LITMIR.BIZ

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give Rosedale a job.’

      Exasperated, as Cooper often was by Woods, he said, ‘Of all people. Rosedale?’

      ‘Relax. Rosedale’s a good guy. He’ll look out for you. Okay, he has his oddball ways but he’s one of the best. He owed me a favor, plus the man was bored. God knows why he thought retirement would suit him… Look, I know you’re pissed, but Granger’s been keeping me in the loop. Coop, there’s been too many near-misses in the past and now, according to Granger, it’s started again.’

      ‘The hell it has, and Granger should keep his goddamn nose out of my business.’

      ‘It has, Coop, and I know why and so do you.’

      ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’

      ‘Oh I think I do. It’s about why you went back to Africa, when you said you wouldn’t. Breaking your promise to Maddie.’

      ‘What do you know about Maddie? You’ve never even met her.’

      ‘And is that my fault? You’ve kept her away, Coop. God knows what you tell her.’

      ‘I don’t tell her anything. Might surprise you but you’re not the conversation of the day.’

      ‘Why is it that every time I see you there’s so much hostility?’

      ‘Listen John, I don’t want to talk about that. Let’s just stick to the point shall we?’

      ‘Which is?’

      ‘That I just want everyone to understand that they need to keep out of my business and realize I was just doing my job.’

      ‘No, that doesn’t cut it… Granger told me about Ellie’s death certificate finally coming through… I’m so sorry.’

      The heat behind Cooper’s eyes began to blur his vision. He pressed his palms into them. ‘It didn’t just magically come through. Granger couldn’t send off for it fast enough, could he? Almost as the clock struck seven years, he was applying to court for a notice of legal presumption of death.’

      ‘Coop, it’s only right. You know as well as I do, if the accident had happened in US waters, the death certificate would’ve been issued years ago because the element of peril would’ve accelerated the presumption of death. It’s only because it happened in international waters that things were different.’

      ‘I don’t need a legal lecture. I know how it works.’

      ‘Then you know it’s the first time Granger has been able to get some kind of proper closure. Maybe now this is the time for you to get it too.’

      ‘Closure? Because of a piece of paper saying she’s….. so we’re all supposed to just shut it away and pretend it never happened?’

      ‘You know I don’t mean that.’

      ‘Then what do you mean, John?’

      ‘What I mean is, it’s there. Written down. It’s like an anchor to hold onto. It’s tragic, but maybe now it’ll help you accept it. Accept what we’ve been saying for years, rather than it send you spinning.’

      ‘So this is about you being right, is it? And now you want me to just get on with my life?’

      ‘Yes, because you were doing good with Maddie and with Cora. You’d moved on. I could see it. We all could.’

      ‘Had I? Or is that what you all wanted to believe, so that’s all you saw?’

      ‘Jesus, listen, Coop. Do not throw your life away over this. Nothing’s changed. Not since yesterday or last week, or last month or even last year. Everything’s still the same. You’re just struggling to see it now the death certificate’s come through. But you need to accept this… It’s finally over.’

      ‘And what if it’s not? Think about… No… no, just hear me out. So let’s say I accept it because there it is on that damn piece of paper. The date stamps her death… But what if she’s alive and the day after the date stamp there’s no-one there to keep on looking for her? Don’t you see, John? If the truth dies, I’ll kill her all over again!’

      ‘Goddamn it, Cooper. The truth is she’s dead! The best thing you can do is try to get things sorted with Maddie.’

      Cooper shook his head and eyes wide he counted on his fingers.

      ‘One… Two… Three. Three skiffs that day. Three, not two. I know how many there were. I’m not crazy. I wasn’t then and I’m not now.’

      John Woods strained towards Cooper. ‘There were witnesses Coop. And they all say there were only two skiffs.’

      ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’

      ‘Jesus. I can see it. That look in your eye. I haven’t seen it for a long time, but it’s come back and it scares me Coop. No-one wants to lose you… Think about Jackson. How do you think he’d cope if anything happened to you? Please, just tell me you’ll accept it. Accept it’s over.’

      Cooper’s eyes darted manically round the room. His breathing. Shallow. Short. Teeth grinding down. Biting hard. Panting, he rested his gaze back on John. ‘Whatever you say… I accept it.’

      ‘Coop…? You okay?’

      ‘Fine.’

      ‘Your mouth’s bleeding.’

      Cooper touched his lips with his fingers. Saw the blood. ‘I’ll be damned, must’ve bitten my tongue.’

      ‘You sound real strange. Coop, are you on something?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘You know you can trust me, right? I don’t want to see you going down that road again.’

      ‘It wasn’t that bad.’

      ‘Come off it. You were doctor shopping with the best of them. What was it? About twenty, twenty-five different doctors, all writing prescriptions for you in different aliases for painkillers, benzos and opiates, and God knows what else. The way you were and what you did, it’s amazing the court only sentenced you to psychological sessions.’

      Cooper shifted uncomfortably. He said, ‘It’s not like that anymore. It’s all good.’

      ‘I hope so Coop, because you don’t realize how much your behavior affects everyone around you. I’m not laying the blame here but when you just took off to Eritrea and then fell off the radar, Jackson was in a real dark place. I wasn’t sure what I’d find from one morning to another when I went into his room…’

      The president stopped. Embarrassed. Overwhelmed. Cooper decided it was probably a bit of both. But whatever it was, he wasn’t going to push it, he could see John was unprepared for his emotions taking such a stranglehold.

      After a minute or so, and regaining his composure, Woods continued. ‘Jackson needs you, Coop… he values your friendship above anything else.’

      ‘And that’s why I lie to him is it? Because my friendship’s so valuable…? It’s all based on a house of cards, John.’

      President Woods stared at Cooper in disbelief. ‘You want me to tell him the truth? Is that it? Is this what this is all about?’

      Cooper tried his best to mirror Woods’s look of incredulity, but the pills were making his face feel strange. Kinda numb. ‘The truth?’ he said with scorn. ‘Don’t make me laugh, John. Everything’s secrets and lies. So no, that’s not what I’m saying. I just want you to keep the hell out of my work and my business. So you don’t have to worry, I’ll continue being part of your lies. Though, on reflection, I guess it also makes it convenient for you to keep Jackson in the dark because we both know it sure as hell would destroy you if it got out.’

      ‘Wait a goddamn minute, you really think…’

      ‘Hey

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