‘It’s OK.’ Vanessa chuckled. ‘We have far bigger fish to fry right now.’
‘I suppose you’re looking for Lincoln’s body?’ They looked up, surprised by his interest. ‘I’ve seen the story in the newspapers. They tend to keep me warm at night in the park. But I always read what they have to say first. It’s important to keep on top of what’s going on in the world even if the world doesn’t seem that interested in you.’
Steven took the detectives to Independence Avenue, just two blocks away from the National Mall. It took ten minutes to get to the small office block; the detectives could see silhouettes of people typing away through the windows, but there was no sign above the door advertising what the business inside did.
‘This is the office of the Socialist Star. It’s always been the location of the newspaper, although it’s changed hands a few times as you can probably imagine,’ Steven explained. The detectives shrugged, having never heard of the paper. ‘The office was empty between the years of 1861 up until 1900.’
‘What was the reason for that?’ asked Vanessa.
‘It was also a newspaper printing office and a huge supporter of the Democratic Party. They were supporters of the Democrat nominee, Stephen Douglas, during the 1860 election in which he went up against Lincoln. When Lincoln won the election and got into power, they criticised his every move. In the end, this was one of 300 opposition newspapers which Lincoln shut down throughout his presidency.’
‘So nobody could report on his downfalls because he gagged anyone who would dare,’ Darnell barked. ‘No wonder he’s always had such a heroic legacy, the only people who were allowed to report on him were in his favour. That’s a dictatorship right there. It’s like something you’d find in North Korea, not in the United States of America.’
‘Exactly,’ Steven replied, firing a finger gun in the detective’s direction.
‘If this is the case…’ Jamison butted in. ‘Then why didn’t they set up again after he died and expose him?’
‘They did and still are doing,’ Steven explained. ‘This whole operation is based on volunteers as they don’t have a lot of money. Unfortunately it’s hard for them to get their stories out. Even our current president, a Democrat, who despite his socialist views, still has a fondness for Lincoln. It’s so hard to destroy the image of a man whose narrative supports the entire backbone of our society.’
‘But there are other papers who are not supporters of the current government.’
‘Who are Republicans? And you try telling them that the greatest leader they ever had turned out to not be quite the nice guy everyone raves on about.’ Steven shrugged his shoulders and continued. ‘After the war, the government began to have an influence on education, they began to teach history and politics. The Republican Party of the time were able to directly feed the lies to our people, lies which we’re still telling today.’
‘History is written by the winners.’ Darnell nodded. ‘And Lincoln won.’
‘Exactly,’ Steven said. ‘And look what he inspired while he was in his presidency. Through his manipulation of an entire nation, a Lincoln cult following began. He was like a god. His government became almost like a religion. Look at how people spoke about him. They call him ‘Father Abraham’. How do you beat down a reputation like that?’
‘This all fits in with what the professor at Springfield University told us. Everyone is determined to keep the lie alive about Lincoln because it builds a better narrative of our history and ensures we contain the centralised government which we follow today. Thank you, Steven.’ Vanessa shook his hand and took out a ten-dollar bill from her bag. ‘Here, get yourself some food tonight, won’t you. I appreciate you giving us this educational tour.’
They said their goodbyes and made their way to the hotel, quietly soaking in the reality of their country’s education which they’d been fed for over one hundred and fifty years.
Chapter 24
The Jefferson Hotel is a five-star luxury property just a few blocks from the National Mall. The luxurious accommodation was far above what employees from the Springfield Police Department usually enjoyed on a business trip but their last minute venture meant they had few options when it came to finding more modest accommodation in the city. The President was speaking at the White House Tribal Nations Conference and indigenous people from all over the continent had flown in for the event.
Inside the hotel a marble chequered floor made up the entrance, antiques lined the hallways and a painting of Thomas Jefferson hung in the lobby. Outside, journalists were snapping away, hoping to capture a politician in town or a celebrity on tour. The detectives hid their faces as they entered the property, aware that they too had now built some notoriety on the Lincoln case and their choice of luxurious accommodation at the public’s expense would not sit well with the press, even if it was their only option. Vanessa would have stayed at her permanent home in Arlington but she’d already offered her apartment to her sister and her wife, who were in town on vacation. She had hoped to see them if time allowed on their journey, but their tight schedule made the opportunity for a reunion highly unlikely.
Vanessa and Darnell shared dinner in The Plume, a fine dining restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel. They only had a $40-limit which they could expense according to the travel policy; it barely covered their starters in The Plume. But the detectives felt they deserved a treat after the previous weeks and were happy to add their own money as contribution towards it; plus it avoided leaving the hotel to
