Hannibal - Thomas Harris [23]
“Angel Dust and some other methamphetamines and some acid,” Starling said.
“I mean whoa! He went over to the mirror I looked at myself in, and kicked the bottom of it and took out a shard. I was flying. He came over and gave me the piece of glass and looked me in the eyes and suggested I might like to peel off my face with it. He let the dogs out. I fed them my face. It took a long time to get it all off, they say. I don't remember. Dr Lecter broke my neck with the noose. They got my nose back when they pumped the dogs' stomachs at the animal shelter, but the graft didn't take.”
Starling took longer than she needed to in rearranging the papers on the table.
“Mr. Verger, your family posted the reward after Dr Lecter escaped from custody in Memphis.”
“Yes, a million dollars. One million. We advertised worldwide.”
“And you also offered to pay for any kind of relevant information, not just the usual apprehension and conviction. You were supposed to share that information with us. Have you always done that?”
“Not exactly, but there was never anything good to share.”
“How do you know that? Did you follow up on some leads yourself?”.“Just far enough to know they were worthless. And why shouldn't we - you people never told us anything. We had a tip from Crete that was nothing and one from Uruguay that we could never confirm. I want you to understand, this is not a revenge thing, Miss Starling. I have forgiven Dr Lecter just as Our Savior forgave the Roman soldiers.”
“Mr. Verger, you indicated to my office that you might have something now.”
“Look in the drawer of the end table.”
Starling took the white cotton gloves out of her purse and put them on. In the drawer was a large manila envelope. It was stiff and heavy. She pulled out an Xray and held it to the bright overhead light. The Xray was of a left hand that appeared to be injured. She counted the fingers. Four plus the thumb.
“Look at the metacarpals, do you know what I'm talking about?”
“Yes.”
“Count the knuckles.”
Five knuckles. “Counting the thumb, this person had six fingers on his left hand. Like Dr Lecter.”
“Like Dr Lecter.”
The corner where the Xray's case number and origin should be was clipped off.
“Where did it come from, Mr. Verger?”
“Rio de Janeiro. To find out more, I have to pay. A lot. Can you tell me if it's Dr Lecter? I need to know if I should pay.”
“I'll try, Mr. Verger. We'll do our best. Do you have the package the X ray came in?”
“Margot has it in a plastic bag, she'll give it to you. If you don't mind, Miss Starling, I'm rather tired and I need some attention.”
“You'll hear from my office, Mr. Verger.”
Starling had not been out of the room long when Mason Verger tooted the endmost pipe and said, “Cordell?”
The male nurse from the playroom came in and read to him from a folder marked DEPARTMENT OF CHILD WELFARE, CITY OF BALTIMORE.
“Franklin, is it? Send Franklin in,” Mason said, and turned out his light.
The little boy stood alone under the bright overhead light of the seating area, squinting into the gasping darkness.
Came the resonant voice, “Are you Franklin?”
“Franklin,” the little boy said.
“Where do you stay, Franklin?”
“With Mama and Shirley and Stringbean.”.“Does Stringbean stay there all the time?”
“He in and out.”
“Did you say `He in and out'?”
“Yeah.”
“ `Mama' is not your real mama, is she, Franklin?”
“She my foster.”
“She's not the first foster you've had, is she?”
“Nome.”
“Do you like it at your house, Franklin?”
He brightened. “We got Kitty Cat. Mama make pattycake in the stove.”
“How long have you been there, at Mama's house?”
“I don't know.”
“Have you had a birthday there?”
“One time I did. Shirley make KoolAid.”
“Do you like KoolAid?”
“Strawberry.”
“Do you love Mama and Shirley?”
“I love, um hum, and Kitty Cat.”
“Do you want to live there? Do you feel safe when you go to bed?”
“Um hum. I sleep in the room with Shirley. Shirley, she a big girl.”
“Franklin, you can't live there anymore