demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第14部分

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　〃No。〃
　〃What　time　were　you　posted　at　the　ammunition　shed？〃
　〃At　0100　hours。　To　be　relieved　at　0530　hours。〃
　〃And　between　the　time　you　were　posted　and　the　time　the　MPs　came　for　you；　did　anyone　else　pass　your　post？〃
　〃No。
　〃Did　you　hear　anything　unusual？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Screech　owl。　Not　many　around　these　parts。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Yo；　Cynthia。　Switch。　〃Did　you　see　anything　unusual？〃
　〃Saw　the　headlights。〃
　〃What　headlights？〃
　〃Probably　the　humvee　she　came　up　in。〃
　〃What　time？〃
　〃At　0217　hours。〃
　〃Describe　what　you　saw。〃
　〃Saw　the　headlights。　They　stopped　about　a　klick　away；　went　out。〃
　〃Did　they　go　out　right　after　they　stopped；　or　later？〃
　〃Right　after。　Saw　the　headlights　bouncing；　stop；　out。〃
　〃What　did　you　think　about　that？〃
　〃Thought　somebody　was　headin'　my　way。〃
　〃But　they　stopped。〃
　〃Yup。　Didn't　know　what　to　think　then。〃
　〃Did　you　think　to　report　it？〃
　〃Sure　did。　Picked　up　the　phone　and　called　it　in。〃
　〃Who　did　you　call？〃
　〃Sergeant　Hayes。　Sergeant　of　the　guard。〃
　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　〃He　said　there's　nothing　to　steal　way　out　there　except　where　I　was　at　the　ammo　shed。　Said　to　remain　at　my　post。〃
　〃And　you　replied？〃
　〃Told　him　it　didn't　look　right。〃
　〃And　he　said？〃
　〃Said　there　was　a　latrine　about　there。　Somebody　might　be　using　it。　Said　it　could　be　an　officer　snooping　around　and　to　keep　alert。〃　She　hesitated；　then　added；　〃He　said　people　go　out　there　to　fuck　on　nice　summer　nights。　That's　his　words。〃
　〃Goes　without　saying。〃
　〃I　don't　like　cussin'。〃
　〃Me　neither。〃　I　regarded　this　young　woman　a　moment。　She　was　artless　and　ingenuous；　to　say　the　least：　the　best　type　of　witness　when　coupled　with　some　powers　of　observation；　which　she　obviously　had；　by　training　or　by　nature。　But　apparently；　I　did　not　fit　into　her　narrow　frame　of　reference；　so　she　wasn't　offering　anything　free。　I　said；　〃Look；　Private；　you　know　what　happened　to　Captain　Campbell？〃
　She　nodded。
　〃I　have　been　assigned　to　find　the　murderer。〃
　〃Heard　she　got　raped；　too。〃
　〃Possibly。　So　I　need　you　to　talk　to　me；　to　tell　me　things　I'm　not　asking。　Tell　me　your　。。。　your　feelings；　your　impressions。〃
　Her　face　showed　a　little　emotion；　she　bit　her　lower　lip；　and　a　tear　ran　from　her　right　eye。　She　said；　〃I　should've　gone　to　see　what　was　going　on。　I　could've　stopped　it。　That　stupid　Sergeant　Hayes　。。。〃　She　cried　quietly　for　a　minute　or　two；　during　which　time　I　sat　looking　at　my　boots。　Finally；　I　said；　〃Your　standing　orders　were　to　remain　at　your　post　until　properly　relieved。　You　obeyed　your　orders。〃
　She　got　control　of　herself　and　said；　〃Yeah；　but　anybody　with　a　lick　of　mon　sense　and　a　rifle　would've　gone　over　to　see　what　was　going　on。　And　then；　when　the　headlights　never　came　on　again；　I　just　stood　there　like　a　fool；　and　I　was　afraid　to　call　in　again。　Then　when　I　saw　the　other　headlights　in'　and　they　stopped；　and　then　they　turned　around　real　quick　and　whoever　it　was　goes　barrelin'　back　up　the　road　like　a　shot；　then　I　knew　somethin'　bad　happened。〃
　〃What　time　was　that？〃
　〃At　0425　hours。〃
　Which　would　tally　with　the　time　St。　John　said　he　found　the　body。　I　asked　her；　〃And　you　saw　no　headlights　between　the　ones　at　0217　and　0425？〃
　〃No。　But　I　saw　some　after　that。　'Bout　0500。　That　was　the　MP　who　found　the　body。　'Bout　fifteen　minutes　later；　another　MP　came　by　and　told　me　what　happened。〃
　〃Could　you　hear　any　of　these　vehicles　from　that　distance？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Hear　the　doors　slam？〃
　〃Could've　if　the　wind　was　with　me。　I　was　upwind。〃
　〃Do　you　hunt？〃
　〃I　do。〃
　〃For　what？〃
　〃Possum；　squirrels；　rabbit。〃
　〃Bird？〃
　〃No。　I　like　the　looks　of　them。〃
　I　stood。　〃Thank　you。　You've　been　very　helpful。〃
　〃Don't　think　so。〃
　〃I　do。〃　I　went　toward　the　cell　door；　then　turned　back。　〃If　I　let　you　go　back　to　your　barracks；　do　I　have　your　word　that　you　won't　say　anything　about　this　to　anyone？〃
　〃Who'm　I　givin'　my　word　to？〃
　〃An　officer　in　the　United　States　Army。〃
　〃You　got　sergeant　stripes；　and　me　and　you　don't　know　your　name。〃
　〃Where's　home？〃
　〃Lee　County；　Alabama。〃
　〃You　have　a　one…week　administrative　leave。　Give　your　CO　a　phone　number。〃
　I　went　back　to　the　interrogation　room；　where　I　found　Cynthia；　alone；　her　head　in　her　hands；　reading　her　notes　or　thinking。
　We　pared　interviews　and　concluded　that　the　time　of　death；　was　somewhere　between　0217　and　0425　hours。　We　speculated　that　the　killer　or　killers　were　either　in　the　humvee　with　Ann　Campbell　or　already　at　the　scene。　If　the　killer　had　used　his　own　vehicle；　he　had　not　used　his　headlights　or　had　parked　some　distance　from　where　PFC　Robbins　was　posted。　At　that　point；　I　leaned　toward　the　theory　that　Ann　Campbell　had　picked　him　or　them　up　and　driven　him　or　them　to　the　scene；　but　I　did　not　discount　the　possibility　of　a　prearranged　rendezvous　at　the　scene　of　the　murder。　A　random　and　fateful　encounter　seemed　less　likely；　considering　her　headlights　went　out　immediately　after　the　humvee　stopped；　because　if　Ann　Campbell　had　been　waylaid；　there　should　have　been　some　time　lapse　between　the　stopping　of　the　vehicle　and　the　extinguishing　of　the　lights。　Cynthia　asked；　〃If　this　was　a　secret　rendezvous　or　a　tryst；　why　did　she　use　her　headlights　at　all？〃
　〃Probably　so　as　not　to　attract　undue　attention。　She　had　legitimate　business　out　there；　but　if　she'd　been　spotted　by　a　passing　MP　patrol　without　her　headlights　on；　she'd　be　stopped　and　questioned。〃
　〃That's　true。　But　PFC　Robbins　was　alerted　by　the　lights；　so　why　didn't　Campbell　check　Robbins's　post　first；　assure　her；　then　go　back　to　her　rendezvous？〃
　〃Good　question。〃
　〃And　why　rendezvous　within　a　kilometer　of　a　guard　post　anyway？　There　are　about　a　hundred　thousand　acres　of　military　reservation　out　there。〃
　〃Right；　but　there's　that　latrine　with　running　water；　and；　according　to　Robbins；　who　got　it　from　her　sergeant；　people　go　out　there　to　fuck。　Presumably；　they　might　want　to　wash　up　afterward。〃
　〃Well；　it's　still　possible　that　she　was　waylaid　by　a　psycho　who　didn't　realize　how　close　he　was　to　a　guard　post。〃
　〃Possible；　but　the　visible　evidence　suggests　otherwise。〃
　〃And　why　would　she　do　it　on　a　night　she　was　on　duty？〃　Cynthia　added。
　〃Part　of　the　kick。　The　woman　was　into　kicks　and　kink。〃
　〃She　was　also　into　doing　her　duty　while　on　duty。　The　other　stuff　was　her　…other　life。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Good　point。〃　I　asked　her；　〃Do　you　think　St。　John　is　hiding　anything？〃
　〃Well；　he　wasn't　hiding　his　opinions。　But　basically；　he　told　us　all　he　knew。　How　about　Robbins？〃
　〃She　told　me　more　than　she　knew　she　knew。　Not　bad…looking；　either。　Clean　country　girl　from　'Bama。〃
　〃If　she's　a　PFC；　she's　young　enough　to　be　your　great…granddaughter。〃
　〃Probably　a　virgin。〃
　〃Then　she　can　run　faster　than　her　uncles　and　brothers。〃
　〃My；　aren't　we　in　a　rare　mood。〃
　She　rubbed　her　temples。　〃Sorry；　but　you　bug　me。〃
　〃Well；　why　don't　you　go　get　some　lunch；　and　I'll　go　call　Karl　Gustav　before　he　hears　about　this　from　someone　else　and　has　me　shot。〃
　〃Okay。〃　She　stood。　〃Keep　me　on　this　case；　Paul。〃
　〃That's　Heir　Hellmann's　decision。〃
　She　poked　me　in　the　gut　again。　〃It's　your　decision。　You　tell　him　you　want　me。〃
　〃What　if　I　don't？〃
　〃But　you　do。〃
　I　walked　her　outside　to　her　car；　and　she　got　in。　I　said；　〃I　enjoyed　working　with　you　these　last　six　hours　and　twenty…two　minutes。〃
　She　smiled。　〃Thank　you。　I　enjoyed　about　fourteen　minutes　of　it　myself。　Where　should　I　meet　you；　and　when？〃
　〃Back　here　at　1400　hours。〃
　She　pulled　out　of　the　lot；　and　I　watched　the　red　Mustang　blend　into　midday　post　traffic。
　I　went　back　into　the　provost　marshal's　office　and　found　out　where　my　requisitioned　office　was。　Kent　had　me　in　a　windowless　room　with　two　desks；　two　chairs；　one　file　cabinet；　and　enough　room　left　over　for　a　trash　can。
　I　sat　at　one　of　the　desks　and　glanced　through　the　leather　address　book；　then　threw　it　aside　and　tried　to　think　it　all　out…not　the　case　itself；　but　the　politics　of　the　case；　the　interpersonal　relationships；　and　my　best　course　of　action　regarding　protecting　my　ass。　Then　I　thought　about　the　case　itself。
　Before　I　called　Hellmann；　I　had　to　get　my　facts　straight　and　keep　my　theories　and　opinions　to　myself。　Karl　deals　in　facts　but　will　consider　personal　assessments　if　they　can　somehow　be　used　against　a　suspect。　Karl　is　not　a　political　animal；　and　the　underlying　problems　with　this　case　would…not　impress　him。　In　the　area　of　personnel　management；　he　assumes　that　everyone　would　work　well　together　if　he　ordered　it。　Last　year　in　Brussels；　I　had　asked　him　not　to　assign　me　to　any　case　or　any　continent　on　or　in　which　Ms。　Cynthia　Sunhill　worked。　I　explained　that　we'd　had　a　personal　falling…out。　He　didn't　know　what　that　meant；　but　he　gave　me　a　firm　assurance　that　he　might　possibly　consider　thinking　about　it。
　And　so　I　picked　up　the　phone　and　called　Falls　Church；　taking　some　satisfaction　in　the　knowledge　that　I　could　ruin　Karl's　day。
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　
　The　Oberführer　was　in；　and　his　clerk…typist；　Diane；　put　me　through。　〃Hello；　Karl。〃
　〃Hello；　Paul；〃　he　replied　with　a　hint　of　a　German　accent。
　The　pleasantries　aside；　I　informed　him；　〃There's　been　a　murder　here。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃General　Campbell's　daughter；　Captain　Ann　Campbell。〃
　Silence。
　I　continued；　〃Possibly　raped；　definitely　sexually　abused。〃
　〃On　post？〃
　〃Yes。　At　one　of　the　rifle　ranges。〃
　〃When？〃
　I　replied；　〃This　morning　between　0217　and　0425　hours；〃　which　pleted　the　who；　what；　where；　and　when　questions。
　He　asked　the　why　question。　〃Motive？〃
　〃Don't　know。〃
　〃Suspects？〃
　〃None。〃
　〃Circumstances？〃
　〃She　was　duty　officer　and　went　out　to　check　the　guard　posts。〃　I　filled　in　the　details　and　added　my　involvement　through　Colonel　Kent；　my　meeting　up　with　Cynthia　Sunhill；　and　our　examination　of　the　scene　and　of　the　victim's　off…post　residence。　I　didn't　mention　the　recreation。　room　in　the　basement；　knowing　that　this　conversation　might　be　recorded　and　that；　strictly　speaking；　it　wasn't　privileged　information。　Why　put　Karl　in　an　awkward　position？
　He　stayed　silent　a　moment；　then　said；　〃I　want　you　to　go　back　to　the　scene　after　the　body　has　been　removed　and；　using　the　same　tent　pegs；　you　will　stake　Ms。　Sunhill　to　the　ground。〃
　〃Excuse　me？〃
　〃I　see　no　reason　why　a　healthy　woman　could　not　pull　the　stakes　out。〃
　〃Well；　I　can。　The　stakes