To Kill a President (18 page)

“Of course Bobby you’re a friend.”

“What the hell is going on in Bannister’s office?”

Jane was taken aback by how frank Bobby was.

“I wish I knew Bobby.  Something has changed since that fuck Ferrie started hanging about.  But it all goes on in Bannister’s private office a lot of strange people coming in and out.”

“Hmm has a guy called Lee Harvey Oswald been in?”  Bobby replied.

“Yeah he was an odd sort, I think it was July, August time he started hanging around.  He was with these Cuban guys and Bannister suggested he set up some Fair Play For Cuba Committee.  He was around for a few weeks then he was in Bannister’s office with that guy Carlos.  Bannister was screaming at them for some reason.  Have only seen him once since then, he came by with that group of Cubans again and Bannister suggested that they visit some woman in Dallas.”

“Do you remember her name?”  Jane interjected.

“Yeah I think it was Odio that was the surname.”

“Any idea why?”  Bobby asked.

“It was something to do with an anti-Castro group, that’s what I thought was weird I mean one day Oswald is in the office working for the Fair Play for Cuba Committee the next he’s in with a group of anti-Castro nuts.”

“Wait what is the Fair Play for Cuba Committee?”  Jane asked.

“It was set up to help end the US boycott of trading with Cuba.  So where does this Carlos guy come into things?”  Bobby said.

“Like I said I don’t know much about him.  His name is Carlos Bringuier, I know he is anti-Castro.  He’s been in the office quite a bit.  There’s this other weird guy Eladio Del Valle, he seems pretty friendly with Ferrie.  He’s another Cuban anti-Castro guy the two of them are always talking about some Operation Mongoose.”

“Operation Mongoose?”  Bobby asked.

“Wait I’ve heard of that!  That was the name the CIA gave to their plots to kill Castro.”  Jane said.

“How do you know that?”  Jack asked.

Bobby had no idea how they were going to explain this away.  “Um Derrick told me.”  Jane replied.

“Yeah that guy, how long have you known him Bobby?”  Jack asked.

“Not long, a few days really.”  Bobby replied.

“I’d watch him Bobby, I’m sure I met him at the office his name was Billy something he was talking with Ferrie about the Bay of Pigs disaster.”

“Wait I forget what happened at the Bay of Pigs?”  Jane asked.

Jack looked shell shocked and Bobby began to explain.  “She was living in Scotland at the time Jack.  It was a botched invasion of Cuba.  The CIA had trained Cuban exiles who tried to invade and overthrow Castro they expected Kennedy to provide further support.  He didn’t it was a complete disaster, Kennedy blamed the CIA and as a result the CIA director Allen Dulles, the Assistant Director Charles Cabell and the Deputy Director for Plans Richard Bissell all had to resign.  But I think you are mistaken Jack, Derrick was in prison during the Bay of Pigs.”

“Not a chance.  I never forget a face it was him alright they were talking about some exploding cigar they had worked on and something that would make Castro’s beard fall out so people would lose respect for him.  I promise you Bobby it was him.  My round, same again?”

Bobby and Jane both nodded as Jack set off to the bar.  “What do you think?”  Jane asked.

“I don’t know, I guess we’ll have to talk to Derrick when we get back.”

As Jack returned from the bar Bobby had his next question lined up.  “So where does Ferrie come into this?”

“Pah I hate the guy.  He’s a pilot, it was him who got Marcello back in to the country the first time Bobby Kennedy had him deported.  I’ve heard he’s linked to that mob boss in Chicago.”

“Sam Giancana.”  Bobby stated.

“That’s the one.  I’m telling you this whole thing stinks.”

“You wouldn’t happen to know a guy called Gerry Hemming?”  Jane asked.

“Yeah he’s another one that’s been in, another friend of Bannister’s.  What is all this about?  What is Bannister up to?”

Jane looked to Bobby who nodded.  “They’re trying to kill Kennedy.”  She stated.

Jack choked on his whisky.  “How the hell are they going to gun down the Attorney General?”

“Not that Kennedy.”  Bobby clarified.

Jack’s eyes widened. “You can’t kill a president!”

Bobby thought once more of Lincoln. “I’m afraid you can Jack.”

“So what do we do?”

“I don’t know.”  Bobby conceded.

Jane interjected.  “What do you know about Jim Garrison?”

“He’s a good man, he would listen.  Only problem is he knows Guy, if we go to him and he doesn’t buy it he could tell Guy.”

“Is it worth a shot?”  Jane asked.

“I suppose anything is, if it will stop the assassination.”  Jack replied.

“Well I can go to him, put him on the right track.  He doesn’t know me so it won’t get back to anyone.”  Jane suggested.

“Okay we can give it a try.”  Bobby said.

“Right the building is just opposite the office so it’s like thirty seconds walk from here.  We can wait here for you?”  Jack said.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a bit.”

Chapter 37

As David sat in his office finishing off an autopsy report the telephone rang.

“Good afternoon.”

“Hello is that David Lewis?”

“Yes.”

“It’s Bobby Kennedy what are you after?”

“Hello Mr Kennedy thanks for giving me a call, I was hoping we could meet?”

“What do you want?”  Bobby yelled.

“Just half an hour of your time Mr Kennedy, I am not trying to cause you any trouble.  You have my word on that.”

“Well what is all this shit about Marilyn’s diary?”

“I can explain when I see you Mr Kennedy, I promise you will not regret it.”

The line was silent for a moment. “What is your address?”

“1505 Elm Street, Dallas.”

“Okay I’ll be there tomorrow at noon.  No one else is to be there understand?”

“Of course Mr Kennedy thank you.”

Chapter 38

As Jane arrived at the District Attorney’s office, Jim Garrison was talking to a woman she presumed was his secretary.

“Excuse me.  I’m looking for Mr Garrison.”

“Well young lady you are in luck.  Come into my office.”  She followed Jim into his office he sat down in his big black leather chair and said “Please take a seat.”  Jane did as she was told.

“What can I do for you dear?”

“Well Mr Garrison” she began.

“Please just call me Jim, Mr Garrison is my father.”  Jane laughed politely.

“Well Jim as I’m sure you are aware the President is planning a trip to Dallas at the end of the month.”

“The 22
nd
I believe.”  Jim confirmed.

“Well Jim, it is um kind of difficult to say this but I have come across some information that well I have to tell you.  I don’t know who else to go to.”

Jim looked concerned now.  “What is it dear? You can tell me.”

“Well there are people planning to kill the President.”

Jim’s jaw dropped as he heard the words.  “Did I hear that right?”

Jane nodded.

“How do you know this?”

“I eh can’t really tell you but I can give you the names of some people I know are involved.”

“Okay then well that’s a start.”

“Okay well there’s Carlos Marcello, Mayer Lansky, Chauncey Holt, David Ferrie and Guy Bannister.”

“So what the mob are carrying out the hit?”

“Yes.”  Jane replied.

“I’m sorry but I don’t believe that young lady, the mob are capable of a lot of things but there is no way they would kill the President.”

“It is true!”  Jane yelled.

“You said Guy Bannister, are you meaning the Private Eye, the former FBI agent you think he would kill the President?”

“He’s involved in the plot!  I’ve been speaking with Jack Martin, he will corroborate this.”

“Any chance Jack was drunk dear?  He sure does talk a lot when he’s drunk.”  Jim laughed.

“No he wasn’t drunk!  J Edgar Hoover knows about it and is going to stand by and let it happen.  You are the only person that can help us please!”

“J Edgar Hoover knows, why would he let it happen?”

“The mob is blackmailing him!”

“So how is it that you have come by this information?”

“I am in contact with a member of the CIA.” Jane lied.

“Who?”

“Bobby Stinson.”

“The mob lawyer you’re telling me he is a CIA agent.”  Jim laughed.  “Is this a wind up?”

“No it’s not a wind up!”

“I think you should leave.”  Jim stated.

“No wait I’ll level with you.”  Jane took a deep breath she knew she would regret doing this but she had to try.  “I’m from the future.”

Jim was even more shocked now.  “Who sent you here huh?  You expect me to believe this shit!”

Jane pulled out the purse from her wallet and tossed it onto the desk. “Look at the cards in there.”

Jim opened the purse and looked at the driver’s license.  “This says you were born in 1991?  What is this?”  He asked as he pulled out her bank card.

“That is my bank card. I’m from the year 2014.  I can explain why I’ve come to you if you give me a chance.”

Jim had no idea what to say.  “Okay explain.”

“Okay like I say I’m from the year 2014, I live in Stirling in Scotland.  I was transported back here last Friday.  In the early 1990’s there was a film made by a man named Oliver Stone entitled JFK.  You are the hero of the film Jim!”

Jim laughed again.  “I’m the hero of the film?”

“Yes.  The film is about you trying to uncover who killed JFK.”

“So who did kill JFK?”

“Nobody knows Jim, well somebody knows but the murder was blamed on Lee Harvey Oswald, he never went to trial.  He was murdered by Jack Ruby two days after the assassination.”

“Sorry did you say Lee Harvey Oswald?”

“I did.”

“I know him he was arrested here a couple of months back, he defected to the Soviet Union I’ve always wondered why he was allowed back in the country.”

“Exactly surely that isn’t normal, surely he would not be allowed back into the country.  Someone high up must have got him back in.”

“But why?”

“So they could frame him for killing the President!”  Jane replied.

“Okay let’s say that is true, what’s to stop you just showing the police where he is going to shoot from and then they could apprehend him?”

“Jim I know it is hard to understand but the murder of Kennedy is probably the most widely debated murder in history.  No one knows what happened and there is a good chance no one will unless we do something about it.  With regards to the Dallas police they are in the pocket of Jack Ruby he has ties to the mob.  They gave him access so that he could kill Oswald.  As I’ve told you the Director of the FBI knows about this.  We can’t go to anyone in law enforcement.  You are the only person we know has not been compromised.”

“You keep saying we, who do you mean?”

“I can’t tell you that, I’ve already mentioned Bobby Stinson.  He and Jack know what is going on.  Jack has seen people involved in the plot coming and going from Bannister’s office and Bobby was told by Meyer Lansky.  He has been told that he has to represent Oswald to keep him quiet until the mob can kill him.”

“So they’re not from the future too?”

“No, it’s just me.”

“Where are they just now?”

“They are in a bar around the corner.”

Jim laughed again. “I probably could have guessed that.  Take me to them.”

“Okay.  But first I need to tell you that Jack doesn’t know about what I’ve just told you.  I mean he knows about the plot but not about me.”

“Okay it will be our little secret.”

Chapter 39

As Bobby and Jack sat in the bar Bobby could not help but check his watch. 

“This is taking too long Jack!”

“Don’t worry Bobby he’s a good man he’ll listen to her.”

“What will he do about it though, is he a man of action?”