‘Coop, can I have a word with you?’
John Woods signalled to Teddy Adleman, letting him know he’d be with him in a minute.
‘Sure. I thought you were about to do your speech.’
‘I am, so I’ve only got a couple of minutes… Let’s talk in here.’
John opened the door, leading him into the private West Sitting Hall.
‘What’s up, John?’
Woods sighed, looking not only apprehensive but also like he wasn’t quite sure where to start.
‘I know we spoke on the phone briefly, but I wanted to say it to you properly. I’m sorry. For the way I behaved. For the way I treated you. I lost sight of the truth. And I was wrong. I’m proud of you, Coop. Proud to be your… well, you know what I mean. I wish I had the integrity you have. Doesn’t seem to matter what life throws at you. You just carry on and do what’s right, rather than what’s best for you. You’ll be pleased to know the FBI are investigating the whole of Nadbury Electronics. They took Donald Parker into custody this morning. And as you know they’ve already got Charles Templin-Wright, who’s apparently talking a lot. Think he’s looking to get a deal on his sentence. But there’s no doubt we’ll get something to stick. And they’ll both end up going away for a very long time. The other thing I’m sure you’ll be pleased about is Dr. Foster. They’re reopening the case. Look to see if it was a homicide. Hopefully, this Templin-Wright will have something to say on that as well. Anyhow, like I say. I’m proud of you. Real proud…’
Woods paused. Tried to say something, then stopped.
Cooper half-joked, picking up on the president’s hesitation. ‘Now this troubles me. You, stuck for words… What is it?’
Woods said, ‘Did you ever tell anyone, anyone about the accident?’
It hit Cooper harder than any upper cut from Rosedale. ‘What?’
‘The accident. Did you ever tell anyone it was Jackson who sailed the boat that day?’
Cooper felt the energy beginning to drain out of him. ‘Jesus, John, of all the things I thought you were going to say, this wasn’t one of them.’
‘I’m sorry, but I have to know.’
‘Of course not, I’m surprised you even have to ask.’
‘I had to ask because I got a letter. Well Beau got a letter, but it was addressed to me.’
Cooper instinctively pushed his hand against the large, white panelled door, making sure it was properly closed. ‘And?’
‘It basically said, they know it was Jackson who was sailing the boat that day.’
‘That’s impossible.’
Woods nodded in agreement. ‘Well that’s what I thought, until I read the letters.’
‘Letters?’
‘Yeah, there’s been two.’
Frustration rushed through Cooper. ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me before?’
‘Truthfully, I didn’t want to admit it to myself. When the first one came, about three months ago, I just shredded it, and pushed any thoughts about it away. Then when Beau got the second one, last week, well, I can’t ignore it anymore… As much as I’d like to.’
Cooper had to take a second to take it in. Then he said, ‘What exactly does it say?’
Woods went into the inside pocket of his navy suit jacket, bringing out a typed letter. ‘I’ve got it here, I only kept it to show you… it says…’
A knock on the door interrupted Woods. It was Naomi Tyler.
‘Mr. President, they’re waiting for you.’
The door handle turned but Cooper held the door shut, causing anxiety from Naomi on the other side.
‘Mr. President? Mr. President are you alright, sir?’
Woods snapped. ‘Yes, I’m fine, Naomi, Jesus, I just need a minute.’
There was a pause.
‘Ok, if you’re sure, sir. But we haven’t much time.’
‘I know, Naomi! I know! I’ll be out in a minute…Thank you.’
Woods drew his attention back to Cooper.
‘Sorry about that, Tom… anyway, let me read it… ‘I understand that you’re a busy man, so perhaps you didn’t see my previous letter, but I feel I have no other choice than to write to you again. After all these years of wrestling with my conscience, and watching you I’m compelled to inform you that I know it was your son, Jackson Woods, who was in charge of the vessel that afternoon, contrary to the statement he made. I also feel it is your duty to make the appropriate steps to address this matter, and for there to be due process. If you do not act on this, you leave me no other option but to make this information public myself… And it’s signed, Your supporter.’
Cooper was shocked. ‘Your supporter? Let me see it.’
Taking the letter, Cooper re-read it, while Woods contrived. ‘I don’t know what to do, Tom. I don’t want this hanging over my head, and I don’t want to lie. Maybe I should…’
Cooper scrunched up the letter angrily, putting it in his own pocket.
‘Maybe you should what? Remember, you don’t know anything. That conversation we had back on the boat? It never happened.’
‘But…’
‘It never happened. Okay? John, are you listening to me? As far as you’re concerned I was sailing that day, and nobody is going to tell me any different.’
‘Should we tell Jackson?’
‘There isn’t anything to tell. Whoever wrote those letters, they’re just playing mind games. Didn’t you tell me how opposing parties would try anything to start smear campaigns, or try to shake their opponent?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Well that’s all this is. And by the looks of things it seems to be working. Look, every time there are talks about gun reforms… well, there are people out there who don’t like it. They get upset. They do everything from threats to stuff like this. What else have you got in your past to bring up? There isn’t anything to sling at you, John. So the only thing they have is the accident. They’re just making a wild guess. Trying to see if there’s anything there. The letter doesn’t go into any details, no specifics, nothing. And you know why? Because they don’t know anything. All they’re doing is guessing. They’re chancing it.’
‘What if they’re not? What if they do know something?’
Cooper leaned further into Woods, holding his gaze intently. ‘John. There isn’t anything to know. I was sailing the yacht.’
President Woods let out a long sigh. ‘Okay… okay… You’re not worried?’
‘Not even a little bit. Let’s see if another one comes. I doubt it will though; when they don’t have a bite, there’s nothing to reel in. Best thing you can do is forget about it.’
‘Okay, thanks, Tom. I appreciate that… Listen, I gotta go. You hanging around up here to watch the speech on TV with Beau?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Great, then we can see who really is the grand master of Monopoly. And Beau says he’s going to cook, so we can make an evening of it.’
Cooper smiled, giving him a wink. ‘I’d like that.’
He stepped away from the door, letting Woods open it. ‘Oh, and John, this conversation never happened either.’
Once the door had shut, Cooper pulled out the letter from his pocket. He read it again, concern creeping all over him.
The ring from his cell made him jump, something he kept doing lately. Stuffing the letter back in his pocket, he popped a pill in his mouth from the blister strip he’d pulled out of his jacket. He answered, ‘Cooper.’