Chapter 30 Chapter Twenty Nine

The sun has just risen.It was very windy on the tarmac.Dr. Chilton stood close to each other with three well-dressed Tennessee state troopers.They raised their voices to drown out a sudden burst of radio chatter from the open door of the Grumman Gulfstream and the idling of the engines of the ambulance parked beside the plane. The state trooper in charge handed Dr. Chilton a pen.The papers were blown over the end of the clipboard, and the police had to turn them over and press them flat. "Can't we do this when we're in the air?" Chilton asked. "Sir, we must go through this paperwork at the moment of the actual handover. I am ordered."

The co-pilot secured the ramp on the running board of the aircraft. "Okay." He yelled. State troopers gathered in the back of the ambulance with Dr. Chilton.When he opened the back door they tensed, as if expecting something to jump out of it. Dr. Hannibal Lecter stood erect in his hand truck, wrapped in canvas netting and a hockey mask over his face.Barney was urinating him with the urinal. A policeman snorted in disgust.The other two turned their faces away. "I'm sorry," Barney said to Dr. Lecter, closing the door again. "It's all right, Barney," Dr. Lecter said. "I'm almost done, too, thank you."

Barney rearranged Lecter's clothes, then rolled the hand truck to push him into the back of the ambulance. "Barney?" "What's the matter, Dr. Lecter?" "You've been kind to me for a long time. Thank you." "You're welcome." "Would you please say goodbye to Sammy next time he's in his normal state?" "One word." "Goodbye, Barney." The big orderly pushed open the back door and yelled at the state troopers, "Get that bottom over there, man. Get both sides. We'll put him on the ground. Slow down."

Barney pushed Dr. Lecter and rolled him up the gangway and into the plane, where three seats were removed on the right side of the plane.The co-pilot hurls the cart over to the floor-mounted seat frame. "Did he lie down and fly?" asked a state trooper. "Did he wear rubber pants?" "You gotta hold your shit until you fly to Memphis, boy," said another state trooper. "Doctor Chilton, can I speak to you?" Barney said. They stand outside the plane.The wind blew dust and garbage into small swirls around them. "These fellas don't know anything," Barney said.

"I'll have help over there—an orderly with experience in dealing with mental patients. He's in their charge now." "Do you think they'll take care of him? You know what he's like—you have to threaten him with monotony, that's all he's afraid of, and roughing him won't work." "I'd never let them do that, Barney." "Will you be there when they question him?" "No. You won't," Chilton added secretly. "I could go over there and get him settled and come back here to work, but I'll be a few hours late," Barney said.

"You don't have to worry about him, Barney. I'll be there. I'll show them what to do with him, every step of the way." "They'd better be careful," Barney said. "He's going to make a mess."