Dennis Cooley appears in Patriot Games by Tom Clancy. He is a rare book salesman in London, who serves as the go-between for Kevin O'Donnell of the Ulster Liberation Army (ULA) and his source in the British government, Geoffrey Watkins.
Background
Cooley is an Irish native from Belfast. His parents were casual Catholics and Marxists but died early in his life in a car accident. He went to the same university as O'Donnell and met Watkins during the Troubles, possibly when the latter wandered into his store.
Character
Cooley is described as a short, fat man with large glasses. He is extremely careful and fastidious, but has a talent for thinking on his feet. He cares deeply about his books, and his reaction to being discovered and losing them hints at a repressed rage.
Patriot Games (Novel)
Dennis Cooley runs a rare books shop in London, and is described by David Ashley as a "fat little poof" who is "one of the best in the business." Watkins will stop at whenever he has crucial information to pass along. Cooley will then pass the information on to O'Donnell when he takes one of his "business trips" to Ireland.
After Sean Miller is broken out, Cooley is surprised when Watkins visits him soon after, as they were meant to keep a low profile. He agrees to pass along the information about the prince's visit to America, however. Scotland Yard notes Watkins' trip to Cooley's bookstore, which catches Ashley's attention.
Ashley visits the shop, but instead of Cooley, meets Beatrix, his assistant. Beatrix tells Ashley that Cooley has left for Ireland, as he often does. This further raises Ashley's suspicions, and he and Owens place the shop under surveillance. They hear and see Watkins visit another time, but are unable to detect anything conclusive.
Bad wiring starts a minor electrical fire in the store, and Cooley calls an electrician, who finds the listening bug planted by Owens. Cooley realizes what it is immediately, but waits until Beatrix arrives before fleeing the scene. Even so, he manages to elude the Scotland Yard police and sends Watkins a coded message that contacts are broken. He takes the ferry to France, where he catches a flight to the training camps. Owens and Ashley pass on his photo to the CIA, who recognize him when his bald head pops up on their spy satellite footage. This prompts a raid, but the attack force has to turn back when they are spotted. By that point, however, Cooley has already left with O'Donnell and the others for America.
Cooley is part of the ULA team that attacks the Ryan home. He and Miller attack the house directly and take the Ryans, the Jacksons, and Prince of Wales' family hostage. Miller is called away and Robby Jackson, who was out of the room at the time, shoots down the rest of the team. He leaves Cooley alive but roughs him up a bit for calling his wife, Sissy Jackson, a "nigger." Cooley is forced to take them down to the boats the ULA were reserving for their escape, and is accidentally shot by one of the guards there.
Patriot Games (Film)
Dennis Cooley largely follows the same actions that he does in the book. However, when he insists on being brought along to America, Miller and O'Donnell deny his request after seeing how he behaves under fire. Miller then shoots him, and his body is found by the SAS when they attack the camp.