Chapter 16: Hannibal's New Game
The phone rang six days later; the little cellular buzzing out an off- key rendition of "Fur Elise". Ardelia Mapp fished it out of her coat pocket as she stepped into the Behavioral Science building at Quantico. For days, she had tried to make Clarice speak to her about her days with Hannibal. Yet nothing had made her break down. She'd even refuse to answer yes or no questions as simple as whether or not she was thirsty. The grill had exhausted Ardelia and her partner, Kevin, and they needed help. That was why she was at Quantico. To speak to the knew head of Behavioral Science.
"Mapp."
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Ardelia sighed.
"Hello? Mapp here!"
"Was it worth taking away her freedom, Ms. Ardelia?" A male voice asked her. She didn't recognize it. "Was it worth betraying your friendship?"
"Who is this?" Annoyed, she put the phone up to her opposite ear. Holding it to her ear with her shoulder, she began to zipper up a small leather jacket in order to keep the wind from cutting through her clothes.
"Take a really good guess."
Her heart stopped beating momentarily, and she had to concentrate on breathing.
"Isn't that silk blouse a little cool for this time of year, Ardelia?"
Turning off the cell phone, Ardelia stumbled into the building on her high-heeled shoes with a soft cry of pain. Blisters were going to start forming if she wasn't careful. Yet that didn't matter. He knew what she was wearing, and she didn't like that.
'Dear God.' She thought. 'Would he really risk getting so close to swarms of Federal Agents? Damn! Get someone to –"
The phone rang again, and she nearly dropped it. Pressing the talk button, she took a deep breath.
"Mapp here."
"That was rude, Ardelia." Hannibal said disapprovingly. "Don't you know how much I detest rude people?"
Steeling her courage, the special agent took in a deep breath.
"What do you want?"
"To see Clarice… exonerated. She's innocent."
She tried to wave down another agent, yet all she saw were trainees.
"If Clarice is harmed, I'll see you pay. Krendler tried to hurt her. He can't hurt anyone anymore. Just like Miggs."
Ardelia knew that her blood was going cold. Something in her played back an old audio memory of a Claude Rains line from some old horror film.
**Biancarolli didn't know how much I loved you. Now she knows.**
"Dr. Lecter. If you want to help her, turn yourself in. You can testify for her."
Hannibal chuckled. It was a sound that completely unnerved her.
"Ta-Ta for now, Agent Mapp. You will tell Clarice I called, won't you?"
The line went dead.
The phone rang six days later; the little cellular buzzing out an off- key rendition of "Fur Elise". Ardelia Mapp fished it out of her coat pocket as she stepped into the Behavioral Science building at Quantico. For days, she had tried to make Clarice speak to her about her days with Hannibal. Yet nothing had made her break down. She'd even refuse to answer yes or no questions as simple as whether or not she was thirsty. The grill had exhausted Ardelia and her partner, Kevin, and they needed help. That was why she was at Quantico. To speak to the knew head of Behavioral Science.
"Mapp."
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Ardelia sighed.
"Hello? Mapp here!"
"Was it worth taking away her freedom, Ms. Ardelia?" A male voice asked her. She didn't recognize it. "Was it worth betraying your friendship?"
"Who is this?" Annoyed, she put the phone up to her opposite ear. Holding it to her ear with her shoulder, she began to zipper up a small leather jacket in order to keep the wind from cutting through her clothes.
"Take a really good guess."
Her heart stopped beating momentarily, and she had to concentrate on breathing.
"Isn't that silk blouse a little cool for this time of year, Ardelia?"
Turning off the cell phone, Ardelia stumbled into the building on her high-heeled shoes with a soft cry of pain. Blisters were going to start forming if she wasn't careful. Yet that didn't matter. He knew what she was wearing, and she didn't like that.
'Dear God.' She thought. 'Would he really risk getting so close to swarms of Federal Agents? Damn! Get someone to –"
The phone rang again, and she nearly dropped it. Pressing the talk button, she took a deep breath.
"Mapp here."
"That was rude, Ardelia." Hannibal said disapprovingly. "Don't you know how much I detest rude people?"
Steeling her courage, the special agent took in a deep breath.
"What do you want?"
"To see Clarice… exonerated. She's innocent."
She tried to wave down another agent, yet all she saw were trainees.
"If Clarice is harmed, I'll see you pay. Krendler tried to hurt her. He can't hurt anyone anymore. Just like Miggs."
Ardelia knew that her blood was going cold. Something in her played back an old audio memory of a Claude Rains line from some old horror film.
**Biancarolli didn't know how much I loved you. Now she knows.**
"Dr. Lecter. If you want to help her, turn yourself in. You can testify for her."
Hannibal chuckled. It was a sound that completely unnerved her.
"Ta-Ta for now, Agent Mapp. You will tell Clarice I called, won't you?"
The line went dead.