What About The Girl?
By Risty Maskell
Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I don't own it. If you don't recognise it, it's mine.
Summary: This little bunny is quite interesting and won't leave me alone. It's kinda hard to ignore a Hannibal the Cannibal bunny who is threatening to eat you if you don't write it's story...
~*~*~
1995
~*~*~
Hannibal looked around the small plane in a bored manner. True, he had been on a plane before, but not strapped to a dolly or when wearing a straight jacket. And certainly not with Dr. Chilton. He smiled at the thought of the gold fountain pen in his right cuff. Perhaps he could have some fun.
Soon, they landed in Memphis. When the plane rolled into the hangar, two police officers, Seargent Pembry and Officer Boyle were waiting to take him off the plane.
"Welcome to Memphis, Dr. Lecter. I'm Seargent Pembry, this is Officer Boyle. We aim to treat you just as nice as you treat us. Act like a gentlemen, you'll get three hots and a cot." Hannibal looked over each of the men. Hmmm... shouldn't be to hard to get past them. Pembry continued. "Sir, if you'll please sign right here, sir, we'll have us a legal transfer."
Hannibal eyed Chilton as the man reached for his gold pen that was supposedly in his shirt pocket. It wasn't. "Here sir, use mine." Pembry said, handing a pen to Chilton. Chilton signed the documents and Pembry wheeled the dolly toward a group of people. Senator Ruth Martin, an aging but very pretty woman, came forward.
"Senator Martin," Chilton said with a smile that would make a dog sick. "Dr. Hannibal Lecter."
Senator Martin stepped forward, holding a folder of documents. "Dr. Lecter, I've brought an affidavit guaranteeing your new rights... You'll want to read it before I sign."
"I won't waste your time or Catherine's time bargaining for petty privileges." Hannibal answered in monetone. "Clarice Starling and that awful Jack Crawford have wasted far too much already. I only pray they haven't doomed the poor girl... Let me help you now, and I will trust you when it is all over."
"You have my word. Paul?" Paul Krendler, a stocky man with a face like a dashund came forth and took the folder of documents from the senator. Hannibal's eyes lingered on the man for no more than three seconds before he continued.
"Buffalo Bill's real name is Louis Friend. I met him just once. He was referred to me in April or May, 1980, by my patient Benjamin Raspail. They were lovers, you see. But Raspail had become very frightened. Apparently Louis had murdered a transient, and "done things" with the skin." He said, as if discussing the weather.
"We need his address, and a physical description." Krendler said, pen poised above a small writing pad.
"Tell me, Senator. Did you nurse Catherine, yourself?" Hannibal asked suddenly, his face expressionless.
"What?" She asked, taken by surprise.
"Did you breastfeed her?"
"Now wait just a minute!" Krendler said, his face red with rage.
"Yes." The Senator said, frowning slightly. "I did."
"Toughened your nipples, didn't it?" Hannibal asked, eyes gleaming.
"You son of a bitch!" Krendler said, coming forward slightly.
"Amputate a man's leg and he can still feel it tickling." Hannibal said calmly. "Tell me mom, when your little girl is on the slab, where will it tickle you?"
There was a silence that you could have heard.
"Take this *thing* back to Baltimore!" The Senator said, whirling around and walking away.
"Five foot ten, strongly built, about 180 pounds. Hair blonde, eyes pale blue. He'd be about 35 now. He said he lived in Philadelphia, but may have lied. That's all I can remember, Mom - but if I think of any more, I will let you know." He said quickly, watching the Senator's retreating back. "Oh and Senator, one more thing." The plane's engine was starting up. "Love your suit."
Pembry and Boyle wheeled him over to a carto take him to the courthouse, where a makeshift cage had been rigged to keep him. Boyle had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stop the laugh bubbling inside his throat.
~
It was a few days later when Thomas Bradley rang Juliette. Katrina answered the phone.
"Bonjouno, Parlare di Katrina." She said.
"Hi, is that Katrina Fordman?"
"Si, who is this please?" She asked, frowning.
"This is Thomas Bradley. I looked after Juliette Lecter for a few years?"
"Oh! Si, Mr Bradley! Would you like to speak to Juliette?"
"If it isn't to much trouble."
"Of course." She called up the stairs. "Juliette! Phone call!"
Juliette came running down the stairs. She took the phone and pressed it to her ear. "Ciao?"
"Juliette! It's Thomas Bradley. How're you?" Thomas said.
"Hi Tom! I'm fine!" Juliette said, smiling. "How are you and Fiona and Shea and Peta?"
"They're all fine." He said. "I'm at work at the minute. Listen, Juliette, I just wanted to let you know your father has been tranferred to Memphis."
"What? Is he gonna see Elvis or something?" She said, laughing.
"No!" Thomas said, laughing too. "No, he's assissting in an investigation. With Behavioural Science."
"What for?" Juliette asked, frowning.
"Jack Crawford thinks he might be of help, because he knows a bit about some of these people we deal with.
"Inside and out." Juliette said, not able to stop the bad pun from coming out.
"What do you mean?"
"I know about Dad's more... exotic tastes, Tom."
"Oh. Yes. Well, He's in Tennassee right now. He should be back in a couple of days."
"Oh. All right, thanks for telling me, Tom."
"No problem, kiddo."
"Bye."
"Bye."
They hung up. Juliette wandered into the kitchen. Katrina looked up from the newspaper. "What was that about?"
"Dad's been tranferred to Memphis to help with an investigation or something." She said, shrugging.
"Hmmm... maybe it's this Buffalo Bill case." Katrina said, looking at the paper. "This story has been in the paper for the last four days."
"What story?"
"Disappeance of Catherine Martin, Senators daughter." Katrina said, frowning. "They seem to think Catherine got nabbed by Buffalo Bill, some kind of Serial Killer."
Juliette shuddered. "I've had enough of Serial Killers for the time being." She said. Katrina nodded.
"I should think so."
Juliette grinned. "What are we gonna do tonight?" She asked as Alex, Renee and Tim came into the room.
"I don't know." Katrina smiled. "What do you guys want to do? You're dad is working late, so we have the night to ourselves."
"Why do we go out to dinner?" Alex said. "We haven't done that in a while. You got any real nice clothes, Juli?"
"Not nice enough to go to a nice restaurant." She said, looking at her hands. She sniffed, thinking. "Excuse me." She got out of her chair and walked quickly up to the room she shared with Alex. She lay on her bed and looked out the window. Alex came in soon after and sat on the bed next to her.
"What's wrong, Juli?" She asked quietly.
"Huh? Nothing... nothing." She said, eyes closed as she thought about past memories.
"Juli, I know nothing when I see it. This is definately not nothing."
"I'm just thinking. That's all. Y'know... about my dad and mum and stuff."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Are you sure you really wanna hear about it?" She asked, opening her eyes and looking at her cousin. "I mean, there are so many things in my life that I don't understand."
"So, tell me what's bothering you. What kinda things? Let me try and imagine them."
"Okay..." Juliette said, a little doubtfully. "Imagine growing up without a mother. You lived with your dad."
"Yeah. I understand that."
"He told me that he helped people with their problems. I suppose he did, until he started killing them too. Why did he kill them. That's what I want to know."
"I dunno, Juli." Alex said. "What else don't you understand?"
"Well, when I was four I found dad semi-unconcious in his study. He had arrows sticking out of him. I was to panicked to actually think about what happened."
Alex was silent, waiting for her to continue.
"Then, when I went and saw him for the first time at the prison, I had been told he was in there for a while. But I was never told exactly how long. I never understood what the Judge was saying at the trial." Juliette said. "And I only find out a few days ago that he'll be there until he dies. And under the eye of Chilton too! I swear that guy is the worst character you could meet."
"Yeah?" Alex said. "Worse than Signora Giovanni?"
"Ten times worse! He's rude, he's snotty, he's stuck up and smells really bad."
Alex began to laugh. "Even through your crazy mixed up life, you can still joke about how a person smells."
"What can I say? I've inherited my dad's brilliant sense of smell."
"What?"
"He never used to see me coming. He used to *smell* me coming!"
"Don't joke!"
"I'm not! I found it absolutely hilarious!"
"Weird."
"You're telling me!" Juliette laughed, temporarily forgetting what she'd been thinking about.
~
"Are you with Dr. Chilton's group?" Seargent Tate asked, looking doubtfully at Starling's ID.
"Uhm...I just saw him outside." She said, trying to keep her composure.
"Access to Lecter is strictly limited. We've been getting death threats." Tate said.
"Yes, I understand, sir." She nodded.
"Log in, and check your weapon." He said and Clarice did so.
~
Hannibal was reading a book. Most likely on poetry... Clarice told herslef as she walked toward the cell. Without even turning aorund, Hannibal's ultra sensitive sense of smell caught her.
"Good evening, Clarice."
How does he bloody do that? "I thought you might want like drawings back, Doctor.... Just until you get your view." She said, sliding the rolled up drawings across the floor.
"How very thoughtful... Or did Crawford send you here for one last wheedle - before you're both booted off the case?" He asked, a slight smile on his face as he turned and looked at her.
"No, I came on my own." She said, feeling like a naughty school girl. She put a hand on her handbag and watched him.
"People will say we're in love." He said, returning her gaze. "Anthrax Island. That was an especially nice touch, Clarice. Yours?"
"Yes." She said simply.
"Yeah.. that was good. Pity for poor Catherine. Tick-tock, tick-tock." He said, expression deadpan.
"Your anagrams are showing, Doctor. Louis Friend? Iron Sulfide? Fools gold?" She said, quirking an eyebrow.
"Oh Clarice." He said. "You're problem is you need to get more fun out of life."
"I think you were telling me the truth in Baltimore - or starting to. Tell me the rest now." She said, cutting right to the chase.
"I've studied the case file, have you...? Everything you need to find him is right in these pages." He said, blinking slowly, like a cat.
"Then tell me how." She said, frowning.
"First principles, Clarice. Simplicity. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing, ask: What is it, in itself, what is its nature...? What does he do, this man you seek?"
"He kills women--"
"No! That is incidental. What is the first and principal thing he does, what need does he serve by killing?" Hannibal said. She was smart, it was good to have a challenge of mind every now and then.
"Anger, social acceptance, sexual frustration..." Clarice listed off many reasons.
"No, he covets. That's his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer." He said, putting his book down and watching her from his chair.
"No. We just--"
"No. We begin by coveting what we see every day. Don't you feel eyes moving over your body, Clarice? And don't your eyes seek out the things you want?" Cat and mouse... he'd never get tired of it.
"All right yes, then tell me how--" Yet again, he interuppted her.
"No. It's your turn to tell me, Clarice. You don't have any more vacations to sell. Why did you leave that ranch?" He wanted to know about it. It had him intrigued, as did all of Clarice Starling.
"Dr. Lecter, we don't have any time for this--"
"But we don't reckon time the same way, Clarice. This is all the time you'll ever have." He said, expression always the same.
"Later, now please, listen to me, we've only got--" She tried in vain to be heard.
"No. I will listen now. After your father's murder, you were orphaned. You were ten years old. You went to live with cousins, on a sheep and horse ranch in Montana. And--?"
"And one day I just ran away." She said, finally defeated.
"Not 'just', Clarice. What set you off? You started at what time?"
"Early, still dark." The memory surfaced in her mind.
"Then something woke you. Was it a dream...? What was it?" His violet eyes bore into hers.
"I heard a strange sound..." She said.
"What was it?"
"Screaming! Some kind of - screaming. Like a child's voice..." Twelve-Year- Old Clarice was sitting up in bed, fear etched on her face, mixed with curiousity.
"What did you do?"
"I went downstairs... outside... I crept up to the barn... I was so scared to look inside - but I had to..."
"And what did you see, Clarice? What did you see?" His violet eyes seemed to grow brighter.
"Lambs. The lambs were screaming..."
"They were slaughtering the spring lambs?"
"And they were screaming." Clarice nodded.
"And you ran away." Hannibal said, no emotion apparent, as usual.
"No. First I tried to free them... I opened the gate of their pen - but they wouldn't run. They just stood there, confused. They wouldn't run..." Clarice said, remembering the fear that gripped her that night.
"But you could, and you did, didn't you?"
"Yes. I took one lamb. And I ran away, as fast as I could..."
"Where were you going?" It was as if he were back in his office, talking to one of his patients.
"I don't know. I didn't have any food or any water. And it was very cold. I thought - if I can even save just one... but he got so heavy. So heavy... I didn't get more than a few miles before the sheriff's car picked me up. The rancher was so angry he sent me to live at the Lutheran orphanage in Bozeman. I never saw the ranch again..." Clarice said, her head sinking. She looked at her feet and then looked up again.
"What became of your lamb, Clarice?"
"He killed him." Clarice said, trying hard not to cry.
"You still wake up sometimes, don't you? Wake up in the dark, and hear the lambs screaming?"
"Yes." Her composure returned and she swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Do you think if you saved poor Catherine, you could make them stop...? Don't you.. you think, if Catherine lives, you won't wake up in the dark, ever again, to that awful screaming of the lambs?"
"I don't know... I don't know." She whispered.
"Thank you, Clarice." He said, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Tell me his name, Doctor." She said, almost pleadingly.
He opened his eyes to see Chilton marching across the room, looking severely pissed off. "Dr. Chilton. I trust you know each other?"
"All right, let's go." Chilton said.
"It's your turn, Doctor. Tell me his name." She said.
"Out!" Chilton said, not caring about being civil any more.
"Sorry, ma'am - we've got orders to have you put on a plane." Pembry said, taking her by the arm and leading her out of the courtroom.
"Brave Clarice. Will you let me know if those lambs stop screaming?" Hannibal called, watching her.
"Yes! I'll tell you!" She called back. Hannibal picked up the case file.
"Clarice! Your case file?" He put his hand between the bars and Clarice struggled against Pembry and grabbed it. Before she could take it from him, however, his forefinger touched hers. The electricity could have powered a 100 watt light bulb. "Goodbye, Clarice." He said as she was dragged away once again.
~
The Fordman's and Juliette went to Notte Fuori for dinner. Katrina had taken her to a nice shop for a pretty dinner frock. She got a pretty green dress that came to just below her knees with spaghetti straps. When she came down the stairs in that dress, David whistled.
"Regular little Princess, aren't you?" He asked. He had come just in time for dinner. Katrina slapped his arm.
"Shush you. No comments on her dress. I think it's lovely. Brings out the green in her eyes."
"You look pretty." Renee said, smiling. Juliette blushed and smiled.
"Thanks, Renee." She shrugged a little and shuffled her feet. No one but her father had ever called heer pretty before. Not even Thomas and Fiona.
Sensing her discomfort, Katrina smiled. "Let's go to dinner, shall we?" She asked and opened the door for them.
~
After dinner, when they came home from Notte Fuori, Juliette hung up her dress carefully and changed into her nightdress. She got into bed and looked at the only photograph she had of her and her father together. "Goodnight Daddy..." She murmured. "I love you..." And she slowly fell asleep, the image of the picture her father had drawn for her twelfth birthday dancing in her mind.
By Risty Maskell
Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I don't own it. If you don't recognise it, it's mine.
Summary: This little bunny is quite interesting and won't leave me alone. It's kinda hard to ignore a Hannibal the Cannibal bunny who is threatening to eat you if you don't write it's story...
~*~*~
1995
~*~*~
Hannibal looked around the small plane in a bored manner. True, he had been on a plane before, but not strapped to a dolly or when wearing a straight jacket. And certainly not with Dr. Chilton. He smiled at the thought of the gold fountain pen in his right cuff. Perhaps he could have some fun.
Soon, they landed in Memphis. When the plane rolled into the hangar, two police officers, Seargent Pembry and Officer Boyle were waiting to take him off the plane.
"Welcome to Memphis, Dr. Lecter. I'm Seargent Pembry, this is Officer Boyle. We aim to treat you just as nice as you treat us. Act like a gentlemen, you'll get three hots and a cot." Hannibal looked over each of the men. Hmmm... shouldn't be to hard to get past them. Pembry continued. "Sir, if you'll please sign right here, sir, we'll have us a legal transfer."
Hannibal eyed Chilton as the man reached for his gold pen that was supposedly in his shirt pocket. It wasn't. "Here sir, use mine." Pembry said, handing a pen to Chilton. Chilton signed the documents and Pembry wheeled the dolly toward a group of people. Senator Ruth Martin, an aging but very pretty woman, came forward.
"Senator Martin," Chilton said with a smile that would make a dog sick. "Dr. Hannibal Lecter."
Senator Martin stepped forward, holding a folder of documents. "Dr. Lecter, I've brought an affidavit guaranteeing your new rights... You'll want to read it before I sign."
"I won't waste your time or Catherine's time bargaining for petty privileges." Hannibal answered in monetone. "Clarice Starling and that awful Jack Crawford have wasted far too much already. I only pray they haven't doomed the poor girl... Let me help you now, and I will trust you when it is all over."
"You have my word. Paul?" Paul Krendler, a stocky man with a face like a dashund came forth and took the folder of documents from the senator. Hannibal's eyes lingered on the man for no more than three seconds before he continued.
"Buffalo Bill's real name is Louis Friend. I met him just once. He was referred to me in April or May, 1980, by my patient Benjamin Raspail. They were lovers, you see. But Raspail had become very frightened. Apparently Louis had murdered a transient, and "done things" with the skin." He said, as if discussing the weather.
"We need his address, and a physical description." Krendler said, pen poised above a small writing pad.
"Tell me, Senator. Did you nurse Catherine, yourself?" Hannibal asked suddenly, his face expressionless.
"What?" She asked, taken by surprise.
"Did you breastfeed her?"
"Now wait just a minute!" Krendler said, his face red with rage.
"Yes." The Senator said, frowning slightly. "I did."
"Toughened your nipples, didn't it?" Hannibal asked, eyes gleaming.
"You son of a bitch!" Krendler said, coming forward slightly.
"Amputate a man's leg and he can still feel it tickling." Hannibal said calmly. "Tell me mom, when your little girl is on the slab, where will it tickle you?"
There was a silence that you could have heard.
"Take this *thing* back to Baltimore!" The Senator said, whirling around and walking away.
"Five foot ten, strongly built, about 180 pounds. Hair blonde, eyes pale blue. He'd be about 35 now. He said he lived in Philadelphia, but may have lied. That's all I can remember, Mom - but if I think of any more, I will let you know." He said quickly, watching the Senator's retreating back. "Oh and Senator, one more thing." The plane's engine was starting up. "Love your suit."
Pembry and Boyle wheeled him over to a carto take him to the courthouse, where a makeshift cage had been rigged to keep him. Boyle had to clamp a hand over his mouth to stop the laugh bubbling inside his throat.
~
It was a few days later when Thomas Bradley rang Juliette. Katrina answered the phone.
"Bonjouno, Parlare di Katrina." She said.
"Hi, is that Katrina Fordman?"
"Si, who is this please?" She asked, frowning.
"This is Thomas Bradley. I looked after Juliette Lecter for a few years?"
"Oh! Si, Mr Bradley! Would you like to speak to Juliette?"
"If it isn't to much trouble."
"Of course." She called up the stairs. "Juliette! Phone call!"
Juliette came running down the stairs. She took the phone and pressed it to her ear. "Ciao?"
"Juliette! It's Thomas Bradley. How're you?" Thomas said.
"Hi Tom! I'm fine!" Juliette said, smiling. "How are you and Fiona and Shea and Peta?"
"They're all fine." He said. "I'm at work at the minute. Listen, Juliette, I just wanted to let you know your father has been tranferred to Memphis."
"What? Is he gonna see Elvis or something?" She said, laughing.
"No!" Thomas said, laughing too. "No, he's assissting in an investigation. With Behavioural Science."
"What for?" Juliette asked, frowning.
"Jack Crawford thinks he might be of help, because he knows a bit about some of these people we deal with.
"Inside and out." Juliette said, not able to stop the bad pun from coming out.
"What do you mean?"
"I know about Dad's more... exotic tastes, Tom."
"Oh. Yes. Well, He's in Tennassee right now. He should be back in a couple of days."
"Oh. All right, thanks for telling me, Tom."
"No problem, kiddo."
"Bye."
"Bye."
They hung up. Juliette wandered into the kitchen. Katrina looked up from the newspaper. "What was that about?"
"Dad's been tranferred to Memphis to help with an investigation or something." She said, shrugging.
"Hmmm... maybe it's this Buffalo Bill case." Katrina said, looking at the paper. "This story has been in the paper for the last four days."
"What story?"
"Disappeance of Catherine Martin, Senators daughter." Katrina said, frowning. "They seem to think Catherine got nabbed by Buffalo Bill, some kind of Serial Killer."
Juliette shuddered. "I've had enough of Serial Killers for the time being." She said. Katrina nodded.
"I should think so."
Juliette grinned. "What are we gonna do tonight?" She asked as Alex, Renee and Tim came into the room.
"I don't know." Katrina smiled. "What do you guys want to do? You're dad is working late, so we have the night to ourselves."
"Why do we go out to dinner?" Alex said. "We haven't done that in a while. You got any real nice clothes, Juli?"
"Not nice enough to go to a nice restaurant." She said, looking at her hands. She sniffed, thinking. "Excuse me." She got out of her chair and walked quickly up to the room she shared with Alex. She lay on her bed and looked out the window. Alex came in soon after and sat on the bed next to her.
"What's wrong, Juli?" She asked quietly.
"Huh? Nothing... nothing." She said, eyes closed as she thought about past memories.
"Juli, I know nothing when I see it. This is definately not nothing."
"I'm just thinking. That's all. Y'know... about my dad and mum and stuff."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Are you sure you really wanna hear about it?" She asked, opening her eyes and looking at her cousin. "I mean, there are so many things in my life that I don't understand."
"So, tell me what's bothering you. What kinda things? Let me try and imagine them."
"Okay..." Juliette said, a little doubtfully. "Imagine growing up without a mother. You lived with your dad."
"Yeah. I understand that."
"He told me that he helped people with their problems. I suppose he did, until he started killing them too. Why did he kill them. That's what I want to know."
"I dunno, Juli." Alex said. "What else don't you understand?"
"Well, when I was four I found dad semi-unconcious in his study. He had arrows sticking out of him. I was to panicked to actually think about what happened."
Alex was silent, waiting for her to continue.
"Then, when I went and saw him for the first time at the prison, I had been told he was in there for a while. But I was never told exactly how long. I never understood what the Judge was saying at the trial." Juliette said. "And I only find out a few days ago that he'll be there until he dies. And under the eye of Chilton too! I swear that guy is the worst character you could meet."
"Yeah?" Alex said. "Worse than Signora Giovanni?"
"Ten times worse! He's rude, he's snotty, he's stuck up and smells really bad."
Alex began to laugh. "Even through your crazy mixed up life, you can still joke about how a person smells."
"What can I say? I've inherited my dad's brilliant sense of smell."
"What?"
"He never used to see me coming. He used to *smell* me coming!"
"Don't joke!"
"I'm not! I found it absolutely hilarious!"
"Weird."
"You're telling me!" Juliette laughed, temporarily forgetting what she'd been thinking about.
~
"Are you with Dr. Chilton's group?" Seargent Tate asked, looking doubtfully at Starling's ID.
"Uhm...I just saw him outside." She said, trying to keep her composure.
"Access to Lecter is strictly limited. We've been getting death threats." Tate said.
"Yes, I understand, sir." She nodded.
"Log in, and check your weapon." He said and Clarice did so.
~
Hannibal was reading a book. Most likely on poetry... Clarice told herslef as she walked toward the cell. Without even turning aorund, Hannibal's ultra sensitive sense of smell caught her.
"Good evening, Clarice."
How does he bloody do that? "I thought you might want like drawings back, Doctor.... Just until you get your view." She said, sliding the rolled up drawings across the floor.
"How very thoughtful... Or did Crawford send you here for one last wheedle - before you're both booted off the case?" He asked, a slight smile on his face as he turned and looked at her.
"No, I came on my own." She said, feeling like a naughty school girl. She put a hand on her handbag and watched him.
"People will say we're in love." He said, returning her gaze. "Anthrax Island. That was an especially nice touch, Clarice. Yours?"
"Yes." She said simply.
"Yeah.. that was good. Pity for poor Catherine. Tick-tock, tick-tock." He said, expression deadpan.
"Your anagrams are showing, Doctor. Louis Friend? Iron Sulfide? Fools gold?" She said, quirking an eyebrow.
"Oh Clarice." He said. "You're problem is you need to get more fun out of life."
"I think you were telling me the truth in Baltimore - or starting to. Tell me the rest now." She said, cutting right to the chase.
"I've studied the case file, have you...? Everything you need to find him is right in these pages." He said, blinking slowly, like a cat.
"Then tell me how." She said, frowning.
"First principles, Clarice. Simplicity. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing, ask: What is it, in itself, what is its nature...? What does he do, this man you seek?"
"He kills women--"
"No! That is incidental. What is the first and principal thing he does, what need does he serve by killing?" Hannibal said. She was smart, it was good to have a challenge of mind every now and then.
"Anger, social acceptance, sexual frustration..." Clarice listed off many reasons.
"No, he covets. That's his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer." He said, putting his book down and watching her from his chair.
"No. We just--"
"No. We begin by coveting what we see every day. Don't you feel eyes moving over your body, Clarice? And don't your eyes seek out the things you want?" Cat and mouse... he'd never get tired of it.
"All right yes, then tell me how--" Yet again, he interuppted her.
"No. It's your turn to tell me, Clarice. You don't have any more vacations to sell. Why did you leave that ranch?" He wanted to know about it. It had him intrigued, as did all of Clarice Starling.
"Dr. Lecter, we don't have any time for this--"
"But we don't reckon time the same way, Clarice. This is all the time you'll ever have." He said, expression always the same.
"Later, now please, listen to me, we've only got--" She tried in vain to be heard.
"No. I will listen now. After your father's murder, you were orphaned. You were ten years old. You went to live with cousins, on a sheep and horse ranch in Montana. And--?"
"And one day I just ran away." She said, finally defeated.
"Not 'just', Clarice. What set you off? You started at what time?"
"Early, still dark." The memory surfaced in her mind.
"Then something woke you. Was it a dream...? What was it?" His violet eyes bore into hers.
"I heard a strange sound..." She said.
"What was it?"
"Screaming! Some kind of - screaming. Like a child's voice..." Twelve-Year- Old Clarice was sitting up in bed, fear etched on her face, mixed with curiousity.
"What did you do?"
"I went downstairs... outside... I crept up to the barn... I was so scared to look inside - but I had to..."
"And what did you see, Clarice? What did you see?" His violet eyes seemed to grow brighter.
"Lambs. The lambs were screaming..."
"They were slaughtering the spring lambs?"
"And they were screaming." Clarice nodded.
"And you ran away." Hannibal said, no emotion apparent, as usual.
"No. First I tried to free them... I opened the gate of their pen - but they wouldn't run. They just stood there, confused. They wouldn't run..." Clarice said, remembering the fear that gripped her that night.
"But you could, and you did, didn't you?"
"Yes. I took one lamb. And I ran away, as fast as I could..."
"Where were you going?" It was as if he were back in his office, talking to one of his patients.
"I don't know. I didn't have any food or any water. And it was very cold. I thought - if I can even save just one... but he got so heavy. So heavy... I didn't get more than a few miles before the sheriff's car picked me up. The rancher was so angry he sent me to live at the Lutheran orphanage in Bozeman. I never saw the ranch again..." Clarice said, her head sinking. She looked at her feet and then looked up again.
"What became of your lamb, Clarice?"
"He killed him." Clarice said, trying hard not to cry.
"You still wake up sometimes, don't you? Wake up in the dark, and hear the lambs screaming?"
"Yes." Her composure returned and she swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Do you think if you saved poor Catherine, you could make them stop...? Don't you.. you think, if Catherine lives, you won't wake up in the dark, ever again, to that awful screaming of the lambs?"
"I don't know... I don't know." She whispered.
"Thank you, Clarice." He said, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Tell me his name, Doctor." She said, almost pleadingly.
He opened his eyes to see Chilton marching across the room, looking severely pissed off. "Dr. Chilton. I trust you know each other?"
"All right, let's go." Chilton said.
"It's your turn, Doctor. Tell me his name." She said.
"Out!" Chilton said, not caring about being civil any more.
"Sorry, ma'am - we've got orders to have you put on a plane." Pembry said, taking her by the arm and leading her out of the courtroom.
"Brave Clarice. Will you let me know if those lambs stop screaming?" Hannibal called, watching her.
"Yes! I'll tell you!" She called back. Hannibal picked up the case file.
"Clarice! Your case file?" He put his hand between the bars and Clarice struggled against Pembry and grabbed it. Before she could take it from him, however, his forefinger touched hers. The electricity could have powered a 100 watt light bulb. "Goodbye, Clarice." He said as she was dragged away once again.
~
The Fordman's and Juliette went to Notte Fuori for dinner. Katrina had taken her to a nice shop for a pretty dinner frock. She got a pretty green dress that came to just below her knees with spaghetti straps. When she came down the stairs in that dress, David whistled.
"Regular little Princess, aren't you?" He asked. He had come just in time for dinner. Katrina slapped his arm.
"Shush you. No comments on her dress. I think it's lovely. Brings out the green in her eyes."
"You look pretty." Renee said, smiling. Juliette blushed and smiled.
"Thanks, Renee." She shrugged a little and shuffled her feet. No one but her father had ever called heer pretty before. Not even Thomas and Fiona.
Sensing her discomfort, Katrina smiled. "Let's go to dinner, shall we?" She asked and opened the door for them.
~
After dinner, when they came home from Notte Fuori, Juliette hung up her dress carefully and changed into her nightdress. She got into bed and looked at the only photograph she had of her and her father together. "Goodnight Daddy..." She murmured. "I love you..." And she slowly fell asleep, the image of the picture her father had drawn for her twelfth birthday dancing in her mind.