‘Holy crap.’
Woods leaned in to see what Cooper had found now, with Beau coming round the other side to see a faded image of a group of six people.
‘What is it, Coop?’
Cooper pointed at the screen, going along the line. ‘I’ve been searching for stuff on Charles Templin-Wright and this picture came up. Look. There’s your Donald Parker. You can just make him out. That’s Charles Templin-Wright, there, second row. You can’t mistake him whatever the quality of the grain. And you see the sign behind them?’
Woods peered and nodded. ‘Annual meeting for Partnership and Rights of America, 1994.’
‘Right. And when I typed that into Google Images, more photos come up of the same meeting. But it’s this one here I want to show you.’
Cooper flicked between windows from the photo of Donald Parker and Templin-Wright to another photo, complete with a list of names written underneath it.
‘Here. It’s that man there.’ He pointed at the screen. ‘That’s Papa Bemba, but the Bemba of old. Because the guy I know, who we think’s responsible for at the least gross manipulation, at the worst…’ He stopped not wanting to divulge anything more, but added, ‘Well, the Bemba I know has had some kind of accident, or maybe it was to do with the conflicts, who knows, but whatever’s happened it’s caused a serious facial disfigurement.’
Woods stared at Cooper. He was agitated. ‘What are you talking about, Coop?’
‘His eyes have been mutilated somehow. The only thing that’s there is scar tissue which covers the sockets. He uses the disfigurement like it’s part of his gig… But that’s definitely him.’
‘Are you sure that’s him?’ asked Woods.
‘I’m positive, John. So that means Charles Templin-Wright and Papa Bemba are certainly well acquainted with your Donald Parker, which might mean whatever is going on there, Parker may be up to his neck in it too.’
Woods visually began to sweat. ‘Up to his neck in what?’ he snapped. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’
‘I don’t know what, yet, that’s the problem. I can’t see what it is. But I know something’s wrong. I can feel it. I just got to look beyond.’
‘Jesus, Coop, listen to yourself. Look beyond what? This is what you always do. Jump five steps in the wrong direction. Just because someone was at a meeting once with someone else, a hell of a long time ago, it doesn’t mean they know them. It’s just a coincidence. And even if they do know each other. So what? Doesn’t mean anything.’
‘Oh come on, John. There isn’t such a thing as a coincidence in business or politics.’
‘Why not? You’ve been to the Lemon water plant, a place which is part of a project I’m interested in, and that’s a coincidence, isn’t it? Just stop looking for things which aren’t there.’
Beau squinted. ‘Lend me your glasses, John.’
Well-accustomed to this request, Woods passed Beau his specs, who was then able to question Cooper about the photo. ‘This guy?’
‘Yeah.’
Beau looked along the names. ‘But it says here his name is Simon Ballard.’
Not having bothered to look at the names, Cooper craned to see. ‘It might say that, but that’s not who he is.’
‘Or it is Simon Ballard,’ suggested Beau. ‘And his name isn’t really Bemba… What’s up John? You okay?’
For the first time since the beginning of the conversation, Woods’s anxiety showed through. He pulled at his bath robe. ‘Just hot, that’s all.’
‘Maybe get some water,’ said Cooper. ‘Simon Ballard, why do I know that name, John?’
Woods shrugged and tried not to catch Cooper’s eye. ‘How should I know? Look, it’s late. I think we all should get some rest.’
‘Ballard… Ballard. That’s it… Simon Ballard, was wanted by a whole heap of organizations, I’m sure he was. Before I left the Navy, remember when I advised on the US Special Warfare Command board? Well I’m certain his name was being bandied around. But we’re going back a long time, mind, and it might not even be him. But I know he was Afro-American, and had some kind of links with Central Africa. I’ll tell you the person who might know is my old buddy, Bill Travis. Remember Travis, Coop? Well you need to speak to him… Listen, John, I’ll go and get you that water, you don’t look good.’
Beau hurried out, leaving Woods with Cooper.
‘This stuff about Ballard and Parker, it’ll all turn out to be nothing.’
Cooper looked at Woods intrigued by his manner. ‘Maybe.’
Woods’s jaw clenched. His voice suddenly hostile. ‘No maybes about it. Why is it that you can never let things go, Coop? You’ll get some cookie idea in your head and you want everyone to believe it. Never mind Garp, it’s the world according to Thomas.’
Cooper stared. Tilted his head to one side. ‘What’s with the attitude John? What’s going on?’
‘Nothing. I just think you’re being paranoid. It’s like conspiracy theories are an occupational hazard with you. And then you start sucking people in. I wouldn’t mind so much if there was some basis too it… It’s all that crap you’re taking.’
Cooper stepped closer to Woods. He could smell the mint gum on his breath. ‘I don’t think it’s me who’s being paranoid, I think it’s you. You’re the one who seems to have the problem. It’s not me who’s getting upset.’
‘Listen to me, Coop, and listen to me good, you need to leave all this nonsense alone. You’ve even got Beau wanting you to talk to Bill Travis.’
‘Nonsense?’
‘Yeah, nonsense, Coop. Trying to make out that good folk have things to hide. They’re your issues.’
‘Don’t think I need to make that out, when I’ve got you standing here all jumpy. Never heard of a poker face, John?’
‘I said, leave it. You hear me?’
‘If there’s something to find, I’m not going to leave anything.’
Cooper turned to walk out but he felt Woods grab him.
‘Coop, I’m telling you, don’t go stirring up trouble for Donald Parker. He’s a good man. And whoever he does or doesn’t know, just let sleeping dogs lie. Trust me, there’s a lot I’ve got riding on him. And whether I love you or not, I’m not going to let you mess this up.’