Chapter nine
When Clarice arrived at Washington airport, she was met by Ardi, her husband steve and their younger girl mary. There was a strange tension between them. In the years that had passed since Clarice had moved to Paris, Ardi and Clarice hadn't talked very much, Clarice had called Ardi a few times and vice versa. But the close friendship they once had, was gone, instead there was the feeling that a distant relevative whom you hadn't seen for years was coming for a visit. They all went out to the parked car. And for the duration of the drive it was only Mary who was talking about what went on outside the windows of the car.
The car pulled up infront of a subbourbe house, the kind where the neighbours, looked after your kids if you weren't home, and came around for a cup of coffee. How nice. Clarice thought. Just the place for a family. Ardi invited Clarice inside, and showed her, her room. Clarice began unpacking and Ardi left to make coffee.
When Clarice came down, some time later, she learned they where alone in the house, steve had taken mary to some friends.
"there you are" Ardi welcomed her. "yes" Clarice sat down, and Adri sat two steaming cups of coffee on the tabel and sat down herself. "so, how'v you been Clarice is Paris every thing they say it is?" Ardi was desprate to clear the tension between them, whit idle chit chat. "I've been fine, I just sold my buisness, and Paris is quit lovely this time of year, just before all the tourist comes and fill the city and the café's, you should go there some time" Clarice sounded light, with the memory of what she had done before she left for Washington. Did I run, trying to get away from what I had done? I'ved killed four people, so much for the guiness book of records, i they only knew, but why? To silence the lambs? Yes, yes that's it, to be free, this is who I am. I am a killer, but was I born or made that way.
Clarice was so lost in thought that it was first when Ardi put a hand on her shoulder that she woke of from her deep thought. "Girl where were you?" Ardi asked when concern. "Are you okay?" "Yes I'm fine, I was just thinking about something" Ardi looked at Clarice, as if she wasn't really believing her. Ardi aparently desided to let the matter drop. And the silence descended upon the once again.
It was Ardi who again broke the silence. "Clarice, I don't know if you've heard, but there's been reported sightings of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in Paris, the local police even suspects that he killed two young men, in a park." Ardi's voice had gotten serious. "I've heard, I read it in the papers. But I highly doubt that it's him, after all why would he kill them? As fare as I can see, there was no reason for the murder, that doesn't seem like Dr. Lecter, that is, if the FBI." Clarice said it with such contempt that it didn't pass by Ardi. " knows something I do not, it wouldn't surpraise me." Ardi took this as a cue. "they do Clarice, and I'm worried about you, what if he comes after you again?" there was geniuen concern in her voice. Adri looked down at the table as she continued. "but that's not all, the FBI wants" Ardi, stopped as if she knew she had use a wrong word. " they would like you on an free lance base to hunt Dr. Lecter down, you'll get all the benefits of cause." Ardi looked at Clarice, as if to let her know that, that was the offer. Ardi waited for the answer, even though she already knew the answer. Clarice took a deep breath. "Ardi, you already know the answer to that. The FBI have fucked me for the last time, and Dr. Lecter is not my problem anymore." There was anger in her voice, Ardi couldn't decide whether it was because of the offer or the reminder that she once had worked for FBI. "Clarice, don't you want to catch him?" Clarice looked at Ardi, the anger was gone. "no, look where it got me the last time, this time, Krendler might not be around to bother me, but I don't think Nanoon is any better, if they want to catch him they'll have to do it by them selves, I am out, and I am on vacation, so could be please drop it?" "Sure Clarice, so what do you want to do?" The tension was back, Clarice could feel that Ardi didn't approve of her decssion of letting down her former employer. "hmmm let's watch a movie. The syncronice everything in France. You try getting use to Sean Connery speaking French." That was what it took to get the tension away. Clarice and Ardi was again the friends that had been before she quit the FBI and moved to France.
And so was the next few days spent, laughing, talking and having a good time. Ardi didn't bring the FBI up nor Hannibal Lecter.
A/N okay I know, it's a bit slow. But I hope to be speeding things up... and you might wonder why I don't give the good doctor more space, but don't worry he'll be along very soon.
All good things to those who wait. Ta ta
When Clarice arrived at Washington airport, she was met by Ardi, her husband steve and their younger girl mary. There was a strange tension between them. In the years that had passed since Clarice had moved to Paris, Ardi and Clarice hadn't talked very much, Clarice had called Ardi a few times and vice versa. But the close friendship they once had, was gone, instead there was the feeling that a distant relevative whom you hadn't seen for years was coming for a visit. They all went out to the parked car. And for the duration of the drive it was only Mary who was talking about what went on outside the windows of the car.
The car pulled up infront of a subbourbe house, the kind where the neighbours, looked after your kids if you weren't home, and came around for a cup of coffee. How nice. Clarice thought. Just the place for a family. Ardi invited Clarice inside, and showed her, her room. Clarice began unpacking and Ardi left to make coffee.
When Clarice came down, some time later, she learned they where alone in the house, steve had taken mary to some friends.
"there you are" Ardi welcomed her. "yes" Clarice sat down, and Adri sat two steaming cups of coffee on the tabel and sat down herself. "so, how'v you been Clarice is Paris every thing they say it is?" Ardi was desprate to clear the tension between them, whit idle chit chat. "I've been fine, I just sold my buisness, and Paris is quit lovely this time of year, just before all the tourist comes and fill the city and the café's, you should go there some time" Clarice sounded light, with the memory of what she had done before she left for Washington. Did I run, trying to get away from what I had done? I'ved killed four people, so much for the guiness book of records, i they only knew, but why? To silence the lambs? Yes, yes that's it, to be free, this is who I am. I am a killer, but was I born or made that way.
Clarice was so lost in thought that it was first when Ardi put a hand on her shoulder that she woke of from her deep thought. "Girl where were you?" Ardi asked when concern. "Are you okay?" "Yes I'm fine, I was just thinking about something" Ardi looked at Clarice, as if she wasn't really believing her. Ardi aparently desided to let the matter drop. And the silence descended upon the once again.
It was Ardi who again broke the silence. "Clarice, I don't know if you've heard, but there's been reported sightings of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in Paris, the local police even suspects that he killed two young men, in a park." Ardi's voice had gotten serious. "I've heard, I read it in the papers. But I highly doubt that it's him, after all why would he kill them? As fare as I can see, there was no reason for the murder, that doesn't seem like Dr. Lecter, that is, if the FBI." Clarice said it with such contempt that it didn't pass by Ardi. " knows something I do not, it wouldn't surpraise me." Ardi took this as a cue. "they do Clarice, and I'm worried about you, what if he comes after you again?" there was geniuen concern in her voice. Adri looked down at the table as she continued. "but that's not all, the FBI wants" Ardi, stopped as if she knew she had use a wrong word. " they would like you on an free lance base to hunt Dr. Lecter down, you'll get all the benefits of cause." Ardi looked at Clarice, as if to let her know that, that was the offer. Ardi waited for the answer, even though she already knew the answer. Clarice took a deep breath. "Ardi, you already know the answer to that. The FBI have fucked me for the last time, and Dr. Lecter is not my problem anymore." There was anger in her voice, Ardi couldn't decide whether it was because of the offer or the reminder that she once had worked for FBI. "Clarice, don't you want to catch him?" Clarice looked at Ardi, the anger was gone. "no, look where it got me the last time, this time, Krendler might not be around to bother me, but I don't think Nanoon is any better, if they want to catch him they'll have to do it by them selves, I am out, and I am on vacation, so could be please drop it?" "Sure Clarice, so what do you want to do?" The tension was back, Clarice could feel that Ardi didn't approve of her decssion of letting down her former employer. "hmmm let's watch a movie. The syncronice everything in France. You try getting use to Sean Connery speaking French." That was what it took to get the tension away. Clarice and Ardi was again the friends that had been before she quit the FBI and moved to France.
And so was the next few days spent, laughing, talking and having a good time. Ardi didn't bring the FBI up nor Hannibal Lecter.
A/N okay I know, it's a bit slow. But I hope to be speeding things up... and you might wonder why I don't give the good doctor more space, but don't worry he'll be along very soon.
All good things to those who wait. Ta ta