To Kill a President (39 page)

David wandered over to them and introduced himself.

“I’m Dr Lewis.  I am here to assist in the autopsy.  Are you the pathologists?”

The man closest to David was first to respond.  He looked around forty and wore glasses, his hair was turning gray. 

“Yes I’m Dr Humes, these are my colleagues Dr Finck and Dr Boswell.”  David shook all three men’s hands in turn.  “Do you have much experience in forensic pathology Dr Lewis?”

“Yes I work at Parkland Hospital.”

“That’s a relief we have never actually performed an autopsy.”

“None of you?”  David asked unable to believe what he had just heard.

“Well I went on a one week course a number of years ago but other than that I have never performed any autopsies.”

“Why did they ask you to do it then?”

“I have no idea.”  Dr Humes conceded.  “Perhaps it would be better if you lead the autopsy Dr Lewis.”

One of the men in military uniform overheard this comment.  “He is here to observe only.  You must conduct the autopsy Dr Humes by order of the President.”

David didn’t argue.  The three doctors walked over to the table that was in the middle of the circle of men.  David could not get right beside the table so had to stand behind the man in military uniform that had just spoken.  He was standing at the end of the table at the top of Kennedy’s body but he could not see his head.

As he watched the autopsy he could not believe this was being conducted following the murder of the President.  It was being treated as though it was the autopsy of a prostitute in a third world country.  It was perfectly clear that the doctors had no experience in the field.  At one stage Dr Humes began to dissect one of the bullet wounds when he was pushed away from the wound and told not to dissect any of the wounds.

“You have to dissect the wounds!  That is the only way to establish where the shots came from!”  David argued.  It was the first time he had spoken out during the autopsy.  His view had been very limited so he could not help Dr Humes.  The FBI agent, Jim Sibert grabbed David and pulled him to the corner of the room he then handcuffed him to a pipe.

“What are you doing?  Bobby Kennedy requested that I observe the autopsy.”

“And you will but we can’t have you butting in and ordering them about.”

Dr Humes shouted over from the table.  “We need his help we have never even done this before.”

“I told you that you have been ordered to do it now hurry up.”  The man in military attire barked.

“This is ridiculous that’s the President.”  David tried.   He was shut up as Jim Sibert punched him in the jaw.  He heard gasps from the doctors.

“Shut the fuck up!”  Jim yelled.

David watched as Jim walked back to the table he couldn’t see anything now.  He occasionally heard the doctors being told to stop looking at something as they hurried around the table.  David began staring into space when he noticed that there was a large metal casket in the far corner of the room with the lid closed.  He then gazed over at the wooden coffin that Kennedy had been brought in, the lid was off that one.  Why were there two caskets?  Where had the metal one come from?

The autopsy went on until midnight.  Once it had been finished the military, Secret Service and FBI personnel left the room with Dr Humes.  Dr Finck and Dr Boswell came over to David looking stunned by the evening’s events.  It was the first time David had managed to glimpse JFK’s head.  Even though he was in the corner of the room he could see that it had not exploded as Jane had said, on the contrary his skull was perfectly intact.

“That was unbelievable.”  Dr Finck said.

“Did you manage to dissect any of the wounds?”  David asked.

Both men shook their heads.

“Why are there two caskets?”  David asked.

“The metal one was here when we came into the room.”  Dr Boswell replied.

“Dr Humes might know, he was in here for around an hour before we were.”  Dr Finck suggested.

“Go look inside it.”  David said.

“What if they come back in?”  Finck asked.

“Just be quick.”

Finck looked sceptical.  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Please Finck this is the President.  You owe it to your country.”  David used his free hand to pull out his Polaroid camera.  “Open it and take a picture, then take a picture of the body on the table.”

“What if they come back?”

“Well technically they could be autopsy photos.  If they ask just say that’s what they are.”

“I’ll do it.”  Boswell announced.  He grabbed the camera and took a picture of the body on the table first.  As it printed out he rushed over to the metal casket and opened the lid.

“Jesus Christ!  There’s two of him?”

“What?”  Finck shouted as he ran across to the casket.  Boswell tore off the first picture and took one of the body inside the casket.

“Jesus your right!”  Finck mumbled.  “Half of his skull is missing.”  Fink put his hands inside the casket and gently lifted the head.  “There’s no brain?” 

“There’s no brain?”  David asked.

“No it’s not there.  But where did this body come from.”

“Is it the President?”

“It’s hard to tell most of his head has gone.  Looks like it could be him.”  Boswell stated.  “Come on we had better close the lid.”  Boswell gently replaced the lid and the two men walked over to David.  They handed him the photo’s as he looked at them he was horrified by the man in the casket.

“That’s him.  My friend saw him getting shot, she said his head practically exploded.”

“Then who’s the other guy?”  Boswell asked.

David studied the picture closely.  “I have no idea.”

The door flew open and David stuffed the pictures into his pocket.  Boswell did the same with the camera.  It was Dr Humes and Jim Sibert that entered the room.  Humes was carrying notes that he had taken during the autopsy.  He walked over to a metal bin dropped the notes in then lit a match and set them on fire.

Sibert headed straight for David and took the handcuff from around the pipe and placed it on his wrist.  “We are going for a walk.”  He announced.  David was dragged from the room and taken out a side exit of the hospital, they bundled him into the back of a black car and drove away from the hospital.

Chapter 81

As Bobby hobbled into the courtroom beside Oswald he saw that again it was Judge Johnson who would be dealing with the arraignment.  It went exactly like the first arraignment with the only difference being he was charged with the murder of John F Kennedy rather than J D Tippit.  Once again Oswald pleaded not guilty.  Bobby tried again to draw attention to the laws broken during the line ups and once again he was ignored.

After the arraignment Oswald was led to a jail cell.  Bobby hobbled from the building and had intended on walking home.  He was saved from that fate by Gail Raven who was waiting outside the building.

“I’ll give you a ride home.”  Bobby was thrilled at not having to walk home but wasn’t sure whether he wanted to speak with Gail given how their last meeting had gone.  They walked towards the parked car and Bobby saw Jack Ruby sitting waiting inside.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”  Bobby yelled.

“Please we just want to talk.”  Gail tried.

“Why?”

“Because Jack thinks he can help you.”

“Jack doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”  At hearing this Ruby stepped out of the car and walked towards them.  “Listen Bobby you need to hear me out, I’m the only chance you’ve got.”

“Only chance of what Jack?”

“Survival.”  He replied.

Bobby was unsure how to respond.  Gail interrupted.  “I’ll drive whilst you two talk okay.”

“Come on Bobby five minutes won’t hurt.”

Jack got into the back seat of the car, Bobby took the front seat and Gail began driving towards the condo.  “So what do you want?”

“I’m trying to save both of our lives.”

“I don’t think I’m in any danger Jack.”

“You are Bobby, we both are.”

“How do you figure?”

“Hoffa told me that they will shut you up as soon as Oswald dies.”

“He did?  What are they going to do?”

“I don’t know Bobby but I can guess.”  Bobby felt his heart beat faster and his cheeks go red.  He was suddenly sweating.

“Did you help kill the President?”  He asked.

“I had to.”  Ruby nodded as he spoke.

“Are you going to kill Oswald?”

“They said they’d kill me if I didn’t.”

“So how do you intend to help?”

“Well I have a sister that stays out of town.  We can both go there that way Oswald might get to trial and nobody needs to die.”

“That’s your idea?”  Bobby asked sarcastically.

“Listen I am doing you a favour, I’m leaving either way.  I was just trying to help you.”  Ruby spoke with urgency, Bobby could tell he had been spooked.

Gail pulled up outside the condo.  “Listen I do appreciate it Jack but I can take care of myself.  If they want me they can come and get me.  I’m not scared of anyone.”

“You’re not scared?”  Ruby asked.

“No I’m not.”

“You should be.”

“Well I’m not.  I have friends that are with me, we all have guns.”

“Four guns isn’t enough Bobby.”

“Well we’ll just have to wait and see on that one.  Good luck Jack.  Thanks for the ride Gail.”  Bobby got out of the car and struggled into the lobby.  Kevin was not at the desk this evening.  Bobby got into the elevator.  He hobbled into the condo and was surprised that no one was home.  Where was everyone?  He went into the kitchen and picked up a bottle of Jack Daniels.  He hobbled to the table and sat down. 

He took a swig from the bottle and then lit a cigarette.  As he inhaled he suddenly felt exhausted, he put the cigarette in the ashtray and shut his eyes.

Chapter 82

As Faraday opened his eye he forced himself to sit up.  His stomach was in blinding pain.  He couldn’t remember what had happened.  He took in his surroundings and suddenly felt cold.  He was on a canoe.  He was back at Loch Ness.  What the hell was going on?  The Loch was similar to the day it had been when he had lost Jane.  The lightning was flashing overhead and the rain was pouring down.

“Hello James how are you?”  Faraday was startled by the voice and was shocked to find John F Kennedy sitting directly opposite him.  He had appeared from nowhere.

“Hello Mr President.”

“Please call me Jack.”  Kennedy smiled.

“Am I dead?”  Faraday asked.

“I don’t think so, not yet.”

“Are you dead?”

“I’m afraid so James.”

“Where are we?” 

“I was hoping you could tell me.”  Kennedy chuckled.  “I’ve never been here before.”

“I think we’re at Loch Ness in Scotland.”

Kennedy looked around.  “Is the weather always like this?”

“Well yeah kind of.” 

Kennedy chuckled once again.  “It’s beautiful though isn’t it?”

“Yes it is.”  Faraday agreed.  “So why are we here?”

“I don’t know James, you brought me here.”

“I did?”

“That’s right.”

“Do you know who killed you?” 

Kennedy nodded.  “I do, I am bitterly disappointed in Lyndon and Edgar.”

“You are disappointed not angry?”

“They didn’t decide to do this, they were manipulated.  By power, by greed and by money.”

“Can we stop them?”

“I think you can James, well you and our friends.”

“Our friends?”

“That’s right James.  We are at war James.”

“Who is at war?”  Faraday asked feeling confused.

“We are James.  The survival of our friends and family is in danger.”

“Do you mean Jane?”

“Not only Jane.  My brother and my wife are in danger.  My friend Clint Hill is in danger.  And your friends David, Bobby and Nancy are in danger.”

“I don’t understand.”

“They are all in danger because we are at war.  That’s why I was killed.  Because we are at war and yet no war has been declared, no borders have been crossed by marching troops and no missiles have been fired.”

“Okay so what can we do?”

“Well I can’t do anything.  Only my brother can save the country.  But he can only do that with help from you and your friends.”

“What do you mean save the country?”

“No war has ever posed such a great threat to our national security James.  The world is currently being opposed by a force so great that most people don’t even know it exists.”