To Kill a President (16 page)

“What’s so strange about that?”  Derrick asked.

“Well the address on the leaflets Oswald was handing out is the same address as Guy Bannister’s office, so we have an Anti Castro and a Pro Cuba organization running in Bannister’s Private Eye office.  I’ve been there it’s not that big, they know each other so the fight must have been staged.  Then a cop shows up and arrests Oswald.  So anyway Chauncey gives me the ID and asks me to drop it with Ruby, so Faraday and I went to the club.  That’s where you come into things Derrick so why don’t you tell us what you learned from Oswald.”

Derrick pulled his trusty notepad from his back pocket.  “Okay well to be honest I actually found out quite a bit.  Firstly he stays at a boarding house called Oak Cliff it’s on 1026 North Beckley Avenue.  It is run by a woman named Gladys Johnson.  He has rented the room under the name O.H.LEE.  But he only stays there during the week. At weekends he spends his time with his wife at the home of Michael and Ruth Paine which is on Fifth Street in Irving.  Michael Paine does not live at the house, seems like quite a strange arrangement. I think they are still together but living apart for some reason.  Michael works at Bell Helicopter they produce the helicopters that the U.S. military use.  Ruth Paine is the one that got Oswald the job at the School Book Depository.  Marina Oswald seems like quite a strange character she is from the Soviet Union and is the mother of Oswald’s children.  The thing I don’t quite get about her is how she managed to get into the country.”

“Jack Ruby said a similar thing.  Apparently Oswald had previously defected to the Soviet Union.  How the hell could he get back in the country?”  Bobby asked.

“Well I’m afraid I didn’t find that out.  One strange thing was when I was sitting outside the Paine house this FBI Agent comes up to the house.”

“How did you know he was FBI?”  Bobby asked.

“I could hear them talking his name was James something.”

“James Hosty?”  Bobby interrupted.

“Yeah that’s the guy.  Oswald was in the house and that’s who Hosty wanted to see, but Marina lied and sent him away.  After that they started screaming at each other I could hear them from the car and then Oswald smacked her.”

“He hits her?”  David asked.

“They fight like cat and dog!”  Derrick stated.  “Anyway that was all I found out, Ruby showed up to take Oswald to the club and then I followed as did the other guy that was tailing him.  That’s when you guys showed up.”

Faraday pulled the picture from his pocket.  “Was this the guy that was tailing him?”  He pointed at the big man that had hit him.  Derrick nodded.  “Okay well apparently this guy is called Gerry Hemming probably a fake name.  Did you see the fat guy at all Derrick?”  Faraday asked pointing at the other man in the photo.

“Afraid not.”

“Okay so we know that this guy is tailing Oswald and according to Faraday he can punch.  We know his name or his alias.  Last night at the club Ruby gave the ID to Oswald so we know he is one of the two Hidell’s.  But we don’t know who the other is.  Ruby seemed to have no idea about the plot he was just asked to keep Oswald out of trouble by Jimmy Hoffa the leader of the Teamsters Union.  I guess that’s pretty much it.  Oh and I am having lunch with Hoover later this week.”

There were gasps around the living room.  “Why?” David asked.

“That’s pretty much all that happened when I was arrested last night. Derrick’s Agent Hosty came in and asked me to meet Hoover for lunch in Washington on Thursday.  Then Ruby showed up to give me a ride home.  Apparently that Tippit guy told him I’d been taken in so he showed up with his girlfriend and his dog.  I’m starting to think that Ruby has no idea what is going on and that he will probably be coerced into this. 

So what do we do now?”  Bobby asked.  There was silence for a moment until Jane broke it.

“Can Faraday and I have a word with you in private?”

“Actually Bobby I would also like a word in private.”  David said.

“Okay Derrick why don’t you take Nancy to the office and check if we have had any calls.”

Both Nancy and Derrick looked slightly annoyed as they left the condo at being excluded. 

“Okay Jane, Faraday we can talk in my room.”

“Um well actually I just couldn’t say it in front of them.  Did you ever see that Oliver Stone film JFK?”  Jane asked to the room at large.

“No.” Bobby replied.  David and Faraday shook their heads.

“Oh well I only saw it once when I was younger but it was about the New Orleans District Attorney, I can’t remember his name but he believed there was a conspiracy to kill JFK.  I don’t know if it’s a true story, I never really gave it much thought but maybe he could help us?”

“The New Orleans District Attorney is Jim Garrison is that who you mean?”

“I don’t know I guess so, I can’t really remember.”

“Okay well we can think about that one, I don’t know about anyone else but I don’t know which law and order forces can be trusted, we already know the FBI and the Dallas Police Department are involved. I don’t think it would be wise to go running to someone until we know which side they’re on.”

“I agree.”  David said.

“Okay well I just thought I’d mention it.” Jane said looking dejected.

“No it is a good idea Jane we just need to think carefully before we approach anyone because if this gets back to the wrong people we could end up dead.  Come to New Orleans tomorrow with Derrick and me. From what I know of Garrison he sounds like a guy that’s on the level but how exactly do we go to him without sounding as though we are in on the plot?”

“Okay I’ll come with you and we can discuss it then.” Jane replied feeling a bit better, she felt as though she hadn’t been of any use thus far.

“Okay David is your idea private?”

“No, same reason as Jane.  As you are all aware I am a Forensic Pathologist.  Whilst I was studying we looked at some famous autopsies and had to discuss whether we thought they were handled correctly or not.  As it happens these included both Kennedy brothers, but we also studied the autopsy carried out on Marilyn Monroe.  Anyone know where I’m going with this?”

Nobody did.

“Anyway the autopsy was carried out by the then Junior Medical Examiner Thomas Noguchi.  I don’t know why it was passed to the Junior Medical Examiner but I do have a theory.  Now the official cause of death was deemed to be an overdose of Nembutal pills.  This was because the Toxicology report revealed she had a fatal amount of Nembutal in her blood and liver.  However he did not examine the internal organs.  Whether this was intentional or not, I do not know.  What I do know is that there were no pills found in her stomach and there was no yellow die with which the tablets were coated.  Both of these would have been present if she did indeed take an overdose.  Now the theory I have is that Marilyn Monroe was having an affair with Jack Kennedy. Monroe got very attached to Jack and thought she might become the First Lady.  Now obviously that could never happen. Imagine the reaction if the public learned that the President of the United States was having an affair with the biggest movie star on the planet.  It has been speculated that Bobby Kennedy also had an affair with her and he was seen in the area on the night that she died.  It has also been said that he was in the area because he had visited her in an attempt to get hold of her diary and perhaps to intimidate her into keeping quiet.  The reason there were no pills in the stomach could be that she had received an enema which ultimately led to her death.”

“Okay so what are you proposing we do?”  Bobby asked.

“Well I think Noguchi did not conduct a thorough autopsy because he was instructed not to perhaps by the Attorney General.  I have no doubt that Bobby Kennedy would have put a halt to Noguchi’s career had he not done as he was asked.  Now I could quite easily get in touch with Noguchi and I’m sure he would be able to get hold of the Attorney General.  And again I am sure the Attorney General would be very keen to have a conversation with the man who has Marilyn Monroe’s diary.”  David looked very pleased with himself.

“How do you have Marilyn Monroe’s diary?”  Faraday asked.  Jane and Bobby looked at him mockingly.

“I obviously don’t actually have it but if he thinks I do he would talk to me.  I could persuade him to cancel the trip to Dallas.”

“You are a genius David!” Jane exclaimed.

“Okay I think you should do it.  We will attack this problem on three fronts Faraday you are in at the club, see what you can find out.  Jane, Derrick and I will go to New Orleans tomorrow and see what we can find out there, I’ll have to work on the casino accounts today.  David go for it!  Faraday will you be in the condo tomorrow?”

“Yes why?”

“I just want to make sure that we keep Nancy away from any danger.  You have my gun tomorrow and just make sure no one comes near here.”

Chapter 32

The club was pretty quiet probably because it was a Monday.  Faraday spent the majority of the evening chatting with a group of police officers who referred to the club as a home from home.  He met Nick McDonald, Roscoe White, Ray Hawkins, Bob Carroll, Gerald Hill, Paul Bentley, Jim Leavelle and Tippit once again.  He couldn’t help but wonder who was policing Dallas as they all seemed to be propping up the bar.  And they all loved Jack, Faraday couldn’t help but think that Bobby had been right about Ruby the way he spoke to the cops he just seemed like an entertainer.  It was the man Faraday knew as Gerald Hill that brought up Bobby.

“What the hell was the deal with that gimp last night?”

“Who Bobby?”  Ruby responded.

“Yeah that’s the guy.  Walker and me picked him up, he was shooting like a madman in the middle of the street.  He was rude as fuck.”  Hill continued.

“I don’t know what that was all about.  He was in here last night he seems like a stand up guy I’m not so sure about the company he keeps.”

“How do you mean?”  Tippit asked.

“Well remember that guy Derrick Stinson?”

Everyone nodded.

“Well last night I saw him following me to the club.  I think he was following that Oswald guy, I asked Bobby about it and he said they weren’t related but we were interrupted when the kid over there got punched.  Oh by the way kid I found Sheba sniffing your tooth its behind the till if you want it back.  Anyway I could tell Bobby was the one who had him tail Oswald.”

“That Derrick is scum.”  Ray Hawkins added.

“I know I mean he near enough tried to kill Gail, I’ll kill the mother fucker he sets foot in here.”  Ruby said.

“He tried to kill her?”  The words had left Faraday’s mouth before he could stop them.

“You know him?” Ruby asked.

“I eh know of him.”  Faraday replied.

“How come?” Ruby asked.

“Well I met Bobby last night outside the club when I was leaving.  He gave me a ride home.”  Faraday added wishing he could take it back.

“Oh yeah you stay near him?”

“Well as it turns out me and Jane, that’s my girlfriend we live in the same building as Bobby.”

“How the hell did you pay for that?”  Ruby asked.

“My parents are pretty wealthy.”  Faraday lied.

“Why the hell you working here then?”  The cops laughed.

“I like it here.”  Faraday said.

“Haha you’ve got good taste kid!  So did you see who he was shooting at?”

“Yeah it was that guy who punched me, Bobby was worried that he would follow me and thank God he was there the guy would have killed me otherwise.”

“What was the guys name again?”

“Gerry Hemming.”  Faraday replied.

“Anyone know him?”  Ruby asked.

Everyone shook their heads.

“Damn, well you see Bobby seems like a good guy but that bastard Derrick, I might have to teach him a lesson.”

“So what actually happened?” Faraday asked.

“Well he was in here drunk as hell and he started trying to grope any woman in sight then he makes a mistake and does the same with Gail.  So anyway Gail slaps him and he starts punching her in the face and stomach.  She was on the ground by the time I got near him.  So he punches me and then I lay him out.”

“So did he go to prison?”  Faraday asked.

“No I just gave him a doing and I hadn’t seen him since then until last night.”

Faraday was shocked how the hell could he tell Bobby that his grandfather was a lying piece of shit? 

“Okay Faraday you’ve done enough for your first night, you can take off I’ll see you tomorrow.”