Title: "The Blood of a Cannibal"
Chapter 6 "Starling and the Family Setting"
Author: Jerome Mullins
Rating: R. just to be on the safe side, as I always claim.
Summary and Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
Author's Notes: Isn't it funny, Jerome says a lot of things that his father would, but Starling doesn't seem to mind. Could it be love between the two of them?
* * *
The guest room in the basement of the Harrington cabin was spacious and comfortable despite the presence of a queen size bed, two dressers on opposite sides of the room and a large desk area. There were no pictures on the wall. Clarice Starling set-up her notebook computer on the desk surface and pulled out the case file on Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Flipping through, she stared at the crime scene photos and decided to keep the file in the desk drawer in case one of the younger children, or even Jerome Lecter, was to visit her room.
She decided to leave the rest of her stuff in her case for now. She'd get to it after dinner or the next morning. She reclined on the bed to catch a brief nap when Dana Harrington came down to deliver fresh towels into the bathroom that came complete with a shower stall and bath tub, this was definitely a private sanctuary.
"Dinner will be ready shortly," she said closing the bathroom door. "Another five minutes. Anything else you need down here?"
"No, I'm fine. This is such a nice room, you could live down here." She smiled while looking around.
"You certainly could," Dana nodded. "Luke was almost inclined to put a mini-freezer down here, but he decided against it. If he had, we would probably see even less of Jerome when we came up here."
Starling paused, she then smiled slightly to herself.
"This is Jerome's room." It wasn't a question, just a realization.
"He keeps it very clean, he was more than happy to give it up for your stay." She nodded.
"I feel terrible that I'm kicking him out," Starling stood up.
"No, not at all," Dana shook her head. "He's upstairs with Alex and Mike, they stay up half the night chatting anyway. Besides, if he were down here, he'd just spend all his time on his computer or reading."
"I saw his library in his dorm, very impressive."
"That's not even half of what he owns." Dana walked over to the closet and opened the door. An entire half of the closet space had been taken over by a large, floor to ceiling bookcase that was packed full of works spanning from classical literature to modern novels. The majority were fictional works while there were a good assortment of historical and biographical novels of famous world leaders, philosophers, theologians, religious persons, and saints.
"You should see the collection he has back in his room at home," she smiled.
"Larger than this?" Starling bent in closer to view the titles.
"Larger than the one he has here and in his dorm room combined. His room is wall to wall bookshelves."
"Must be hard at Christmas, never knowing which books he's all ready got."
Dana laughed out loud.
"Most of the time, we get him gift certificates. I have no idea how he keeps himself from buying the same thing twice. But he knows every single title he owns, they're all stored away up here." She pointed to her head.
"But he has several copies of the _Inferno_," she pointed to a row of books. "I saw many of these translations in his dorm room."
Dana nodded. "Dante is his favorite poet, he quotes him the most."
"So does his father," she said quietly. She then looked to her hostess to apologize for any offense.
"Yes, he does." Dana nodded, she was surprisingly not offended. "Hannibal's nickname for Annabelle was 'Beatrice.' She was the love of Dante's life, he wrote the _La Vita Nuova_ for her."
Dana smiled briefly and then left the room.
Starling watched her leave before turning her attention back to the collection of books. She recognized many of the modern novels. Jerome had all of the works by J. R. R. Tolkien as well as several works done by Arther Miller. Jerome had also been collecting the works of Ann Rice. She flipped through his copy of _Interview With a Vampire_ and noted that he had written comments to the author and the characters within the margins. Flipping through the other books he owned, she could see he had written in all of them.
What caught Starling's attention the most of his private library was the vast amount of true crime books, most of which had been written by Anne Rule. Starling wasn't sure to be concerned or not at his collection of serial killer literature, many of the modern serial killers had their own collections of serial killer lore. She then calmed herself, she had to remember that he was an avid reader. He had just as much literature on the lives of the Roman Catholic saints as American serial killers.
From the stairwell, she could hear footsteps approaching the door. She walked to the base of the stairs and saw Luke Harrington coming down.
"Dinner's ready, you getting settled in?"
"Yes," she nodded. "It's very nice. I was just looking through Jerome's library."
"It's not as impressive as the one he has back home."
"So your wife was saying," she followed him into the kitchen where Mike, Sarah, Dana and the youngest, Anna, were taking plates of food out to the dinning room. "I take it he reads a lot."
"He lives in his books," Luke nodded grabbing a bottle of red wine and leading Starling out to the dinning room where the family was sitting down ready for the meal. "Hand him a book, on anything, and he can get lost in it."
"Speaking of which," Mike gestured to Jerome who was sitting in his spot closest to the door with a book wide open.
"No books at the dinner table," Sarah waved a hand in front of his face, he didn't seem to notice.
"Hey." Luke took a role and threw it towards Jerome who caught it while it was still in flight and laid it gently down on his plate. He looked up from his reading and winked at his uncle.
Dana took a seat next to her nephew and pulled the book from his hands and playfully slapped the top of his head with it.
Jerome smiled and stood up to help Luke pass around the plates. Starling sat to Jerome's left with Mike, Luke, Sarah, Alex and Anna arranged clockwise in that order. After the meal had been passed around and the plates were filled, they all joined hands in a brief prayer before they ate.
Starling had not prayed before eating any of her meals since her days at the Lutheran orphanage, she felt a bit out of place at that moment due to her lack of faith.
With the silent awkward moment passed, she once again felt included with the Harrington family as they began to eat and carry on normal family conversations. Luke and his son were discussing the future golf season while Dana and Sarah discussed a movie they were planning to see. Alex and Anna were lost in their own private conversation which they had decided to keep a secret from the others. They shared silent whispers and every so often giggled at each other. Jerome and Starling were the only ones who silently ate their dinner.
"Saw your collection of books down stairs," she said to him while taking a sip of red wine.
"You're welcome to read whichever book you would like," Jerome nodded while cutting up a thin piece of roast beef. "Anything strike you in particular?"
"Not really, although that is a large collection of true crime books you have."
"Yes," he nodded. He tilted his head up, already knowing where she was going with this. "Disturbing aren't they?"
"No," she shook her head. "Not considering the circumstances, your father." she looked around the table, no one seemed to be listening to her. But she decided it was best that she didn't bring it up at the moment. "I understand why they might be interesting subject matter for you."
"I appreciate the consideration into my family's well being, especially for the younger two." He looked to Alex and Anna with a smile. "You and I should take a walk after dinner, I could show you around. We'd have a chance to talk privately."
Starling nodded.
"While you're out, you can take Deb for a walk." Dana leaned closer to Jerome who nodded.
"Don't forget you promised to help me with my English homework," Sarah looked over to Jerome.
"New book you're reading for class?" Luke asked. His focus was now on his entire family.
"Just some poetry, Eliot and a few others, I know Jerome's read some of their work."
"Is this a paper you're working on?" Jerome asked without looking up.
"Poem analysis, symbolism. that kind of thing."
"Sounds charming," Jerome smiled back at her. "I'll be right up after my walk with Agent Starling." He nodded.
"Not too far," Luke insisted. "In fact I want to know where you guys are going when you step out. We don't need the press knowing we're here."
"I'm real sorry about that getting out," Starling apologized to the family.
"No, not at all." Luke shook his head. "We understand that you talked to your superiors and requested that our family not be mentioned to the press. Some times, things just have a way of getting out."
"I just wish we knew who."
"Isn't there an internal investigation?" Dana asked.
"My superiors are looking into it," she nodded. "Hopefully it wasn't someone from the department looking for some quick cash."
"Avarice in the FBI?" Jerome leaning back in his chair. "Could there be a traitor amongst your peers?"
"Could be," Starling smiled playfully. "Who knows?"
Jerome chuckled slightly.
"Hopefully it hasn't come to that." Dana said finishing her meal. "Anyone for desert?"
The rest of the family finished their meal and had their share of the two apple pies that had been bought at the store. Mike and Sarah assisted their parents clean up in the kitchen while Alex and Anna were in the living room watching the television. Starling grabbed her coat and followed Jerome outside with the family dog. The January night air was cool and calm, the sky was clear and the stars were shining. Starling smiled, she knew these kinds of nights but not from living in D. C. They had starry winter nights in West Virginia too.
"I believe you were hinting at something during dinner tonight, Clarice." Jerome said from the bottom of the porch stairs.
"Nothing really, I think I said what I wanted to." She descended the stairs and joined him on his walk.
"They disturbed you." His voice was deep and flat. "I apologize."
"No, they're your books. Your property. I shouldn't have said anything."
"Why not?" he turned towards her. "You're an investigator. I would be extremely disappointed if you were to put that part of you away just because you're here with us. Something tells me that I'd be missing out on your best side."
"Best side? You haven't read about what happened at the fish market."
"That was over a year ago, you haven't let that go have you? It affected you that much?"
"I don't know." She shrugged.
"No, you do know, Clarice. How did it affect you?"
Starling smiled slyly at him. "Trying to fuck with my mind? How much psychology do you know?"
"Very little, I can assure you. I know as much as what I have read in school, we're required to take a Human Diversity and Psychology class for graduation. I take excellent notes." He paused with a bright smile, she laughed sensing his playfulness. "Now tell me, how did the fish market affect you?"
"It wasn't so much of what happened that affected me the most," she folded her arms across her chest as they walked.
"It's what happened to you _because_ of what happened." He nodded.
"Do you ever expect to be stabbed in the back in your boss's office for doing exactly what they tell you to do?"
"No, I doubt that any man has, Clarice. I suspect that it is the only surviving tactic of men versus women. They attack you because you're a threat to them, you do your job better than they do. The fact that you are a women succeeding in a man's world only adds fuel to their fire."
"You're father said the same thing," she looked briefly to him. "It's so strange, sometimes I don't know who I'm talking to when I'm with you."
"You're talking to me, Clarice. I'm the only one here."
"But is it you or your father that I hear?"
"Who do you want it to be?" Jerome stopped.
For the first time, Starling could actually hear a voice that was unlike his father's. It was still strong and confident, but it wasn't academic or probing. It was different, full of concern, yet comforting. It was Jerome's.
"I don't know, but I seem to be fine right now."
Jerome nodded and continued to walk with Starling at his side.
"Do you ever worry that he might come back for you?" she asked breaking the silence suddenly.
"Do you ever worry?"
"I asked you first," she turned towards him.
Jerome smiled.
"He had so many years of freedom to do so," he shrugged. "He might or he might not. Perhaps he would find it too painful to come back to me for so many years, I would remind him too much of my mother." He looked down.
"I don't think he would either," Starling took his hand in his. "But just in case, I'm ready for him."
Jerome looked over to her and smiled softly.
"I think I'm going to like staying here for a while." She said quietly.
In a voice no higher than a whisper, he leaned into her ear and said: "I think I will too."
* * * That is all for this chapter. Like what you read? Please give me some of those reviews I love to read so much. My thanks to all who have taken the time to read thus far, I treasure each undeserved praise from my fellow lecterphiles and loyal readers.
The next chapter will be a change in plot, some old favorites will be making an entrance, although I must confess it will not be coming out as quickly as the others. Hope all those who have been reading thus far continue to do so. Ta-ta, Jerome.
Chapter 6 "Starling and the Family Setting"
Author: Jerome Mullins
Rating: R. just to be on the safe side, as I always claim.
Summary and Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
Author's Notes: Isn't it funny, Jerome says a lot of things that his father would, but Starling doesn't seem to mind. Could it be love between the two of them?
* * *
The guest room in the basement of the Harrington cabin was spacious and comfortable despite the presence of a queen size bed, two dressers on opposite sides of the room and a large desk area. There were no pictures on the wall. Clarice Starling set-up her notebook computer on the desk surface and pulled out the case file on Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Flipping through, she stared at the crime scene photos and decided to keep the file in the desk drawer in case one of the younger children, or even Jerome Lecter, was to visit her room.
She decided to leave the rest of her stuff in her case for now. She'd get to it after dinner or the next morning. She reclined on the bed to catch a brief nap when Dana Harrington came down to deliver fresh towels into the bathroom that came complete with a shower stall and bath tub, this was definitely a private sanctuary.
"Dinner will be ready shortly," she said closing the bathroom door. "Another five minutes. Anything else you need down here?"
"No, I'm fine. This is such a nice room, you could live down here." She smiled while looking around.
"You certainly could," Dana nodded. "Luke was almost inclined to put a mini-freezer down here, but he decided against it. If he had, we would probably see even less of Jerome when we came up here."
Starling paused, she then smiled slightly to herself.
"This is Jerome's room." It wasn't a question, just a realization.
"He keeps it very clean, he was more than happy to give it up for your stay." She nodded.
"I feel terrible that I'm kicking him out," Starling stood up.
"No, not at all," Dana shook her head. "He's upstairs with Alex and Mike, they stay up half the night chatting anyway. Besides, if he were down here, he'd just spend all his time on his computer or reading."
"I saw his library in his dorm, very impressive."
"That's not even half of what he owns." Dana walked over to the closet and opened the door. An entire half of the closet space had been taken over by a large, floor to ceiling bookcase that was packed full of works spanning from classical literature to modern novels. The majority were fictional works while there were a good assortment of historical and biographical novels of famous world leaders, philosophers, theologians, religious persons, and saints.
"You should see the collection he has back in his room at home," she smiled.
"Larger than this?" Starling bent in closer to view the titles.
"Larger than the one he has here and in his dorm room combined. His room is wall to wall bookshelves."
"Must be hard at Christmas, never knowing which books he's all ready got."
Dana laughed out loud.
"Most of the time, we get him gift certificates. I have no idea how he keeps himself from buying the same thing twice. But he knows every single title he owns, they're all stored away up here." She pointed to her head.
"But he has several copies of the _Inferno_," she pointed to a row of books. "I saw many of these translations in his dorm room."
Dana nodded. "Dante is his favorite poet, he quotes him the most."
"So does his father," she said quietly. She then looked to her hostess to apologize for any offense.
"Yes, he does." Dana nodded, she was surprisingly not offended. "Hannibal's nickname for Annabelle was 'Beatrice.' She was the love of Dante's life, he wrote the _La Vita Nuova_ for her."
Dana smiled briefly and then left the room.
Starling watched her leave before turning her attention back to the collection of books. She recognized many of the modern novels. Jerome had all of the works by J. R. R. Tolkien as well as several works done by Arther Miller. Jerome had also been collecting the works of Ann Rice. She flipped through his copy of _Interview With a Vampire_ and noted that he had written comments to the author and the characters within the margins. Flipping through the other books he owned, she could see he had written in all of them.
What caught Starling's attention the most of his private library was the vast amount of true crime books, most of which had been written by Anne Rule. Starling wasn't sure to be concerned or not at his collection of serial killer literature, many of the modern serial killers had their own collections of serial killer lore. She then calmed herself, she had to remember that he was an avid reader. He had just as much literature on the lives of the Roman Catholic saints as American serial killers.
From the stairwell, she could hear footsteps approaching the door. She walked to the base of the stairs and saw Luke Harrington coming down.
"Dinner's ready, you getting settled in?"
"Yes," she nodded. "It's very nice. I was just looking through Jerome's library."
"It's not as impressive as the one he has back home."
"So your wife was saying," she followed him into the kitchen where Mike, Sarah, Dana and the youngest, Anna, were taking plates of food out to the dinning room. "I take it he reads a lot."
"He lives in his books," Luke nodded grabbing a bottle of red wine and leading Starling out to the dinning room where the family was sitting down ready for the meal. "Hand him a book, on anything, and he can get lost in it."
"Speaking of which," Mike gestured to Jerome who was sitting in his spot closest to the door with a book wide open.
"No books at the dinner table," Sarah waved a hand in front of his face, he didn't seem to notice.
"Hey." Luke took a role and threw it towards Jerome who caught it while it was still in flight and laid it gently down on his plate. He looked up from his reading and winked at his uncle.
Dana took a seat next to her nephew and pulled the book from his hands and playfully slapped the top of his head with it.
Jerome smiled and stood up to help Luke pass around the plates. Starling sat to Jerome's left with Mike, Luke, Sarah, Alex and Anna arranged clockwise in that order. After the meal had been passed around and the plates were filled, they all joined hands in a brief prayer before they ate.
Starling had not prayed before eating any of her meals since her days at the Lutheran orphanage, she felt a bit out of place at that moment due to her lack of faith.
With the silent awkward moment passed, she once again felt included with the Harrington family as they began to eat and carry on normal family conversations. Luke and his son were discussing the future golf season while Dana and Sarah discussed a movie they were planning to see. Alex and Anna were lost in their own private conversation which they had decided to keep a secret from the others. They shared silent whispers and every so often giggled at each other. Jerome and Starling were the only ones who silently ate their dinner.
"Saw your collection of books down stairs," she said to him while taking a sip of red wine.
"You're welcome to read whichever book you would like," Jerome nodded while cutting up a thin piece of roast beef. "Anything strike you in particular?"
"Not really, although that is a large collection of true crime books you have."
"Yes," he nodded. He tilted his head up, already knowing where she was going with this. "Disturbing aren't they?"
"No," she shook her head. "Not considering the circumstances, your father." she looked around the table, no one seemed to be listening to her. But she decided it was best that she didn't bring it up at the moment. "I understand why they might be interesting subject matter for you."
"I appreciate the consideration into my family's well being, especially for the younger two." He looked to Alex and Anna with a smile. "You and I should take a walk after dinner, I could show you around. We'd have a chance to talk privately."
Starling nodded.
"While you're out, you can take Deb for a walk." Dana leaned closer to Jerome who nodded.
"Don't forget you promised to help me with my English homework," Sarah looked over to Jerome.
"New book you're reading for class?" Luke asked. His focus was now on his entire family.
"Just some poetry, Eliot and a few others, I know Jerome's read some of their work."
"Is this a paper you're working on?" Jerome asked without looking up.
"Poem analysis, symbolism. that kind of thing."
"Sounds charming," Jerome smiled back at her. "I'll be right up after my walk with Agent Starling." He nodded.
"Not too far," Luke insisted. "In fact I want to know where you guys are going when you step out. We don't need the press knowing we're here."
"I'm real sorry about that getting out," Starling apologized to the family.
"No, not at all." Luke shook his head. "We understand that you talked to your superiors and requested that our family not be mentioned to the press. Some times, things just have a way of getting out."
"I just wish we knew who."
"Isn't there an internal investigation?" Dana asked.
"My superiors are looking into it," she nodded. "Hopefully it wasn't someone from the department looking for some quick cash."
"Avarice in the FBI?" Jerome leaning back in his chair. "Could there be a traitor amongst your peers?"
"Could be," Starling smiled playfully. "Who knows?"
Jerome chuckled slightly.
"Hopefully it hasn't come to that." Dana said finishing her meal. "Anyone for desert?"
The rest of the family finished their meal and had their share of the two apple pies that had been bought at the store. Mike and Sarah assisted their parents clean up in the kitchen while Alex and Anna were in the living room watching the television. Starling grabbed her coat and followed Jerome outside with the family dog. The January night air was cool and calm, the sky was clear and the stars were shining. Starling smiled, she knew these kinds of nights but not from living in D. C. They had starry winter nights in West Virginia too.
"I believe you were hinting at something during dinner tonight, Clarice." Jerome said from the bottom of the porch stairs.
"Nothing really, I think I said what I wanted to." She descended the stairs and joined him on his walk.
"They disturbed you." His voice was deep and flat. "I apologize."
"No, they're your books. Your property. I shouldn't have said anything."
"Why not?" he turned towards her. "You're an investigator. I would be extremely disappointed if you were to put that part of you away just because you're here with us. Something tells me that I'd be missing out on your best side."
"Best side? You haven't read about what happened at the fish market."
"That was over a year ago, you haven't let that go have you? It affected you that much?"
"I don't know." She shrugged.
"No, you do know, Clarice. How did it affect you?"
Starling smiled slyly at him. "Trying to fuck with my mind? How much psychology do you know?"
"Very little, I can assure you. I know as much as what I have read in school, we're required to take a Human Diversity and Psychology class for graduation. I take excellent notes." He paused with a bright smile, she laughed sensing his playfulness. "Now tell me, how did the fish market affect you?"
"It wasn't so much of what happened that affected me the most," she folded her arms across her chest as they walked.
"It's what happened to you _because_ of what happened." He nodded.
"Do you ever expect to be stabbed in the back in your boss's office for doing exactly what they tell you to do?"
"No, I doubt that any man has, Clarice. I suspect that it is the only surviving tactic of men versus women. They attack you because you're a threat to them, you do your job better than they do. The fact that you are a women succeeding in a man's world only adds fuel to their fire."
"You're father said the same thing," she looked briefly to him. "It's so strange, sometimes I don't know who I'm talking to when I'm with you."
"You're talking to me, Clarice. I'm the only one here."
"But is it you or your father that I hear?"
"Who do you want it to be?" Jerome stopped.
For the first time, Starling could actually hear a voice that was unlike his father's. It was still strong and confident, but it wasn't academic or probing. It was different, full of concern, yet comforting. It was Jerome's.
"I don't know, but I seem to be fine right now."
Jerome nodded and continued to walk with Starling at his side.
"Do you ever worry that he might come back for you?" she asked breaking the silence suddenly.
"Do you ever worry?"
"I asked you first," she turned towards him.
Jerome smiled.
"He had so many years of freedom to do so," he shrugged. "He might or he might not. Perhaps he would find it too painful to come back to me for so many years, I would remind him too much of my mother." He looked down.
"I don't think he would either," Starling took his hand in his. "But just in case, I'm ready for him."
Jerome looked over to her and smiled softly.
"I think I'm going to like staying here for a while." She said quietly.
In a voice no higher than a whisper, he leaned into her ear and said: "I think I will too."
* * * That is all for this chapter. Like what you read? Please give me some of those reviews I love to read so much. My thanks to all who have taken the time to read thus far, I treasure each undeserved praise from my fellow lecterphiles and loyal readers.
The next chapter will be a change in plot, some old favorites will be making an entrance, although I must confess it will not be coming out as quickly as the others. Hope all those who have been reading thus far continue to do so. Ta-ta, Jerome.