Sheba disappeared into the night Bobby entered the lobby.  The concierge had a worried look on his face.

“Are you okay Bobby?”

“Yes Kevin thanks for asking, was just some nutcase out there.  He won’t be back.”

“I’m glad to hear it.  Get to your bed you look exhausted.”

“I will thanks again.”

As Bobby entered the elevator he didn’t really know what to feel.  So much had happened in the past two days that he wasn’t sure which problem he should dwell on first.  All he knew was that he needed a day off.  He was going to get one.

As Bobby unlocked the door of the condo he saw that the living room light was still on but it was deadly silent.  As he entered the room everyone looked shocked to see him.  Jane was dabbing Faraday’s cheek with a cloth which she dropped, Faraday turned and a broad smile broke across his face which caused him to grab his jaw in pain, David’s eyes lit up, Nancy scowled and Derrick looked almost annoyed.

“Okay before anyone asks any questions I don’t want to talk about anything.  I’m exhausted and I need to sleep and then think.  Nancy we are not opening up the office on Monday but we start work at nine sharp.  We all meet in here and discuss things and see what the best play is.  But until then if I hear anyone so much as whisper the words Kennedy, Oswald, Ruby or assassination I will kill you myself.  We have enough food to do us until then.  David I’m taking your room because my bed is soaking wet.  Faraday, Jane you can have mine.  Nancy you and Derrick can have a couch each and David um well you can come into your room and sleep on the chair if you must.  Goodnight”

With that the longest day of Bobby’s life was over.

Chapter 31

Sunday 3
rd
November 1963 passed without incident.  Everyone did as they were told and avoided any discussion about the events of the past few days.  The day past slowly for David who without sleep was left alone with his thoughts, he had one idea but it was crazy he couldn’t do it.  Bobby slept like a log until one in the afternoon.  He only left David’s room once to get food and take it back to bed.  The silence in the bedroom was only broken once all day when David spoke.

“I don’t know what happened when the police came for you, but from what Faraday told me and from what you told me about Vegas all I can say is that I’m so proud of what you did.”

Bobby had no idea how to respond. He and David had lived like an old married couple for the last three years constantly bickering over their ability to change the past.  David had always frowned upon his relationship with Meyer and Bobby had always considered Meyer family.  He had finally seen that Meyer wasn’t family, he was a mobster.  David was like a brother to him.  But Bobby couldn’t bring himself to say that instead he opted for “Thank you David.”

In Bobby’s room Jane constantly checked on how Faraday’s jaw was.  If he was honest he was enjoying the attention but he missed his tooth.  They too only left the room to collect food.  Faraday had thought Jane would be furious that he had taken a job at The Carousel Club but on the contrary she thought it was ingenious and he was happy to take the credit even if it had been Andy Armstrong’s idea.

In the living room the mood was slightly fractious.  Derrick was constantly nagging Nancy that she should get Bobby to tell them what had happened.  Nancy was getting sick of his whining. Bobby was like family she had only known Derrick a couple of months.  In the end she told him to be quiet and then pretended to be asleep for the rest of the day.

On Monday 4
th
November 1963 everyone met in the living room at 09:00 to go over what they knew so far.  Bobby and Nancy sat on one couch, Faraday and Jane on another, David sat in an armchair and Derrick had pulled a chair from the table over and sat it on the other side of Nancy.

“So how do you know people are trying to kill the president?”  Nancy asked directing it at Bobby.

“Okay yesterday morning I got a call from Chauncey remember?”

Nancy nodded.

“Right so he asked me to go to Vegas to meet with Meyer.  So as you know I flew up to Vegas to meet with him.  That was when Meyer told me he wanted me to defend Lee Harvey Oswald once Kennedy has been assassinated.  But he only wants me to do that if Oswald is not killed before then.”

Derrick interrupted. “But you asked me to tail Oswald before you went to Vegas.”

Bobby was stumped.  “Ah well Chauncey had mentioned that name on the phone so I wanted to know who he was.”  This seemed to please everyone apart from Nancy.

“But you were going to hire Derrick before you spoke to Chauncey.”

“I was just trying to help. I would have found something for him to do.”  Bobby replied.  “Okay so after Meyer demands that I do this we went to a meeting with J Edgar Hoover.”

It was Derrick’s turn to interrupt again. “You know J Edgar Hoover?”

This brought back Bobby’s memory of what Edgar had said about Derrick.  “Yes I do, unfortunately.  He mentioned you actually.”

“You can’t trust him Bobby.  He’s got files on everyone. He probably has one on you for Christ’s sake.”  Derrick said sounding anxious.

“Does he have a file on you?”  David asked.

Derrick nodded.  “It’s just because of that thing with Ruby and that was taken way out of context.”

Bobby continued, he was beginning to feel that Derrick was a hindrance rather than a help.  “Okay so during the meeting with Hoover, Meyer told him about the assassination and said when it would take place.  It will happen when Kennedy visits Dallas on 22
nd
November.  Meyer also told me that it was Carlos Marcello the mob boss from New Orleans that ordered the hit.  He told Hoover they already knew the route the motorcade was taking.”

“How could they know that?”  Nancy asked.

“Well I think they must have some inside help.”  Nancy gasped putting a hand up to her mouth.  “Even Hoover didn’t know the route, so it must be pretty high up. I’m thinking the Secret Service.  Anyway all he wanted Hoover to do was make sure that I am appointed as Oswald’s lawyer.  But that will only happen if the Dallas Police don’t kill him first.  Meyer said that Ruby was taking care of that, but when I met Ruby he genuinely didn’t seem to know anything about it.

After the meeting I went to visit Chauncey, he told me that he was being sent to stay with Peter Licavoli, he is one of the bosses in Detroit.  Chauncey thinks he has been chosen as one of the gunmen because he believes a mafia hit man Charles Nicoletti is in charge of the planning of the hit.  I don’t know if that is true it is only Chauncey’s opinion.

Chauncey then went on to tell me that he was working on some fake ID for Jack Ruby with the name Alek James Hidell.  Strange thing was that he had already made the same ID and a Passport and driver’s license with Oswald’s name on it at the start of the year for someone working out of Guy Bannister’s office.  Bannister is a Private Investigator.  He never found out who the ID was meant for but left it with a guy called Carlos.  Now Carlos is another suspicious character apparently Chauncey was asked to go back to New Orleans again to take them some pictures of Lee Harvey Oswald holding an old looking rifle. As he was walking down the street he see’s Oswald giving these Fair Play for Cuba Leaflets.  Anyway after he has dropped off the pictures at the office this guy Carlos is standing in the street having a fight with Oswald, he was saying that Oswald had pledged to join his Anti-Castro group.”