Chapter 25 Chapter Twenty-Four

In the dilapidated orderly lounge, Clarice Starling slammed a twenty-five cent into the telephone.She dialed the phone number of the surveillance car. "I'm Crawford." "I was calling a market call outside the top security ward," Starling said. "Dr. Lecter asked me if that insect in West Virginia was a butterfly. He wouldn't go into details. He said Buffalo Bill wanted Catherine -Martin because, I quote himself, 'he wants a tank top with boobs' Dr. Lecter wants to make a deal with us. He wants the senator to provide him with a 'more fun one' condition."

"Did he break off the conversation suddenly?" "yes." "How long do you think he will speak again?" "I guess it's just the next few days, but I'm willing to nail him again now if I can get some sort of urgent offer from the Senator." "It should be urgent. We have the identity of the girl in West Virginia, Starling. A department in Detroit that does fingerprint cards for missing persons called the police identification department about half an hour ago. This person's name is Kimberly Jane Eyre. Mberger, 22, has been missing from Detroit since Feb. 7. We are searching her neighborhood for witnesses. Charlottesville medical examiners say she died no later than Feb. The eleventh, and maybe the day before, the tenth."

"He only kept her alive for three days," Starling said. "His cycles are getting shorter and shorter. I don't think anyone will be surprised." Crawford's voice was even. "He's been kidnapping Catherine Martin for about twenty-six hours. I think it's Lecter." If you can let it go, it's best to let him speak up during your next conversation. I'm stationed in the Baltimore precinct, and the surveillance van put you in touch with me. I've got a set for you at the Horn Inn, two blocks from the hospital. A room where you can take a nap later if you need to."

"He's cunning and suspicious, Mr. Crawford, and doesn't believe you're really doing him any favors. What he said about Buffalo Bill was something I offered him in exchange for my private affairs. I think the question he asked It has nothing to do with the case. . . . Do you want to know about those questions?" "No." "That's why you didn't ask me to have a wiretap, didn't you? You thought it would be easier for me to talk and more likely to please him by telling him nonsense if no one else could hear." "Here's another possibility: Starling, what if I trust your judgment? If I think you're the best shot I've ever shot, and I don't want a lot of people to blame you behind my back Pointing and poking, what will happen? In that case, will I ask you to bring a wiretap?"

"No, sir. You're known for motivating your staff, aren't you, Mr. Lobster?" "What can we offer Dr. Lecter?" "I'll send someone to deliver a few things right away. I'll be there in five minutes, unless you want to take a break first." "I'd rather do it now," Starling said. "Let them find Alonzo. Tell Alonso I'll meet him in the hallway outside the Eight." "Five minutes," said Crawford. Starling walked up and down the linoleum of this tattered lounge deep underground.She is the only bright color in the room.

It's hard to prepare ourselves mentally when we're walking on grass or gravel paths; and in places without windows, in hospital corridors, in rooms with cracked plastic couches and qinzas In a lounge-like room with no ashtrays, bare concrete walls and half-curtained walls, we would have prepared a little earlier.In a room like this, with so little time, we do prepare our moves, and memorize them in case we need to be frightened in the face of doom.Starling was old enough to know this; she didn't let the room get in the way of her emotions. Starling walked back and forth.She gestures to the air. "Hold on, girl!" she said aloud.She was speaking to Catherine Martin as well as herself. "We're better than this room, we're better than this damned place!" she cried. "We're better than him wherever he's got you. Help me! Help me! Help me!" Help me!" For a split second, she thought of her late parents.She wondered; would they be ashamed of her now?Just this question, nothing else, no qualifications, the same way we usually ask this question every time.The answer was no, they would not be ashamed of her.

She washed her face and walked out of the room to the corridor. Orderly Alonso was already in the hallway with a sealed package from Crawford, containing a map and his instructions.She took a quick look at the hallway lights, then pressed the button and called Barney to let her in.