第十三章：陷阱
威尔并不是很喜欢弗雷迪·劳兹来拜访他这个主意。这天早上，他的警卫告知了他这个让人诧异的消息——劳兹小姐将在下午来访。然后，从那一刻开始，威尔就不能停止思考那女人选择这个时间来访的原因。
而且为什么奇尔顿会同意？他以前没有这么做过。肯定有过无数的刑侦记者想要抢到模仿犯的案子，特别是在那案子疯狂地出现在新闻上的那段时间。奇尔顿并没有给其中任何一位这个机会。为什么会是弗雷迪·劳兹？为什么会是现在？这案子在公众媒体上肯定没什么热度了，没人会在乎他了。什么事会突然让劳兹小姐找到采访他的理由？
威尔对这奇怪的发展方向感到不安。他担心这背后隐藏着个巨大的惊喜。至少，考虑到弗雷迪的天性里对可怖秘密的喜爱与她早先的文章，他怀疑这一点。
他请求一位警卫去告诉奇尔顿他想要与他谈谈，因为他希望奇尔顿医生可以回答一些令他困扰的问题。可是，警卫带着令人失望的消息回来了，显然那位院长大人有太多的事情要忙，没空与他闲聊。威尔猜想那只是个借口，并且奇尔顿不愿意在采访前与他谈话肯定有什么不可告人的原因。
认识到这一点并没有帮助威尔停止担心。
DoctorChilton sits alone in his office, trying to read a report drawn up by the nightshift, but he just keeps staring at the paper while the actual meanings of thewords go completely over his head. He tries hard not to think of Will Graham orFreddie Lounds, not to give in to the unsettling ideas lurking in the back ofhis mind, but he can't shut them out completely.
This isthe same upsetting emotion he had felt after pushing Gideon over the limit. Hehas never realized the exact time when it first happened or what caused it, buthe feels the same foreboding uneasiness now. Even though he was proud of whathe'd achieved with Gideon's state of mind – after all, it had not been an easyjob – and it had appeared to be a true success, a feeling of disquietingmisgiving never left... And it's back again. Too far... Too late...
Now,Chilton knows that whatever Freddie Lounds is up to, it cannot be good.
Hetries to make sure that she cannot play her ruthless game without any kind ofcontrol, so he takes the previously made tape recording of Crawford's andGraham's dialogue, and locks it away in his office, hoping that if Freddiedoesn't have the proof for her article in her possession, she will be morecareful with her tricks. However, he suspects that this is a false expectation.
And helets this happen despite knowing that it's not right...
Hegrabs a paper from his desk and tries to concentrate on the text.
Willrealizes that he has a fever again. His hands are trembling, even when he reststhem on the cool, sharp metal surface of the table in the middle of theinterview room. His head is heavy, aching with throbbing pain at his temple,and he feels weak and fatigued, as all the fragments of his health are fadingaway.
Hereally can't find the strength in him to face the intriguing questions ofFreddie Lounds.
Hedespises Chilton for letting the woman come here and for forcing him to sithere, chained to the chair by his guards, listening to whatever questions MissLounds might have. Will almost started to believe that Chilton might havedeveloped a positive attitude towards him – in spite of the offensive and bluntway Will had spoken to him on the few occasions they'd talked to each other –but now this hope is shattered to tiny pieces. Giving Freddie Lounds theopportunity to interview him is absolutely one of the most abasing thingsChilton could have done to torment him.
Willtries not to look too miserable. He shakes his hair out of his face and setshis tightly chained hands on his knees. Straightening his back, he leans into amore or less relaxed position. The last thing he wants is to give Miss Loundsthe malicious pleasure of seeing him in a fragile state, suffering anddefeated. He decides that he won't say anything interesting to her, andhopefully, sooner or later it will be enough to make that woman get bored andleave.
Thedoor opens with a creak, and Doctor Chilton enters the room, followed byFreddie Lounds. She sports a leopard spotted short skirt with black nylons anda dark brown blouse, looking as stylish and walking as confident as a model ona stage. However, Chilton seems less composed, his face is colorless, and hiseyes are darkened by some cryptic misery. He stops not far from the door, whileFreddie sits down opposite Will.
Sheplaces a bunch of papers in front of her onto the metallic surface and spends awhile going through them. After she finishes arranging her papers, she looks upat Will. "Good afternoon, Mr. Graham."
The wayshe presses the word 'mister' is so degrading that it makes Will feel as if hewasn't a normal human being, just some worthless wretch who didn't deserve tobe called in any respectful way.
"Hello,"Will mumbles.
"Longtime no see," she remarks. "How are you holding up?"
"I'mokay. But it would truly surprise me if you actually cared at all."
"Ascynical as always." Freddie throws one of her legs over the other andleans back on her chair, scrutinizing Will. "If I'm correctly informed,you made quite a progress in your health conditions. Am I right?"
"Iguess so." Will hates the way she watches him, so he turns his eyestowards the floor in order to not see the inquiring look on her face.
"Arethe memories of the murders you committed returning?"
Willsupposed that she would ask this question, though he didn't think that it wouldhappen right at the beginning. Well, Freddie Lounds is always a bit pushierthan one would expect.
"Ididn't kill those people," he replies simply.
"Ofcourse you didn't," she contends with flippancy. "You're as innocentas a lamb."
"Idon't give a damn what you believe."
"Sureyou don't." Freddie takes a pen and starts to write something, holding hernote-pad on her left knee. "Do you still have hallucinations?"
"Notanymore."
"Whynot?"
Thequestion slightly perplexes Will. "Because my illness has been alleviatedby the medicines..."
"Orbecause it's not so convenient to craft new stories anymore. They seemed usefulwhile you were out there, hunting for victims... Pretending to suffer fromdelusions is a pretty suitable excuse."
Willturns to Chilton with an imploring look on his face. "How long do I haveto listen to this?"
Thedoctor gives no reply, just stands there at the entrance of the room, lipspressed together and arms crossed.
"Areyou certain you don't remember any of your gory deeds?" Freddie asksimperturbably.
Willshakes his head with impatience.
"Butyou must remember Abigail, at least," Freddie insists. "The terriblethings you did to her..."
"Idid nothing to her."
"Iknow very well all the gruesome things you did. Wouldn't it have been enough tokill that poor girl in a quick, painless method?"
"Whatthe hell are you talking about?" Will snaps.
"Thesuffering she must have gone through..."
"Whatsuffering?"
"Isaw a photo... I saw what you had done."
Willjust blinks with misapprehension. "I still don't understand what you aretalking about," he admits.
"Hasno one told you that Abigail Hobbs' body has been found?"
Chiltonwinces in the background. Will lifts his head up and stares at Freddie, shockedby her words.
"What?"he gasps, astonished.
"Aweek ago, if I remember correctly," she explains calmly. "The FBIfound her body. I thought you had already been informed about this."Freddie casts a reproachful glance at Chilton. "It seems that honesty isnot one of the strengths of your attending doctors. It's a shame that you haveto hear it from me."
Willneeds a few moments to form a reply. "And why are you talking about hersuffering?" he asks hoarsely.
"Becauseof those ghastly wounds you inflicted upon her. Really, I've seen many things,but you can always surprise me, Mr. Graham. Should I refresh your memory?Should I mention some of those cruelties you did to that unfortunategirl?"
DoctorChilton suddenly takes a step forward and interrupts, "Miss Lounds, youhave to stop this and leave the room."
Freddieglimpses at him. "Why are you trying to deny the truth from your patient?It's not an ethical decision from you. He has the right to know everything thathappened to that poor girl. Let's get back to the details now..."
Chiltonrushes to her, grabs her by the elbow and tugs her up from the chair violently.
"Don'tlet him hide the truth from you," Freddie is still talking to Will."Maybe, one day you'll remember what you did to Abigail, but until then,you should hear about the torments you put her through..."
Chiltonhauls her out of the room by force before she could carry on. She sayssomething about a razor blade, but her words are not clearly audible in theinterview room anymore.
Willcollapses onto the cold slab of the table.
DoctorChilton doesn't stop until he drags Freddie out of the building across thewhite-tiled corridors and neon-lighted stairs. When they are out in the yardand the cold wind is swirling around them mixing with the shades of the barbedwire fences, Chilton pushes her against the wall of the building.
"Howcould you do this?" he yells at her.
Freddieremains calm and self-assured. "What's the matter, sweetheart? You didn'tlike my plan?"
"Shewas like a daughter to him. How could you make him live the rest of his lifewith the thought that his daughter had to endure long suffering and intensepain before she died?!"
"Iwant my perfect article, that's all. I don't know why you are going ballisticabout this. I couldn't even share the juicy details of the tortures I inventedon the spot because you interrupted me..."
"You'rea monster."
"Theonly moral difference between you and I is that you are a hypocrite, and I'mnot. Do you want to have a quick competition between us about which way toachieve our goals is the more corrupt one: making the mentally messed up Gideonbelieve that he is a famous serial killer, or deceiving Will Graham with ashort lie into betraying Lecter?"
Thepace of the doctor's breathing becomes quicker. "Stop talking aboutGideon's case like that," he seethes. "I didn't mean to do thosethings to him. It was a misunderstanding... An accident!"
"Well,you should have practiced these lines a bit more. You – an expert in yourprofession, after spending numerous years practicing your job – accidentallymade a psycho believe that he was the Chesapeake Ripper? Oh, give me abreak!"
For amoment, it seems that Chilton is going to hit her, but then he just smacks hisfist against the wall, an inch beside Freddie's face. "You bitch," hegrinds his teeth.
"Ilove you too, honey." Freddie answers without a stir. "But let's justthink about my question. Was it any better when you made Gideon believe that hewas another killer, shattered his identity, and manipulated him into starting amurderous rampage?"
So far,Doctor Chilton has managed to evade every sensitive question concerning Gideonand skillfully backed out of every situation, when he should have thought aboutthe case in depth. He didn't want to admit the truth to himself... But now, hetotally loses composure and pushes Freddie Lounds back against the hard wallwith uncontrollable rage.
"Gideonwas a repulsive, pathetic wreck!" The words are bursting out of himwithout any consideration. "He deserved it!"
Freddiegives a triumphant smile. "Here we go."
WhenChilton realizes what he has just said, he musters all the mental strength hehas to stop himself and to retrieve control over his reaction.
"Grahamis an innocent victim," he switches back to their former topic, regainingsome of his self-possession. He lets go of the woman and tries to breatheevenly. "He has suffered way too much for no reason at all."
"Heis far from innocent. Do you think that someone who has the ability to walk inand out of psychopaths' minds is any different from them? Anyway, maybe AbigailHobbs was truly tortured before her death. We don't know it for sure."Freddie steps away from the wall, and sweeps off dust from the sleeves of herblouse. "Moreover, you have to admit that my idea is brilliant. If Grahambelieves that Lecter killed Abigail Hobbs, this will make him despise Lecter somuch that he will move forward with Crawford's plan, and we'll also have Lecterfor my article. I suppose we can agree on the fact that I won this round."
Chiltonturns away from her, unable to look her in the eye.