Lindsey literally threw the neatly typed report into the backseat as she pulled the door to the Vic open. She was grumbling as she dropped into the driver's seat, belatedly remembering to unlock the doors so that Clarice could get in. All that work last night, everything she had put into this case, and they had laughed at her. Even when Clarice had backed her up that it was not Dr. Hannibal Lecter they were looking for. Goddamnit! What did it take to convince them? The guy neatly wrapped with a bow on his head on their doorstep? Probably so. Lindsey snapped her seatbelt into place and floored the Ford as she took it out of the parking lot of the Police Operations Center downtown. Clarice certainly seemed to be taking this better than she was, perhaps wisdom really was gained with age. Lindsey barely noticed when her passenger leaned into the backseat and retrieved the discarded profile. She readjusted her seat belt and flipped through the pages. She ignored the scenery as it flew by, Lindsey piloting the sedan onto the interstate.

Clarice wouldn't admit it unless she had too, but the kid was good. She almost certainly lived up to the reputation that preceded her into the case. There had been whispers back at Quantico, even down in the basement, that Lindsey was the best profiler to come along since Will Graham. Clarice read the handwritten page of notes that Lindsey had left in her report. The small tight printing was a little difficult to read as she took the curve in the road, but the car soon began to slow, having ht the start of rush hour traffic. The profile the kid had compiled was pretty much on the mark to Clarice's eye. Male, between his thirties and forties, single. She had decided that he most likely lived alone, was probably a private man, leaning more towards a house rather than an apartment. Had medical experience, and was most like employed in a job in the medical field. He had known just how to duplicate Lecter's murders, had been clean about the surgical cuts and the removal of organs. He was obsessed with Lecter, wanted to meet him, have contact with him.

Lindsey looked over as the traffic slowed, her anger dissipating slightly, looking over Clarice's shoulder for a moment as the older woman read her handwritten notes.

Nice. Lindsey had note in the margin about possible letters written to Lecter, that they should try to get them. If the guy had written and received no response, and if he were dedicated enough o Lecter, he would probably do just what he was doing. This man could be a stalker, if her knew where Lecter was. Drawing him into the city, so he could finally meet his idol, possibly even become his idol. Clarice didn't like that thought. As much as she wanted to see Lecter behind bars, logically that was the correct thing to want, she did not want to see him dead. She shook her head, flipping back the front pages of the report and laying it in her lap.

"What?" asked Lindsey, her voice tight.

Clarice looked over at the young woman. Bit paranoid, isn't she? "Nothing. I think its good, Lin. If it means anything, I think you're right about the guy."

Lindsey gripped the steering wheel and watched the creeping traffic ahead. "I'd better be right. Damned guy called me, killed a woman and put my picture on her face. It's a bit personal, Clarice."

Clarice nodded in silence, knowing that she could say nothing to appease her at the moment. It took them nearly forty minutes to reach the Woodmen exit and return to their hotel. Clarice didn't notice when Lindsey had stopped at the front desk, checking messages. She did notice when she appeared next to her at the elevator, the heady perfume of roses filling the air. Clarice turned to look at Lindsey, staring in amazement at the huge bouquet of deep red roses that filled the vase.

"Wow. Who are those from? Boyfriend?" Clarice leaned over right before the elevator doors opened and took a deep whiff of the roses nearest her.

"I'm single." Lin replied absently. They moved aside as a slim dark haired woman stepped out of the elevator. Neither FBI agent noted the look of surprise in the woman's eyes or how she kept looking back at them until the elevator doors closed them from view. Shaking her head, the petite woman continued out the door and to the parking lot. She slipped into the rented T-bird, and grinned as she started the engine. If he had gone to the trouble of getting her roses, he really had to like the girl.

*****

Lindsey was still staring at the roses as she came out of the bathroom in her hotel room. The sat in the dresser, reflected in the mirror and filling the room with their fragrance. She went over and pushed gently through the blooms, and finally found what she was looking for. She retreated to the edge of the bed and opened the small, white envelope. There was a card with a rainbow printed on it, the words 'Thinking of You' were superimposed on it. Her hopes of who had sent them were dashed as soon as she opened the card.

Loved the picture, Lindsey.

She looked just like you.

He knows you. But he doesn't love you like I did.

Jacob

With an aggravated growl she threw the card across the room. Was she a designated torture victim for God or whoever was up there? As she fought back tears she grabbed the vase and the roses and carried them over to the trash can that sat by the table. With all her might, she slammed the vase into the trash can, and was rewarded with the sound of shattering glass. Water splashed out over the rim of the trash can, onto the beige carpet of the floor, along with a couple pieces of glass and a rose. She plucked the chunks of glass up and dropped them into the can to joint he rest of the shattered vase. She wasn't thinking as she took the rose in hand, and bit back a curse as the sharp thorns cut her palm. She was headed to the bathroom to retrieve a washcloth to tend to her now bleeding hand when there was a knock on the door.

"Coming!" she barked at it, dropping the offending flower into the others. She held her hand, peering at the wounds as she stepped towards the door. What else could go wrong this afternoon? She peered through the peephole and saw Clarice standing there. She undid the locks with her left hand, ignoring the blood that was beginning to pool slightly in her cupped right.

"I heard a crash, are you okay?" Clarice looked on edge, and it didn't help when she saw the blood in Lindsey's hand. "You're bleeding."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious." she closed the door behind the other agent as she entered the room. Lindsey stepped into the bathroom and grabbed a hand towel, wrapping it as a temporary bandage around her hand. She stepped out to see Clarice looking into the trash can.

"Um, is there a good reason as to why they're in the trash?"

Silently, Lindsey handed her the card and sat in the bed, nursing her hand. Clarice read it and let out a quiet 'Wow.' Lindsey wasn't close to tears anymore, she didn't know what she was. So many emotions coursed through her at the moment. This case had only been one bad memory after another.

"You should tell SAC Loren about this, Lindsey." Lindsey waved it off.

"No. I'll get ripped off the case and thrown into protective custody. And with the way things are going, he'll get to me before you guys can get to him. Not going to let that happen."

Starling nodded. She could understand, but she wondered if the kid had a death wish. The guy was obviously gunning for her, but Clarice didn't quite know why. For all logical reasoning, if the guy wanted Hannibal, he'd be coming after her, right?

"Your ex-fiancé knows him."

"Yeah. That narrows it down to only about a hundred people."

"With medical experience?"

"Okay, perhaps ten, then. Ten, between doctors, nurses, and other people in hospitals." She looked sidelong at Clarice. "But last time I checked, none of them were in Colorado."

"It's worth a shot. Do you remember any names?" Clarice watched as Lindsey unwrapped the towel and looked at her hand.

"No. I didn't really know any of his friends. Met them in passing, but I had more important things on my mind at that time. Little did I know that he was going to be the more important thing in the end." she laughed bitterly.

"Just trying, Lin." Clarice shrugged, and Lindsey rose from the bed. She took the hotel list from the table.

"We need to find Lecter, before the damned UNSUB does."

Clarice took the paper and looked at the three remaining names. They'd put this off for a couple days, and this was all that was left for them to do to find Lecter. "I'll take the one at the Broadmoor." she offered, still wanting to taste the thrill when she cornered Lecter on her own. Lindsey nodded, pointing a finger at the other names.

"I'll handle the Embassy Suites, then. I really don't think he's going to be at the Broadmoor, Clarice. No offense, but he wouldn't be that blatant." that raised Clarice hackles and she immediately adopted an 'I'll show you' attitude.

"I know him, Lindsey, personally. I don't care how much praise you may be getting back in your office or in DC, but you don't know the first thing about Hannibal Lecter." she was headed towards the door before Lindsey could react. She paused to unlock the deadbolt at the door, and turned when Lindsey called her name.

"Well, then take the car. I'll walk." she tossed the Keys to the Ford to Clarice and turned away to the window. She knew Lecter wouldn't be there, but there was nothing she could do. Hopefully, Clarice would figure that out before Lindsey managed to get herself in over her head.

*****

Petra grinned as she stepped into her room, dropping her purse and walking through the small sitting area. She found Dr. Lecter in her bedroom, looking out the window. She had run a few errands since leaving the Hampton Inn down the road, grabbing some groceries and filling the Thunderbird up before coming back to the Embassy Suites. He slowly turned to look at her as she set her shopping bag on the table. She grabbed an apple out from the top of the bag and took a bite from it before she spoke. The fresh scent of the fruit filled the air.

"Nice roses you sent her, Doctor." she grinned even more broadly and waggled the apple at him. He blinked at her and shook his head, a bit of confusion in his eyes.

"What roses, Petra? And whom did I send them to?"

"The other FBI agent, the young one, Lindsey. She had a huge bouquet of roses waiting for her when she got back to the hotel. Saw them when I got off the elevator. I assumed…"

"Never assume, Petra." he cut her off. Someone had sent the woman roses, how interesting. It had him curious, but he could deal with that curiosity when he returned to his own suite, where he could think in silence. He had been using Petra's computer while she had been out, running her errands and completing some others for him. "Did she show Clarice the note?"

Petra, who was still slightly surprised that the roses weren't from him shook her head. "I don't think so. Took me a bit to find it, but she had it tucked away in one of the dresser drawers, under her pj's. The CD was in her player." she paused and took another bite of the apple. "Really, doctor, when I met you I didn't think I'd be playing spy for you."

He smiled at her and winked. "Ah, but you do it so well. Petra…" he stopped as there was a knock at the door. Petra froze in mid-bite and looked at him, slowly lowering the apple from her lips. Another knock came before she could move or formulate a reply. A voice accompanied the knock, muted partially by the door and the distance between the bedroom and the door.

"Petra Morricone?"

She dropped the apple on the table, and tried to remain calm as she walked to the door. She had an uneasy feeling that the Doctor was armed and would not hesitate to kill the unannounced visitor if he felt it needed to be done. She heard the closet door open and shut as she crossed the sitting area.

"Coming!" She carefully undid the locks, pulling the door open with the chain lock still engaged. "Yes, can I help you?" She found herself looking at the face of the FBI agent they had just been discussing. Speak of the devil…

"Petra Morricone?" the woman asked, she had a couple bandages on her right hand as she pulled a badge wallet from her purse.

"Yes."

"I'm Special Agent Lindsey Singleton from the FBI. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment." She opened the wallet, displaying her badge and ID as she spoke, Petra nodded, reaching up to the chain and sliding it loose.

"I can see from your ID. Sure, come on in. Mind if I ask what this is about?"

Lindsey nodded and stepped into the sitting room, gaze sweeping over the area as she answered. "We're looking for a fugitive, and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

Back in the bedroom Dr. Lecter drew in a sharp breath as he heard the conversation taking place. This was a situation he very much didn't want to be in. The Harpy which had been in his hand was closed and returned up his sleeve. Perhaps it would be best to wait a bit and listen to what she had to say. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the door, breathing quietly.

*****