Behind the curtain

Chapter 1

I woke abruptly to the jarring ring of my phone. "Great, the one night I don't have nightmares, and I'm still woken up," I grumbled to myself.

Glancing at the caller ID, I realized it was Jack Crawford, the man who had recruited me less than a few days ago. I let out a sigh. "Hello?" I attempted to conceal the fact that I had just woken up, but I knew I failed miserably. "Hello? Will! There's been another body," he exclaimed urgently. "Text me the address," I replied before hanging up.Exhaling heavily, I swung my legs out of the hotel bed. Deciding to forgo breakfast, I headed straight for the shower. As the warm water cascaded over my skin, I stood there with my eyes closed for what felt like an eternity. When I opened them, I found myself in a dark, black room. Slowly scanning the space, I noticed something moving. "Tap, tap, tap," I heard. Squinting, I made out the figure of a stag, its eyes fixed on me. I closed my eyes again, taking a deep breath. But upon reopening them, I was back in the hotel shower, the scalding water leaving my skin flushed red.It took a moment for me to realize I had just experienced an episode and that the stag was not real. Taking a few deep breaths, I turned off the shower and stepped out.

:After dressing, I swiftly grabbed my car keys and phone before heading out to the car, simultaneously checking the address of the crime scene. Glancing at my phone, I realized it was only a mere 20 minutes away. I hopped into my car and drove off, the countryside unfolding around me as I left the city behind.

The roads stretched out before me, flanked by fields of vibrant green and rolling hills that seemed to stretch on forever. The morning sun bathed the landscape in a warm, golden light, casting long shadows across the dew-kissed grass.As I neared the crime scene, I spotted the gathering of law enforcement vehicles in the distance, clustered amidst the vast expanse of the field.

Pulling over to the side of the road, I stepped out of the car and made my way towards the scene, the soft crunch of gravel beneath my feet echoing in the quiet stillness of the morning.Jack greeted me with a grim expression as I approached, his eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. Without a word, he led me towards the heart of the investigation, where the victim lay amidst the tall grass, a stark contrast to the serene beauty of the countryside.My breath caught in my throat as I beheld the grisly sight before me. The victim, mounted to a stag's head, her lifeless eyes staring into the distance, a grotesque tableau against the backdrop of nature's tranquility.

Surveying the scene, I felt a surge of determination. Each detail, no matter how macabre, held a clue waiting to be deciphered. With a steely resolve, I prepared to delve into the investigation, knowing that the truth lay hidden amidst the tangled brush of the field, waiting to be unearthed.

"They're calling him the Minnesota shrike," Jack spoke as I arrived on the scene. I raised my eyebrow. "Like the bird?"

Someone else chimed in, "Shrikes, a perching bird, impales mice and lizards in thorny branches or barbed wire, rips their organs right out of their bodies," he finished."I can't tell whether it's sloppy or shrewd," Jack added. I walked around, examining the body. "He wanted her found this way. It's... it's petulant."
"Petulant?" Jack said, puzzled."It's almost like he's mocking her... or he's mocking us," I explained."Where did all his love go?" Jack murmured."Whoever tucked Elise Nichols into bed didn't paint this picture," I stated, still observing the body."He took her lungs... and I'm pretty sure she was alive when he cut me out," someone whose name I hadn't caught spoke up.
"Our cannibal loves women. He doesn't want to destroy them; he wants to... consume them to keep some part of them inside."I took a breath. "This girl's killer thought she was a pig," I said as I started walking away."Do you think this is a copycat?" Jack called after me.I turned to look at him. "The cannibal who killed Elise Nichols had a place to do it and no interest in field kabuki," I paused to think. "He has a house or maybe even two, or a cabin, something with an antler room... He has a daughter the same age as the other girls, same hair color, same eye color, same weight, same height," I said, walking back toward Jack. "She's leaving home; he can't stand the thought of losing her," I chuckled. "She's his golden ticket."As I turned to walk again, Jack called out to me once more. "What about the copycat?"I turned back toward Jack. "An intelligent psychopath is very hard to catch. No traceable motives, no patterns," I pointed at the victim. "He may never kill this way again," I started walking backward, still facing Jack. "Have Dr. Lecter draw up a psychological profile; you seemed very impressed with his opinion."As I turned toward the road where my car was parked, I thought 'why did I say that?'

The next morning, I was once again roused from sleep, but this time by the sound of knocking. Opening the door, I found Dr. Lecter standing there. "Hello, Dr. Lecter. Where's Crawford? He was supposed to meet me to head over to the building site."

"Deposed in court. The adventure will be ours today," he replied calmly. "May I come in?" he asked, peering inside.I stepped aside, allowing him entry, and took a seat at the small table in my room. "I'm very careful with what I put in my body," Dr. Lecter remarked as he closed the door and approached me. Pulling out a chair, he sat down across from me. "Which means I prepare most of my own meals," he continued, producing two Tupperware containers from his bag. "A little protein scramble to start the day." He passed me the open Tupperware, and I glanced inside before taking a bite."Some eggs, some sausage," he described. I savored the flavor. "It's delicious, thank you," I replied truthfully, still feeling wary of the man before me. "I would apologize for my analytical ambush, but I know I'll soon be apologizing, and you'll tire of that eventually.""

Just keep it professional," I responded, taking another bite. Dr. Lecter chuckled. "Or we could socialize like adults. God forbid we become friendly," he said sarcastically. I smiled at him. "I don't find you interesting." "You will," he stated as we fell into a comfortable silence, eating our breakfast.After several minutes, Dr. Lecter broke the silence.

"Agent Crawford tells me you have a knack for the monsters," he remarked. Leaning back slightly in my chair, I replied, "I don't think the shrike killed the girl in the field." I studied Dr. Lecter's face for any reaction but found none."What gave it away?" he inquired, raising a brow in confusion."The crime scene was practically gift-wrapped," I replied with a chuckle. Dr. Lecter took another bite of food before commenting, "Some bad math with this shrike fellow, huh?"

"So what kind of problems does he have?" He asked, taking a sip of coffee. "He has a few," I answered casually. "You ever had any problems, Will?" "No," I said flatly. "Say, Dr. Lecter, seems like we're in a therapy session here," I pressed."Oh no, Will, just a question, that's all," he replied cryptically. I nodded, accepting the answer.

"You know, Will... I think Uncle Jack sees you as a fragile little teacup, the finest china used for special guests," Dr. Lecter remarked, prompting a burst of laughter from both of us.

Once we contained ourselves, I leaned back in my chair and asked, "So how do you see me, Dr. Lecter?" He took a moment to reply, as if contemplating, "The mongoose I want under my house when the snakes slither by." I pondered his words, not fully grasping their meaning.We finished our food in silence before packing ourselves into the car on the way to the work site.

As we drove to the work site, the quiet hum of the car filled the space between us. I couldn't shake the cryptic nature of Dr. Lecter's words. "The mongoose I want under my house when the snakes slither by." It replayed in my mind, each word carrying a weight I couldn't quite comprehend.Dr. Lecter seemed lost in his own thoughts, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the window. I couldn't help but wonder what lay beneath his calm exterior, what secrets lurked behind those piercing eyes.As we arrived at the building site, I was struck by the sheer magnitude of the construction project.

Stepping out of the car, I followed Dr. Lecter as he navigated through the bustling scene with ease. He seemed to command respect without saying a word, his presence enough to make even the most seasoned workers take notice.As we reached our destination, I surveyed the area, taking in the vast expanse of the construction site.

Dr. Lecter turned to me, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Shall we begin, Mr. Graham?" he asked, his tone betraying none of the uncertainty I felt. With a nod, I followed him into the heart of the construction site, ready to uncover whatever secrets lay hidden within its depths.