Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter 1)

“Okay, Lloyd.” Crawford’s feet searched for his slippers.

“It says: Graham home Marathon, Florida. Save yourself. Kill them all.”

“Goddammit. Gotta go.”

“I know.”

Crawford went to his den without stopping for his robe. He called Florida twice, the airport once, then called Graham at his hotel.

“Will, Bowman just broke the code.”

“What did it say?”

“I’ll tell you in a second. Now listen to me. Everything is okay. I’ve taken care of it, so stay on the phone when I tell you.”

“Tell me now.”

“It’s your home address. Lecter gave the bastard your home address. Wait, Will. Sheriff’s department has two cars on the way to Sugarloaf right now. Customs launch from Marathon is taking the ocean side. The Tooth Fairy couldn’t have done anything in this short time. Hold on. You can move faster with me helping you. Now, listen to this.

“The deputies aren’t going to scare Molly. The sheriff’s cars are just closing the road to the house. Two deputies will move up close enough to watch the house. You can call her when she wakes up. I’ll pick you up in half an hour.”

“I won’t be here.”

“The next plane in that direction doesn’t go until eight. It’ll be quicker to bring them up here. My brother’s house on the Chesapeake is available to them. I’ve got a good plan, Will, wait and hear it. If you don’t like it I’ll put you on the plane myself.”

“I need some things from the armory.”

“We’ll get it soon as I pick you up.”

Molly and Willy were among the first off the plane at National Airport in Washington. She spotted Graham in the crowd, did not smile, but turned to Willy and said something as they walked swiftly ahead of the stream of tourists returning from Florida.

She looked Graham up and down and came to him with a light kiss. Her brown fingers were cold on his cheek.

Graham felt the boy watching. Willy shook hands from a full arm’s length away.

Graham made a joke about the weight of Molly’s suitcase as they walked to the car.

“I’ll carry it,” Willy said.

A brown Chevrolet with Maryland plates moved in behind them as they pulled out of the parking lot.

Graham crossed the bridge at Arlington and pointed out the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials and the Washington Monument before heading east toward the Chesapeake Bay. Ten miles outside Washington the brown Chevrolet pulled up beside them in the inside lane. The driver looked across with his hand to his mouth and a voice from nowhere crackled in the car.

“Fox Edward, you’re clean as a whistle. Have a nice trip.”

Graham reached under the dash for the concealed microphone. “Roger, Bobby. Much obliged.”

The Chevrolet dropped behind them and its turn signal came on.

“Just making sure no press cars or anything were following,” Graham said.

“I see,” Molly said.

They stopped in the late afternoon and ate crabs at a roadside restaurant. Willy went to look at the lobster tank.

“I hate it, Molly. I’m sorry,” Graham said.

“Is he after you now?”