To Kill a President (36 page)

“President John F Kennedy died at approximately 13:00 CST today here in Dallas.  He died of a gunshot wound to the brain.  I have no other details regarding the assassination of the President.”

David turned and walked towards Clint once again.  Kennedy’s body was being wheeled from trauma room one and down the corridor towards the exit.  David watched on as his boss Dr Earl Rose stepped in front of the wooden casket and refused to move.  He hurried towards the scene to see what was going on.

“Get out of the way!”  Clint said.

“You cannot take the body until an autopsy has been performed.”

“Mrs Kennedy wants the autopsy to take place in Washington.”  Clint replied.  Jackie Kennedy was still wearing her pink outfit, it was drenched in blood.  She looked absolutely devastated.

“That is irrelevant this is a homicide just like any other we must perform an autopsy.”

“This is the President of the United States we might be under attack by the Soviets we need to get Mrs Kennedy and the new President back to Washington.  Dallas is not safe.”

“That is illegal the body cannot leave the state.”

“This is an order directly from President Johnson.”

“It doesn’t matter this is not a federal crime.  The autopsy must be performed here.”

Clint had clearly had enough and Jackie seemed to be getting more upset with each passing moment.  He pulled out his gun and pointed it at Dr Rose.  “Against the wall!”

Dr Rose moved reluctantly to the wall and the Secret Service agents along with Jackie Kennedy carried on towards the exit with David following close behind.  The casket was loaded into the back of a white hearse.  Clint opened the door for Jackie and she sat in the back, Clint then instructed David to get in beside her and Clint then followed.  The hearse began its slow journey to Love Field airport.

David looked at Jackie and his heart went out to her.  She was hurting and he knew how she felt.  It must have been so horrible to see her husband murdered in such a brutal way.  She kept turning to gaze at the casket as if hoping he would come back to life and jump out.  There was silence in the car for most of the journey.  Jackie didn’t seem to notice Clint or David’s presence she just wanted her husband back.  As they neared Love Field she turned and addressed Clint.

“Who is this?” 

“This is David Lewis he’s a forensic pathologist and a friend of Bobby’s.  Bobby asked me to ensure that David would be involved in the autopsy, he needs someone we can trust.”

“Why wouldn’t we be able to trust the other doctors?”

“It’s hard to say, you would be better asking Bobby.”  Clint replied.

“After what has just happened to the man I love I think I can take it.”  David could sense the emotion in Jackie rising.  She was so classy even in the way she handled a tragedy like this.

Clint paused for a moment as if considering his words carefully.  “Bobby thinks this is the work of a conspiracy.”

David had expected Jackie to be shocked by this news but she remained calm.  “I agree with Bobby shots were coming from every angle and there was hardly any security.  Who does he think is behind it?”

“I don’t know.”  Clint replied.  Jackie looked towards David.

“I think Bobby would be better at explaining this.”  David offered.

“Do you know who is behind this?”

“Well I have a fair idea but I think Bobby should tell you.  He’s family.”

“But Bobby isn’t here and my husband is lying right behind me in a casket.  I want to know why.”

“It’s just that it’s quite hard to explain and I wouldn’t want to say someone was involved if they weren’t.”

“Was it Lyndon?”

Clint looked shocked at the accusation.  David nodded.

“I knew it.  He picked the route, he organized the trip to Texas, he could call off security and he had the top taken off the car.  So what are we going to do about it?”

“I’m sure there must be some other explanation, I think we should wait and see what Bobby says.”  Clint stated clearly not wanting this to be true.

“I would have to agree.”  David said. 

The hearse pulled to a halt.  David looked out of the window and saw Air Force One.  It was swarming with Secret Service officers.  Clint stepped out of the car and helped Jackie step out.  David followed.  Some Secret Service agents carried the coffin on board with Clint, Jackie and David following.

As they entered Air Force One, Clint asked why all of the windows were covered.  He was told that it was in case the Soviets tried to kill Lyndon Johnson next.  They all followed the coffin to the rear of the plane and Jackie sat down putting her hand on the top of the casket.  David had not yet taken his seat when a woman approached Jackie Kennedy to tell her that Lyndon Johnson was being sworn in if she would like to stand with him.  David was amazed at the audacity of Lyndon once again.  As if this day hadn’t been horrific enough for her she was now to stand and watch the man who had her husband assassinated be sworn in as President.  He was even more amazed when she agreed to do it. 

They headed towards the front of the plane and into a room that was filled with around thirty people.  Jackie was led towards Lyndon and stood on his left hand side with his wife on his other side.  A woman held out a Roman Catholic Bible that had belonged to JFK and Lyndon Johnson put his left hand on the Bible whilst raising his right hand in the air.  He then took the Oath of Office.

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

It was a sad day for Democracy David thought.  When Lyndon finished speaking he turned his head towards a man David did not recognize and smiled.  The man returned a wink.  Jackie had stood silently drenched in her husband’s blood.  She then headed back towards David and Clint and they sat beside the coffin.  Jackie rested her hand on it once more.

The flight to Washington took slightly over two hours.  David found it difficult to think of anything to say to Jackie, she just looked so broken by the day’s events.  He was amazed at her compassion towards a Secret Service agent named William Greer.  He had been the driver of the Presidential limousine.  He apologized for not reacting quickly enough when the shots started.  Jackie had told him that she didn’t blame him it was the people that fired the shots that were to blame as were the people that put the gunmen there.

When Air Force One touched down in Washington Bobby Kennedy ran straight onboard.  Lyndon Johnson approached him to offer his condolences, he was ignored as Bobby headed straight for Jackie.  The casket was then removed from the plane and put into the back of another hearse.  Clint Hill, Jackie Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy and David sat in the back.

Bobby like Jackie looked absolutely exhausted by the day’s events.  He was trying to comfort her but she seemed to become more upset by his presence.  It was as if she had been holding it in and then upon seeing Bobby became comfortable in showing her feelings.  She wasn’t alone anymore she had Bobby with her, to guide her through the agony.  David felt as if he shouldn’t be there, he hardly knew any of them.  He looked out the window of the stationary hearse and saw President Johnson addressing the media as a helicopter rose into the air behind him.  The car set off for Bathesda Naval Hospital.

Once Jackie and Bobby had finished speaking Jackie addressed the car as a whole.

“So what do we do about Lyndon Johnson?”

“How do you know about that?”  Bobby asked.

“He told me.”  She said pointing at David.

“Well I suppose you had to know but I had planned on telling you myself.”

David blushed.  “I made him tell me.”  She said, saving David from an ear bashing.

“Well he’s right.  I should have listened to you David.”

“How do you mean?”  Jackie asked.

It was Bobby’s turn to blush now when he spoke his voice was filled with regret.  “David told us that this was going to happen.  At first I didn’t believe him, but when I told Jack he said that he wouldn’t cancel the trip.”

“He knew this was going to happen!”  Jackie cried.

“No Jackie he didn’t know, to him it was just another death threat.  You know how many times he was warned of a potential assassination attempts.”

Jackie continued to sob.  “So it was Lyndon who planned everything.”

“No, he was involved but it wasn’t just him.  The CIA, the mob, Cubans and J Edgar Hoover all helped.  But we’ll get them.  They are trying to pin it on this guy they have arrested.”

“Who have they arrested?”  Clint asked.

“Lee Harvey Oswald they are painting him as some nut job, Hoover even called to say he thinks Oswald acted alone.”

“Liar.”  David muttered.

“They are going to try to cover this up and we can’t let them.”  Bobby stated.

“Well my friends and I have been trying to stop this happening.  We have a list of everyone involved in the plot.  I saw one of the gunmen and I killed another.”  David thought back to the innocent man once again.  What had he been thinking?  “My friend Faraday saw Officer Tippit getting shot I believe but I haven’t spoken to him yet.”

“James Faraday?”  Bobby asked.

“That’s right.”

“He was shot it was mentioned on the news.”

David’s heart sunk, Faraday had already suffered enough, so had Jane.  “Is he going to be okay?”

“I don’t know.  They said he was shot in the abdomen.”

“Jesus!”  David sighed he knew how fatal gunshot wounds to the stomach usually were.  “I can’t believe this!”  David could feel everything spinning around him.  “Who did it?”

“They’re pinning it on Oswald too.”

“Son of a bitch!”

“I’m sorry David.”  Jackie said.

“Thanks.  He’s just a kid.”

“He might be okay.”  Clint offered.

“I’d doubt it, if he was shot in the stomach he’s fucked.  There are too many organs that can be damaged not to mention intestines.  If his stomach ruptures the acid will enter his blood stream.  The blood loss alone could kill him.  Even if he is lucky enough to survive all of that he could get an infection.”  David began feeling guilty.  Faraday had not wanted to get involved in this again.  It had been David who had forced him into it.  “He just got engaged.”

“I’m sorry David, when we get to Bathesda you can call Parkland to check up on him.”

“I will.”

“Sorry to change the subject but we don’t have much time.  Who did you shoot?”  Bobby asked.   

“Jim Braden, but the police don’t know I did it.  He was working the radio for the assassin in the Dal-Tex building.”

“Good work.”  Clint said in approval.

“My friend Bobby Stinson is a lawyer and he is representing Oswald.  My other friend Jane Stuart was in Dealey Plaza trying to get a picture of the gunmen.”

“How do we tie anything to Johnson or Hoover?  They can cover this up if they want to.”  Jackie said.

“I don’t know.”  David replied.

“Jackie do you need Clint tonight or can I borrow him?”  Bobby asked.  Clint looked shocked.

“I can’t leave her alone tonight.”  He stated.

“She won’t be alone she will be with me.”  Bobby stated.

“What do you want Clint to do?”  Jackie asked.

“I want him to go back to Dallas and help David’s friends.”

“That’s a good idea.”  Jackie agreed.

“I can’t leave you, what if they try to get you next?”

“If they wanted either of us dead they would have done it already.”  Bobby stated.  “As soon as we arrive at Bathesda I want you to get the driver to take you back to the airfield and I want you on a flight to Dallas.  We can’t trust anyone else.”

“It’s okay Clint.  I’ll be safe with Bobby.”

“If that’s what you want me to do.”  Clint agreed.

“Thank you Clint, I won’t forget this.”

“David I need you in that autopsy room.”

“Of course.”

The hearse pulled up in front of Bathesda Naval Hospital and the casket was carried inside with a guard of honour being formed for its arrival.  Once the casket was inside Clint headed back for the airfield.  Bobby, Jackie and David were led inside.  They were confronted by an FBI Agent that introduced himself as Jim Sibert.

“Mrs Kennedy I am so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.”  She replied.

“My Kennedy likewise you have my deepest condolences.  We have organized a room upstairs where you should be very comfortable whilst the autopsy is carried out.”

“Thank you, I want my friend here David Lewis to perform the autopsy.”  Bobby replied.

Jim immediately rejected that idea.  “I’m sorry sir but by the order of the President the autopsy will be carried out by a Doctor James Humes and his colleague Dr Pierre Finck.”

“Well I request that Doctor Lewis be permitted to observe the autopsy.  He is a family friend.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea sir.”

“I don’t give a damn what you think that is my brother in there!  If the President has a problem with that then he can speak to me directly.”

Jim looked shocked.  “Yes sir.”

“Can I make a quick call to Parkland first?”  David asked.

“Yes of course.”  Bobby answered.

David was led into a small room with a telephone.

Once he had spoken with Jane, Bobby and Jackie were led up the stairs whilst David was taken to the Autopsy Room.  He glanced at his watch and saw that it was 20:00. When he entered the room he was stunned by what he saw.

Chapter 78

As Fritz, Hosty, Oswald and Bobby headed out into the corridor Bobby could not believe his eyes.  There must have been around one hundred and fifty reporters crammed into the corridor.  There was hardly any space to walk through. They struggled through the crowds whilst journalists began firing questions at Oswald.  Bobby was astounded once more at how calmly Oswald dealt with the situation. 

Oswald was taken through into the police line up room whilst Bobby, Hosty and Fritz went into the next room.  They entered a narrow room that allowed them to see Oswald through a one way mirror.  Bobby watched as a police officer searched Oswald.  He pulled what appeared to be bullets from his pocket.  Jesus why did he have bullets in there?  Bobby thought.

Three other men entered the room beside Oswald.  Two of them were wearing black suits and the other was wearing a checked shirt.

“Fritz these had better not be the men in the line up.”  Bobby stated.

“They are.”

“You can’t do that.  That is illegal they look nothing like him?  All of them are wearing shirts and two of them are wearing suits.  They are all about forty, are they cops?”

“Yes.”

“At least give Oswald a suit jacket or find other people.  Anyone would pick Oswald out he’s wearing a t-shirt and has a huge gash on his head.”

Oswald began shouting from the other side of the glass.  “I know what you are doing you are trying to railroad me!  This isn’t fair!  I am the only one with a bruise on his head!  I want a jacket similar to theirs!  I’m just wearing a t-shirt!  You can’t do this!”