Of Killers and Saints part 2
Stiles stared at the kabuki in partial horror and partial disturbing respect for the "man" who killed the girl as Jack Crawford told them," Stag head was reported stolen last night, about a mile from here."
Will echoed what both he and Stiles was thinking," just the Head?"
"Minneapolis Homicide's already made a statement. They're calling him the Minnesota Shrike, like the bird," Stiles said as he peeked closer to the body and peeked behind the mundane shroud and shuddered as a spike of that darkness and death that wafted off Ravenstags, in general, hit him full force while Jimmy explained," Shrikes are perching birds. Impales mice and lizards on thorny branches and barbed wire. Rips their organs right out of their bodies, puts them in a little birdie pantry and eats them later."
"Thank you for that little bit of knowledge, Price," Stiles mumbled to himself as he tried to get stable himself. Will looked at him them to the woman's body as Jack hissed," I can't tell whether it's sloppy or shrewd."
Will muttered out to the team and Stiles," He wanted her found this way. It's... it's petulant, almost feel as if he's mocking her... or he's mocking us."
Jack huffed," Where did all his love go?"
Stiles added," Whoever tucked Elise Nichols into bed, didn't paint this picture."
Everyone but Brian looked at him as the scientist said," He took her lungs. I'm pretty sure she was alive when he cut 'em out."
Will frowned," I have to agree with Stitlski, OUR cannibal loves women, he doesn't want to destroy them. He wants to consume them, to keep some part of them inside him... This girl's killer thought that she was a pig."
'a hunt, pray, and food,' was left unsaid but both Will and Stiles knew what he meant by "pig". Jack sprung on the Idea of a copycat as he asked," You think this was a copycat?"
"The cannibal who killed Elise Nichols has a place to do it and no interest in creating field kabuki. So, he has a house or a cabin with an antler room, along with a normal house. He has a daughter, the same age, hair colour, eye colour, height and weight as the other girls. She's an only child, leaving home and he can't stand the thought of losing her. She's his golden ticket," Will quickly explained as he got up and left. Stiles was impressed as he followed his mentor and Teacher from the crime scene, but apparently, Crawford wasn't as he asked," What about the copycat?"
Stiles hummed as he answered," You know, an intelligent psychopath, particularly a sadist, is very hard to catch. With no traceable motive, there'll be no patterns. He MAY never kill this way again."
They walked to Stiles Jeep and Will asked him," You heading back to Virginia?"
"Yep... want me to drop you off at you motel?"
"If you can," Will agreed. Stiles nodded as they headed in the derection of the motel. Once he dropped Will off, Stiles headed back to Virginia and the large cabin which the Hale-McCall pack was renting out for a few months.
That Morring; Will's motel.
Will woke from his dreams to knocking on the door. Shuffling over to the door of his motel room he sniffed, the smell of cooked eggs and some sort of meat with an underlining smell that was uniquely Hannibal Lecter. Humming softly he opened the door, his eyes slightly slitted as Hannibal greeted him," Good morning Will. May I come in?"
Will blinked as he asked," Where's Crawford?"
"Deposed in court. The adventure will be yours and mine today, may I come in?"
Will nodded and moved from the door slightly opening the curtains as he sat down at the table next to the window and Hannibal walked into the room, closing the door behind him and sitting across from him as he said," I'm very careful about what I put into my body, which means I end up preparing most meals myself."
He pulled out a casserole dish from an installed bag and popped off the lid as the strong smell of cooked long-pig drifted from the dish. Will hid his smile as the doctor continued," A little protein scramble to start the day. Some eggs, some sausage."
Will took a from the 'sausage' and hummed," Mmm. it's delicious, thank you."
"My pleasure," Hannibal said before he 'apologized,' I would apologize for my analytical ambush, but I know I will soon be apologizing again and you'll tire of that eventually, so I have to consider using apologies sparingly."
Will hummed as he ate the protein scramble and played his 'professional relationship card' as he said," Just keep it professional."
"Or we could socialize, like adults. God forbid we become friendly," Hannibal countered. Will hid a smirk back as he played hard to get and lied," I don't find you all that interesting."
Hannibal smirked as he told him," You will."
'I am sure I will, if I already do,' Will thought as Hannibal turned the conversation to business, following Will's previous wish as he stated, not even trying to hide his true meaning," Agent Crawford tells me you have a knack for the Monsters."
Will hummed as he said," I don't think the shrike killed that girl in the field."
"The devil is in the details," Hannibal before he took a bit of their scramble. When he finished he asked," What didn't your copycat do to the girl in the field, what gave it away?"
Will sighed," Everything, It's like he had to show me a negative so that I could see the positive," He took a breath as he looked up at Hannibal from the food and thinly said," That crime scene was practically gift-wrapped."
He could feel Hannibal's pride at that as he asked," The mathematics of human behaviour all those ugly variables. Some bad math with this Shrike fellow, huh?"
Will hummed as Hannibal continued," Are you reconstructing his fantasies?"
Will shrugged as he thought,' Not his... but that's beside the point at the moment."
"What kind of problems, douses he have?"
"Eh, he has a few," Will muttered. Hannibal looked at him and asked," You ever have any problems, Will?"
Will pointed to himself then chuckled," No."
Agreeing, Hannibal stated," Of course you don't. You and I are just alike, problem-free. Nothing about us to feel horrible about. You know, Will? I think Uncle Jack sees you as a fragile little teacup. The finest China used only for special guest."
Laughing at that analogy Will asked," And how do you see me?"
"The mongoose I want under the house when the snakes slither by," Hannibal replied. Will let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding as Hannibal commanded," Finish your breakfast."
Construction Site; Minnesota
As they drove up to the Construction site Will asked Hannibal," What are you smiling at?"
"Peeking behind the curtain, I'm just curious how the FBI gouse about its business when it's not kicking in doors."
Will smirked and said," You're lucky we're not doing house-to-house interviews. We found a little piece of metal in Elise Nichols's clothes, a shred form a pipe threader."
"There must be hundreds of construction sites all over Minnesota," Hannibal pointed out. Will hummed as he explained," A certain kind of metal, certain kind of pipe, certain kind of pipe coating. So we are checking all the construction sites that use that kind of pipe."
Hannibal smiled at how smart the other Ravenstag was as he asked," What are we looking for?"
"At this stage, anything really, but mostly, anything peculiar."
They walked out of the car and headed into the construction site's office.
The Woman inside the office was rude, beyond a doubt. So Will was forgiven for not answering her question as he asked," Garret Jacob Hobbs?"
The Woman replied," He's one of our pipe threaders," Then pointed out to Will," Those are all the resignation letters. Plumbers' Union requires 'em whenever members finish a job."
She ended her call and Will asked," Uh, does Mr Hobbs have a daughter?"
"Might have," was the reply. Hannibal frowned as Will continued to try and get proper answers from her," 18 or 19, wind-chafed, plain but pretty, She'd have auburn hair, about this tall," he motioned to his own shoulder but the women just answered," Maby, I don't know. I don't keep company with these people."
She frowned but said nothing else as Hannibal asked," What is it about Garret Jacob Hobbs you find so peculiar?"
Will answered honestly, not seeing a reason to hide with Hannibal," He left a phone number, but no address. The others all left addresses," He turned to the unhelpful women and asked," Do you have an address for Mr Hobbs."
She rolled her eyes as she looked for the address.
Bloomington, Minnesota; Half an Hour later
Sighing as he got out Will started to walk over to the house of Garret Jacob Hobbs. He walked to the front as Hannibal got out of the car just as Mrs Hobbs was thrown from the house bleeding. Will's instincts were thrown forward as he dashed past the dead body and into the house. The Ravenstag glared at Garret Jacob Hobbs with his gun raised as he shot the man 10 times without remorse. The man dragged a knife across his kin as he fell and his daughter fell to the ground.
Will growled at the man who whispered," See? See?"
A whisper that fell on deaf ears as he tore a bit from his shirt and wrapped it around the young girl's neck putting as much presser as he could to stop the bleeding for as long as he could.
Hannibal walked in and noticed how he was shaking and he dialled 911 then Crawford. Nodding to Will he held his hand over Abigal Hobbs throat to help hold the blood back.
By the time the ablince and the FBI had arrived Abigal was at critical and Will had to take a step back from the scene. This was far from his first kill but no one but himself knew that. And no one would know until it was time.
Later that day he walked into Abigal Hobbs hostabl room and saw Hannibal sitting there almost asleep. He sighed and asked," Is she going to survive?"
"They aren't sure," Hannibal replied. The younger Ravenstag hummed as he sat in the opposite chair. It was going to be a long night.