Chapter Fifteen: Late
Starling stretches as Lecter leaves the room. She glaces at her watch.
"Dr. Lecter." Starling calls trying to straighten up all of the pictures and put them back into the suitcase.
"Yes?" Lecter says rasing an eyebrow at Ashley's sudden cleaning spree.
"Could you please drive me back to the stadium? It's already been forty-five minutes." She says placing the chair back at the table, frantic.
"Calm down. I'm going to take a giant leap of confidence Starling. I won't blind fold you. Now come on to the car." Lecter says opening the front door.
Ashley follows Lecter to the parking lot, she didn't even know which car she came in. The doctor opens Ashley's door and closes it once she is inside. They are soon traveling down the road, Starling recognizes the apartment complex, it's near the stadium.
"What's a normal weekday like for you?"
"I get up at about six thirty. I eat breakfast. My tutor comes at eight o'clock. We stop for lunch. He leaves at two. Sometimes in the afternoon Eddie will let me sit around outside. He does yard work and fixing things up, the cabin always has something wrong with it. While I sit inside most of the time reading or cleaning. I go to bed whenever I get tired and it starts all over." Ashley sighs realizing how pathetic her life had become in the past six months.
"Very routine." Lecter comments as Starling realizes she has given the doctor a direct insight into her life. Oops.
"How do you run from the law day to day Dr. Lecter? How did you get so good at eluding the law and still playing mind games with them?"
"Many years of practice, I normally keep 'under the radar' if you will and mind my own business. But I do enjoy occasionally toying with the minds of law enforcement." Lecter states, amused.
Starling again glances at her watch then at the road.
"Dr. Lecter, I'm afraid that Eddie will be waiting for me by the time we get there. You can drop me off somewhere down the road. I don't want to jeopardize your safety."
"Don't you worry, I've become very good at hiding from the law." He cracks a grin. "I'll park behind something. He won't see me."
Lecter was right, Eddie isn't even there as they arrive. He parks behind the changing rooms, out of view from the road Agent Michaels would come down.
"Dr. Lecter." Ashley says as they sit in the dark.
"Yes Starling."
"Is this going to be the last time I will ever see you?"
"Starling, I hope to see you again soon. If circumstances permit, tomorrow I hope to visit your mothers grave with you. I'll have to warn you though, the FBI will be expecting me to visit Clarice's grave."
"I understand."
They both saw the headlights in the distance. Ashley unbuckled her seat and quietly opens the car door even though Eddie is far up the road.
"Good-bye Dr. Lecter. It really was nice to meet you."
"Good-bye Little Starling. I hope to see you very soon."
Ashley quietly clicks the door shut and walks to the stadium stairs. Eddie pulls up and Starling walks to the truck.
"You're late Eddie." Starling taunts playfully.
"Did you have fun?"
"It was the best Saturday of my life."