“How do you mean Chauncey, they’re pinning it on that guy Oswald.”
“That’s another thing that stinks, I was asked to make these for a guy in Dallas.” Bobby watched as Chauncey waded through the papers beside him and then handed Bobby an envelope. “Take a look.”
Bobby pulled out a selective service card. These are cards used when the Armed Services are required to carry out a draft when they need more men. The card had a photograph of a man he recognised as Lee Harvey Oswald. “So what is this Chauncey?”
“Check the name on the card.”
It had the name Alek James Hidell.
“So what is this for?” Bobby asked.
“I don’t know, I was just asked to make it, strange thing is I already made a selective service card bearing the same name at the start of the year and I made a drivers license and a passport with the name Lee Harvey Oswald for the same guy. Some guy had heard about me through that New Orleans private eye, he is working with Marcello just now I can’t remember his name though.”
“Do you mean Guy Bannister?”
“Yeah that’s the guy, he said that Guy had told him how talented I was and that I would be able to organize some fake ID’s.”
“So who was the ID for?”
“Well I don’t know, I guess it was some guy that worked for Bannister. I never got the name.”
“Did you meet him?”
“No I didn’t even meet Bannister, he wasn’t in I dropped it with this guy, he looked Cuban I think his name was Carlos. Anyway strange thing is at the start of August I get asked to drop of these pictures at Bannister’s and I recognized the guy in the picture. It’s the same guy that is on the selective service card and he’s standing holding this old looking rifle. Anyway I’m on my way to drop them at that Bannister’s office and I walk past the same guy from the picture handing out these leaflets.” Chauncey got up and walked over to a small table that was also covered in paper and picked up the leaflet. He handed it to Bobby and sat back down.
The top of the leaflet read “Hands of Cuba! Join the Fair Play for Cuba Committee.”
“Check the address.” Chauncey said.
As Bobby looked at the address stamped on the leaflet he read it aloud “544 Camp Street, so what?”
“Well I didn’t notice until I got to the office but Bannister’s office address is 531 Lafayette Street its right on the corner with Camp Street and the number right next to it is 544 Camp Street, it doesn’t matter which door you go through, you end up in Bannister’s office. So that was strange for a start, Bannister wasn’t available again so I left the picture with this guy Jack you know him?”
“Yeah he helps with the private eye stuff, Jack Martin he’s a good ole boy, enjoys a drink.”
“So I went back the way I came and went past that guy from the picture and he was having a fight in the street with that Carlos guy I’d met at the office the last time I’d been there. He was yelling at the guy saying that he shouldn’t be handing out this communist propaganda and that he had pledged allegiance to some Anti-Castro group. But they work in the same office isn’t that strange. Next thing I knew this cop showed up and the guy was taken away. And now there’s this other guy using the Alek James Hidell name I mean who is Oswald?”
“This guy in the picture is definitely Oswald.” Bobby stated.
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve met him once, briefly.” Bobby lied.
“Oh yeah? Where?”
Bobby just named the first place that popped into his head “The Carousel Club”.
“You’re kidding!”
“No, why?”
“Well that’s where this is going, to some guy called Jack Ruby. I was going to ask if you could drop it off, I don’t have time to go to Dallas and I don’t want to drop it in the post.”
“Yeah sure, I think I could do with meeting Jack anyway.”
Chapter 23
It was 21:00 by the time Bobby got back to his condo. As he entered through the front door he could see a light coming from the living room, he took this as a good sign. As he walked into the living room he saw David, Faraday and Jane sitting at the table by the window. They each had an empty plate in front of them and he could see that there were two bottles of wine on the table that were empty and a bottle of Jack Daniels that was half empty.
“Do you people do nothing but drink!” Bobby asked sarcastically.
“Come on and join us Bobby you haven’t met Jane yet and we are celebrating the engagement again since she didn’t get to last night.” David replied.
“I must admit I could use a drink after the day I’ve had. Hi Jane nice to meet you, how are you feeling?”
“Yeah I’m much better Bobby thanks. I’ve been hearing a lot about you. You’ve led quite a life!”
“And sadly it is all true, my hip is killing me David can you get me a glass.”
As Bobby slumped at the table, David ran to the kitchen and appeared back with an extra glass for Bobby. “Have you eaten Bobby?” David asked.
“No but I think the drink will do me.”
“So how did it go?” Faraday asked.
“Before we discuss this how much do you know Jane?” Bobby asked.
“Everything, I’m on board!” Jane replied.
“Okay then, well to be honest I don’t think I am on board anymore.”
“What are you talking about?” David yelled.
“This thing is already way too big for us to stop and I’ve only been looking into it since yesterday. I don’t know who else is involved but at the moment the people I know for certain would take all of us out without even thinking about it and they’d probably throw my grandparents in for good measure. There is a reason this JFK thing has never really been solved and that’s because the people behind it have the power.”
There was silence around the table.
“Well at least tell us what you found out and then we can discuss what options we have available to us?” Jane reasoned.
“What I’ve found out is that outside the four of us and my grandmother, there is no one we can trust. I’m even regretting hiring Derrick, I never met him as a kid but Hoover seemed to know something about him.”
“Hoover, you met J. Edgar Hoover! What’s he like?” Jane asked excitedly.
“He’s a prick! A faggot prick! That is now officially involved in the plot to kill Kennedy!”
Jane was silent, seemingly stunned by the outburst. “What do you mean he’s involved?” David asked.
“Meyer has some dirt on him, some pictures of him involved in homo activity, so he told Edgar when the hit was and that the assassin is Lee Harvey Oswald. The best part is I have to represent Oswald if he lives long enough to get to the Police HQ, which we all know he will. Even if he has another lawyer, Hoover is going to ensure that I am appointed.” Bobby downed the glass of bourbon in front of him and poured another.
“Wait you said you would represent him?” Faraday asked.
“I didn’t really get much of a choice. It was either I do it or Marcello has me killed.”
“Who’s Marcello?” Jane asked.
“He’s the mob boss in New Orleans.” Bobby stated.
“Well your day hasn’t been a total bust then we now know for sure that Oswald is a patsy!” David stated.
“Well actually no we don’t. I was talking to Chauncey. He’s the guy who sorts out the fake documents, which reminds me.” Bobby pulled out two envelopes from his jacket pockets and gave them to Faraday and Jane. “These are for you. You’ll need ID at some stage. Anyway Chauncey tells me that Oswald has links with this private eye in New Orleans, who also works for Marcello. So Oswald is definitely involved. Turns out he was running this Fair Play for Cuba group out of Bannister’s office and then seemed to get in a street fight with one of Bannister’s guys. Sounds pretty weird. Anyway seems that someone requested some ID at the start of the year, he works out of Bannister’s office and requested a driver’s license and
a passport in the name of Lee Harvey Oswald and a selective service card under the name Alek James Hidell and now someone has requested the exact same selective service card.” Bobby pulled out the card and laid it on the desk.
“Wait I’m sure I read this in the book, I think Hidell was the name that Oswald bought the rifle under, he had it sent to some PO Box.” Faraday stated.
“Yeah that sounds right.” David concurred.
“Well yeah I remember that story too, the only thing is why would Oswald need a fake drivers license in his own name? I think that the first cards were ordered for someone else.” Bobby stated.
“Well how do we find out who the cards went to?” Jane asked.
“To be honest I don’t think we can. But we can find out who this card is going to. I’m going to drop it off with Jack Ruby tonight, he ordered it from Chauncey. If one of you could keep an eye on his movements for the rest of the night and maybe tomorrow if needs be we can see who he gives it to.”
“I’ll do it.” Faraday didn’t miss a beat.
“No, Faraday you can’t!” Jane yelled.
“Jane this is what we have to do! You agreed earlier!”
“But he’s a gangster what if he kills you?”
“He could kill any one of us and we’ve all agreed that this is why we are here, we are supposed to change things!”
“He’s right Jane.” David stated.
Jane was silent in defeat.
“Well alright then Faraday, I guess we have a night out at the Carousel Club!”
Chapter 24
As Faraday and Bobby approached the Carousel Club it was 22:15. Whilst they were walking they were both smoking. Faraday seemed to be walking slightly squint.
“How much have you had to drink tonight?” Bobby asked.
“I don’t know maybe a bottle of wine and a couple of Jack Daniels why?”
“You can hardly walk straight are you up to this?”
“We are going to a bar Bobby I’ll blend right in.” Faraday replied.
Sound reasoning Bobby thought. As they approached the entrance Bobby glanced across the street and saw a red haired man sitting smoking in a parked Ford. “The fucking idiot!” Bobby said.
“What, what are you talking about?” Faraday asked.
“Right over there, its Derrick, clear as day, Ruby has probably seen him, what is he doing here!”
“You go over and see him and I’ll head in.” Faraday said.
“What?”
“Well we can’t go in together can we?”
“Um okay but just don’t draw any attention to yourself, try to blend in.”
Faraday walked into the club and Bobby instantly felt a pang of regret. He has no idea what he is getting involved in, none of them do. Bobby crossed the street towards the Ford and got in the passenger door.
“What are you doing here Derrick? Remember what I said let’s not have any more run ins with Ruby, do you remember that?!”
“Yes I remember that Bobby.”
“Then why the hell are you sitting outside the front door of his bar.”
“Oswald is inside.” Derrick stated.
“What?”
“Yeah I was sitting outside his house well not his house, the house where his wife stays. I think he must spend weekends with her and another woman.” Derrick flicked through his notepad. “Ruth Paine is the one that owns the house. Anyway I was just sitting there when Ruby pulled up outside and honked the horn, Oswald gets right in his car and comes here.”
“Did they seem friendly with one another?”
“As far as I could tell, I mean I didn’t get too close. Do you want to know what else I found out?”
“I do, but I don’t have time right now, come by the office on Monday okay?”
“Sure no problem, just one thing, there’s another guy following him.”
“What? Who?”
“I don’t know, some guy he’s quite big, looks quite young I’d say mid twenties. I didn’t notice him until I was tailing Oswald over to Ruth Paine’s place, the guy set off at the same time as I did then parked just up the street from the front door.”
“Did he see you?”
“Yeah when Ruby drove by, he followed. I was parked facing the oncoming traffic. He stared straight at me.”
“Shit, where is he?”
“He went inside.”
“Has he come back out?”
“Nope, he’s sticking real close.”
Bobby had no idea what to do he didn’t want to place his grandfather in danger. “Okay listen, just get home and stay with Nancy. Make sure you’re not followed. Stay in tomorrow and come in at the same time as Nancy on Monday. Other than that, don’t leave the house and make sure she doesn’t either.”
Derrick looked suddenly scared. “What have you gotten me involved in?”
“Oh God I don’t know.” Bobby was starting to crack.
“Seriously what is going on?” Derrick asked.
“Okay if I tell you, you have to promise you won’t tell Nancy.”
“I promise.”
“Okay they are trying to kill the President. I am trying to prevent that but I think we are getting in too deep.”
“You’re fucking kidding me! So what they’re after us now!” Derrick was furious.
“Jesus I don’t know, I didn’t think anyone would be following him. Okay I think safety in numbers might be best, get Nancy and go to my place. She’ll show you where it is. There’s a guy called David there and a woman Jane.” Bobby was panicking now, what if they killed his grandparents. He would be responsible for the only person he had ever loved dying. Jesus what if they kill either of them, what would happen to me? “Do you have a gun?”
“Yeah I’ve got one in the glove box.”
“Okay take that in with you and tell David that my gun is in the top drawer in my room. I don’t expect that you’ll need them but its best to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.”
“If you get Nancy hurt Bobby I swear to God I’ll kill you!”
“If I get Nancy hurt Derrick I’ll hand you the gun myself.”
With that Bobby got out of the car and hobbled towards the club as Derrick sped off into the night.
Chapter 25
As Faraday entered the club he was stunned. He had never seen men as well dressed at a bar as they were here. Everyone was in suits and trilby hats. Half the women he could see on the other hand were naked and the other half were in their underwear or particularly revealing dresses. He struggled to see through the smoke but on his right he could make out a stage with a pole dancer and straight ahead he could see the bar.
He walked towards the bar and took a stool, he was at the far left hand side and the only other people at the bar were in the middle. He looked towards the barman, he was a tall bald black man, perhaps in his early thirties and he had a Polaroid camera hanging round his neck.
“What can I get you?” He asked.
“Can I just have a pint of lager?”
“No problem, what’s that accent Irish?”
“No Scottish.” Faraday corrected him.
“Wow you’re a long way from home aren’t you?”
“Yeah I just moved here, have you worked here long?”
“Yeah a few years, you need a job?”
“What is this your place?” Faraday asked, knowing the answer.
“No, this is Mr Ruby’s place, I’m the assistant manager the names Andrew Armstrong.” Andrew put his hand out and the two men shook.
“James Faraday.” Faraday stated.
“So do you need a job?” Andrew repeated.
“What just like that?” Faraday asked.
“Yeah man it’s bar work not rocket science, you ever worked in a bar before?”
“Yeah when I was a student.” Faraday answered.
“A student huh, you might not be interested.”
“No Andrew, I’m very interested is there a good time for an interview?�
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“An interview man you just passed the interview you want to work here and you can pour a pint, I’ll just go run it by Mr Ruby, why don’t you come and meet him?”
“Sure”
Andrew handed Faraday his pint. “On the house now you work here.” That was lucky Faraday thought, Bobby and David hadn’t thought to give him any money. He took a sip and followed Andrew towards the men in the middle of the bar.
“Hey Jack.” Andrew said.
“What’s up Andy?” Ruby asked turning away from the men he was stood with.
“I found our new barman, James Faraday all the way from bonnie Scotland.” Andrew laughed.
Ruby studied Faraday for a moment, he was a heavyset man with slicked back brown hair he looked around fifty and was wearing a white shirt and grey suit trousers.
“You worked in a bar before James?” Ruby asked.
“Yeah, back in Scotland.”
“You ever see The Loch Ness Monster?” Ruby laughed at his own joke.
“No I’m afraid not sir.”
“Okay well if you do get a picture with Andy’s camera!” Ruby again laughed gesturing to the Polaroid camera hanging around Andy’s neck.
“I’ll do that, what’s the deal with the camera?” Faraday asked.
“It was Andy’s idea we take pictures of the customers having a good time and stick them on the wall. Anyway I need to get back to my friends when is he starting?” Ruby asked, addressing Andrew this time.
“I was thinking Monday night?” Andrew responded.
“Sounds good.” Ruby replied and he went back to the two men that were sat by the bar. As Faraday went to move away he noticed one of the men was Lee Harvey Oswald. As Faraday and Andy walked towards the left hand side of the bar, he saw Bobby enter.
Chapter 26
As Bobby hobbled towards the Carousel Club he could feel his heart thumping in his chest. What the fuck have I gotten myself involved in? Meyer isn’t there to smooth things over this time, I am on my own. If only that were true he realised, my band of merry men is made up of a forensic pathologist still mourning the death of his wife, two Scottish students who have lived in America for almost two days, my grandfather who Hoover seems to have a file on and who has been imprisoned for assaulting Jack Ruby and my grandmother who has no place in something like this.
To Kill a President Page 9
