Lindsey thought about what information he might reasonably get from Lecter, and before he could start asking anything, the kid was asking him a question.
About a plan.
Lindsey opened a drawer and took out the file, opening it on his desk.
"I haven't," he said. "Mainly because, in order to decide if I should take this case, I really need to know things it doesn't say here. Ideally I want to know why I got this file, who wanted me to have it. But we don't always get what we want."
He offered a wry smile.
"Main thing I really need to know, and also really see, is that Ms. Tam isn't dangerous. Because whether it's me defendin' 'er or somebody else, that's the hurdle. I see a lot in here about her brother's work with her. Things about her brain--including her intelligence level. But a jury isn't gonna like that. Either thing. They're gonna want to be able to like her."
There was a medical scan in the file, and it could be seen from where Hannibal sat.
"What is it happened to her? It's clear to me you're close, but seems to me the only other person who can speak intelligently on the topic was her brother, which isn't ideal, either. And I know he's gone."
He sat up straight and let go of the papers in the file. He meant explain to him what River's brain was like. The medical files were great, but Lindsey wasn't a doctor.