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Subject: "Southern Hospitality" by Rhett Dreams, 7/10 [mf, crime drama]
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Date: 2 Mar 1997 21:37:08 GMT
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SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
by Rhett Dreams (c. 1996)
Chapter Six (cont.)
Trent heard about the Jackson bust Sunday morning,=20
when Ward Price called him at home and read him the short=20
article that had appeared in the Sunday paper. The tone of his=20
voice told the sheriff that his partner was close to panic. It was=20
hard to imagine an illegal cut-up shop maintaining customer=20
records, not for that part of their business, and he told Price=20
this. Trent hid his own growing concern and spoke calmly and=20
evenly to his partner, telling him they had no choice but to ride=20
it out.=20
When he hung up, he thought about his own situation.=20
Unlike the Price brothers, who he suspected had much of their=20
wealth tied up in their home, business, and their large fishing=20
boat, his wealth was very liquid. He had almost $150,000 in his=20
local bank accounts and the $320,000 waiting in his secret=20
account in the Cayman Islands. On the other hand, if he took=20
off when it wasn't necessary, he'd lose the pension money from=20
the Bureau. His capital alone wasn't nearly enough to live on.=20
Trent was always one to plan ahead, and he had two=20
perfect sets of forged identity papers for when and if he had to=20
bail out. He still believed it unlikely that the investigation of the=20
Jackson operation would lead to the Price brothers, and it was=20
extremely unlikely that they'd pick up the Prices without his=20
advanced knowledge as County Sheriff.=20
All the same, he reviewed his escape plan and then=20
thought about Celeste. He'd grow attached to the black girl,=20
especially lately. She'd grown more submissive with every=20
passing day, often initiating the action herself. He knew he=20
couldn't take her with him if he did have to bolt, and decided to=20
put aside another $5,000 for her.=20
"Celeste," he called, and she came in from the kitchen=20
where she was fixing lunch.=20
"Yes, masser," she said, her eyes registering hope that=20
he'd want to fuck her.=20
"C'mer, Celeste... sit. And none of that "masser" stuff, for=20
now."=20
She sat in the chair as directed and he explained that=20
he'd put aside some money should she ever decide to move on.=20
She began to object but waved it aside. He reminded her that=20
he was a cop and there was always the chance of him being=20
shot or something. He told her that she should take the cash in=20
the cupboard, pack her things, and take a cab to Rosie's. He=20
knew that sex was this girl's most marketable skill and that=20
she'd be well treated by Rosie.=20
"Here's her address, and I'll write a note of introduction,"=20
he said. "Both will be in the metal tin in the cabinet over the=20
fridge. You understand what I'm saying? Anything happens to=20
me, you should take the money, it's yours, and go to Rosie's.=20
You can decide to keep going, on your own, or stay there, after=20
talking to Rosie. Okay?"=20
"Yeah, sure," she said.=20
With that out of the way, he sat back and looked at the=20
girl, letting his glance take in the breasts under the thin cotton=20
dress, and the rest of her body. Celeste noticed the change in=20
him and her face took on an expectant look.=20
"You wanna fuck your nasty nigger girl, masser?"=20
His eyes returned her face, and he felt his cock stiffen in=20
his pants. He reached down and unbuckled his belt, his eyes=20
on the girl's thick lips.=20
"No, but I would like to see those nigger lips wrapped=20
around my cock."=20
Sheriff Trent sat back and relaxed while the girl whipped=20
off her dress and knelt between his legs, searching for his cock=20
in his pants. He let her suck him for almost ten minutes, until=20
he was set to explode. When he was ready he pushed her off=20
him and took a hold of his cock, pumping it through his orgasm=20
and sending thick ropes of cum all over the young girl's face=20
and breasts.=20
=20
- o -=20
=20
All hell broke lose Monday morning. Myers and Starling=20
got to the office early and outlined the briefing they would=20
shortly give to the whole team. Quinn had flown back down the=20
night before and they expected him and the same five other=20
agents to join then at eight o'clock in the "War Room".=20
"It's for you, Clarice," said Myers after answering his=20
phone. "Jack Crawford."=20
"Starling here," she said into the phone.=20
"I've got Congressman Walters on the line as well, Agent=20
Starling," said her boss, his tone telling her that she wouldn't be=20
pleased by this call.=20
"Hello, Congressman," she said, warily.=20
"I've got bad news, Agent Starling." He proceeded to tell=20
her now his wife got ambushed by a reporter the day before,=20
who had somehow uncovered the kinky sex angle on the=20
deaths of Debbie Walters and Henry Burns, and was writing an=20
article for Monday's paper. The Congressman admitted that=20
he'd briefed his wife on what Starling and told him, that the=20
earlier conclusion drawn from the evidence may not be correct.=20
His wife, wanting to protect her daughter's reputation, told the=20
reporter that the FBI was investigating a series of missing=20
person cases, all involving expensive cars, and believed that=20
her daughter's case might be linked to them. She told the=20
reporter that her daughter most certainly would not have=20
voluntarily engaged in the acts that preceded her death.=20
The Congressman then read her the front page article=20
that appeared in the morning edition of the Birmingham paper.=20
It couldn't have been worse. The enterprising reporter had=20
taken what he'd learned from Mrs. Walters and somehow linked=20
it to the Jackson bust, quoting unnamed sources in the Jackson=20
police department. Clarice Starling's name was mentioned as=20
the FBI agent in charge of the investigation, and the report=20
added a couple of paragraphs about her solving the two year=20
old "Buffalo Bill" case.=20
Myers had been watching her during the call, and saw=20
her face reflect concern and then become very pale.=20
"I couldn't be sorrier," concluded Congressman Walters.=20
"Normally I wouldn't share anything sensitive with Harriet, but=20
this thing has to do with our daughter, and the circumstances=20
of her death have been eating her up. Quite plainly, I just=20
screwed up."=20
"I understand, Congressman," said Clarice.=20
"What this means, Starling," said Jack Crawford, "Is your=20
timetable just got pushed up. The story will be picked up by the=20
wire services and it will be everywhere by tomorrow. The=20
perps will do all they can to cover their tracks and may just take=20
off and run, now that they know how close you are."=20
=20
- o -=20
=20
While Starling and Myers briefed the team on the latest=20
findings, Sheriff Trent was in his office, handwriting a note to=20
Rosie that explained, as best he knew, Celeste's background=20
and his belief that the girl would be a welcome addition to=20
Rosie's stable.=20
"Hey, Sheriff." He raised his head to see that one of his=20
deputies had opened his door and stuck his head in.=20
"Remember that Walters girl, the Congressman's daughter?=20
You had us checking all the gas stations in the area to see if=20
anyone remembered her or the kid who supposedly killed her."=20
"Yeah," said Trent, keeping his voice even. "What about=20
her?"=20
"I heard on the radio coming in, that the Feds believe her=20
case is linked to a dozen MPs and some sort of car theft ring."=20
"No shit?" Trent waved him in, his mouth suddenly dry.=20
"Yeah. Front-page article in the Birmingham paper,=20
quoting the Congressman's wife. Seems the Feds and the=20
Staties busted a cut-up shop in Jackson over the weekend and=20
found something."=20
Trent got the deputy out of his office as quickly as=20
possible, then turned his radio on and tuned it to an all-news=20
station. The report was repeated ten minutes later. Fighting=20
down his panic, he thought about the news and what it meant.=20
They must have found some records in the Jackson operation=20
that identified the specific cars that the Price brothers had sold=20
to them, which meant that someone in the Bureau was still hard=20
at work investigating the missing people of the past year or so.=20
The radio report mentioned the name of Clarice Starling, and=20
referred to the "Buffalo Bill" case she solved.=20
This Starling bitch couldn't possibly have his partners=20
identified, he reasoned, or they would have picked them up by=20
now. He thought about how he'd manage the investigation if it=20
was his case and decided that it might be just a matter of days=20
before the Feds began checking on tow truck operators. Maybe=20
sooner. The stolen cars could have been driven up to Jackson=20
but that would be risky. The Price brothers would be=20
questioned closely and Trent thought it likely that his partners=20
would fuck it up.=20
He was under no illusions about his partners. If they=20
were picked up they would very quickly strike a deal and give=20
them his name. The Price's would claim that they had no role=20
in the abductions or the deaths, and were only involved in the=20
sale of the stolen cars. They would readily accept any deal that=20
involved less jail time in exchange for their testimony against=20
him. He, on the other hand, had nothing to trade.=20
He would be fucked.=20
He looked at the letter on his desk, to Rosie, and=20
decided right then that he'd have to leave. He would call his=20
brother at the bank and then go downtown to clear out=20
accounts, drive to N'Orleans and buy a ticket to New York=20
under one of his fake ID's. In New York he'd buy a ticket to=20
Miami and from there to the Cayman Islands. Eventually, they'd=20
discover his involvement and find his car at the N'Orleans=20
airport. A thorough investigation of all flights and passengers=20
out of there, looking closely at anyone who paid cash for a=20
ticket, might lead them to a few dozen names, one of which=20
would be his alias. But it would be impossible to=20
trace him further, especially if he landed at Kennedy and took a=20
cab or two over to Newark for the next leg of his journey, and=20
used a second name.=20
Resolved, he called his brother.=20
"There's just no way, Paul," said the banker when he got=20
him on the line. "You've got a little over $152,000 in your=20
accounts. We don't keep that much cash on hand. This is a=20
small rural bank, bro. I can give you some cash and the rest in=20
travelers cheques, or a bank check. Or I can order the cash=20
from the Federal Reserve, but were talking Wednesday=20
morning if I do it today. What's the hurry?"=20
Trent made up an excuse for needing the money and=20
told him to order the cash. When he hung up, his palms were=20
sweating.=20
"God fucking dammit," he muttered. It hadn't occurred to=20
him that it would take days to get his cash or he would have=20
kept more of it stashed at home.=20
Trent paced back and forth in his office and found it=20
difficult to think as clearly as was usually the case. He realized=20
that he was doing himself no good and that he felt trapped. He=20
needed to calm down, relax, and calmly examine his options.=20
Being here in the office, facing constant interruptions, wasn't=20
going to help him. And he dreaded getting a call from Ward or=20
Sam Price after they hear the same news report.=20
He placed a call home, to Celeste, then collected his=20
stuff and left. He told his secretary that he was going home=20
sick and the woman, seeing his pale face, had no trouble=20
believing him ill.=20
=20
- o -=20
=20
Frank Trent pressed the intercom button that connected=20
him to his private secretary in the outer office.=20
"Yes, Mr. Trent?"=20
"Could you reschedule the asset review meeting for later=20
this week. I have to tend to a family emergency."=20
After she acknowledged his directive he placed a call to=20
the Federal Reserve and ordered Paul's cash delivered. Then=20
he sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, deep in thought.=20
He felt sure that Paul was preparing to flee for some reason.=20
Knowing his brother as well as he did, he knew he could=20
assume it was for a good reason. It followed that when and if=20
the authorities discovered the scope of Paul's activities, they=20
would search for partners. The investigation would certainly=20
attempt to trace the money flow, and he knew that the Bureau=20
and the Treasury Department would immediately investigate=20
him. It wouldn't take long before they'd discover how he'd=20
laundered Paul's cash and his own share of the gains. That=20
would lead them to his other laundering activities, and he'd be=20
lucky to spend only five years in prison.=20
Frank Trent had secured, through Paul, his own sets of=20
forged identity papers. Unlike Paul, however, Frank had placed=20
most of his personal wealth in high-grade diamonds that were=20
easy to transport and reasonably liquid. The rest was in an off-=20
shore account that he had set up even more carefully than=20
Paul's, so he could wire the funds to or from just about any=20
bank on the planet. He could leave at any moment, and go just=20
about anyplace.=20
He left his office and used the public phone in a coffee=20
shop to make a few calls and set up his escape.=20
- o -
Myers, Starling, Quinn and the other five agents had=20
been crowded into the small conference room for an hour now.=20
Myers had briefed everyone on the Jackson bust. Alternating=20
between the large map showing the likely routes and the exhibit=20
on the wall that summarized the information they'd culled from=20
the journal, he succinctly reviewed each case. The excitement=20
in the room was palatable at this breakthrough. It dimmed=20
somewhat when Starling made her report on the=20
Congressman's screw-up, the newspaper article, and urgency=20
this placed on their efforts.=20
"I believe we need to nail this one quickly, before the=20
perps shut down and run, probably out of the country."=20
Agent Susan James then reviewed a second large map=20
that she had posted earlier, showing in greater detail the gulf coast=20
from Pensacola to N'Orleans. She had highlighted several rural=20
highways that might be candidates for travelers to take. They=20
debated for few minutes before choosing three as the most=20
likely routes.=20
"Being thorough has got to take a back seat for now,"=20
said Myers. "We need to move quickly, and we'll start with=20
those three. If we come up empty we'll expand the search."=20
They discussed a few more details, then assigned=20
teams. Quinn and another agent would stay here and=20
coordinate based on reports from the field. They would also be=20
checking criminal records of residents in these areas, looking=20
for anyone with the initials PB, and would check for a match on=20
owners/operators of any gas station, restaurant and towing=20
operation.=20
Myers assigned himself and Starling to check the route=20
he believed most likely, a two-lane highway through the rural=20
Jackson county in the southeast corner of Mississippi. They=20
took his Explorer, and he used a portable police flasher to make=20
his way through N'Orleans traffic to Interstate 10 and then sped=20
east at nearly eighty miles per hour.=20
=20
- o -=20
=20
"Oh... Oh... Oh," mewed the young black girl as Paul=20
Trent drove his long cock into her ass. She'd received his=20
phone call ten minutes before, telling her that he was coming=20
back home and that she'd better be ready. She stripped and=20
fingered her cunt until it was good and juicy, then got the tube=20
of K-Y jelly from the bedroom and lubricated her ass.=20
When Trent entered the house after parking his cruiser=20
in the garage, he found his ward kneeling on the living room=20
floor, her head and shoulders resting on the rug, her meaty=20
black ass stuck invitingly in the air. He kicked off his boots and=20
stripped quickly and before a minute had passed since his=20
arrival he was driving his cock into her tight ass.=20
His strokes were hard and fast from the beginning, unlike=20
his usual practice when he took her this way, of starting slowly=20
to allow her time to get used to his cock. The girl sensed his=20
mood and remained silent, knowing that he was merely using=20
her body and didn't want the usual banter. She groaned=20
audibly through the pain of his hard brutal strokes, hoping it=20
would fade and the pleasure would come.=20
In Trent's mind he wasn't fucking Celeste but was=20
instead sodomizing the woman who he knew was tracking him.=20
The face in his mind's eye was blurry, indistinct, except the=20
mouth of his Special Agent Clarice Starling was twisted in=20
agony, screaming, crying, begging him to stop. He fucked=20
harder in response to her cries and slapped the agent's ass,=20
again and again, as he raped her ass.=20
Celeste's cries were anything but imaginary but they=20
didn't penetrate the fog in his brain. He had never before struck=20
the girl, and was now slapping her hard, driving his cock into=20
her bowels as never before. Desperate and scared, Celeste=20
reached back and fingered her sex, hoping that she could=20
lesson the pain of this brutal treatment. As she rubbed the=20
erect nub frantically, the sensations from her clit slowly began=20
to compete with the painful signals coming from her ravaged=20
canal and battered cheeks.=20
When he came a few minutes later, blasting his cum=20
deep in her ass, she came as well, her release triggered as=20
much from the relief she felt that this would soon end as from=20
the action of her fingers on her clit.=20
"God... Damn... Fucking... Bitch... Whore," she heard=20
him mutter between clenched teeth as his cock emptied into her=20
bowels.=20
=20
- o -=20
=20
Five minutes later, Trent was sitting still nude on the=20
sofa, his mind now very clear and focused as he reviewed his=20
options.=20
Celeste had left the room shortly after he pulled his=20
spent cock from her ass, walking unsteadily to the bathroom in=20
the back of the house. As she cleaned herself with a=20
washcloth, she was relieved to find no sign of blood from her=20
still-dilated hole, only a mixture of his cum and the K-Y jelly she=20
had greased herself with before his arrival. After finishing with=20
herself, she got a second washcloth and ran it under the hot=20
water and squeezed it out before returning to Trent.=20
"I have three options," thought Trent to himself as the girl=20
knelt between his knees and cleaned his cock. "First, I could=20
wait it out, and hope the Feds don't find the connection to the=20
Price brothers. Collect my cash on Wednesday morning and=20
head to N'Orleans and go from there." A man who disliked=20
inaction and relying on luck, he quickly rejected this option.=20
He thought through his second option---get what cash he=20
could from the bank and leave immediately. His brother had=20
said that they could give him $40,000 of his funds in cash=20
today. That would be the smart thing to do, but these funds=20
were the result of over twenty years of legitimate saving, of=20
denying himself expensive vacations and fancy cars, and it=20
pained him to leave over $110,000 of his money behind.=20
The third option was risky but appealed to him the longer=20
he thought about it. If Ward and Sam Price were to disappear,=20
that would give him the extra time to get his money and to tie=20
up loose ends. He thought about and rejected several ideas=20
before settling on the best solution to his problem. His mind=20
sorted through each detail, each step of what he was going to=20
do.=20
Celeste had finished cleaning his cock, and looked up=20
into the Trent's face, concerned. She knew from his distant=20
expression and the set of his face that he was thinking about=20
something other than her, something very important. She=20
recalled his conversation of the other day, when he had told her=20
of the money and instructed her to go to this woman, Rosie.=20
She knew from his comments that the woman was someone he=20
trusted, but she didn't want to leave, not even after he'd fucked=20
her so brutally. She got up curled her body to fit on the sofa,=20
her head resting on Trent's lap.=20
Trent's finger played idly with the girl's kinky black hair=20
as the thought through the last details of his plan. Then he=20
went over it again, from the beginning, looking for problems,=20
finding a few, then altering the plan to address them. In the end=20
he had what he believed was a workable plan, one that would=20
get rid of the Price brothers in a way that would appear like they=20
had fled. It was important over these next two or three days=20
that the Feds spend there energies looking for the known=20
fugitives and not for any accomplices they might have had.=20
"I'm going to miss you, Celeste," he said after a while.=20
"Do I have to go, masser?" he heard her ask.=20
"I'm afraid so. I have to... leave and I can't take you with=20
me."=20
They talked for another five minutes. He firmly but gently=20
overrode the young girl's objections, and patiently reviewed=20
again how she should take the $10,000 and go to Rosie's and=20
start a new life.=20
"But I like being your nigger girl," she said, but now her=20
tone was resigned.=20
He felt his cock begin to revive, and so did she. She=20
shifted her body and brought her mouth to his cock, sucking the=20
growing shaft deep into her mouth, practicing her new skill at
taking him into her throat.=20
"This will be our last time, nigger girl," he said gently,=20
running his hand over her body while she bobbed her head up=20
and down, each time taking him all the way into her throat, her=20
thick lips pressing against the base.=20
"How would you like it to be?" he asked.=20
She pulled her mouth off his cock and straddled him,=20
angling her sex over his slick rod, lowering herself into his lap.=20
She rode her white master through her orgasm and then=20
allowed herself a minute to recover. She then pulled herself off=20
his long rod and turned around, holding her black cheeks apart=20
as she lowered herself again. Trent positioned his cock at her=20
anus and moaned in pleasure as the girl slowly impaled herself=20
on his shaft. His hands gripped her breasts, helping her move=20
up and down as she fucked her ass on his shaft. She came a=20
few minutes later when she felt, for the last time, Sheriff Paul=20
Trent's cock erupt in her body.
Chapter Seven=20
=20
Sam Price took the call from Trent shortly after ten=20
that morning, about fifteen minutes before Myers and Starling=20
exited the Interstate and stopped at the first gas station they=20
found, forty miles west of Price Brother's Service and Towing.=20
He was instantly on edge when he heard the tone of his=20
partner's voice. Normally the Sheriff was maddeningly calm but=20
this time he was clearly distressed.=20
"Yeah, okay Trent," he said in response to the Sheriff s=20
urgent request that he and his brother meet him at their house=20
up the hill. "But what is it that's so important?"=20
"I'll tell you and Ward when I see you. Ten minutes."=20
The phone went dead. Sam told his mechanic to watch for=20
customers and before leaving the station for home. He found=20
his brother eating breakfast, and told him of Trent's call and=20
imminent arrival.=20
"We'll hear him out," said the elder brother, turning and=20
retrieving a gun from a drawer behind him, and placing it in his=20
lap under the table. "But we know Trent killed ol' Tom and I=20
want to be ready."=20
Trent arrived a few minutes later, and Sam let him in. He=20
refused Ward's offer of coffee and sat down at the table,=20
starting immediately.=20
"Those fuck-ups in Jackson must have kept records," he=20
said, putting just the right amount of fear in his voice. He=20
wanted his partners scared. "Something that tied each of your=20
delivers together or to the people we snatched."=20
"Shit!" said Sam. Ward Price just stared at his partner=20
while his hand slid into his lap and gripped the gun.=20
"The Feds have to be searching this area, maybe=20
Harrison county as well, but they're sure to investigate you=20
guys, and we don't know what they have."=20
"What would you suggest we do, Trent?" asked Ward=20
Price, rapidly losing his calm.=20
"I'm getting the fuck outta here," he said, his voice=20
strained. "I'd suggest you two do the same."=20
Ward Price rubbed his free hand across the rubble on=20
his chin, thinking fast. They had some money, almost=20
$120,000, in cash hidden in their basement. Another thirty G's=20
in the bank. That wouldn't take them far, he knew, but if Trent=20
himself was bailing out that meant that things were getting bad=20
very quickly.=20
"We could take the boat," his brother said.=20
"And go where?" said Trent, disguising his pleasure.=20
"Mexico," said Ward. "We could take some extra gas=20
and make it all the way to Corpus Christi... refuel and be in=20
Mexican waters in two days. I know a guy in Tampico who=20
would help us, maybe get us new IDs and help us set up=20
something new."=20
"What about you, Sheriff?" asked Sam.=20
"I figure Canada's my best bet," he lied. "Soon as I leave=20
here I'm headin' to N'Orleans to catch a flight to Chicago, and=20
from there to Montreal... maybe the Maritimes. I'm sure as shit=20
not waiting around for the Feds."=20
"Sam, go down to the bank and git our money, all of it.=20
I'll pack the, um, other stuff we'll need and we will leave for the=20
marina in forty minutes."=20
Trent shook their hands, wished them luck, and left. He=20
dropped his cruiser off at home and took his pick-up truck,=20
already loaded with the supplies he needed for the next part of=20
his plan, and drove to the marina. He carried a large satchel as=20
he strolled down the long pier until he reached the berth that=20
held the thirty-eight foot ship owned by his partners. He'd been=20
out fishing with Ward and Sam several times, and knew where=20
they hid the extra key to the cabin. He let himself in and went to=20
work. He made his way down and aft, into the rear-most=20
compartment of the vessel. The first portion of plastic=20
explosive, about the size of a paperback book, was placed as=20
far as he could reach through the access panel into the engine=20
compartment, and was stuck to the outside wall. He set the=20
timer at four hours, then waited for the second hand of his=20
watch to reach the top before pressing the switch that activated=20
the bomb.=20
The second charge was much smaller, the size of a=20
matchbox, and this one he placed behind the radio in the=20
bridge. He checked his watch and set the second timer to 3:55,=20
and waited for the second hand to sweep around before=20
activating the device.=20
He had decided against a single, larger amount of=20
plastique, because he didn't want the ship to blow into=20
thousands of pieces of debris. The floating remains might be=20
discovered by the Coast Guard and they would likely conclude=20
that someone had rigged the ship to explode. This would=20
quickly lead the Bureau back to the question of accomplices.=20
Instead, when the smaller charges he had used went off,=20
within seconds of one another, the water would rush into the=20
stern of the ship, and the heavy twin diesels would quickly take=20
the ship down to the bottom of the gulf. The radio would be=20
disabled, of course, and within a minute or so the Price=20
brothers, and their ship, would be buried under two or three=20
hundred feet of water.=20
Trent left the boat fourteen minutes after arriving, locked=20
the cabin and walked purposely down the long pier toward his=20
truck.=20
He didn't notice the eyes that followed his retreat. On=20
another boat, berthed across the pier from the Price ship, stood=20
a fiftyish man, his face and hairless skull deeply tanned from=20
the sun. The intense, intelligent eyes that followed the Sheriff s=20
form noticed that the satchel was swinging easier now in the=20
lawman's hand, much lighter than it was on his walk up the pier.=20
Fifteen minutes earlier, Dr. Hannibal Lecter had noticed=20
the lawman before he'd come a hundred feet up the pier. He=20
continued what he was doing, kneeling and polishing the brass=20
railing, his eyes watching him stroll closer, his hand tightening=20
on the knife in his free hand. He felt sure that he wasn't the=20
lawman's target---if they ever traced him they'd come for him=20
with an army---but he felt more comfortable knowing that the=20
finely-honed six inches of steel was ready.=20
His eyes noticed the patch of the lawman's arm, near the=20
shoulder, and his eyes caught the words "Sheriff" and "Jackson=20
County". After the sheriff had entered the other ship, Lecter=20
went inside his cabin and watched through binoculars at the=20
ship sixty feet away. The sheriff went below for several=20
minutes before returning to the bridge. Lecter watched him=20
approach the wheel and then duck out of sight for a minute or=20
two. Then his head reappeared, he left the bridge, locked the=20
door, and returned the key to it's original hiding place.=20
Five minutes after Trent had gone, Lecter entered the=20
cabin and found, a few minutes later, the strange calling card=20
that the sheriff had left. He noted the time remaining on the=20
bomb and they went below to search the lower cabins.=20
"Could this one be yours, Clarice Starling?" he asked=20
himself, recalling the news item that mentioned her name and=20
the case she was working.=20
--
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