Disclaimer: The
characters of Hannibal Lecter, Clarice Starling, Jack Crawford and Paul
Krendler do not belong to me, but to Thomas Harris. No copyright
infringement intended. I don't see how I could make any money of it
anyway.
I'm just borrowing them for a ride. I'll turn them back. I promise ...
Or
maybe not ...
Notes: Thanks a lot for chapter 1 reviewers. Holly Jolly, don't worry, the Good Doctor will appear in due times ... You know how careful he is with his entrances ...
Chapter 2
Starling was looking like a zombie when she arrived at work the following morning. She had spent the whole night reading the 342 pages of nonsense written by Mc Dougall. The knowledge of the guy in terms of psychology were the ones of five years old child. The book, if it could be called so, was a collection of provocative sensational diatribes some tabloids would have refused to publish. Three hundred pages of National Tattler with a hard cover.
The climax was reached when Mc Dougall strongly suggested that Lecter' s career as a cannibal started when he was only six years old and participated to the slaughtering and then the eating of his own younger sister. But Clarice was part of the feast too. A whole chapter was dedicated to the monster' s fiancee who, apparently like any woman the author knew, had an irresistible fascination for the beast that hides inside each man.
Clarice would never understand how people could buy this kind of stuff. She was disgusted. What she could very well imagine instead was how Hannibal Lecter could have been upset if he had read these insanities. And she had no doubt he had.
David was already working at their report when she arrived at her desk. She felt grateful for that. He looked up at her.
" - Is this what you look like after twelve hours of sleep ?" he asked.
" - Tough night. Good morning, David. Happy to see you too !"
He grinned. She sat at her desk in front of him.
" - So, what's the program for today ?" she asked.
" - Krantz already dropped by. He wants a preliminary report in his office in two hours. Then we should proceed with the interrogation of the three gentlemen we put away yesterday. See if they have something to say to us.
- Great ! I've always loved the company of gentlemen.
- Yeah. That's why they put you to work with me. Punishment, they said."
She chuckled. They would probably pass the whole day inside. This was not exactly what she liked best, but it was part of the job.
They had been interrogating the three traffickers for more than two hours when David finally suggested to make a break for lunch. They hadn't learnt anything new so far and were both a little bit depressed. David offered to take her to the nice little italian restaurant they sometimes went together. It was a tempting proposal, but Clarice declined the invitation.
" - Sorry, David. But there's something I've got to do and I wanted to profit by the break to do it. We can go tomorrow if you want.
- No problem. I'll go home, then. We can meet again here, let's say ... in two hours ?
- Perfect."
Clarice let him go and got herself a sandwich from the slot machine. After a few minutes, she headed to the building that hosted the Behavioral Science Unit. It had been months she had not come here and she felt strange when she pushed the door she had pushed every day for more than ten years.
She knew Crawford would be in his office. She had worked long enough with him to know his habits.
Though the door of his office was open, she knocked gently. He looked up from the file he was reading and gave her a smile.
" - Starling !" he said. " How comes I'm not surprised to see you ?
- Well, I guess you know me better ... After all, profiling is part of your job.
- Yeah. So it is. I guess you did not drop by just to say hello.
- Not only, sir. I wondered if you would grant me a moment to talk about the Dubrowski case.
- I thought I had been clear yesterday evening, Starling. There is not such a thing as the Dubrowski case. At least not for the FBI.
- You've been perfectly clear, sir. Have you read Mc Dougall' s book ? "
Crawford was surprised by the question, but not by Starling' s insistence.
" - Not personally. But it has been analyzed by our experts when it came out. I have read their report.
- I read it yesterday. This is pure tabloid stuff. Really, sir, it stinks."
Crawford looked at her but did not say a word.
" - Mr. Crawford, I know Hannibal Lecter. If he ever looked for a definition of the word 'rude', Christopher Mc Dougall would do perfectly. And we know what Dr. Lecter do with rude people, don't we ? Believe me, I don't feel any sympathy for Mc Dougall, but I think he is in real danger and should be protected. Whether he likes it or not.
- You can't protect people against their will, Starling. You know that. Protection has been proposed, and refused. I don't see what more we could do."
Starling knew Crawford would not appreciate what she had to say, but she felt it was her duty to say it anyway.
" - He does not know what he is ahead of. For him, the last events just give him more publicity and push the sales of his book." She paused for a few seconds. " Let me talk to him.
- What ! Starling, are you out of your mind ? I told you ...
- I know what you told me, sir, but I think this is the only solution. If I can make him understand what he actually risks, how Lecter has treated his victims in the past, I can probably ...
- Special Agent Starling !" Jack Crawford had stood up and was staring at her now. " You are no more part of the investigation on Hannibal Lecter. As far as you are concerned, the case is closed. Closed, do you understand me ?"
His tone was firm, but she could hear no anger in his voice. She nodded. To be sure she had got the point, he went on:
" - Whether Jonathan Dubrowski has been kidnapped by Lecter or not is none of your business. I can't prevent you from watching the news on TV, but if I were you, I would just let Lecter out of my life.
- It's not about Lecter, sir. Believe me, last think I want is to see him again. It's about Mc Dougall. I know he is in danger. I am an agent from the FBI and I feel it's my duty to protect him if I have a way to do so.
- You have other assignments, Starling. Let me do my job and I'll let you do yours. And, Starling, just in case you didn't get it, this is an order.
- As you wish, Mr. Crawford."
He calmed down. " You want a coffee ?" he asked. She accepted and he filled two mugs from the thermos he kept on his desk. As far back as she could remember, she always had seen this thermos on his desk. She knew it was a present from his wife. He noticed her look and smiled back at her.
" - So, tell me ... " he said " How is Terry Krantz treating you ?
- So far, so good." she said. "He's kind of ... demanding, but he is fair.
- Yeah. Terry's a good man. Did you know we were at the academy together ?
- Yes, he told me. That was actually the first thing he told me: 'Starling, Jack Crawford is one of my best friend and I respect him very much. But don't imagine that the fact you come from his team will give you any privilege here' "
They both laugh at Clarice' s impersonation. They went on with a light discussion for a while. Starling was beginning to think she had to get back to work when Crawford' s telephone rang. He picked up the phone and answered. The conversation lasted about five minutes. Crawford' s correspondent was doing most of the talking. He only spat a few 'What' or 'When' or 'I see' every now and then. When he put down the receiver with a 'OK, I'll wait for you", his face was as white as a sheet.
" - It was Mike Simpson." he said. " He wants to come and see me. There has been another disappearance.
- Mc Dougall ?
- No. Frank Sogliato. His agent.
- What happened ?
- He just did not come back home yesterday evening. That's all I know for the moment. Clarice ... I'd rather not have you here when Simpson arrives.
- I understand.
- Thank you. I'll let you know if I learn anything new. But meantime, you stay away from all this, umh ?
- Sure. Good-bye Mr. Crawford."
He nodded at her. She left Crawford' s office with such a feeling of frustration that she could not think of anything else. She knew it was Lecter. It could only be Lecter. How could they be so blind. She understood Crawford' s reasons but she could not help feeling mad at him.
She tried to recompose a bit. David was waiting for her. They had a job to do. Hannibal Lecter would have to wait.
To be continued ... Thanks for reading. If you want to leave a review, feel free. If you don't, feel free the same.
Absolut.
Notes: Thanks a lot for chapter 1 reviewers. Holly Jolly, don't worry, the Good Doctor will appear in due times ... You know how careful he is with his entrances ...
Chapter 2
Starling was looking like a zombie when she arrived at work the following morning. She had spent the whole night reading the 342 pages of nonsense written by Mc Dougall. The knowledge of the guy in terms of psychology were the ones of five years old child. The book, if it could be called so, was a collection of provocative sensational diatribes some tabloids would have refused to publish. Three hundred pages of National Tattler with a hard cover.
The climax was reached when Mc Dougall strongly suggested that Lecter' s career as a cannibal started when he was only six years old and participated to the slaughtering and then the eating of his own younger sister. But Clarice was part of the feast too. A whole chapter was dedicated to the monster' s fiancee who, apparently like any woman the author knew, had an irresistible fascination for the beast that hides inside each man.
Clarice would never understand how people could buy this kind of stuff. She was disgusted. What she could very well imagine instead was how Hannibal Lecter could have been upset if he had read these insanities. And she had no doubt he had.
David was already working at their report when she arrived at her desk. She felt grateful for that. He looked up at her.
" - Is this what you look like after twelve hours of sleep ?" he asked.
" - Tough night. Good morning, David. Happy to see you too !"
He grinned. She sat at her desk in front of him.
" - So, what's the program for today ?" she asked.
" - Krantz already dropped by. He wants a preliminary report in his office in two hours. Then we should proceed with the interrogation of the three gentlemen we put away yesterday. See if they have something to say to us.
- Great ! I've always loved the company of gentlemen.
- Yeah. That's why they put you to work with me. Punishment, they said."
She chuckled. They would probably pass the whole day inside. This was not exactly what she liked best, but it was part of the job.
They had been interrogating the three traffickers for more than two hours when David finally suggested to make a break for lunch. They hadn't learnt anything new so far and were both a little bit depressed. David offered to take her to the nice little italian restaurant they sometimes went together. It was a tempting proposal, but Clarice declined the invitation.
" - Sorry, David. But there's something I've got to do and I wanted to profit by the break to do it. We can go tomorrow if you want.
- No problem. I'll go home, then. We can meet again here, let's say ... in two hours ?
- Perfect."
Clarice let him go and got herself a sandwich from the slot machine. After a few minutes, she headed to the building that hosted the Behavioral Science Unit. It had been months she had not come here and she felt strange when she pushed the door she had pushed every day for more than ten years.
She knew Crawford would be in his office. She had worked long enough with him to know his habits.
Though the door of his office was open, she knocked gently. He looked up from the file he was reading and gave her a smile.
" - Starling !" he said. " How comes I'm not surprised to see you ?
- Well, I guess you know me better ... After all, profiling is part of your job.
- Yeah. So it is. I guess you did not drop by just to say hello.
- Not only, sir. I wondered if you would grant me a moment to talk about the Dubrowski case.
- I thought I had been clear yesterday evening, Starling. There is not such a thing as the Dubrowski case. At least not for the FBI.
- You've been perfectly clear, sir. Have you read Mc Dougall' s book ? "
Crawford was surprised by the question, but not by Starling' s insistence.
" - Not personally. But it has been analyzed by our experts when it came out. I have read their report.
- I read it yesterday. This is pure tabloid stuff. Really, sir, it stinks."
Crawford looked at her but did not say a word.
" - Mr. Crawford, I know Hannibal Lecter. If he ever looked for a definition of the word 'rude', Christopher Mc Dougall would do perfectly. And we know what Dr. Lecter do with rude people, don't we ? Believe me, I don't feel any sympathy for Mc Dougall, but I think he is in real danger and should be protected. Whether he likes it or not.
- You can't protect people against their will, Starling. You know that. Protection has been proposed, and refused. I don't see what more we could do."
Starling knew Crawford would not appreciate what she had to say, but she felt it was her duty to say it anyway.
" - He does not know what he is ahead of. For him, the last events just give him more publicity and push the sales of his book." She paused for a few seconds. " Let me talk to him.
- What ! Starling, are you out of your mind ? I told you ...
- I know what you told me, sir, but I think this is the only solution. If I can make him understand what he actually risks, how Lecter has treated his victims in the past, I can probably ...
- Special Agent Starling !" Jack Crawford had stood up and was staring at her now. " You are no more part of the investigation on Hannibal Lecter. As far as you are concerned, the case is closed. Closed, do you understand me ?"
His tone was firm, but she could hear no anger in his voice. She nodded. To be sure she had got the point, he went on:
" - Whether Jonathan Dubrowski has been kidnapped by Lecter or not is none of your business. I can't prevent you from watching the news on TV, but if I were you, I would just let Lecter out of my life.
- It's not about Lecter, sir. Believe me, last think I want is to see him again. It's about Mc Dougall. I know he is in danger. I am an agent from the FBI and I feel it's my duty to protect him if I have a way to do so.
- You have other assignments, Starling. Let me do my job and I'll let you do yours. And, Starling, just in case you didn't get it, this is an order.
- As you wish, Mr. Crawford."
He calmed down. " You want a coffee ?" he asked. She accepted and he filled two mugs from the thermos he kept on his desk. As far back as she could remember, she always had seen this thermos on his desk. She knew it was a present from his wife. He noticed her look and smiled back at her.
" - So, tell me ... " he said " How is Terry Krantz treating you ?
- So far, so good." she said. "He's kind of ... demanding, but he is fair.
- Yeah. Terry's a good man. Did you know we were at the academy together ?
- Yes, he told me. That was actually the first thing he told me: 'Starling, Jack Crawford is one of my best friend and I respect him very much. But don't imagine that the fact you come from his team will give you any privilege here' "
They both laugh at Clarice' s impersonation. They went on with a light discussion for a while. Starling was beginning to think she had to get back to work when Crawford' s telephone rang. He picked up the phone and answered. The conversation lasted about five minutes. Crawford' s correspondent was doing most of the talking. He only spat a few 'What' or 'When' or 'I see' every now and then. When he put down the receiver with a 'OK, I'll wait for you", his face was as white as a sheet.
" - It was Mike Simpson." he said. " He wants to come and see me. There has been another disappearance.
- Mc Dougall ?
- No. Frank Sogliato. His agent.
- What happened ?
- He just did not come back home yesterday evening. That's all I know for the moment. Clarice ... I'd rather not have you here when Simpson arrives.
- I understand.
- Thank you. I'll let you know if I learn anything new. But meantime, you stay away from all this, umh ?
- Sure. Good-bye Mr. Crawford."
He nodded at her. She left Crawford' s office with such a feeling of frustration that she could not think of anything else. She knew it was Lecter. It could only be Lecter. How could they be so blind. She understood Crawford' s reasons but she could not help feeling mad at him.
She tried to recompose a bit. David was waiting for her. They had a job to do. Hannibal Lecter would have to wait.
To be continued ... Thanks for reading. If you want to leave a review, feel free. If you don't, feel free the same.
Absolut.