To Kill a President

by By Marc james

  He stared across at Billy his hand tightened on the gun. He was about to pull it out when a police car arrived on the scene. It was Officer Tippit he began to slow down as the car approached Derrick. He lowered his window and Derrick walked over to the car. They began talking, from what he could hear they were arguing.

  Tippit opened his car door and walked around to the sidewalk. Faraday crossed the street to try and hear what was being said.

  “What are you doing here you scumbag, did you shoot the President?” Tippit asked.

  Billy did not respond, he pulled a gun on Tippit. Faraday followed suit and shouted “You shoot him and I shoot you!” Tippit was facing him whilst Billy was staring in the opposite direction.

  “Faraday?” Tippit said astounded.

  “Faraday didn’t you learn your lesson last time?” Billy yelled.

  “Billy if you move I shoot. Lower your gun.”

  Faraday watched Billy closely he wasn’t sure how to proceed. He took a few steps closer to Billy. He was within touching distance now. “Lower your gun or I’ll shoot.”

  “You don’t have the guts.” Billy replied.

  Faraday almost agreed with that, he had no desire to murder a man but he hated this man. “Just shoot him.” Tippit said. “I’m a cop your protecting me, they’ll give you a medal.”

  Billy laughed. “You really think killing me will save you? You’ve been doomed all along just like Oswald and Kennedy.”

  “What are you talking about?” Tippit replied.

  “We need you dead. You’re no use alive.”

  “What so you can frame Oswald?” Faraday asked.

  Billy laughed again. “Oswald has already been framed Faraday. You know you and that little whore of yours would have survived this if you had just let it be.”

  “You don’t talk about her!” Faraday replied. His finger was hovering over the trigger he could feel his hand shaking.

  “Just do it kid.” Tippit said.

  “Why do you need him dead?”

  “We need his...” Billy was cut off as two men ran into the street in front of them. A shot went off that hit Tippit in the head. One of the men was Lee Harvey Oswald and the other was Roscoe White. Faraday pulled the trigger as a reflex but he missed everyone. Billy shot Tippit twice in the chest and before Faraday could react Billy had turned and had the gun against Faraday’s stomach. As Billy pulled the trigger Faraday felt a pain like nothing he had ever felt before and let out a scream of agony. He looked down and saw that his white shirt was already scarlet. He fell forwards but Billy pushed him backwards. He landed on his back with Billy standing over him pointing the gun at his head.

  “I’m not putting you out of your misery.”

  Faraday began to lose focus and then the darkness came.

  Chapter 72

  When David arrived at Parkland Hospital it was 13:00. He and the police officer Ray Hawkins parked at the main entrance.

  “What the hell are they doing?” Ray shouted.

  “What? Who?”

  “Look.” Ray pointed to a black limousine David assumed had been part of the motorcade. There was a Secret Service agent with a bucket and a cloth in his hand. He appeared to be cleaning the car.

  “That’s the President’s limousine! It’s a crime scene why are they cleaning it?” Ray shouted again. He got out of the car and rushed towards the agents. David walked over behind him. His hand was shaking. He had not been able to get the man he had gunned down out of his head. He felt worse than he had when Sharon had died. Worse still he had blamed it on the man that helped him.

  “What are you doing? You can’t clean this it’s a crime scene are you out of your mind?” Ray said.

  “We are following orders.” The Secret Service agent replied.

  “Who’s orders? This is illegal you can’t do this.”

  The Secret Service men ignored him and carried on cleaning.

  “Who told you to do this?”

  “The Vice President.”

  Ray was silent. David could not believe the audacity of Lyndon Johnson. “Ray I have to get inside do you want to come with me?”

  Ray did not take his eyes off the car. “Yes I better had.”

  David walked into the hospital and asked the first nurse he saw where the President was. He was informed that Kennedy had been taken to trauma room one. David and Ray headed that way. When they arrived in the corridor the place was packed with reporters, Secret Service agents and medical staff racing around. David caught sight of Dr Malcolm Perry and headed in his direction.

  “Malcolm what’s going on?”

  “He’s just died.”

  “Jesus!” Ray mumbled.

  “There was nothing we could do he had a hole the size of a fist in his head.”

  “Where was the wound?” David asked.

  “It was on the right side of the back of his head.”

  “Was that an entry wound?” Ray asked.

  “No I assume it was an exit wound.”

  Ray nodded. David looked across towards Trauma Room one and saw the Secret Service agent that had come to the condo with Bobby Kennedy. He was standing to the left of a visibly traumatised Jackie Kennedy. Her iconic pink suit was covered in blood. David thought back to Sharon and how he’d felt when he lost her. Jackie Kennedy went in to trauma room one. The Secret Service agent stood by the door, he looked up and their eyes met. He signalled with his hand for David to go over. As David approached the man he was terrified that this might be about the Dal-Tex building. He was relieved when the man explained what he wanted to talk about.

  “Mr Kennedy asked me to find you if anything went wrong today.” Clint Hill said.

  “Why?”

  “He told me that we couldn’t trust anyone else. He thinks people will try and cover up the truth about what happened.”

  “So what does he want me to do?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve tried calling but all phone lines in Washington are currently down. He said he wanted you to assist in the autopsy, but from what I’ve been told that will take place in Washington.”

  “That’s illegal this is a murder that took place in Texas the autopsy must be performed here.”

  “The new President has given the order. He told us that it is a matter of National Security. He thinks this could be the Russians.”

  David had no idea how to respond to this. It was a complete coup d'état. “Have the press been informed of the President’s death?”

  “Not yet. President Johnson wanted to get to Air Force One before the announcement was made, if this is a plot by the Russians we can’t lose two Presidents’ in one day.”

  David could feel his blood boiling. He couldn’t believe how quickly people were moving on, Kennedy had only been dead a matter of minutes.

  “Listen Clint my friend Bobby is a lawyer. He will be representing the man that will be wrongfully arrested for this. Someone needs to help him down at the station.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “Because Kennedy is right they are trying to cover this up.”

  As Clint considered the situation the Police Officer Ray Hawkins arrived at David’s side. “Are you needed here? Or can we get to the station?”

  “Why are you taking him to the station?” Clint asked.

  “He witnessed a shooting in the Dal-Tex building.” Ray replied.

  “He cannot accompany you to the station. The Attorney General has requested that David help in the investigation. You can take his statement here.”

  “I have an office upstairs?” David suggested.

  Ray looked annoyed at the way the investigation was being dictated to him. “Okay that will have to do.”

  “Once you have finished with that you need to go to the Police Headquarters and assist a lawyer. David will fill you in on the details.”

  David and Ray sat in his office, it was Ray that spoke first. “Okay so for a start if you could just tell me what happened?” Ray had a pen in his hand ready
to write out what David said.

  “Okay well like I told you I was standing outside the Dal-Tex building waiting for the President. The motorcade entered Dealey Plaza and then I heard gunshots.” David could feel sweat pouring out of him. “Then this guy came out saying someone had been shot so I followed him and this guy in a leather jacket shot him. Before I knew it some guy with a high powered rifle jumped out of a cupboard and shot the guy in the leather jacket. I didn’t have time to do anything he just kind of ran at me and knocked me over then he headed out the fire escape. I followed and that’s when I met you.”

  “Okay so why did no one else go inside with you? Surely there were other people around.”

  “I think you’d need to ask them.”

  “It’s strange that only you would try to help.”

  “Well he just said someone had been shot he didn’t say there was a gunman still there. I’m a doctor so I guess that’s why.”

  “So you got there and this guy in the leather jacket just shoots the other guy? Why would he leave you alive?”

  “I eh don’t know.”

  “So he just shot the other guy and decided not to shoot you?”

  “Well eh no he was then shot by the guy in the cupboard.”

  “So was the guy in the cupboard responsible for shooting the President?”

  “I think so.”

  “So you’re telling me he shot the President and then shot another guy, before leaving you alive as the only witness? That is very strange wouldn’t you agree?”

  David had not thought this through. “Yes well I suppose it is. I guess he just didn’t have time.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Ray said studying David closely.

  “Well eh that’s what happened.”

  “It’s strange that the Attorney General wants you to assist in the investigation even though you just witnessed a triple homicide.”

  “So what happens now?” David asked.

  “Well normally I would take you into the station for further questioning but since you are required to help the Attorney General I shall wait until you are free. But if I was you I would rethink my story because I know its bullshit. Who is this lawyer that needs my help?”

  “Bobby Stinson, he walks with a limp. He is defending an innocent man. He will need any help you can provide him.”

  Ray rose from his seat and exited the office. David knew he was fucked now, he began to feel sick. He pulled the bin towards him and threw up. In his mind’s eye all he could see was the man he had killed staring up at him, with his vacant expression. He could not believe how badly the day had gone this far. Why had he used his gun?

  Chapter 73

  Whilst Bobby and Lee Harvey Oswald sat in the theatre he could see anxiety creeping into Oswald’s face. It was 13:30. “Lee if we stay here they will come for you. We need to leave.”

  “I have to meet Billy. That was always the plan if anything went wrong.”

  “They are going to come for you. Did you not hear Tippit? They want you dead!”

  “Well they’re in for a shock.” Oswald pulled a revolver from under his shirt.

  “No. If we leave now no one needs to die.”

  “I’m not leaving my family.”

  “If they kill you your family will be without you. They’ll think you killed Kennedy! Is that what you want?”

  Oswald was silent. “Fine I’m going outside to see what’s going on. We might not have time if you don’t come with me now.”

  Oswald remained silent.

  Bobby struggled to his feet and lit a cigarette. He needed it. He hobbled down the steps to the front of the theatre and looked back at Oswald. Why wouldn’t he listen? He walked back into the atrium and out of the cinema. He saw two men pointing at the cinema talking.

  “He just ran right in there! That must be who shot the President and the police officer.”

  Bobby hobbled over to them. “Have you heard how the President is?”

  “He’s dead.” One of them replied. “We think he went in there, we’ve called the police.”

  Right on cue a police car arrived at the cinema. To Bobby’s surprise they drove down the alley next to the theatre. The two police officers entered through a side door. This wasn’t how Bobby remembered the Oswald arrest. There was hardly anyone around. In the pictures he had seen Oswald was surrounded by people and he was brought out of the front door. What was going on?

  The police officers came back through the door a minute later and put a man that Bobby presumed was Oswald in the car. When the car came back out of the alleyway Bobby got a good look at the man’s face it certainly looked like Oswald.

  Bobby hobbled back into the theatre. He looked up towards their seats and saw Oswald was still sitting just where he had left him. It must have been Billy Seymour the imposter. Unless they had switched places? Had Oswald been taken away and replaced by Billy Seymour? How could he know? They had the same CIA handler after all. Billy knew everything about Bobby and Oswald could have explained everything to Seymour about the last hour. But surely no one would willingly switch places with Oswald.

  Bobby’s thoughts were interrupted as a man and a group of police officers entered the room. The man pointed at Oswald and the police began to move towards him. They first stopped and searched two men that were closer to the screen. They then moved in on Oswald. Bobby had no idea what to do. He was stunned as Oswald yelled.

  “This is it!” He stood up and pulled a revolver on the police officer. Bobby heard a loud click. The gun hadn’t worked. The police officer began wrestling with Oswald. He was joined by a few other officers, Bobby saw Oswald get a hard blow to the forehead. They forced Oswald down into a chair and handcuffed him. They pulled him to his feet as they began to drag him down the stairs.

  “I don’t know why you are treating me like this the only thing I’ve done is carry a pistol into a movie. I don’t see why you handcuffed me.”

  “Shut up you cop killing piece of shit.” One of the police officers barked. Oswald was dragged past Bobby.

  “Excuse me. I’m a lawyer, Bobby Stinson I’d like to represent that man.” Bobby said to one of the officers.

  He stopped and stared at Bobby. “Why would you want to represent that piece of scum?”

  “Everyone has the right to legal representation.”

  The police officer gave Bobby a dirty look. “You can ride with me.”

  “I am not resisting arrest!” Oswald shouted.

  “Shut up!”

  As Oswald was dragged outside a large crowd had gathered. Bobby was amazed at how many police cars had come for one man there must have been fifteen.

  “I protest this police brutality!” Oswald yelled.

  He was thrown into the back of the police car. Bobby followed the officer he had spoken to and got in to the back seat.

  They headed towards Dallas Police Head Quarters.

  Chapter 74

  Jane had been following both the Umbrella man and the Babushka lady for almost an hour. She had absolutely no idea how to get back to the condo from here. She had been worrying for the past ten minutes that the Babushka lady was in on the plot too. Why else would they be walking in exactly the same direction for an hour?

  They had been walking on the left hand side of the street the entire time. Jane was around 50 metres from the Umbrella man and about 30 metres from the Babushka lady. The Umbrella man stopped and looked across the street. Jane slowed down slightly as he looked in her direction. She was relieved when it appeared he had been looking for oncoming traffic. As he crossed the street the Babushka lady crossed as well. She was hardly being discreet about following him. Jane began to think that she should turn back. She didn’t need the Babushka lady’s footage she had proof a shot came from the drain. But if they were in this together and Jane got a picture of them, that could prove to be very useful.

  She decided to keep following. The Umbrella man disappeared from view. The Babushka lady was almost running as she followed h
im. They had both gone down an alleyway. Jane decided to pick up her pace slightly. When she reached the end of the alley she stopped at the sound of voices.

  “Why are you following me?”

  “I know you were involved, I saw what you were doing you had the Umbrella up when the President was shot. It’s a sunny day, you must have been signalling to someone. I saw that guy beside you with a radio.”

  “I was simply exercising my right to protest.”

  “Protest against what?”

  “His father’s appeasement of Hitler.”

  “What does that have to do with an umbrella?”

  “Chamberlain the British Prime Minister that appeased Hitler always carried one. Kennedy’s father supported him. Fucking scum.”

  “Well I have it on tape. If it was just a protest you won’t mind me handing in to the police.”

  “You stupid bitch, you’ve followed me down an alleyway to tell me this? I could snap your neck right now!”

  The Babushka lady was silent for a moment.

  “Didn’t think of that did you?”

  She remained silent.

  “Give me the camera.”

  “No.”

  “Now or I swear to God I’ll kill you.”

  The Babushka lady did not respond. Jane heard him grab the woman as she started to scream.

  “Get off me!”

  “Give me the camera you bitch!”

  Jane had heard enough she pulled her revolver from her pocket and walked into the alleyway. The Umbrella man had the Babushka lady pressed against the wall, he had his hands around her throat.”

  “Back up!” Jane yelled.

  The Umbrella man looked at her and he had fear in his eyes. “You think you’ve got it in you to kill a man you little bitch. I’ll kill you both.”

  “Back up or I shoot.”

  “Fuck y...”

  The Umbrella man got no chance to finish his words as Jane squeezed the trigger three times in quick succession. Two of the shots hit the man in the chest and the other struck him in the forehead. He fell to the ground violently. The Babushka lady slid down the wall clutching her throat.