Ticket for a long journey - Part 4

Clarice was busy preparing everything for her departure. Crawford wasn't enthusiastic about her taking 16 days off, but he had to let her go. She deserved it for sure, after what she had gone through these last months.

Ardelia was another problem. She didn't want to let her go.

"Clare, are you sure you want to go alone - you know, I've got some days left myself. I could accompany you if you like!"

"Hey Ardelia, you don't have to waste your vacation to play babysitter - I am sure able to handle this, also I think I need this time for myself, sort some things out y'know! Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.. send you a postcard from London!"

Her friend seemed to be satisfied with her explanation even though she still expressed her worries about Clarice going alone on this trip. Clarice actually hated to lie to her but there was no other solution. She had told everybody else that she would go on a tour through Europe, she's always wanted to do that, anyway - now wasn't that the perfect opportunity.

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Time had been flying and the day of Clarice's departure had come. Ardelia brought her to the airport. Again, her friend hugged her with tears streaming down her face. She couldn't hold back tears herself either. So the two of them were standing right there among hundreds of other people crying and laughing in each others arms. They made quite an amusing couple. People passed them a smile on their faces. Finally they parted. Ardelia let go of her reluctantly.

"Come on, stop worrying - I'm not gone forever - it's just two weeks, hm?!" Ardelia wiped away the tears and pointed at her with her index finger.

"You'll write, will you, promise me! And if anything happens give me a call and I'll mobilize the whole FBI to come for your rescue!" Clarice laughed heartily drying her own cheeks with a hanky. She hugged her once more, placed a kiss on each cheek of her friend's face and said.

"Girl, I'll write for sure - you take care of yourself - see you in about two weeks!" The two women waved at each other and Clarice disappeared.

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Clarice slept most of the time on her flight and when they finally reached London Heathrow airport she felt totally worn out and longed for a shower to freshen up. She had read the letter over again several times in between the naps. He hadn't left her any hints to which locker the key belonged.

Hopefully, it was somewhere on the airport.

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After she'd picked up her luggage she went to the information desk to ask about the key. She placed it on the desk to learn that it definitely belonged to this airport. Relief washed over Clarice. She had feared that she would have to spend the whole day looking around for the right locker. *Thank you Doctor, the first part was easy!* Clarice thought. The assistant explained to her where she would find the left-luggage locker. Clarice thanked him a kind smile on her face.

On her way she thought about where she would be staying. She hadn't made a reservation, because she hadn't been sure how long she would be stuck in London. Clarice hoped to find a relatively cheap hotel, her finances weren't that enthralling despite the fact that HE had actually paid for the flight. She could think about that later, the most important thing now was to find that locker. From a long way off she discovered several rows of left-luggage lockers. Her face lit up and she felt herself getting somewhat excited. Clarice passed several of them and finally reached # 24. Her fingers trembled enormously when she produced the key from her pocket to put it into the keyhole. She was biting on her lower lip and turned the key. It worked. Clarice breathed out, she hadn't even noticed that she had held her breath. Slowly she opened the locker door. She peeked around it as if afraid something could jump out of there and attack her.

Well, after all it was Hannibal Lecter she dealt with.

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The locker was almost empty. There was an envelope and a small black box in there. Carefully, she took the two items and closed the locker again after checking that nothing was secretly hidden in there. She looked both ways. Nobody was with her. There was no living soul for miles around. Clarice took her things and sat down on a bench near her. She put the box beside her on the bench and laid the letter on her lap.

Suddenly she felt hot.

Clarice opened her jacket and took if off, then rolled up the sleeves of her dark gray pullover. With both hands she pushed back long strands of silky auburn hair, then picked up the letter and turned it round, her hands trembling again. Clarice stroked the rough edges of the sealing wax with the very tips of her fingers. She produced her little pocket knife from her purse and opened up the envelope.

Her heartbeat accelerated once more. She unfolded the already familiar stationary and started to read the lines written in his unique hand.

--~°--~°--~°--~°--~°

My Dear Clarice,

I called and you came, how very nice of you...!

I take it then that you want to meet again. Well, the next time it won't be that easy! Now then, take that little box into your lovely hands and open it up, please! Nooo Clarice - stop reading - open up the box!

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Clarice sighed smiling, this was so him, she loved this playful side of his character. She put away the letter and took the box in both hands, opened it up to find a cell phone in it, lying neatly on crimson red velvet. Now that was new, she wasn't sure what she should think of that, was he going to call her the next time or what? She picket up the letter again to read on.

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Now Clarice, good girl, I want you to take good care of this phone. You will need it, my dear! I assume that you've already checked if it works, hm, and of course you noticed that you're being asked for a code number which is not in your possession, at least not yet. Yes Clarice, the next thing you will need is the code.

Now you're wondering where you will find it! Patience Clarice. I think, I will leave that to you, my smart little lady.

However, I will give you a hint - there is more than one airport with left-luggage lockers in London, isn't there? Clarice, I can't wait to speak to you personally again, and maybe more? Don't wait to long!

ta, Hannibal Lecter

--~°--~°--~°--~°

Clarice sat there, the cell phone in her hand. Her heart beat wildly. He still wanted her.

*Please let him still be interested and not only playing around with her*.

to be continued