فصل 32

CHAPTER 32

The Grumman Gulfstream carrying Dr. Hannibal Lecter touched down in Memphis with two puffs of blue tire smoke. Following directions from the tower, it taxied fast toward the Air National Guard hangars, away from the passenger terminal. An Emergency Service ambulance and a limousine waited inside the first hangar.

Senator Ruth Martin watched through the smoked glass of the limousine as the state troopers rolled Dr. Lecter out of the airplane. She wanted to run up to the bound and masked figure and tear the information out of him, but she was smarter than that.

Senator Martin’s telephone beeped. Her assistant, Brian Gossage, reached it from the jump seat.

“It’s the FBI—Jack Crawford,” Gossage said.

Senator Martin held out her hand for the phone without taking her eyes off Dr. Lecter.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Dr. Lecter, Mr. Crawford?” “I was afraid you’d do just what you’re doing, Senator.” “I’m not fighting you, Mr. Crawford. If you fight me, you’ll be sorry.” “Where’s Lecter now?”

“I’m looking at him.”

“Can he hear you?”

“No.”

“Senator Martin, listen to me. You want to make personal guarantees to Lecter—all right, fine. But do this for me. Let Dr. Alan Bloom brief you before you go up against Lecter. Bloom can help you, believe me.” “I’ve got professional advice.”

“Better than Chilton, I hope.”

Dr. Chilton was pecking on the window of the limousine. Senator Martin sent Brian Gossage out to take care of him.

“Infighting wastes time, Mr. Crawford. You sent a green recruit to Lecter with a phony offer. I can do better than that. Dr. Chilton says Lecter’s capable of responding to a straight offer and I’m giving him one—no red tape, no personalities, no questions of credit. If we get Catherine back safe, everybody smells like a rose, you included. If she … dies, I don’t give a God damn about excuses.” “Use us then, Senator Martin.”

She heard no anger in his voice, only a professional, cut-your-losses cool that she recognized. She responded to it. “Go on.” “If you get something, let us act on it. Make sure we have everything. Make sure the local police share. Don’t let them think they’ll please you by cutting us out.” “Paul Krendler from Justice is coming. He’ll see to it.” “Who’s your ranking officer there now?”

“Major Bachman from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.” “Good. If it’s not too late, try for a media blackout. You better threaten Chilton about that—he likes attention. We don’t want Buffalo Bill to know anything. When we find him, we want to use the Hostage Rescue Team. We want to hit him fast and avoid a standoff. You mean to question Lecter yourself?” “Yes.”

“Will you talk to Clarice Starling first? She’s on the way.” “To what purpose? Dr. Chilton’s summarized that material for me. We’ve fooled around enough.” Chilton was pecking on the window again, mouthing words through the glass. Brian Gossage put a hand on his wrist and shook his head.

“I want access to Lecter after you’ve talked to him,” Crawford said.

“Mr. Crawford, he’s promised he’ll name Buffalo Bill in exchange for privileges—amenities, really. If he doesn’t do that, you can have him forever.” “Senator Martin, I know this is sensitive, but I have to say it to you: whatever you do, don’t beg him.” “Right, Mr. Crawford. I really can’t talk right now.” She hung up the phone. “If I’m wrong, she won’t be any deader than the last six you handled,” she said under her breath, and waved Gossage and Chilton into the car.

Dr. Chilton had requested an office setting in Memphis for Senator Martin’s interview with Hannibal Lecter. To save time, an Air National Guard briefing room in the hangar had been rearranged hastily for the meeting.

Senator Martin had to wait out in the hangar while Dr. Chilton got Lecter settled in the office. She couldn’t stand to stay in the car. She paced in a small circle beneath the great roof of the hangar, looking up at the high, latticed rafters and down again at the painted stripes on the floor. Once she stopped beside an old Phantom F-4 and rested her head against its cold side where the stencil said NO STEP. This airplane must be older than Catherine. Sweet Jesus, come on.

“Senator Martin.” Major Bachman was calling her. Chilton beckoned from the door.

There was a desk for Chilton in the room, and chairs for Senator Martin and her assistant and for Major Bachman. A video cameraman was ready to record the meeting. Chilton claimed it was one of Lecter’s requirements.

Senator Martin went in looking good. Her navy suit breathed power. She had put some starch in Gossage too.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter sat alone in the middle of the room in a stout oak armchair bolted to the floor. A blanket covered his straitjacket and leg restraints and concealed the fact that he was chained to the chair. But he still wore the hockey mask that kept him from biting.

Why? the Senator wondered—the idea had been to permit Dr. Lecter some dignity in an office setting. Senator Martin gave Chilton a look and turned to Gossage for papers.

Chilton went behind Dr. Lecter and, with a glance at the camera, undid the straps and removed the mask with a flourish.

“Senator Martin, meet Dr. Hannibal Lecter.”

Seeing what Dr. Chilton had done for showmanship frightened Senator Martin as much as anything that had happened since her daughter disappeared. Any confidence she might have had in Chilton’s judgment was replaced with the cold fear that he was a fool.

She’d have to wing it.

A lock of Dr. Lecter’s hair fell between his maroon eyes. He was as pale as the mask. Senator Martin and Hannibal Lecter considered each other, one extremely bright and the other not measurable by any means known to man.

Dr. Chilton returned to his desk, looked around at everyone, and began: “Dr. Lecter has indicated to me, Senator, that he wants to contribute to the investigation some special knowledge, in return for considerations regarding the conditions of his confinement.” Senator Martin held up a document. “Dr. Lecter, this is an affidavit which I’ll now sign. It says I’ll help you. Want to read it?” She thought he wasn’t going to reply and turned to the desk to sign, when he said: “I won’t waste your time and Catherine’s time bargaining for petty privileges. Career climbers have wasted enough already. Let me help you now, and I’ll trust you to help me when it’s over.” “You can count on it. Brian?”

Gossage raised his pad.

“Buffalo Bill’s name is William Rubin. He goes by Billy Rubin. He was referred to me in April or May 1975, by my patient Benjamin Raspail. He said he lived in Philadelphia, I can’t remember an address, but he was staying with Raspail in Baltimore.” “Where are your records?” Major Bachman broke in.

“My records were destroyed by court order shortly after—” “What did he look like?” Major Bachman said.

“Do you mind, Major? Senator Martin, the only—”

“Give me an age and a physical description, anything else you can remember,” Major Bachman said.

Dr. Lecter simply went away. He thought about something else—Géricault’s anatomical studies for The Raft of the Medusa—and if he heard the questions that followed, he didn’t show it.

When Senator Martin regained his attention, they were alone in the room. She had Gossage’s pad.

Dr. Lecter’s eyes focused on her. “That flag smells like cigars,” he said. “Did you nurse Catherine?” “Pardon me? Did I…”

“Did you breast-feed her?”

“Yes.”

“Thirsty work, isn’t it…?”

When her pupils darkened, Dr. Lecter took a single sip of her pain and found it exquisite. That was enough for today. He went on: “William Rubin is about six feet one, and would be thirty-five years old now. He’s strongly built—about one hundred ninety pounds when I knew him and he’s gained since then, I expect. He has brown hair and pale blue eyes. Give them that much, and then we’ll go on.” “Yes, I’ll do that,” Senator Martin said. She passed her notes out the door.

“I only saw him once. He made another appointment, but he never came again.” “Why do you think he’s Buffalo Bill?”

“He was murdering people then, and doing some similar things with them, anatomically. He said he wanted some help to stop, but actually he just wanted to schmooze about it. To rap.” “And you didn’t—he was sure you wouldn’t turn him in?” “He didn’t think I would, and he likes to take chances. I had honored the confidences of his friend Raspail.” “Raspail knew he was doing this?”

“Raspail’s appetites ran to the louche—he was covered with scars.

“Billy Rubin told me he had a criminal record, but no details. I took a brief medical history. It was unexceptional, except for one thing: Rubin told me he once suffered from elephant ivory anthrax. That’s all I remember, Senator Martin, and I expect you’re anxious to go. If anything else occurs to me, I’ll send you word.” “Did Billy Rubin kill the person whose head was in the car?” “I believe so.”

“Do you know who that is?”

“No. Raspail called him Klaus.”

“Were the other things you told the FBI true?”

“At least as true as what the FBI told me, Senator Martin.” “I’ve made some temporary arrangements for you here in Memphis. We’ll talk about your situation and you’ll go on to Brushy Mountain when this is … when we’ve got it settled.” “Thank you. I’d like a telephone, if I think of something.…” “You’ll have it.”

“And music. Glenn Gould, the Goldberg Variations? Would that be too much?” “Fine.”

“Senator Martin, don’t entrust any lead solely to the FBI. Jack Crawford never plays fair with the other agencies. It’s such a game with those people. He’s determined to have the arrest himself. A ‘collar,’ they call it.” “Thank you, Dr. Lecter.”

“Love your suit,” he said as she went out the door.