“Bobby get up!” David yelled as he walked into Bobby’s bedroom.
“Wha?” Bobby groaned, he was not a morning person.
“MOVE!”
As Bobby rolled to the edge of the double bed he reached out for his cane and struggled to his feet.
“Who’s this? Why didn’t you use your room?” It was a bizarre sight as David laid the girl down exactly where Bobby had just been lying.
“I don’t know.” David replied exasperated. He began to undress the girl.
“What the hell are you doing David? What have you done?” Bobby stepped towards David and pushed him away from the young girl.
“She’s soaking we need to get her out of these clothes and warm her up before she catches hypothermia.”
Bobby stepped back and turned away whilst David continued undressing the girl. “What happened David?”
“I don’t know Bobby, the light flashed again I ran over and then I found her. She wasn’t breathing, I managed to bring her round and then after throwing up she said something and passed out again.” As David finished speaking he struggled with the girl’s bra whilst averting his eyes. It had been a long time since he had undone a woman’s bra. After he had done that he pulled down the girls black pants whilst again averting his eyes. He covered her with Bobby’s quilt. “Have you got a towel in here Bobby?”
Bobby gestured towards a pile of clothes on the floor with a towel in a ball on top.
“You need to tidy in here for Christ’s Sake! All these expensive suits and this is how you keep them!”
“What did she say David?”
“What?” David replied as he started to dry the girl’s hair.
“You said she spoke and then passed out, what did she say?”
“I’m not sure, it sounded like Faraday it could have been Friday, that’s today.”
“Why would she say Friday?”
“I don’t know Bobby! Can you get me my sewing kit and a clean cloth?”
“Sure.” Bobby limped through into the hall, his hip always ached in the morning and a warm bath usually eased that pain until it was early enough to drink. As he made his way into the living room he saw the sewing kit on the table by the window. He hobbled over and was momentarily blinded by a bright flash of light in the morning sky.
He grabbed the sewing kit and made his way back through the living room and into the bathroom where he picked up a face cloth that he had not used yet. He hobbled back into his bedroom and saw that David was holding the bottle of vodka that was kept on his bedside table.
“There was another flash David.”
“What? When?”
“Just now! It looks like we’ve got another one. Will you run back my hip is playing up?”
“I can’t Bobby, look at the gash on her head I need to disinfect it and sew it up.” David grabbed the cloth and sewing kit from Bobby. He poured vodka on to the cloth and began to clean the wound.
Bobby was still only wearing a pair of black y fronts. He hobbled over to his wardrobe and pulled out a black shirt and his navy suit.
“Do you really need to put on a suit to walk down the damn street?”
“It’s a working day David and something tells me I’m not going to have time for my bath.”
As Bobby dressed David continued to clean the wound. Bobby hobbled into the elevator and then to the front door, he struggled with the weight of it. As he got outside he hobbled towards Dealey Plaza.
Chapter 9
Robert Stinson pulled into the car park at Parkland Hospital and parked up his black Toyota Carolla. His grandmother had bought it for his 16th birthday, the same day that he had passed his driving test. Later that day they had celebrated with his grandmother’s home made Spaghetti Carbonara and glasses of Limoncello.
They had then had two bottles of Valpolichella red wine. It was the first time that Robert had tasted alcohol and it was a treat. His grandmother had been so proud of him. He had been living with her since the age of four. Both of his parents were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks and he had no memory of them. As the night wore on the room filled with cigarette smoke, his grandmother smoked forty a day and if she had been drinking it could easily pass sixty.
His grandmother was the best friend he had in the world. She had grown up in Sicily in the 1930’s before the family had immigrated to America. She had met an American man in the sixties and had given birth to his father Bryan Stinson. Robert had never met his grandfather he had died before he was born and his grandmother never spoke of him. His mother had not spoken to her parents in the ten years before her death so even if they were alive and out there somewhere they had no idea that Robert existed.
As Robert prepared himself for what would surely be the hardest night of his life he sat for a moment in his car. The radio presenter as they had been all day was focussing on tonight’s inauguration address by the 45th President of the United States Hilary Clinton. They were discussing the growing liberal attitudes of the American nation with the first female President following the first black President of the United States. Robert turned off the ignition and got out of the car.
He was dressed in black jeans a black t-shirt and black Converse trainers. He had been called by Claire a nurse at the hospital suggesting that he should make his way there as it would not be long now. After a short battle with lung cancer her pain would finally be over. He had been to see her twice a day since she had been admitted to the hospital a month prior. Ironically it had caused the start of Robert’s smoking habit.
He pulled out his packet and lit his twelfth of the day. He still had a way to go before he would catch up with the old girl. He smoked quickly and then ran into the hospital.
His grandmother was thankfully in a private room, he did not want an audience for this. As he walked towards her door the blonde nurse that had been on duty most evenings gave him a nod and spoke. “How are you holding up Robert?”
He tried to control his emotions. “I’ve been better Claire how are you doing today?”
She again smiled sympathetically. “I’m okay Robert, we are sure going to miss her.”
“Thanks Claire.”
“How are things going at the house?”
“Alright I have the majority of the furniture in storage. She would lose her mind if she knew I was selling the place.”
“You are doing right by her Robert, medical treatment doesn’t come cheap. Hopefully the new President can do something about that.”
Robert sighed, he had done a lot of growing up this past month.
“Yeah I hope so.”
“Just give me a shout if you need anything.”
“Thanks again Claire.”
He entered the room quietly, not that she would wake up with the amount of morphine she was on. He sat down on the chair beside her bed and waited.
In the last week he had found these visits to be particularly difficult, his grandmother’s face was gaunt and drawn. He had never seen her without her teeth before. It was as if her face had collapsed in on itself. Her hair was no longer the dark brown it had previously been it had become grey and wiry in the space of a month.
Whilst her appearance upset Robert what he hated most was the silence. His grandmother had always been a chatty woman, so caring and attentive. She probably didn’t even know he was there. He glanced up at the clock and saw that it was 18:00.
As the hours passed without incident he began wondering what he would do now. He didn’t have a job, the only mother he had ever known would be gone and his childhood home would barely cover the medical costs. All he had left was his car and a steel storage container holding all of his and his grandmother’s earthly possessions.
“Bobby?” He jumped as the silence was broken. He looked towards his grandmother and saw that her tired eyes were open for what must have been the first time this week.
“Is that you Bobby?”
She had never called him Bobby before. “I’m here Nana.” He had not expecte
d this he had no idea what to say. “How are you feeling?” He felt stupid for asking the question but what else was there to say?
“Where are we?”
She looked confused and Robert was sure he heard his heart break. He could feel his eyes well up, he tried to fight them but as he opened his mouth to speak he gave out a strange sigh and the tears began to roll down his cheeks. “We are in the hospital Nana remember?”
“Am I dying Bobby?” Her words were muffled.
Robert thought of the pain she must be in and the tears began pouring from his piercing blue eyes. “No Nana you just needed a rest. The nurses don’t want you to come home because they’d be bored without you.”
She gave the faintest of smiles. This again shocked Robert, it didn’t look like the woman who had raised him, but he knew she was in there.
“Are you in pain Nana, can I do anything?”
She didn’t seem to hear him as she spoke again it was softer than before, her mouth was so dry and she barely managed a whisper. “I’m sorry Bobby.” As she spoke he saw a single tear run down her cheek.
“Don’t you apologise, you have nothing to be sorry for.”
“I should have been there for you.” Another tear ran down her cheek.
“You have been Nana every day! Don’t you go saying your goodbyes you’re coming home with me. Who else would look after me?”
He saw her give the faintest of smiles as her eyes closed once more. Robert looked up at the clock it was midnight, she had lived on to a new day.
It was 04:00 when he called in the nurse. She was gone. He kissed her on the forehead and said goodbye before leaving the hospital. His head was spinning he had to organize a funeral, finish emptying the house and find somewhere to live. Whilst doing all that he also had to find time to mourn. Robert was growing up fast.
Chapter 10
It was just after 16:00 when James Faraday reached Inverness. As he parked up he patted the dashboard of his car.
“You did it!” He had half expected the old girl to break down on route. The radio was blaring out an interview given by Alex Salmond. James had almost forgotten that he had been in hospital when the independence referendum took place. As history graduates he and Jane had both been planning to vote yes. They had studied the wars of independence and it felt like a patriotic obligation. Neither of them had managed to cast a vote and if truth be told Faraday had forgotten the world was still out there. It had brought him little joy that the SNP had been successful and as Salmond once again discussed the hopes of achieving a currency union he turned off the ignition.
He sat in his car for a moment, the car park was deserted. Tourist season had come and gone and the sky was overcast. The rain was spitting onto the windscreen of the car. Faraday stepped out and immediately regretted his choice of attire. His slim fit black suit offered little protection from the beginning of a Scottish winter. His mother had trimmed his hair when he had first been released from the hospital, it was not as long as it had been during his previous visits to Inverness but it still sprouted out in every possible direction. He had gotten a new pair of glasses after losing the last pair but they still had the same black rims, he felt they suited his face. His stubble had grown into a thick brown beard, since Jane had died he found it hard enough to find the motivation to shower let alone shave.
He walked towards the Loch, trying not to look directly at it. It was after his last visit with Jane’s mother that Faraday had taken the overdose. Eighty three paracetamol’s and one stomach pump later he had found himself locked away for “observation”. He decided not to tell Jane’s mother that he was planning to propose to Jane, he didn’t want to upset her anymore than she already was. As he walked he could feel the ring on the chain around his neck thumping on his chest in time with his heartbeat.
It brought to mind the one thing that had troubled him over any other. Even Jane’s death and the odd visitors not to mention the time he had spent locked away from the outside world had confused him as much as this recurring thought. How the hell am I still standing? By all rights I should probably have drowned with Jane. I lay unconscious beside the Loch for hours in the pouring rain and escaped even the sniffles. I took eighty three paracetamol’s and woke up drowsy but other than that unharmed. I sprayed my clothes with a flammable substance and set myself alight and the only mark on me is a small scar on my wrist. Worse than all of that I had my heart broken on what should have been the happiest day of my life and lost the only person outside of my family that I ever loved and the only person that had loved me. Why do we not die when our heart is broken?
He made his way towards the bench that had been placed by the Loch. It was the closest thing to a grave she had. As he walked over to the bench it dawned on him that he had not thought to bring flowers. He consoled himself with the fact that whenever he had bought Jane flowers or on the odd occasion a potted plant that she seemed to forget as much as she loved them that they needed water and sunlight to survive. He chuckled at the memory. He missed her so much. He took the ring from under his shirt and kissed it. It was all he had left of her, even though she had never had it or even said yes it brought him a degree of comfort. It was like she was always with him and she always would be no matter how short his life may be and given his current intentions it would probably be pretty short. He would never forget her. She had been the love of his life. He had to cough to fight the lump that was forming in his throat.
He remembered what the doctor had said. “Distraction can be a wonderful thing”. With that in mind he put the ring back under his shirt and took his cigarettes from his pocket along with his lighter. He still felt a small sense of victory that he had gotten his lighter back, it had been very annoying having to wait for another patient to be in the smoking room so that he could ask for a lighter. As he lit the cigarette he inhaled deeply. He knew that Jane would not approve of him smoking again, he had quit for a year before the accident. She had been so proud of him.
He looked at the small silver plaque that displayed the name “Jane Stuart” underneath that it said “1991 – 2014” and below that the words read “Always in our hearts”. He felt the tears beginning to bubble up and looked down at the pebbles around the bench. He felt the anger rise up inside him as he saw an empty bottle of Buckfast.
“Fucking Scotland!” He yelled.
Would people drink on a grave? He sat on the bench and realised he was a hypocrite, he pulled out his hip flask from the inside pocket of his suit. It too was engraved, Jane had given it to him on the day he had graduated. He had filled it with Bell’s whisky and took a quick nip. He inhaled his cigarette once again and then had another nip. He wasn’t intending on driving home.
As much as he fought it the hurt took over and he let out a scream.
“AAAAAARRRRRGH! FUCK YOU GOD!” He swung his leg and kicked the pebbles in front of him, scuffing his black shoe and hurting his toe on something.
“What the hell is that?”
Faraday rose from the bench and walked towards the silver object that had been buried under the stones. As he picked it up he recognized it immediately. It was a short two inch black rod at the top of which was the silver face of an eagle that glared at him.
Chapter 11
As Bobby hobbled towards Dealey Plaza he saw the light extinguish in the sky. His left hip felt like it was on fire. “Son of a bitch.” He muttered.
As he entered Dealey Plaza he admired the beauty of the area, he found it hard to believe that such a tragedy could have occurred here. He gazed up towards the top of the red bricked building to the Hertz Rental sign the time read 06:23. He made his way slowly towards the triple bypass and the grassy knoll.
He saw a man walk slowly down the steps by the fence onto Elm Street. He seemed distressed.
“Hey!” Bobby yelled trying to catch the man’s attention. The man stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Bobby and then ran towards him.
“Sir you need to help me!” The man spoke wi
th a Scottish accent. The man was soaking wet and wearing a tight fitting black suit he wore dark rimmed glasses and had brown hair that was sticking to his face. He had a beard that was dripping water onto the ground in front of him.
“What’s wrong?” Bobby asked.
“I eh I’m not sure what’s going on.” The man stuttered as he spoke, he was clearly finding it hard to comprehend what was happening around him.
“I was in the water.....”
“What in the pool?” Bobby replied pointing towards the pool that sat in between Main Street and Elm Street.”
“Where am I?”
“This is Dealey Plaza, you’re in Dallas, Texas. Follow me I think I know who you’re looking for, my name is Bobby Stinson by the way.”
“....Thanks I’m eh James Faraday.”
With that Bobby knew his hunch was correct, he was here for the girl she had said Faraday. The two men began walking along Elm Street back to the condo as fast as Bobby’s hip would allow. They had been walking in silence for two or three minutes when Faraday spoke.
”What happened to your leg?
Bobby thought about how best to respond. “I made a mistake.”
Since Bobby did not elaborate Faraday left it at that. As they arrived at 1505 Elm Street Bobby nodded towards the man behind the desk.
“How are you Kevin?”
“Oh Mr Stinson I’m very well how are you? Have you got a visitor?”
“Yes, an old friend. He fell in the pool.”
Kevin was laughing as Faraday and Bobby entered the lift and rode up to the twelfth floor. As they entered the condo into a large hallway, Faraday saw a man emerge into the hall and close the furthest away door to the right behind him. The man said nothing. He just stared straight at Faraday. The man looked around thirty he was clean shaven and had brown hair that was in a neat side parting. He looked around six feet tall and he was staring aggressively with his light brown eyes.
To Kill a President Page 4
