demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第10部分

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　in　the　soil　anywhere；　the　guy　never　left　the　road。　So　he　was　parked　there　on　the　road　before　or　after　she　stopped。　They　both　dismount；　he　gets　the　drop　on　her　and　takes　her　out　to　the　range　and　does　it。　He　then　goes　back　to　the　road　。。。〃
　〃Carrying　her　clothes。〃
　〃Yes。　And　he　puts　the　clothes　in　his　vehicle；　then　。。。〃
　〃Goes　to　the　latrine；　washes　up；　bs　his　hair；　then　goes　back　to　his　vehicle　and　drives　away。〃
　Kent　said；　〃That's　the　way　it　could　have　happened。　But　that's　just　a　theory。〃
　〃I　have　a　theory　that　we're　going　to　need　another　hangar　to　hold　the　theories。　Okay；　about　six　trucks　should　do　it。　And　send　a　sensitive　female　officer　to　supervise。　And　send　someone　from　munity　affairs　who　can　cool　out　the　neighbors　while　the　MPs　empty　the　place。　See　you　later。〃　I　hung　up。
　Cynthia　said；　〃You　have　a　quick　and　analytical　mind；　Paul。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃If　you　had　a　little　passion　and　heart；　you'd　be　a　better　person。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　be　a　better　person。〃　I　added；　〃Hey；　wasn't　I　a　good　guy　in　Brussels？　Didn't　I　buy　you　Belgian　chocolates？〃
　She　didn't　reply　immediately；　then　said；　〃Yes；　you　did。　Well；　should　we　go　upstairs　before　upstairs　winds　up　at　Jordan　Field？〃
　〃Good　idea。〃
　
　CHAPTER　SIX
　
　The　master　suite；　as　I　indicated；　was　neat　and　clean；　except　for　the　shattered　perfume　bottle　on　the　bathroom　floor　that　now　stunk　up　the　place。　The　furniture　was　functional　modern；　sort　of　Scandinavian；　I　suppose；　with　no　soft　touches；　nothing　to　suggest　that　it　was　madam's　boudoir。　It　occurred　to　me　that　I　wouldn't　want　to　make　love　in　this　room。　The　carpet；　too；　was　unsuited　for　a　bedroom；　being　a　tight　woven　Berber　that　left　no　footprints。　Something；　however；　did　stand　out：　twenty　bottles　of　perfume；　which　Cynthia　said　were　very　expensive；　and　the　civilian　clothes　in　the　closet；　which　she　said　were　equally　overpriced。　A　second；　smaller　closet…what　would　have　been　〃his〃　closet　if　she　had　a　husband　or　live…in…was　filled　with　neat　Army　uniforms　for　the　summer　season；　including　greens；　battle　dress；　bat　boots；　and　all　the　necessary　accessories。　More　interesting；　in　the　far　corner　of　the　closet　was　an　M…16　rifle　with　a　full　magazine　and　a　round　in　the　chamber；　locked　and　loaded；　ready　to　rock　and　roll。　I　said；　〃This　is　a　military　issue…fully　automatic。〃
　〃Unauthorized　off　post；〃　Cynthia　observed。
　〃My　goodness。〃　We　rummaged　around　a　while　longer；　and　I　was　going　through　Ann　Campbell's　underwear　drawer　when　Cynthia　said；　〃You　already　looked　in　there；　Paul。　Don't　get　strange　on　me。〃
　〃I'm　looking　for　her　West　Point　ring；〃　I　replied　with　annoyance。　〃It　wasn't　on　her　finger；　and　it's　not　in　her　jewelry　box。〃
　〃It　was　taken　off　her　finger。　I　saw　the　tan　line。〃
　I　pushed　the　drawer　shut。　〃Keep　me　informed；〃　I　said。
　〃You　too；〃　she　snapped。
　The　bathroom　was　standing　tall　as　they　say　in　the　Army：　West　Point；　white…glove　immaculate。　Even　the　sink　basin　had　been　wiped　as　per　regulations；　and　there　wasn't　a　hair　on　the　floor；　certainly　no　pubic　hair　of　a　swarthy　stranger。
　We　opened　the　medicine　cabinet；　which　held　the　usual　assortment　of　cosmetics；　feminine　products；　and　such。　There　were　no　prescription　medicines；　no　men's　shaving　stuff；　only　one　toothbrush；　and　nothing　stronger　than　aspirin。　〃What；〃　I　asked　my　female　partner；　〃do　you　deduce　from　this？〃
　〃Well；　she　wasn't　a　hypochondriac；　she　didn't　have　dry　or　oily　skin；　she　didn't　dye　her　hair；　and　she　keeps　her　method　of　birth　control　somewhere　else。〃
　I　said；　〃Maybe　she　required　her　men　to　use　a　condom。〃　I　added；　〃You　may　have　heard　that　condoms　are　in　fashion　again　because　of　disease。　These　days　you　have　to　boil　people　before　you　sleep　with　them。〃
　Cynthia　ignored　that　and　said；　〃Or　she　was　chaste。〃
　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　Is　that　possible？〃
　〃You　never　know；　Paul。　You　just　never　know。〃
　〃Or　could　she　have　been　。。。　how　do　we　say　it　these　days？　Gay？　A　lesbian？　What's　the　politically　correct　term？〃
　〃Do　you　care？〃
　〃For　my　report。　I　mean；　I　don't　want　to　get　into　trouble　with　the　feminist　thought　police。〃
　〃Take　a　break；　Paul。〃
　We　exited　the　bathroom　and　Cynthia　said；　〃Let's　see　the　other　bedroom。〃
　We　passed　through　the　upstairs　hallway　into　the　small　room。　At　this　point；　I　didn't　expect　to　encounter　anyone；　but　Cynthia　drew　her　pistol　and　covered　me　while　I　peeked　under　the　double　bed。　Aside　from　the　bed；　the　room　held　only　a　dresser　and　a　night　table　and　lamp。　An　open　door　led　to　a　small　bathroom；　which　looked　as　if　it　were　never　used。　Clearly；　the　entire　room　was　never　used；　but　Ann　Campbell　maintained　it　as　a　guest　room。
　Cynthia　pulled　back　the　bedspread；　revealing　a　bare　mattress。　She　said；　〃No　one　sleeps　here。〃
　〃Apparently　not。〃　I　pulled　open　the　dresser　drawers。　Empty。
　Cynthia　motioned　toward　a　set　of　large　double　doors　on　the　far　wall。　I　stood　to　the　side　and　flung　one　of　them　open。　A　light　inside　went　on　automatically；　and　it　sort　of　startled　me；　and　Cynthia；　too；　because　she　crouched　and　aimed。　After　a　second　or　two；　she　stood　and　approached　what　turned　out　to　be　a　large　walk…in　cedar　closet。　We　both　went　inside　the　closet。　It　smelled　good；　like　a　cheap　cologne　I　once　had　that　kept　moths　and　women　away。　There　were　two　long　poles　on　either　side　from　which　hung　bagged　civilian　clothes　for　every　climate　on　earth；　and　more　Army　uniforms；　ranging　from　her　old　West　Point　uniforms；　to　desert　battle　dress；　to　arctic　wear；　to　Army　whites；　blue　mess　and　evening　mess　uniforms　for　social　functions；　and　sundry　other　rarely　worn　uniforms；　plus　her　West　Point　saber。　The　overhead　shelf　had　matching　headgear；　and　on　the　floor　was　matching　footwear。
　I　said；　〃This　was　one　squared…away　soldier。　Equally　prepared　for　a　military　ball　or　the　next　war　in　the　jungle。〃
　〃Doesn't　your　uniform　closet　look　like　this？〃
　〃My　uniform　closet　looks　like　the　third　day　of　a　close…out　sale。〃　Actually；　it　looked　worse　than　that。　I　have　a　tidy　mind；　but　that's　as　far　as　it　goes。　Captain　Campbell；　on　the　other　hand；　seemed　clean；　tidy；　and　organized　in　every　external　way。　Perhaps；　then；　her　mind　was　pure　chaos。　Perhaps　not。　This　woman　was　elusive。
　We　exited　the　closet　and　the　guest　room。
　On　the　way　down　the　stairs；　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Before　I　was　in　the　CID；　I　couldn't　see　a　clue　if　it　bit　me　in　the　ass。〃
　〃And　now？〃
　〃And　now　I　see　everything　as　a　clue。　The　lack　of　clues　is　a　clue。〃
　〃Is　that　so？　I　haven't　progressed　to　that　level　yet。　Sounds　Zen。〃
　〃I　think　of　it　as　Sherlockian。　You　know；　the　dog　that　did　not　bark　in　the　night。〃　We　went　into　the　kitchen。　〃Why　did　the　dog　not　bark？〃
　〃It　was　dead。〃
　It's　hard　adjusting　to　a　new　partner。　I　don't　like　the　young；　sycophantic　guys　who　hang　on　your　every　word。　But　I　don't　like　smart…asses；　either。　I'm　at　that　age　and　rank　where　I　get　respect　and　earn　respect；　but　I'm　still　open　to　an　occasional　piece　of　reality。
　Cynthia　and　I　contemplated　the　bolted　basement　door。　I　said；　not　apropos　of　the　door；　but　of　life；　〃My　wife　left　clues　all　over　the　place。〃
　She　didn't　reply。
　〃But　I　never　saw　the　clues。〃
　〃Sure　you　did。〃
　〃Well　。。。　in　retrospect　I　did。　But　when　you're　young；　you're　pretty　dense。　You're　full　of　yourself；　you　don't　read　other　people　well；　you。　haven't　been　lied　to　and　cheated　too　much；　and　you　lack　the　cynicism　and　suspicion　that　makes　for　a　good　detective。〃
　〃A　good　detective；　Paul；　has　to　separate　his　or　her　professional　life　from　his　or　her　personal　life。　I　wouldn't　want　a　man　who　snooped　on　me。〃
　〃Obviously　not；　considering；　your　past。〃
　〃Fuck　off。〃
　Score　one　for　Paul。　I　threw　back　the　bolt　on　the　door。　〃Your　turn。〃
　〃Okay。　I　wish　you　had　your　pistol。〃　She　handed　me　her　Smith　&　Wesson　and　opened　the　basement　door。
　〃Maybe　I　should　go　and　get　that　M…16　upstairs；〃　I　offered。
　〃Never　rely　on　a　weapon　you　just　found　and　never　tested。　Says　so　in　the　manual。　Just　call　out；　then　cover　me。〃
　I　shouted　down　the　stairs；　〃Police！　e　to　the　staircase　with　your　hands　on　your　head！〃　This　is　the　military　version　of　hands…up　and　makes　a　little　more　sense　if　you　think　about　it。　Well；　no　one　came　to　the　base　of　the　stairs；　so　Cynthia　had　to　go　down。　She　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃Leave　the　lights　off。　I'll　break　to　the　right。　Wait　five　seconds。〃
　〃You　wait　one　second。〃　I　looked　around　for　something　to　throw　down　the　stairs　and　spotted　a　toaster　oven；　but　Cynthia　was　off　and　running；　down　the　cellar　stairs　in　long　leaps；　barely　hitting　the　steps　on　her　way　down。　I　saw　her　shoulder…roll　to　the　right　and　lost　sight　of　her。　I　followed；　breaking　to　the　left；　and　wound　up　in　a　firing　crouch；　peering　into　the　darkness。　We　waited　in　silence　for　a　full　ten　seconds；　then　I　shouted；　〃Ed；　John；　cover　us！〃　I　wished　there　were　an　Ed　and　John　around；　but　as　Captain　Campbell　might　have　said；　〃Create　phantom　battalions　in　the　minds　of　the　enemy。〃
　By　now；　I　figured　that　if　anyone　was　down　there；　they　weren't　lying　in　ambush；　but　were　cowering。　Right？
　Anyway；　Cynthia；　who　was　obviously　impatient　with　my　caution；　bounded　back　up　the　stairs　and　hit　the　light　switches。　Fluorescent　bulbs　flickered　all　over　the　large　open　basement；　then　burst　into　that　stark　white　light　that　I　associated　with　unpleasant　places。
　Cynthia　came　back　down　the　stairs　and　we　surveyed　the　basement。　It　was　a　standard　layout　of　washer　and　dryer；　workbench；　storage；　heating；　air…conditioning；　and　so　on。　The　floor　and　walls　were　bare　concrete；　and　the　ceiling　was　bare　beams；　electric；　and　plumbing。
　We　examined　the　workbench　and　the　dark　corners；　but　it　was　uninteresting　in　the　extreme　except　that　Ann　Campbell　possessed　a　lot　of　sporting　equipment。　In　fact；　the　entire　wall　to　the　right　of　the　workbench　was　pegboard；　from　floor　to　ceiling；　from　which　protruded　those　wire　holders　in　every　size　and　shape；　and　hanging　from　the　wire　holders　were　skis；　tennis　rackets；　squash　rackets；　a　baseball　bat；　scuba　gear；　and　so　forth。　Very　organized。　Also；　fixed　to　the　pegboard　with　screws　was　a　recruiting　poster；　about　six　feet　from　top　to　bottom；　showing　none　other　than　Captain　Ann　Campbell；　a　head…to…foot　shot　of　her　in　battle　dress　uniform；　wearing　full　field　gear；　with　an　M…16　rifle　slung　under　her　right　arm；　a　radiotelephone　cradled　against　her　ear；　while　she　juggled　a　field　map　and　checked　her　watch。　Her　face　was　sm