“What did you tell him?”
“Well, I kept asking him where he was. I wanted to find him, get him
some help. But he wouldn’t tell me. I’m not sure he heard a word I said,
really, he was that distraught.”
“So you think he sounded suicidal, sir?”
“I’m no psychiatrist, Lieutenant, but if I had to make a layman’s guess
about his mental state, yes, I would definitely say Walter Sullivan
sounded suicidal that night. It’s one of the few times during my
presidency that I felt truly hopeless.
Frankly, after the conversation I had with him, I was not surprised to
learn that he was dead.” Richmond glanced at Burton’s impassive face,
then looked at the detective. “That’s also wh I questioned you as to
whether you had determined y if there was any truth to the rumor that
Walter had anything to do with this person being gunned down. After
Walter’s telephone call I have to admit that the thought certainly
crossed my mind.”
Frank looked over at Burton. “I suppose you don’t have a recording of
the conversation? I know that some of the communications here are
recorded.”
The President answered. “Sullivan called my private line, Lieutenant.
It’s a secure communication link and no recordings of conversations on
that line are allowed.”
“I see. Did he directly indicate to you that he was involved in the
death of Luther Whitney?”
“Not directly, no. He obviously wasn’t thinking clearly.
But reading between the lines, the rage that I knew he was feeling-well,
and I hate to make this statement of a man who’s dead, I think it was
pretty clear that he had had the man killed. I have no proof of that of
course, but it was my strong impression.”
Frank shook his head. “Pretty uncomfortable conversation to have.”
“Yes, yes it was very uncomfortable. Now, Lieutenant, I’m afraid that
official duty calls.”
Frank didn’t budge. “Why do you think he called you, sir?
And at that time of night?”
The President sat back down, threw another quick glance at Burton.
“Walter was one of my closest personal friends.
He kept odd hours, but then so do I. It would not be unusual for him to
call at that hour. I hadn’t heard very much from him for the last few
months. As you know, he had been under a considerable personal strain.
Walter was the sort to suffer in silence. Now Seth, if you will excuse
me.”
“It just strikes me as odd that out of all the people he could have
called, he called you. I mean the chances were pretty good that you
wouldn’t even be here. Presidents’ travel schedules are pretty hectic.
It makes me wonder what he was thinking.”
The President leaned back, placed his fingers together, and studied the
ceiling. Cop wants to play games to show me how smart he is. He looked
back at Frank and smiled. “If I were a mind reader I wouldn’t have to
rely so heavily on the pollsters.”
Frank smiled. “I don’t think you have to be telepathic to know you’re
going to be occupying that chair for another four years, Sir.”
“I appreciate that, Lieutenant. All I can tell you is that Walter called
me. If he was planning on killing himself who would he call? His family
has been estranged from him since his marriage to Christine. He had many
business acquaintances, but few people he would call true friends.
Walter-and I have known each other for years, and I considered him a
surrogate father. I had taken a very active interest in the
investigation of his wife’s death, as you know. All of that together
could explain why he wanted to talk to me, particularly if he was
contemplating taking his life. That’s really all I know. I’m sorry I
can’t be of more help.”
The door opened. Frank did not see that it was in response to a tiny
button on the underside of the President’s desk.
The President looked at his secretary. “I’ll be right there, Lois.
Lieutenant, if there’sanything I can do for you, you let Bill know.
Please.”
Frank closed his notebook. “Thank you, Sir.”
Richmond stared at the doorway after Frank had departed.