Disclaimer: The characters of Hannibal Lecter, Clarice Starling, Jack Crawford, Clint Pearsall and Paul Krendler do not belong to me, but to Thomas Harris. No copyright infringement intended. I won't make any money of it. Just borrowing them for a while. Lecter' s blue eyes belong to Anthony Hopkins, though (I'm not sure there's a copyright on this).


Chapter 5: A perfect crime

It was almost 6:00 pm when John Williamson knocked on Neil Lanterbach' s office door. He had been detained by his Biometrics Systems professor and thought he'd never got rid of him. He was not sure professor Lanterbach would have waited for him, but had decided to try anyway. A mere "Come in" from the other side of the door reassured him.

He pushed the door and entered. The room was dark. The only light was coming form a little green desk lamp diffusing pale rays on the the professor's desk. Lanterbach was busy writing. Judging from the pile of papers on his right, he was apparently correcting some of the essays he had received. After a few seconds, he raised his face towards the student.

" - Ha, Mr. Williamson. Well, come in.
- Sorry to come so late sir. Professor Sorenson wanted to talk to me after his class and ...
- It's all right. Don't worry. I was not planning to leave soon anyway. Please, sit."

The young man sat on the chair his elder had shown him.

" - Well, I brought my work. I figured out you would like to read it before you can give me ... advises." he said, handing the pack of paper he had been carrying under his arm. Lanterbach gave him a smile.
" - Yes. I suppose I'd rather do so." He took the essay and had an eloquent look at its width. " Well, it seems it's going to take me a little time to go through it. I just made tea, would you like some ? Or I may find a soda somewhere if you prefer ?
- Tea would be great. Thank you."

Lanterbach stood up and went to the little table by the window where a nice silver teapot and fine china cups where laying on a tray.

" - A piece of cake maybe ?
- No thanks. I'm not really hungry.
- Too bad. They're really good. You don't know what you're missing, John ... You don't mind my calling you John, do you ?
- Not at all, sir. Not at all."

Lanterbach handed him his cup of tea and went to sit in a comfortable armchair by the fireplace. He switched on the lamp close to it and started reading.

John started relaxing a bit. Here in his office the man was a little bit less impressive than when he was lecturing. Silence was only interrupted by the sound of paper each time the man turned pages. And he did that pretty rapidly. It took him less than half an hour to read the fifteen pages John had brought him. When he finished the last page, he raised his face, took off his glasses and invited John to join him and sit on the couch in front of him. The young man complied.

" - Well, John. Pretty interesting, I should say. So, your idea of the perfect crime is a man faking his death and having his best friend accused of it ? I'm a bit puzzled. Technically speaking, if I may say so, there is no murder in your story.
- Topic was the 'perfect crime', sir. Not the 'perfect murder'. And if the man gets executed, I believe that 'technically', it could be considered as a murder." Lanterbach had a smile.
" - Yes. I suppose it could. A murder perpetrated publicly, with no chance anyone would ever investigate it."

Lanterbach put the essay on the table in front of him and looked at John straight in the eyes. He remained silent only a few seconds but that was long enough to make the young man uncomfortable again. When he started to talk again, the intensity of his gaze had disappeared and his voice sounded lighter.

" - I must confess I'm impressed, young man. Pretty good job indeed. It's original, well written and there are a few passages that could easily be qualified as thrilling.
- Thank you sir.
- You're bright, John. And a talented writer. Have you ever considered making a career of it ?" John looked at him, both surprised and flattered.
" - Not really sir. Frankly, I do not think I'm up to the task. Besides, if I was as good as you say, I would have been able to finish it, wouldn't I ?"

Lanterbach stood up and started laughing at the boy's last remark. He moved behind Williamson and put a hand on his shoulder.

" - Never underestimate your abilities my friend. Humbleness is a vain quality, believe me. So, why don't you tell me what causes you such difficulties with the ending.
- Well ..." John was looking for a way to phrase it without looking like a perfect idiot. For reasons he could not explain, he did not want to disappoint the man. He had always been a very good student and already received compliments from his teachers on many occasions, but in this moment, though he could not say why, the opinion of Lanterbach mattered to him more than the one of anybody else. There was something about the man that was different. " I know it may sound ridiculous, but ... It's about the main character. What does he do next ? I have imagined a series of scenario where he would fly to Latin America or other places in the world. I've even thought of plastic surgery. But ...
- But ?
- I don't know. It's too obvious. It's like ...
- Like what anybody else would expect him to do ?"

Lanterbach was standing behind him and he could not see his face. But he could feel his eyes on the back of his head, as if he was reading his very mind. That did not scare him though. Strangely, it made him feel more comfortable. He nodded to Lanterbach' s last comment.

" - And your 'hero', so to speak, would not do something so common, would he ?" Lanterbach asked.
" - No.
- I see. Let's see if we can find out what he would do then." His voice had become deeper. " Why do you think he did all this in the first place ?
- What do you mean ?
- You know what I mean John. Try and concentrate now. Why did he trap his best friend in such a plot ?
- Well, his so-called 'best friend' was going to bed with his wife. I think it's a reason.
- He could have got a divorce instead of simulating his own death. Would have been a lot simpler, don't you think ?
- He wanted the man to pay for his treason.
- Come on John. I know you can do better than a sordid story of revenge.
- He wanted the man to suffer. To experience what pain really is.
- You're getting closer. But what does he get from it ? What makes his friend's suffering worth it ?"

John was starting feeling warm. Much too warm for the temperature of room. But it did not alarm him. In fact, he was feeling good.

" - He wants to see him suffer." He said, as if the idea had just come to his mind. " He wants to see him. He wants to be there and watch." He paused. Lanterbach now had put both his hands on Williamson' s shoulders.
" - Yes ? Is that what he wants ?
- And he wants the man to know. Yes, all this only makes sense if the victim knows.
- Umh. Sounds rather logical to me.
- Logical ?
- So to speak." Lanterbach' s voice was soft again. It had lost the intensity it had a few moments ago. " Obviously I would disagree with such a behavior, but it seems coherent with the rest of your story.
- I guess it is. I guess he would like to attend to the execution. It would not be perfect otherwise. He has to be there.
- And he has to make sure his victim knows he's there, don't you think ?
- Yes."

Lanterbach released the pressure on John's shoulder and went back to sit at his desk. He looked at the young man with a smile and said:

" - Well, I believe you have your ending now John !
- Yes, sir. I ... I don't know how to thank you.
- Don't bother. It has been a pleasure. Occasions to have an interesting conversations are rather rare. Coming back to more practical issues, do you thing your reputation would suffer from sharing a dinner with an old professor ?"

Williamson looked at him puzzled. An invitation was the last thing he expected.

" - Or maybe you had other plans for the evening. Don't worry, a refusal will not offend me, and you don't have to provide a reason either.
- No. It's just that ... I did not expect this. But yes, I think I would like it, sir.
- Good. I just have one thing to finish here. We could meet downstairs in, let's say, ten minutes. Would that be all right ?
- Yeah. I'll just get to my room to leave the essay. I can be back in ten minutes.
- See you then."

Lanterbach watched Williamson leave the office quickly. The kid was bright, no doubt about it. He just needed to have a little bit more self confidence, but that would come, with time ... and a little help.


They had had dinner in a little italian restaurant ten minutes from the campus. The conversation had been light and pleasant, mostly focused on the university. Williamson had found his professor a very charming companion and, taken by the awkwardness of the situation, had not realized he had been doing most of the talking, the older man mainly listening to him with a comprehensive smile on his face. They were now appreciating a glass of nice cognac. Lanterbach had offered him a cigar and, though he was not used to it, he had accepted. It was almost midnight and the restaurant was slowly getting empty. Lanterbach had a sip of cognac and looked at him:

" - So tell me, John, I suppose you have plans for the coming holidays ?
- Well, really, I haven't thought of it yet. I was rather busy lately did not have time to decide what I'm gonna do with myself.
- Really ? I guess you're going to go back to your family. You're from Michigan I believe ?
- Michigan, yes. But I don't think I'm gonna pay it a visit this time. Besides, I don't think my 'family' as you called it, is expecting me in any way.
- How would that be ?"

John Williamson never spoke of his family. But the nice atmosphere of the dinner, plus the chianti and the cognac had made him less reluctant to talking.

" - To be honest, I don't even know where I can find my 'family'. My parents are divorced, you see. They both got re-married a couple of times and usually don't remain in the same place more than one year. Actually, I think my mother is in Europe right now. As for my father, he probably went skiing somewhere in Vermont with my half brothers.
- I see. It must be difficult for a young man like you not to have a place to call home.
- Bah, not really. I guess it would be if I ever had one. But one does not miss what one does not know."

As he read doubts in Lanterbach' s eyes, he went on:

" - Believe me. I'm all right with that. What about you sir, do you have children ?
- No. I travel a lot. I am rather of the 'restless kind' you see. So, I figured out it would not be suitable conditions to bring up children properly.
- Somebody should have explained that to my folks !"

The two men started laughing together. After a moment, Lanterbach went on:

" - I was thinking ... Do not hesitate to tell me if I'm out of context but ...
- Yes ?
- Umh. I just wondered if you would be by any chance looking for a job.
- A job ?
- Nothing much really. But, I may need an assistant for a work I have to do, and I was thinking of placing an offering on the university bulletin. Obviously, I would much prefer someone I already know and appreciate. So ...
- Are you serious ?
- Of course. What sounds so strange about it ?
- Nothing. It's just ... I just can't believe in my good fortune tonight: in a few hours, I got to have an ending for my essay, a wonderful dinner in a nice restaurant, and now a job offering. I just wonder what I did to deserve this ! "

Lanterbach took his time to answer.

" - Not even a clue ? Well, having written a bright essay could be one thing. Being a nice dinner companion could be another one. And ... Luck ? Never underestimate the power of luck, John. Believe an old man experience: seize luck when it passes, or someone else will."

A broad smile had illuminate his face with his last words. His dark blue eyes were sparkling with mischief. John burst out laughing:

" - First of all, you're not an 'old man'. And second: I'll seize my luck. I accept the offer, but do not believe I don't know there something hidden behind all this !
- I'll drink to that !"


Lanterbach gave his companion a ride to the campus, then went directly home. He opened the door of the little cottage he had rented for a one year period, all paid in advance. The house was well below his usual standard, but with a little effort on the interior decoration and some imagination he had managed to make it acceptable. At least for a while.


To be continued ... Thanks for reading. Reviews welcome.
Absolut