éclaircissement5 ch 5

Clarice stretched out on the bed of her hotel room. After stopping to get more dry ice for the cooler she went straight to her room to sleep after the 7 hour flight. She awoke around 5:00 our time but 12:00 p.m. their time. Her body told her it knew it wasn't really 12:00.
*This will take some getting used to.*

She stretched a little and decided to go for a walk. She put on a sun dress and let her hair hang down, now grown long and almost to her waist. She put on some sunglasses and went out on the town for the day.

Dr. Lecter ate in an outdoor cafe', swirling his wine in his glass and taking in the beauty of the day. Again no word from Clarice and he began to wonder if maybe she had begun to doubt herself. He felt a familiar tug at his heart at the vision of her in his memory palace. Oh well , he thought. Off to things at hand. He left money on the table and wiped his glass clean. He strolled down the street and went to a Tuxedo shop to buy an outfit for an affair he was to attend. He tried on several styles but finally decided on a nice Armani. It was black with a hint of burgundy to match his eyes. He left it with the clerk to be tailored and went for a walk.

The next day....

Clarice awoke in the morning refreshed for the next step in the game. She assumed he didn't know she was here and was determined to keep it that way for now. She got dressed and was out of the hotel by 12:00. She walked admiring the leftover snow that was melting to the Eiffel Tower and entered the gift shop. There was a display holding the snow globes. She picked one up and swirled it around when a sales clerk came up to her and muttered something in French. Grateful for her little dabble in the language in college she responded that she was in Paris for a week or so. The clerk then commented on her necklace asking how long she had been here. Clarice replied she arrived yesterday to which the clerk's eyebrows shot up. She asked Clarice if ti had been a gift and Clarice inquired on why? THe clerk said she had seen it in a jeweller's shop window down the street a few weeks ago, or at least something VERY like it. Clarice smiled and then said yes it had been a gift.
"Where is the store located?"
"Right down the street Madame'. Its called Le Femme' Reluit."
"Thank you so much."
"You're quite welcome."
Placing the globe back on its perch she walked dot of the shop towards the jewelry store.

She stepped through the doors of the shop and inhaled the old scent of the building. SHe walked over to the counter and saw all of the beautiful rings and bracelets. When the attendant spotted her, he walked over and greeted her. He asked her what language she spoke and she told him English.
"I speek z little eeenligssh."he spoke roughly.
"Its ok, I speak french."she spoke in his tongue. " I have a question. This necklace Im wearing, did you sell it?"
She took it off from around her neck and handed it to the man. He looked it over and spoke.
"Why yes! A few weeks ago I think. Did you receive it as a gift?"
"Yes, I did. Im curious. How much was it?"
"Well, its a very nice piece. Its Platinum and those are natural Ceylon Blue Sapphires and almost the best diamonds you can get anywhere."
"Yes yes...so how much?"
"If my memory serves me correctly, it was around 25,000. "
Clarice's jaw dropped.
"Why so much?"
"Well the chain,lock, and setting alone was 500 and the Ceylon Sapphires were 16,500 all on their own plus 4,000 for the quality of diamond. Then there was a custom charge because it was custom made and then engraved then shipped here from another country. Whoever bought this put a lot of thought, time, and money into it."
"Engraved? Where?"
"Look..."
He turned it over to the backside and along the middle of the butterfly was her name inscribed in small letters she could barely even see. He got out the magnifier so she could see it better.
"That mark below it is the initials of the creator. This was an exceptional piece madame'."
"Yes it is. Thank you ever so much for your help. Could you do me a favour?"
"Of course."
"Well, the man who sent this to me is supposed to meet me tomorrow but I'd like to surprise him by finding him first. Could you give me the man's address who bought this?"
"Normally we don't do such things but for you madame' Ill make an exception." He winked at her and she smiled.
He brought her a piece of paper with an address printed on it. She voiced her thanks and walked back to her hotel for the evening.

The next morning Clarice woke early to carry out her plan for the day. After dressing and applying a Red wig and dark makeup, she left.She stocked the chest with more dry ice and travelled to the address given to her by the store clerk. She walked inside the lobby of the apartment building hesitantly, not wanting to end the game so quickly. She slowly crept to the desk and approached the desk clerk.
"Excuse me, has this gentleman left for the day yet?"
She showed the address to the man.
"Yes. He left about an hour ago. He's due back any time now. He always goes for a morning walk."
"Oh, well, may I leave this on his table inside his Apartment? I don't want to leave it outside for fear of someone taking it.You can come with me if you're afraid Ill take something."
"Are you a friend madame'?"
"Yes, I am. A good one."
He looked at her for a moment, studying her.
"Alright. GO ahead."He handed her a key.
"But DONT move anything. He hates that."
"okey dokey."
*Did I just say that?*
She travelled up in the elevator and walked down the corridor to his apartment. She unlocked it and walked inside and inhaled the scent of his room. She saw the elegant piano in the corner and could see the master bedroom through the hall. It was beautiful.She ran her hands along his desk and set the chest there. She walked into the bedroom and felt a warm rush flow over her.
*Clarice, maybe its time you face why you're really here. Why are you doing any of this at all? You say you don't feel for him yet here you are standing in his bedroom, feeling like the virgin high schooler that's in the room of her boyhood crush!*
She shook her thoughts away. There was plenty of time for reasons later. She ran her hand over his silk sheets and it reminded her of her night-gown and how it rubbed against her skin. For a moment she thought she might lay in it, but remembered how the desk clerk had said Lecter was to be back soon. She quickly left, locking the door behind her. She entered the left elevator and went back down and exited just as the doors to the right elevator closed, with Hannibal behind the doors going up.