Cassoulet Puppy 2 (Hannibal/Wonderfalls crossover)

Chapter Two: What's Not to Believe?

    When the coast was clear, Jaye bolted from her hiding spot, raced to her car, and sped back to the hotel. She didn't even think about going to the police. She just wanted to get as far away from there as possible and back to the safety of the little room and her family.
    “Hi, Jaye,” Aaron chimed upon seeing his sister.
    Sharon was sitting at the little table, nose deep in papers. She threw out a 'hi' just as a reaction to  someone else saying it first.
    “How was the date with Doctor Lady Killer?”
    She squeaked out a “fine” which of course was a, well, in all honesty it was a partial lie. The dinner itself was just fine. It was the rest of it that wasn't.
    “Whoa, you look like you've seen a ghost. Is everything alright?”
    Her answer was once again squeak-ish and she nodded her head, but whatever effort she had put into making it sincere had failed. She looked near tears and beyond freaked out.
    Her brother jumped off the bed and rushed to her.
    “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey. What happened?”
    Should she tell him? She had to tell someone to get it off her chest. Aaron was a good start.
    “He really is a lady killer,” she blurted out.
    Aaron's eyes widened. “What?”
    “I followed him to into the woods and---and he killed a woman. Then he dragged her off somewhere.”
    And just like that, Sharon looked up from what she was doing to pay attention to her siblings.
    “WHAT!?” she shouted. “Are you serious?”
    “Why did you follow him?”
    “What does it matter now? She witnessed a murder. Jaye, you have to go report this. We're calling the police. Right now!” She had her hands on Jaye's arms.
    “Ain't time yet. Keep your mouth shut.” This voice came from the cat on the watch Sharon was wearing. Of course, a good luck/congratulations gift from Mom and Dad; they couldn't spring for something with a blank watch face?
    “I can't!” She blinked a couple times trying to figure out a legit reason for not wanting to go to the cops. There had to be at least a dozen easy to understand reasons, excluding 'because your watch told me to', but all that came out was: “I'm scared what will happen if I do. What if they don't find anything and then he comes after me?”
    “Jaye! Wha---?”
    Sharon stood opened mouth in shock. Aaron on the other hand seemed to pick up that that wasn't the real reason and that whatever the truth was it was complicated and unbelievable. As he watched Jaye give her weak excuse, he noted that her eyes kept darting to Sharon's cat watch. He wasn't even paying attention to the protests and reasonings coming from Sharon.
    “Stop.” He lightly whacked her arm with the back of his hand. “It's her choice. If she strongly feels that it's not a good idea, we should listen her.”
    Sharon turned and threw her hands up in the air in defeat. “I—I can't believe you two. I'm going outside for a smoke.”
    Once alone, Jaye thanked her brother for sticking up for her, even if it sounded crazy.
    “I hope you know what you're doing.”
    “Do I ever know what I'm doing?” She ignored the look her sibling gave her. “To start, my twin wasn't the person I'm supposed to meet.”
    “He really brought a friend that looked identical to you?” Jaye nodded and Aaron snorted. “I'm a little worried by there being another Jaye out in the world.”
    It was kind of nice to see a little lightheartedness out of the night. “Well, she wasn't exactly like me. We sounded the same and looked the same, but her attitude wasn't. She'd probably get along with Sharon. Can't help but wonder if there was some kind of mistake at the hospital or Mom and Dad kept a  huge secret from us.”
    As they laughed, an idea hit Jaye. She sprinted over to a drawer next to one of the beds and pulled out the phone book.
    “Now, what are you doing?” Aaron's hand rose to his forehead and his tone was laced with exhaustion.
    She flipped through the pages. “I was thinking that since my twin wasn't the friend I need to talk to, I have to find the other friend. At the restaurant, he got a call from someone named Will that he was going to meet with at his office. He's a doctor, so his address has to be listed.”
    Now, Aaron's mouth was agape. “I'm with Sharon: Are you crazy!? You just saw the guy murder someone, you refuse to tell the cops about it, and now you want to chase him, and probably his partner, down!? Is there some kind of bounty on his head? Is that what this is about?” Jaye shrugged her shoulders. “And I go back to what I told you last night, he probably didn't even give you his real name.”
    “Maybe not, but it's a place to start.” She held the book up to show Aaron what she discovered. There it was: Dr. Hannibal Lecter, PhD, Psychiatrist; complete with a number and address (by appointment only).
    The room filled with the heavy sigh Aaron let out. He looked up at the ceiling, almost like he was asking, more so begging, some deity for strength (if only he believed in such things).
    “Fine,” he groaned. “If you're going to go through with this, I'm coming with you. And if things get hairy, I will call the police.” No one messes with the Tyler siblings.....unless, you are a Tyler sibling.

    Jaye wondered if Will would even still be there as they pulled up to the address in the book. She told Aaron to park across the street about four buildings down. She worried that the car would be recognized and their stakeout would be a bust. She decided that'd she'd walk up to the target building and wait for someone to come out. All would be ok, as long as it wasn't Hannibal himself. She'd even be happy to see Alana again, just not Hannibal.
    Around ten minutes later she saw the door of the building open and she nearly jumped out of her skin. In case it was the killer, she tried to blend in with her surroundings. She breathed out an 'oh, thank God' when she saw that the person who had opened the door was a dark haired, glasses clad man. Slightly shorter than the man she thought was exiting the building and he was dressed in a more causal style. He looked down as he walked towards Jaye's 'hiding spot'.
    “Um, hi,” she started, uneasy that it was one: not Will and two: if Aaron was right and this was the Lady Killer's partner in crime.
    The man looked up slightly startled. He focused on Jaye and then stood a little confused. “Alana? What are you doing here? Is everything ok?”
    'He knows Alana too. Ok. This has to be him.' She thought.
    “I'm sorry. You have me mixed up with someone else.” She watched his face redden a little. “But I do need some help. I'm trying to find Doctor Hannibal Lecter's office.”
    “Oh. Um. Yeah, it's right over there.” He pointed to the door he had just came out of.
    “Ah. Yeah. I thought I was close. Thank you, um...,” she trailed off, hoping he'd take the hint.
    “Will. Will Graham.” BINGO!
    She took the hand he had held out. “Thank you, Will. I'm Jaye Tyler.” Each flashed an uneasy, awkward smile. “So, are you a patient of Doctor Lecter's?”
    “Yeah. Well, for the most part. He also seems to be my only friend anymore.”
    “What's he like...outside the office? You know more of the comfortable, causal aspect?”
    Will glanced at her suspiciously. “Why is that important?”
    She obviously didn't think that through. “Well, I----I just thought that---um....”
    “Who are you?”
    She still hadn't quite figured out why she was supposed to find Will and she had no clue what he was like or what his true association with Lecter was. She only had the one theory and she might as well try it. The good news is if anything went wrong her brother was at the ready.
    “I'm supposed to talk with you, Will.”
    He was taken aback slightly. “Talk...to me. About what?”
    “I'm not entirely sure, but I think it has something to do with Hannibal Lecter.”
    “Oh, really? Who told you to talk to me? Freddie Lounds?”
    “I can't really reveal my sources, but it's not—whoever you just said. That's not a name I know.” He looked down at her like she was lying. “Look. I have no clue what you know about that man, but I know for a fact he is not what he seems. He is dangerous.”
    “Are you sure we're talking about the same Hannibal Lecter, here?”
    “I'm sorry—how many are there in this area? Who are also charming, tall, thin, like blonde-ish hair; bit of a thick accent—cheeks that cut like a knife? Is this a different guy from the one you just saw?”
    Jaye really wondered if the man she had dinner with was actually a completely different person than the man that was supposed to be running a legit business out of this location. But, that way of thinking dissipated when she caught the look in the eyes beneath the glasses.
    “This isn't easy to say and I know I'm putting myself at risk...” She scanned the area around them. This precaution was actually necessary, but useless. Somebody was watching them from behind a curtain, but she was unable to see it. “I had dinner with him and the girl you thought I was, Alana Bloom. After dinner I followed him into the woods and he I saw him kill a woman.”
    Will laughed bringing out a chill, and anger, in Jaye. “You've got to be kidding me.”
    “It's true! He chased down this poor woman and sliced her neck,” she nearly screeched in disbelief. “She was just a little thinner and taller than me. Ummm....red hair....darker complected. Maybe younger than me. Watch the papers for someone that sounds like that.”
    “Well, obviously, you're not from around here and know nothing of Freddie Lounds or any of her writings or any of the news around here in general.” He had stopped laughing and seemed to have gone on full defense. “Doctor Lecter and I work with the FBI. In fact, he's one of the most trusted people by the man I work for. And this is on top of being one of the most successful psychiatrists in this city, maybe even state. Nobody has a bad word to say about him. He has no motive for killing.”
    Jaye shot the attitude back at him. “But what if it's all a cover up. What better way to hide from the authorities than to be among them?”
    “I think----”
    “I know what I saw! And I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to warn you, before it's too late.”
    “Ms. Tyler, it was nice to meet you, but you are mistaken about Doctor Lecter. Goodnight.”
    He walked away leaving Jaye standing alone, her mouth hanging open. She angrily made her way across the street and then down to Aaron and the car. She slammed the door shut.
    “Looks like that could've gone better,” her bother lovingly pointed out.
    She scuffed and propped her elbow on the car door. “I told him and he didn't believe me. He basically treated me like I was crazy.”
    “Well, in all fairness you are crazy.” He glanced over at the look that could've killed if it had the power. “Why wouldn't he believe you?”
    “Apparently, Doctor Lecter has a pretty great reputation that includes an improbability that he's evil. He's got everyone convinced he's some kind of saint. Helping the mental and fighting crime.”
    They arrived back at the hotel and were greeted by the over barring Sharon. She immediately started in with the lecturing complete with the 'where have you been' and 'you could've been killed'. Oh, and the not fully necessary 'I've been worried sick'. Jaye signaled for Aaron that she wanted some time to think things over. He nodded and lead the worrying sibling back inside, while trying to calm her down.
    Jaye sat down on the hood of the car wondering what to do next. She had met with two of Hannibal's friends, including the important for whatever reasons Will. She had warned him about Hannibal, but he disregarded everything she had said. Well, if that was all she was supposed to do, than it was done. She couldn't control anyone's impressions. If they were warned and chose not to heed it, that was that. And all without something incredible happening? Well, other than the discovery of a twin...it was all rather lame compared to everything else the Muses had put her through.
    As she sat on the car, letting her mind wander, she was unaware of dark clothed and hooded figure sneaking up behind her. That is until she smelled some kind of chemical and the world went dark.