Chapter 2.

After the plane had landed, Clarice and the children got their luggage before they took a cab out to their new house. Like the previous this was more than big enough for the little family. Luckily for Clarice they didn't have to worry about money even if she didn't work.

Clarice opened the door and the children at once ran to check out the house, while she dialed her husband to say that they got there safe.

"Good morning, Clarice," he said in the other end.

"Good morning, my dear doctor," she replied with a yawn.

"Tired," he said.

"Yes, so do you miss me yet," she said.

"Yes, it's too quiet without you and my little lambs," he replied. He really missed his wife and children as it was too quiet without them there.

"Hannah asked why you couldn't come," she said with a heavy sigh.

"What did you tell her?" he asked.

"That you could be in danger if you did," she said.

"Oh yes danger, so are you planning on going out to eat while you are there?" he asked.

"I haven't decided yet, it wouldn't be the same without you," she said with another sigh.

"Admit it, you are hungry," he said.

"Maybe, but I can control myself," she said. She after all did have some control over her urges.

"Are you saying I couldn't?" he replied.

"It's a part of who you are," she said but when she heard silence in the other end, before she quickly added, " I'm sorry I didn't mean to say that I'm just tired, you know how I get after a flight."

"Yes, I also know how you get when you are hungry, you should eat" he said.

"I'm okay," she said as she heard screaming from upstairs and said, "I have to go."

"The lambs are making noise I presume," he said, knowing their children.

"Yes they are," she said with a sigh.

"Tell them to behave," he said.

"Don't I always," she said with a slight laugh.

"You do, will you tell my lambs I miss them," he said.

"I will, doctor," she said.

"Talk to you later, my darling Clarice," he said as they hug up.


"What are you arguing about this time?" Clarice said angrily as she came into the room where she heard the yelling come from.

"Dante hit me hard," said Hannah, tears threatening to appear in her clear blue eyes.

"She hit me first," Dante argued.

"Why do you guys hit each other in the first place, you know you aren't allowed to do so?" Clarice asked tierdly.

"She called me stupid," said Dante.

"Cause he is, he don't know anything," said Hannah.

"I do to, you're the stupid one!" said Dante.

"Am not!" she yelled.

"Are to!" he yelled.

"Am not!" she yelled.

"Are to!" he yelled.

"Would you both stop it, neither of you are stupid, where do you get this stuff from," she said annoyed.

"Cause he's not good at reading," said Hannah in a superior tone. She had always been the faster reader and she at times liked to tease him for the fact that he could not read as fast and much spite the fact he was older.

"And she's not good at language," said Dante. He learned languages faster than her and could speak them more fluently.

"Then why can't you just teach each other," Clarice suggested.

"I never thought of that," said Dante, looking at his mother with astonished eyes.

"Now where is my third lamb," she asked.

"No idea," said Hannah.

"Didn't I tell you two to look after her," said Clarice frustrated.

"Sorry mum!" they both said and looked down.

"Claire!" Clarice yelled.

"Yeah!" she yelled back from the next room.

Clarice run into the next room and said, "Don't you go running of like that."

"But you know I don't like them arguing," said the little five year old and looked at her with her golden auburn eyes.

"I know, sweetheart," said Clarice, sat down and gave her a hug while she stroke her cherry blonde hair.

"Why do they do that, I mean it's not just them, everyone's fighting," she said sadly.

"I don't know, sweetheart, it's just the way the world is," said Clarice.

"The world is a cruel place," said the little girl.

"Not always," said her mother said.

"But you and daddy never fight, how come?" she asked, she could never seem to understand why her siblings could fight so fiercely when her parents never did.

"We do sometimes, but not any big fights," said Clarice. There was times when she didn't always agree with her husband.

"Mummy, I'm tired," she said.

"Do you wish to sleep?" said Clarice and stroked her cheer red hair.

"Yeah, you should get some rest too," she said as she walked over to the bed.

"I will, sweet dreams," said Clarice and gave her a kiss and tucked her in spite the fact that it was not that late yet. She then walked back to the other two.

"No more fighting okay, your sister is sleeping in the next room and I'm tired as well," Clarice said.

"Okay, mum," said Hannah and looked at her with her glacial blue eyes, as she pulled her carmine hair behind her ear, even at age seven she looked so much like her mother.

"Mum, where is the boxes we packed with the books?" asked Dante.

"Downstairs in the living room, I'm gonna rest for a bit and I don't want you two to disturb me unless it is something very important," she said in a firm tone.

"Okay," they both said as she left the room. She could hear them running down the stairs in a hurry.

Clarice walked towards her bedroom and inside, her eyes graced the boxed on the floor, before she lay down on the bed. She slowly closed her eyes, trying to get some rest while listening to the sound of the children downstairs.


Hannah and Dante quickly run downstairs and found the boxes that was labeled books and started to open them and dig through them to find something to read when Dante suddenly said, "Mum, is from the states right."

"Yeah I think dad also, why?" asked Hannah, looking at him.

"Well they never talk about their past, but if they are from around there should be some record of them somewhere so we could find out who they were right," he said.

"It should be, but I mean if they don't want us to find out, is there really a good idea that we try to find it?" she wondered thoughtfully.

"Oh come on how bad could it be if she was a police officer and he a doctor back home I bet they were that here to. Shouldn't be too hard to find," he said.

"Really Dante, why can't we just settle by that they worked as a doctor and a police officer and leave it by that," she said, she didn't like the thought about looking through stuff that was none of their business in the first place.

"Han, they are good people, they can't have done anything really bad, it's just to see what they were like. I think it could be real fun," he said and looked at her with puppy dog eyes to make her say yes.

"Okay, okay, so where do you suggest we look?" she said and smiled at him. She hated to say no to that look, even if it could lead to trouble later on.

"Public library or something," he said.

"Then we gotto ask mum for permission," said Hannah.

They ran upstairs to her room. They knocked and didn't enter before she said they could. Clarice looked at them both with tired eyes and Dante said, "Mum, is it okay if we go to the library and stay there for a while since the internet ain't up here yet."

"I don't know, I don't want you to run around on your own when we just moved here," said Clarice. She would have taken them if she hadn't been so tired.

"We can take a taxi back and forth, please, please, please," Dante begged.

"Yeah we really wanna go, please, mummy," said Hannah.

"Okay, okay, you can go, but no cab, use the driver and you can't stay more than two hours tops," said Clarice with a sigh. She was thankful to have a driver in cases like this. She knew him to keep an eye on them.

"Yeah, he's downstairs right," said Hannah.

"He should be in the kitchen and just stay at the library no other place okay," she said in serious tone. She at least had seen him there last after helping them bring their things into the house.

"Of course thanks mum, see you later," said Dante and gave her a quick kiss before they run off.


"Wow, this library is huge," said Hannah when they got inside. She was truly amazed by its size.

"Yeah really is, let's start on getting some library cards," said Dante and they went over to the counter.

"He,y I was wondering could we like get library cards," said Dante to the librarian.

"How old are you?" she asked.

"I'm nine and my sister is seven, why?" he answered polite.

"Then you have to get your mother's signature," said the librarian.

"Oh that won't work then, because she's at home. You see we only moved here today so she was tired and needed the rest," said Dante with a sigh.

"You're here alone," said the librarian shocked.

"Not exactly, our driver drove us here, he's waiting outside in case we need him and he's gonna drive us back later. We really wanted to borrow some books to read," he said, looking at her with sad eyes. He knew that was most likely to work.

She felt a bit sad for them and said, "I'll make and exception for the two of you, but then you have to bring your mother along so she can agree on it next time."

"Of course and thanks," said Dante.

"Do you have some kind of files for or what you call it persons that lived here before," said Hannah. She figured that would be the best place to start.

"We do, but it depends on what you are looking for if you can get access to them. What names should I put on the cards then?" she replied.

"Dante and Hannah Starling," said Dante and smiled.

"Wait, did you say Starling?" the lady asked surprised.

"Sure did, that name is kinda cool don't ya think," he said smiling proudly.

"It is, reminds me of something way back, but that probably has nothing to do with you," she said thoughtfully as she made out the cards and gave them to the children.

"How long can we use the computers for?" asked Hannah curiously.

"As long as you put your names on that list and there is no one waiting on them you can have them for more or less as long as you like," said the lady polite.

"Refroidir, come on" said Hannah excited. (Refroidir = Cool)

"You speak French when you're that young," said the librarian surprised.

"French, Spanish and a little Italian to, but mostly English," said Dante as he walked after Hannah to the computers while the librarian looked confused after them thinking there was something very familiar with them.

A moment later the librarian heard someone say, "Anything wrong Ginny, you look confused."

"Miss Hunter, it's been a while since I saw you here last. How is your little Josphine these days?" the Librearian asked. She had known Ardelia since she went to the academy; she always came there for books for herlself or her children.

"She's turning eight later this week, so not so little anymore," said Ardelia, nodding towards her daughter that was sitting in a chair in the children's section with a book. By the looks of it one with a lot of pictures and less wirting. Ardelia sighed before she added, "I was actually going to ask if you could change the name on the library card back to Ardelia Mapp as I'm no longer ."

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that," said Ginny, only then noticing the ring was missing from Ardelia's finger.

"Yeah, but it's for the better, he's on to writing me alimony checks," said Ardelia. They both laughed of the fact, before Ardelia again asked, "Are you okay, you looked so puzzled when I came in."

"It was two children here right before you came in, they said they were here alone or rather their driver is outside. That's not what's odd though," said Ginny, still puzzled.

"Maybe you know their parents," said Ardelia.

"No, don't have anyone here with the last name Starling anymore," said Ginny.

"Did you say Starling?" Ardelia asked shocked.

"Yes that what they said, when did you last hear from Clarice?" Ginny asked confused.

"Not in eleven or twelve years, you don't think she could have gotten children with…" Ardelia stopped.

"I hope not, but now that you mention it the boy did look like him, but why come back now?" asked Ginny.

"No idea, where are those children I would like to talk to them," said Ardelia.

"By the computers they wanted to use the net," said Ginny.

"I'll have a look then and come back there is something I wanto borrow," said Arnelia and walked over to the computers.

It didn't take Ardelia long to see which children Ginny had talked about, so she walked over and said, "Excuse me."

Dante and Hannah looked at her, but they didn't replay.

"You look familiar, have we meet before," said Ardelia, but they still didn't reply her so she said, "Lost the will to speak."

"No, but mum told us never talk to strangers so we don't," said Hannah looking away from the machine.

"Who is your mother if I may ask?" asked Ardelia. They young girl looked so much like Clarice it was scary, not to mention the boy looked like a young version of Lecter.

"As I just said we don't talk to strangers, now leave us alone, we have work to do since we aren't supposed to stay here too long," said Hannah. She didn't care much for the curiosity of this woman.

"But I…" said Ardelia started.

"Lady, back of or I'll make you," Jenny said and hissed almost like a snake. Ardelia quickly backed, while looking at them in shock. There were no doubt these children were a product of both. She sighed thinking, 'Clarice what the heck did you do.'

"Stupid lady, so where do we start?" asked Hannah. She was eager to start this investiagation leading them to find what they wanted to know about their parents.

"I have no idea, newspapers maybe," said Dante. It seemed like the logical place to start. After all if either of the parents did something really wrong, it should be written in the papers at some point.

"How far back do you suppose, are we talking," said Hannah and found the database for it. She was quick when it came to these things.

"Think thirteen years or maybe a bit before," he said after thinking for a second. Even if she was the one looking for clues, he was usually the one to get her there.

"You think we can go even further back cause I overheard mum and dad talk once and they knew each other way before that," said Hannah.

"Probably, just search fourteen years back first, if id dates back that far," said Dante. He wasn't sure how far back they would go; even if he supposed the papers did have a record, he wasn't sure how much was online.

They did, but after reading to dozens of papers and pointless articles they got nowhere so Dante went over to the lady behind the counter and asked, "Do you have any books and such bout old police cases like for fourteen years ago or even further?"

"Yes but aren't you a bit young to be borrowing those," she said.

"Nah we read everything, can I please borrow what you got?" he asked polite.

"Just give me a moment and I'll find it for you," she said and dissappered for a moment before she got back and said, "Here's some of the books, why don't you start with those and come back if you ant more."

"These are real crimes right?" he asked to be sure.

"Yes" she said.

"You got movies to?" Hannah asked.

"What kinds?" Ginny asked.

"Cartoons," said Hannah. She loved silly stuff like that for relaxation sometimes. Even if she was smarter than most children her age in many ways she still loved light amusement from time to time.

"Yes on third shelf on the left," said Ginny.

"Can I please barrow just one Dante," she said and looked at him with hopeful eyes. As her bigger brother, he was usually in charge.

"One, but be quick the driver is waiting and you know mum don't like when we're late cause she worries." said Dante as Hannah ran of.

She came back a moment later and said, "This one oh is that the books, they look really interesting as well."

"Yeah and hopefully useful too," he said and smiled at her.

"Okay you know how long you can borrow them, so have a good day then," said Ginny.

"You too and thanks a lot, we'll be back and next time we'll bring mum so she can sign," said Dante.

"Or your dad, don't really matter," said Ginny.

"Yeah or him, see ya," said Sean as with a sweet smile, before they left.


A moment later Ardelia came up to Ginny and said, "She looks like Clarice and he looks like I hate to say it, a younger version of Lecter."

"They did, how could she get involved with that madman," said Ginny.

"I have no idea, wonder if they got more kids and if he's here as well," said Ardelia.

"I rather not know, but they seemed bright" she said.

"They are their children would you expect anything less?" said Ardelia.

"I still don't get how our Clarice ended up with Lecter," said Ginny.

"I honestly don't know, wonder where she lives," said Ardelia.

"You can always ask her next time the children are here, they promised to bring her to sign the library cards," said Ginny.

"You think their children know who he really is," said Ardelia.

"I don't think they know that yet, but they borrowed some books about true crime, so they will soon find that out," said Ginny with a heavy sigh.

"What will they say if their dad is in there, wonder if they are still together or if she left him," said Ardelia thoughtfully. She couldn't get Hannah's behavior out of her head. She seemed to be like her father, her brother seemed more reserved after what she had seen.

"No idea, but I guess we'll find out soon enough," said Ginny.

"Maybe, I have to get back to work, so I'll see you later," said Ardelia and left with her daughter. Ginny just assumed she was going with her.


Thanks for reading, I would love to hear your thoughts :o)