A Conspiracy Uncovered

by Lindsay Downs

  “You’re right about that. The reason he’s following us, as he said, John wants to make sure we get home without any problems. Also, this is the first time my husband and I have ever handled a case so he’s sort of being that annoying big brother you might have heard about. When we get home don’t be surprised if he sends the other agent away and comes in.”

  “Junior, do you think then when no one is around he might question me?”

  “That would be my guess.”

  “Thanks for trying to set my mind at ease. I am just nervous and anxious about getting this whole thing over and done with. Then finally I will be able sleep through the night and stop looking over my shoulder.”

  I didn’t want to tell him that being constantly on alert may never go away until the people who hired him and the others were brought down. The biggest problem, the twenty years between the shooting and now. The original masterminds were most likely dead, leaving a new crop to carry out the mission of eliminating him and James York.

  At my first chance I’m going to go over to the university library and research other assassinations, not just here in the US but around the world. There has got to be a vast number of unexplained killings after each one. Those are going to be the ones I’ll be mostly interested in.

  “Walter, when we get to the house act as natural as possible.”

  “That is good to know. What about your children? Will I meet them?”

  “No, not now. They will remain in the main house with my older brother, his wife and our parents. Tomorrow afternoon you’ll get a chance to meet the entire family and the children when we have Thanksgiving dinner,” I told him.

  “Are you sure I will be welcome?”

  “Edward’s wife, Sally, has already extended the invitation. Trust me, she’s the last person in the world you want mad at you,” Nancy said.

  “Alright, then I look forward to meeting them. The problem is, I didn’t bring a tie and jacket.”

  “Not to worry. Dress is casual.” We turned onto the main driveway then the one going to our house.

  Looking in the rear-view mirror I saw John follow us as we had suspected.

  “This is all so beautiful. You own all this land?”

  “Not us personally or any of the family. Years ago, when the main house was built the title for the building and land was put in the name of Dean & Dean Detective Agency. Everything you see is owned by the agency. That’s for liability reasons.”

  “So, I guess you all work for the detective agency?”

  “Technically Nancy and I don’t as we hold full professorships, which you know about, but on paper we do.”

  “Guess that makes sense.”

  I pulled into the garage next to my ’38 Packard coupe, popped the trunk then climbed out. Walter stepped over to the car and started carefully examining the vehicle as he would a piece of fine furniture.

  “She is a beauty and painstakingly restored.”

  “Thanks. This used to be my father’s. Along with a great deal of help from a garage owner, I was able to track down the vehicle at a junk yard. I bought the car and with help from the mechanic we restored the entire vehicle. In most cases we used original parts. The only concession I had to make was the seatbelts. I was forced to put in the three-point restraints.”

  “Let’s go on in and find out what my pain of a brother wants?”

  Walking in we went to our office where John was waiting for us.

  “Okay, brother, what do you want?” Nancy emphasized her words by thrusting her hands to her hips.

  “Can’t I simply spend a few minutes with my baby sister?”

  “Like hell no. Now out with the reason?”

  “Okay, Walter, to begin with I’m sure my sister and Junior have already assured you I’m not going to arrest you. At least not yet. Trust them and the Dean family. They can and will protect you.”

  “John, from the information he’s given us, and he’s only scratched the surface I firmly believe everything he’s said. The two attempts on us are enough proof of that. Did the authorities learn anything from the pilot?”

  “No. The man landed his SU-15 at Edwards then shot himself rather than give up any information. What is strange, he didn’t crash the plane which would have destroyed any and all evidence most likely. The investigators took his fingerprints. Last I knew there weren’t any hits.”

  “That is if he has a criminal past. He could even be Russian which won’t help in finding out who he is,” I said.

  “Once the medical examiner finishes the autopsy, we might get more answers, which I seriously doubt. The LAPD checked the bombs for prints, but the person was wearing gloves they said.”

  Just what we needed. Bad news on top of more bad news.

  “Brother, here are the names of three others who helped Walter and the cities they might have gone to after November 24. Think you can try to track them down or at least what might have happened to them?”

  “I will. Let me ask you this, do you think they are dead?”

  “Most definitely but no later than sometime in December of 1963. That is when they found me in California. These people are that good.”

  “I’ll do what I can but I’m not making any promises.”

  “There’s another thing you can do to help with our investigation.”

  “What’s that, Nancy?”

  “Walter saw five or six of the men who might have been involved in financing the shooting. Problem is, they wore mask exposing only the bottom half of their faces. What we would like is all the film footage starting with the press conferences on November 22 to the funeral and a few days afterwards. The people who hired him and the others are going to want to see their handiwork so maybe a camera caught them. I know that’s a long shot, but it might give us leads.”

  “I’ll be happy to help in any way I can. Give me a couple of days because of Thanksgiving. What do I put on the requisition form?”

  “Research into the shooting to prove there was a conspiracy.” I told him.

  John did his best not to laugh at my suggestion and I wouldn’t have blamed him if he had. He said goodbye and I walked him to the door. I could tell by the way he was acting he wanted to ask me something, but he walked to his car and drove off.

  CHAPTER NINE

  From Richard and Nancy’s office, I watched the FBI agent, and brother to my hostess, drive away. From the time we had landed at the local airport until now I had been sure he would have arrested me for the assassination of President Kennedy. Even though some states have a statute of limitation for murder, I am sure the federal government doesn’t when the crime involves killing the leader of the country.

  I was safe for now, but from whom, I was not exactly sure. I went to my temporary room, not to rest but to work. From my suitcase I took out the box which had the photos, notes, and names of a few of the people I had interacted with at the training site. Turning the container over I tapped the bottom which caused the inside base to drop out along with five letters.

  I looked at the envelopes for the umpteenth time then picked one up and withdrew the fragile onionskin paper. Over the years I had read the words so frequently that by now I could recite them from memory. Unlike previous times when seeing the words that were written in a barely legible scrawl I felt nothing except anger toward the man who’d hired me those years ago.

  Until a little less than a week ago the only life which was in danger was mine. Now, because I wanted to meet my maker with a clear conscious, I had put nine, maybe more people’s lives including children, in harm’s way. When I had sent the professor the box and Miss Dean the letter, I had done so for the reasons I had stated. Seeing the envelopes sent to me I wondered if there had been another reason to let the proverbial cat out of the bag. Vengeance. But against whom?

  The man who had hired me a little over twenty years ago was most assuredly dead. If not from old age, then mayhap another’s hand. The ones who had trained me, they were also not living but as with the
failed trainees executed and buried somewhere.

  That left the people who had set the whole thing in motion. Even though at this point in the investigation I am sure Richard and Nancy have concluded the individuals behind the assassination are very rich and powerful while still keeping a relatively low profile. If that was possible. Hearing talking outside my door I quickly put everything back in the box just as someone knocked.

  “Come in.”

  “Walter, I don’t know if you’re hungry but I’m going to make some egg salad sandwiches. Do you want one?”

  “Do you by any chance use horseradish and chopped up olives?”

  “You mean there’s another way to make them? Of course we do.”

  “Then count me in. Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Sure is. You get to chop the olives while Richard grates the horseradish.”

  Hearing they were using fresh horseradish made my mouth water. Even though I have lived in the United States for going on twenty years I always had trouble finding the real stuff. Often the grocery store only had the horseradish sauce which didn’t have the same taste as the real stuff. Setting the box aside I followed Nancy into the kitchen. One interesting feature was the extra-large fireplace with two bread ovens on the right side and a pivoting cast iron arm to hang a pot on. I saw there was a moveable grate for a skillet. The only item missing, an oak or maple carved mantel piece.

  “Do you ever use that?” I pointed at the fireplace.

  “On occasion we do even though, as you can see, we have a commercial gas range and oven. Depending on the time of year and meal we will cook using the fireplace,” Richard informed me.

  “Each of the houses has one in the kitchen. I know this will sound rather strange considering we’re Americans but every July 4th at the main house we have family and friends over for a cookout. After lunch we adjourn to the kitchen to give the Christmas pudding a stir while making a wish. The only ground rule, no matter how small the child is they get a turn at the spoon,” Nancy explained.

  “I do not think that is strange at all. I do miss the Christmas pudding.”

  “That’s understandable. Anyways, here you go,” Nancy told me then stepped away from the island so I could get to work on the olives.

  While we ate, I was able to learn more about the Dean & Dean Detective Agency in particularly their association with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Los Angeles Police Department.

  “Walter, how did you learn my sister is head of the European branch?”

  “In my limited travels I would on occasion buy a copy of The New York Times. That is where I learned about the agency as the name was mentioned in several very high-profile international cases. As you know, Richard, I was already familiar with your work regarding the Kennedy assassination. After I was diagnosed with cancer, I went to the library in Billings. I got a copy of the Los Angeles phone book yellow pages and the London address was listed.”

  “You are very resourceful,” Nancy told me.

  “Thank you but not enough to figure out who hired me and now wants me dead.”

  “Walter, that’s why you turned to us, well the agency. We’ll do everything humanly possible to find them out and expose them for what they did,” Richard said.

  “I hope to live long enough to witness their fall from grace. Now, let me help clean up then, if you do not mind, I would like to take a walk around the grounds.”

  When I stepped outside the first thing I noticed was the air. Heavy, not crisp and clean like in Montana. Right now though, thinking about where to live I would have to put that on hold until I was safe. Not that I had much longer to live. Maybe a month. Two if I am lucky.

  Instead of thinking about where to live I knew my time would be better served figuring out where I wanted my body laid to rest. Maybe shipped back to England to be with my parents at Sutton on Sea. Or Dallas where I changed American history? Another possibility was in the tiny town I had come to know and love in Montana. Then again, where I want to spend my eternal sleep did not really matter. I would be dead.

  I felt the stress of the day catching up with me so I returned to the house and joined Richard in what I guessed was the family room since children’s toys were neatly placed in wooden boxes and a television which he had on to some show.

  After an hour I said good night to Richard and Nancy, who had joined us, and headed off to bed wondering what tomorrow would bring.

  CHAPTER TEN

  November 24, 1983

  We finished our Thanksgiving gluttony in time to watch the opening kickoff of the Dallas Cowboys versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Even though I had never been much of a football fan, this game for me did have significance. Dallas. And the case my wife and I were involved in, all the way up to our necks.

  I was glad I’d brought the notes Nancy and I had written up because during commercials and at the half time show I brought Edward up to date with what we had learned so far. He was extremely interested in the C-130 used to transport the men from Europe to someplace in the US and the deserted military base where they had trained. He had agreed with me those behind the shooting were very rich and powerful.

  “In the morning I’m going to the library and find out if there are other assassinations where no one was charged, or the shooter claimed he was innocent. Unlike Oswald.”

  “Junior, tell me exactly what you’ll be looking for and I’ll have one of the agency researchers handle that for you. Your time is better spent working with Walter. Don’t forget you’re the authority on the assassination,” Edward directed to me.

  “Brother, if you don’t mind, I’d like to tackle the job. This way we can keep the number of people who know about the project limited.”

  “Thomas, you’ve got the job. Have June help but not at the city library. Use ours for the same reason you gave,” Edward said.

  Having my twin do the research made me happy.

  “Thomas, start with post World War One to the current year. Look for the murder of political leaders, potential ones or any you think might believe qualify as an assassination. If the authorities caught the killer make sure he or she didn’t act alone. Unlike with the Kennedy one we know directly Walter was one of five and had specific training which we will be getting to tomorrow when we resume investigating the plot.”

  “Junior, is there anything I can do to help? As with Thomas I don’t have an active case,” Edward asked.

  “Yes. Walter you’re sure the base where you were taken is someplace in the western USA?”

  “I am. To find where we were taken, when I had the chance, I looked at photos of the different western states, trying to piece together what I saw when outside. The closest I could come to is maybe Texas. Where exactly I don’t have any idea.”

  “Edward, through your connections in the military see if you can find an abandoned base there. Don’t forget the place has to be deserted and many of the buildings rundown in 1963.”

  “Not a problem. Let me ask you this, would the place have been used only one time, training for the assassination of President Kennedy or would the people who hired Walter and the others use the facilities multiple times?”

  “No. They’d use the site once then leave to start all over again with another place. That would reduce the chances of an outsider stumbling upon what was happening.”

  “Junior, if this is a conspiracy which to these old ears really thinks that is the case then to prove your theory, you’ll need to find the organization. To start with look into the Knights Templar, who many thinks is no longer in existence but there are rumors they might still be around. The same with the Illuminati. Along with the Freemasonry. Your sister might be the best one to handle that task,” Richard, Sr told me.

  “What job, father?” Alice said, from the living room doorway.

  I watched our sister for her reaction as Dad explained what he had told us, and she agreed to take on the job which, as she said, “will give me something to do for the next week until I re
turn to London”.

  “Also, and maybe even more importantly, considering what happened yesterday when any of us leave the compound make sure to take along at least one extra person to guard your car,” Edward ordered.

  “What about the kids and school? Do you think these people might try to go after the buses?” I said.

  “I hope not. If they do then we’ll know they have no sense of morality,” Edward answered.

  “Why not keep them home until this entire situation is resolved? Either that or take them and pick them up,” Thomas suggested.

  “That’s the best solution and will keep the other kids safe,” I said.

  Another problem faced head on and resolved. Now we simply need to figure out who and why these people are coming after us. And when will the attacks stop. My guess, once Nancy and I have all the evidence and make public what we’ve learned. Even if we don’t or can’t name the individuals behind the assassination at least with everything out in the open they will have to rethink what they are going to do. What would be even better, if we can lay the blame for other murders on these people then there’s no place they will be able to hide.

  “Walter, backing up a little bit, do you believe the people who hired you and the others are part of a greater plan?” Richard, Sr. asked.

  “I do, sir. Exactly what that is, I have no idea but going back to November 1963 up to the present Thomas, in a few days, will be able to answer that question for us. Considering the military precision everything was done, starting with getting me from England to possibly Texas could not have been accomplished by a fly-by-night group.”

  “Don’t forget the vast amounts of money spent to achieve one goal?”

  “And that brings up an interesting point. Walter did any of the mystery men or your trainers give a reason for wanting him dead. From my experiences over the years a group of individuals working together, as these people had and have been doing, always have a specific goal in mind. From buying up land which would then be converted into concentration camps to seemingly unexplained not to mention unrelated murders to smuggling in heavy water they were all done with a singular purpose. Do you have any idea what this reasoning was?” our father asked.