Luca didn't feel very comfortable in the spacious hall of the finest hotel in Buenos Aires. The fact that he had used to all kind of surroundings aside, he wished to get out of this one as soon as possible. He wasn't able to explain to himself why he so badly wanted to escape from the situation that hadn't even arrived yet; maybe it had something to do with the fact that he had, even if not meaning to, broke the contract with Dr Golding. The odd Dr Golding whose voice alone made him uncomfortable, perhaps even tad scared. A feeling he hadn't had in many, many years.
The reason behind his being in the lobby was that he was supposed to meet the man in question and rapport the results his work under the last few days had brought. In his breast pocket he had a pile of photographs taken from the woman Luca had been assigned to follow. Most of them had been taken as she had been walking on a street or driving in her car. The negatives were included; something that Dr Golding had insisted on.
Luca looked at the clock on the wall. It was a few minutes to 9pm; they were supposed to meet in the bar at even. He figured it would be wise to be at present a bit forehand. If for nothing else, at least to get a sneak peak of the man before he himself would be spotted.
Luca was a man who liked to stay one step ahead.
He went to the bar, ordered a drink and sat down in a table which did not show to the entrance. He lit a cigarette and leaned back.
Minutes passed. 20:58. 20:59. 21:00. 21:01. Dr Golding was late.
21:02. 21:03. Luca felt slightly annoyed.
21:04. 21:05. He felt a bit uncomfortable; what was going on?
Surely Dr Golding must have realized how important it was to be in time? What was he, a total idiot? Luca didn't feel so nervous anymore. This Dr Golding, he was probably just a goofy old man with a lost sense of time.
Should I leave?
As a return to his inner question, a waiter approached his table. He said nothing, just gave him a note and left.
He came to think that he had, perhaps, jumped to conclusion with the goofy old man. The message was short and clear.
Mr. Arnone-
I believe that our business could be dealt with much less inconvenience with you in the same table as I.
J.G.
J.G. J. Golding. Luca turned around. In a table he hadn't even noticed sat a man in a flawless suit, his hair combed back and a glass of wine in front of him. As Luca looked at his direction, he nodded ever so slightly. Something in the gesture made him think a rattlesnake preparing for a bite. He pushed the image away.
Clinging in the remains of his stylish entrance he rose from his table and walked over to Dr Golding. Feeling somewhat stupid he raised his hand, holding the note, a bit and tried simultaneously to shrug his shoulders. He ended up looking like a winged duck.
"I didn't realize you were already here."
"So I noticed."
His voice gave him the chills.
Dr Golding gestured him to sit down. "Can I get you anything?"
Luca shook his head. "I'm fine, thank you."
A moment of silence felt awkward to Luca. Dr Golding didn't seem to mind.
Luca cleared his throat. "So, Dr Golding."
"So, Mr. Arnone."
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything you can tell me."
"Ok then. So, I have been watching for her under the time I have been here in Buenos Aires. She leaves the house from time to time, mainly to go to the store. I haven't seen any guests or her visiting anyone. She stays inside the house pretty much and stays up late; sometimes the lights are on whole night. She listens to music sometimes, most of it comes from the radio, I think."
"What does she look like?" Did he hear a hint of anxiety in his voice?
"Pretty damn –" Luca closed his mouth with a snap as he saw the look in his eyes. Satan must look something like Dr Golding at that instant. It was quite obvious Luca's opinion wasn't needed or even wanted.
Luca gulped. "She looks ok. Normal. I have pictures." He took the envelope from his pocket and gave it to Dr Golding. Very carefully he avoided touching him.
Dr Golding took the envelope and peered it a bit. "Is everything here? Negatives?"
Luca nodded. "Yes."
Dr Golding put it in his pocket. "Now, Mr. Arnone, as for the financial business… What do I owe you?"
Luca was puzzled. He had assumed the gig would last longer. "What? Now already? But I thought…"
"No, this will be all, thank you." His tone left no room for arguing.
"Ok, ok. I understand." He took a piece of paper from his pocket, wrote a number and handed it to Dr Golding.
He glanced at it. "I'll have it delivered to you."
Dr Golding rose. He didn't offer his hand which made Luca grateful. He would have not dared to touch that man.
As he was about to leave he spoke one last time.
"Mr. Arnone…"
Luca looked at him.
"I recommend you leave town immediately. Buenos Aires can be… lethally hot, so to speak, in this time of year." His quick smile, like a stab of a knife in its sharpness, made Luca start unwittingly. "Just a friendly advice."
Luca tried to smile but succeeded only in indefinite grimacing. "Yes, thank you… I will.
As Dr Golding walked away, gracefully as a dancer, Luca couldn't help but to sigh with relief. That was one scary son of a bitch. The fact that he had dealt with pretty much everything; from the most powerful Dons to the most skillful assassins aside, there was something in Dr Golding that made the short hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Maybe it was his unnatural calmness or too intelligent, knowing eyes. Maybe it was the probing gaze which felt as if it bored into his brains and would see all his darkest secrets. Whatever it was he was afraid of that small, sleek man though he didn't want to admit it to himself.
This brought him to an interesting question: What did this Dr Golding want from the woman Luca had been following? What was it between them? Was the woman in some kind of danger? He knew he shouldn't bother himself with it. What happened in his customers' lives was none of his business. Yet he couldn't help thinking about the beautiful woman whose being was filled with some kind of sadness and emotional absence.
The woman walks right against him. Shit, this shouldn't have happen; she shouldn't have seen him. The woman drops her bags and curses. Right before she leans down to pick up her things and Luca walks away he sees a pair of the most beautiful blue eyes.
After a few steps he stops and, not being able to resist himself though he knows he should, goes back and kneels next to the woman. He wants to hear her voice; he wants her to talk to him.
"Let me help you with those." Oh God, how beautiful she is!
The woman doesn't look pleased. "It's ok, I can handle it."
Yes, I bet you can but a beautiful creature like you shouldn't be left ignored. "I'm sure you can. I insist." Do I ever! Just talk to me again, please.
As she raises her look to him his heart misses a beat. She is gorgeous. Luca just stares at her.
"Really, it's ok." Her voice, like that of an angel, brings him back to reality. To the reality where he is breaking his rules and because of what? Because of a pair of blue eyes.
"Ok, ok. I'm sorry for bumping into you like that." Regretting his actions Luca stands up and quickly walks away.
Hmm hmm. That wasn't good at all, to let her see him and better, to talk with her. How stupid can a man be? But perhaps it didn't matter so much since Dr Golding didn't need his services anymore.
Luca glance over his shoulder to make sure Dr Golding had left. He had.
He took a picture out of his pocket. In the picture was the woman we know as Starling, Clarice M. Gently he let his forefinger run over the woman whom the picture had immortalized. She was so beautiful, just the kind of woman Luca had been looking for. Luca put the picture back in his pocket and thought hard. He'd have a few gigs waiting for him, all well paid and relatively easy. That added to Dr Golding's friendly advice he figured that there weren't any reason why he should stay in Buenos Aires… But on the moment the woman had walked into his arms, as he liked to think it, he had known that he wouldn't leave before he would know her name. And perhaps something else, too. Never had he believed in love at first sight and probably he still didn't, but there was something in that woman that attracted her exceptionally much. He couldn't say for sure what it was; perhaps it had something to do with the odd feeling that he had seen her before. But it was impossible, right?
Well, no matter what fascinated him so much, for Luca she was a sealed box waiting to be opened and he wouldn't leave until he would have at least peeked in.
^^^^^^^^^^*^^^^^^^^^^
Back in his hotel room Dr Lecter felt slightly strange. The feeling had nothing to do with his physical state but with the envelope on the bed. It seemed to stare at him with its whole white faceless back. Dr Lecter knew it was absurd to think that an envelope would actually be able to commit the act of staring but a man can't help himself. Especially when the evidence of his handwork in the meaning of his life was captured in the photos the envelope held. He knew he wouldn't see the creature of his nightmares but yet felt nervous. What if… No, it would be better to get this straight now.
He closed the distance between himself and the bed and took the envelope. Slowly he turned it around and opened it; and stack of photos tumbled out onto the white bedspread.
Do I want to do this? Yes.
With the determination of a desperate man he took the photos out and forced himself to lay his eyes on her, captured in two-dimensional space.
Clarice walking on the street, Clarice in her car, Clarice opening the front door. Clarice, Clarice. Beautiful, strong Clarice. Human Clarice.
Dr Lecter closed his eyes and let the photos fall from his hands to the bed. Now that he had had his assurance he couldn't bare to look at her anymore. One more photo, he feared, and his bleeding heart would burst out from his chest.
^^^^^^^^^^*^^^^^^^^^^
An uncountable amount of time later the photos are still scattered over the bed. A few is on the floor, too. Dr Lecter sits in the chair again and allows Bach's Aria flow through him. He does not wish to see the photos ever again.
We, naturally, are a bit more curious.
One of the pictures has captured Starling on her way to the grocery. At first, it looks like any other picture. But had Dr Lecter chosen to study as carefully as we do now, he would have noticed an interesting detail. Clarice, photographed behind so that her back is to the camera, is on her way into the store. The glass doors in front of her reflect her wholly and the reflection is surprisingly clear. From it can be seen that her eyes are looking straight to the flashlight also reflecting from the doors. Or perhaps her eyes are focused on the photographer whose reflection is also faintly seen. Either way, the result is the same.
She had seen Luca – again.