how I felt about the President, but, I was wrong. I was going to be the scapegoat and he needed me to stick around, so they could set me up and make me look like the lone assassin. Of course, I did not know it back then. It was only later that it occurred to me. I just knew that I had to warn the FBI what was about to take place. At first, I was a little taken back that they did not seem to be all that interested in what I had to say. The simple answer may have been that they didn’t trust me, or didn’t believe that I was telling them the truth? I don’t know, I never could figure that part out?”
As he finished up what he was trying to tell me, he stood up and walked over to the window. He was trying to collect his thoughts. He was still looking out at the New York skyline when he turned around and said...
“My main concern was helping to prevent the assassination from happening, but I wasn’t getting much help in that regard. Not even the FBI appeared to give a damn whether the President survived or not. It was as if they were merely going through the motions! Even the Secret Service were moving like they had lead in their pants. I remember thinking, what the hell was wrong with these people? Why did they seem to be moving in slow motion?”
“Did you have access to the Zapruder film. Lee?”
“Yes, when it became available, I bought my own copy. I’ve watched it dozens of times.”
“What did you see when you watched it?”
“I saw a red streak coming in from the left in the area of the Dal-Tex building. That was where the Bulgarian was situated. A split second later, the President’s head exploded. The first time I watched the film, I didn’t quite get it, but about the tenth time I finally realized that there was something wrong with the response time of the Secret Service. It looked like they weren’t trying very hard. Holy crap, I thought, even the Secret Service was in on it!”
He sat back down at the table.
“Why did you put yourself in that position, Lee?”
“It just happened. I didn’t plan it. I thought I was doing a job, one that was going to lead to a job with one of the agencies. It started when I wandered into Guy Bannister’s offices looking to help him with the Cuban expatriates he was being paid to keep an eye on. His detective agency worked with all the covert agencies. As a former FBI supervisor, he had a lot of contacts and he told me he could probably find work for me. At the time, I was trying to form a chapter of the Fair Play for Cuba organization. I made the suggestion to Mr. Bannister that maybe we could help each other out. After discussing it for a day or so, we came up with an idea to try and embarrass the Cubans. The plan worked and turned into a radio and TV spot and some bad publicity for the Cubans.”
“Is that all?”
“While Bannister and I were celebrating over a cold soft drink, he mentioned the possibility of my helping out a friend of his, Jack Ruby, in Dallas. It just so happened that my wife and two little girls were living in Dallas, and it would be good thing if I could find some work there that might pay me decent money so I could take care of my family.”
“Did you know Jack Ruby before that?”
“I did not. I knew the name. I knew his reputation, but I had never met him until that day. He was there to discuss the assassination attempt with Bannister and Ferrie, but they did not reveal any of that to me at that time.
6
“What about Bannister?”
“He was a bit of a mystery man, but he knew and worked for everyone, the mob, all the agencies and anyone who was willing to pay his fee. He also had something to do with the Bay of Pigs operation, so that meant that he (and the others) also had a connection to the CIA.”
“Anything else you can remember, Lee?”
“I remember that David Ferrie was there too. Of course, he was there to represent Mr. Marcello’s interests. I knew Ferrie from the Civil Air Patrol when I was growing up in New Orleans. Ferrie was my instructor.”
“How well did you know him, Lee?”
“Well enough to know that he was smart, clever and a little bit crazy.”
I glanced at my notes and decided to call it a day. I asked Lee if he wanted to out and have dinner, but he said he was exhausted. I walked him back to his hotel around the corner from my office. I told him that I would see him in the morning. It was about twenty blocks to my walk-up, a rent control apartment that only cost me two hundred and fifty bucks a month (the same amount I had been paying for the past eighteen years). Normally, an apartment this nice would have cost me approximately two thousand dollars a month, but I was lucky when a friend of mine passed it onto me after he got a job on the West Coast.
I decided to stop and get a coffee, so I stopped in a little sandwich shop, sat at the counter and ordered a coffee and a piece of Cherry Pie, right out of the oven. The waitress was a darling little brunette, Jill, who always flirted with me and made me feel much younger. In reality, I was twice her age. I had made the mistake of dating a girl twenty-five years younger than me more than once and both times it was a complete disaster so I wasn’t about to do that again.
“How are you doing, Timothy?” I looked up and smiled. I noticed that her blouse was open and the top of her breasts were peeping out at me. I couldn’t help but smile just a little bit. In my mind, it was a compliment and I wanted to let her know that I appreciated her giving me a look. A big tip was in order.
“I’m fine, Jill. How was your day?” She was originally from Ireland and she still had that cute little accent that drove most men wild and, I’m sure, contributed heavily to their fantasy just as it was doing to mine.
“Very good, how about yourself? Can I get you anything else, Timothy?” she asked, as she placed the bill next to my hand. The edge of her hand brushed mine, ever so slightly.
“Good, but exhausting.”
“An Interview?” I looked up at her, a little surprised.
“How did you know?”
“The last time you came in here looking like that it was because you were in the middle of an interview with somebody famous.”
“Looking like what, old, worn out, over the hill?” She laughed, placed her hand on top of mine.
“Lord no, you’re not old, Timothy. You’re distinguished looking.
“Thank you,” I said, Her hand was still on top of mine when she said, “you do look like you need a massage. It would relax you. I could come over after work and give you one, no charge, of course...well, I mean, you could take me out to dinner sometime?”
I had promised her about a year ago that we should go to dinner some night, but if the truth were known she scared me a little bit. I tried my best to change the subject.
“Some other time, Jill, but I do appreciate it. I heard you are very good.” She gave me a look that said, you better believe I’m good.
“Who told you?”
“Uh, one of your satisfied customers (I couldn’t remember who it happened to be. I didn’t want to bring his name up because I think she also dated him and he had actually called her a crazy redhead).
“What
