demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第18部分

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　〃Did　you　have　lunch？〃　she　inquired。
　〃No。〃
　〃Did　you　do　anything　useful？〃　she　asked。
　〃Probably　not。〃
　〃Are　you　annoyed　about　something？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Karl　can　be　annoying。〃
　〃If　you　call　him　again　regarding　this　case；　I'll　have　you　up　on　charges。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　We　drove　in　silence　awhile；　then　she　said；　〃I　need　your　phone　number　and　address。〃
　I　gave　them　to　her　and　she　said；　〃I'm　staying　in　the　visiting　officers'　quarters。〃　She　added；　〃Why　don't　you　move　in？　I　mean；　into　the　VOQ。　It's　more　convenient。〃
　〃I　like　Whispering　Pines　Trailer　Park。〃
　〃Trailer　parks　in　the　woods　are　spooky。〃
　〃Not　for　real　men。〃
　〃Oh；　do　you　have　one　living　with　you？〃　She　thought　this　was　funny　and　laughed　at　her　own　joke；　then　covered　her　mouth　in　a　theatrical　gesture　and　said；　〃Oops；　sorry；　I　should　be　trying　to　get　on　your　good　side。〃
　〃Don't　waste　your　time。〃
　Cynthia　is　not　a　manipulator；　but　she　has　been　known　to　manipulate。　A　fine　distinction；　but　an　important　one。　She's　basically　ingenuous　and　honest；　and　if　she　likes　the　way　a　man　looks　or　acts；　she　tells　him。　I've　told　her　to　be　a　little　less　sincere；　that　some　men　take　this　as　a　e…on。　But　she　doesn't　get　it；　and　this　is　a　woman　who　handles　rape　cases。
　I　said　to　her；　〃We　have　a　clerk…typist；　a　Specialist　Baker。〃
　〃Male　or　female？〃
　〃I　don't　notice　these　things。　And　by　the　way；　what　religion　are　you？〃
　She　smiled　and　pulled　her　dog　tags　out　of　her　shirt；　and　read　them　as　she　drove。　〃Let's　see　。。。　AB　。。。　American　Baptist？　No；　that's　my　blood　type　。。。　Here　it　is。　Presbyterian。
　〃I'm　not　amused。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　about　that。　Karl　knew　it　was　a　joke。〃
　〃Karl　can't　identify　a　joke　unless　people　around　him　are　laughing。〃
　〃e　on；　Paul。　You　don't　take　any　of　this　sensitivity　stuff　seriously　anyway。　If　I　may　give　you　a　suggestion…be　careful。　You　don't　have　to　talk　newspeak　or　confess　to　your　prejudices；　but　don't　make　fun　of　the　new　stuff；　either。　There's　no　upside　to　that；　professionally　speaking。〃
　〃Are　you　a　missar？〃
　〃No；　I'm　your　partner。〃　She　poked　my　arm。　〃Don't　get　old　on　me。〃
　〃Okay。〃　Obviously；　Cynthia　was　in　a　somewhat　less　confrontational　mode。　Either　something　good　had　happened　to　her　in　her　two…hour　absence；　or　she　had　rethought　or　remembered　things　about　Paul　Brenner　that　weren't　all　bad。　To　get　back　to　business；　I　inquired；　〃Did　you　look　up　'sexual　asphyxia'？〃
　〃Of　course。　It's　totally　weird。〃
　〃Sex　is　weird　if　you　think　about　it。〃
　〃Maybe　for　you。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　sexual　asphyxia。〃
　〃All　right　。。。　it's　basically　having　a　tightened　cord　around　your　neck　during　sexual　arousal。　Usually　men　do　it　to　themselves　while　masturbating。　Autoerotic。　But　women　have　been　known　to　practice　autoerotic　asphyxia；　too。　Sometimes　heterosexual　and　homosexual　partners　do　it　to　each　other　during　sex。　It's　usually　consensual；　but　not　always；　and　sometimes　it　leads　to　a　fatality；　either　accidental　or　on　purpose。　That's　when　it　bees　a　police　matter。〃
　〃Correct。　Have　you　ever　seen　it　in　practice？〃
　〃No。　Have　you？〃
　〃Have　you　ever　done　it？〃
　〃No；　Paul。　Have　you？〃
　〃No；　but　I　have　seen　it　once。　A　guy　rigged　up　something　to　hang　himself　while　he　masturbated；　looking　at　a　porno　video。　He　didn't　mean　to　die；　but　the　stool　he　was　standing　on　slipped　away　and　he　hanged　himself　for　real。　An　autoerotic　fatality。　The　MPs　thought　it　was　suicide；　of　course。　But　when　the　victim　is　naked；　and　there　is　erotic　paraphernalia　around；　then　you　can　be　pretty　sure　it　was　an　accident。　Try　explaining　that　to　the　family。〃
　〃I　can　imagine。〃　She　shook　her　head　and　said；　〃I'm　not　sure　how　that's　fun。　Didn't　say　in　the　manual。〃
　〃Well；　it's　in　other　manuals。　Here's　how　it's　fun：　When　you　get　a　disruption　of　blood　supply　and　oxygen　to　the　brain；　certain　sensations　are　heightened；　partly　as　a　result　of　diminished　ego　controls。　A　temporary　lack　of　oxygen　causes　giddiness；　light…headedness；　and　even　exhilaration。　It's　a　high　without　drugs　or　alcohol。　In　this　state；　many　people　experience　a　more　intense　sexual　arousal　and　feeling。〃　I　added；　〃I've　heard　that　when　you　e；　you　really　e；　but　if　you　misjudge；　then　you've　e　and　gone。　You're　history。〃
　〃That's　not　fun。〃
　〃No。　Also；　only　part　of　the　kick　is　physiological。　The　other　thing　is　the　ritualistic　behavior　that　acpanies　most　acts　of　sexual　asphyxia…the　nakedness　or　the　wearing　of　unusual　clothes；　the　sexual　paraphernalia　and　erotic　materials；　the　fantasy；　the　setting；　and　ultimately　the　danger。〃
　〃Who　invented　this　one？〃
　〃Undoubtedly；　it　was　discovered　accidentally。　Maybe　there're　pictures　of　it　in　Egyptian　pyramids。　Human　beings　are　ceaselessly　ingenious　when　it　es　to　self…gratification。〃
　She　stayed　silent　while　she　drove；　then　glanced　at　me；　and　finally　asked；　〃And　you　think　something　like　this　happened　to　Ann　Campbell？〃
　〃Well　。。。　the　panties　around　her　neck　were　put　there　so　as　not　to　leave　a　telltale　rope　mark。　That's　very　specific　for　sexual　asphyxia　when　it　is　not　meant　to　lead　to　death。〃　I　added；　〃That　is　one　way　to　interpret　the　scene　that　presented　itself　to　us；　but　let's　examine　the　forensic　evidence。〃
　〃Where　were　her　clothes？〃
　〃She　may　have　dropped　them　off　somewhere。〃
　〃Why。〃
　〃It's　part　of　the　danger　and　the　fantasy。　As　you　mentioned　earlier；　we　have　no　way　of　knowing　what　was　sexually　significant　to　her；　or　what　elaborate　constructs　she　had　developed　in　her　mind。　Think；　if　you　will；　of　your　own　secret　garden　of　delights；　and　try　to　imagine　how　those　scenarios　would　be　viewed　by　another　person。〃　To　fill　the　awkward　silence；　I　added；　〃This　type　of　personality　is　ultimately　only　satisfied　with　his　or　her　own　elaborate　fantasies；　with　or　without　a　partner。　I'm　beginning　to　think　that　what　we　saw　on　rifle　range　six　was　produced；　directed；　and　scripted　by　Ann　Campbell；　not　by　her　partner　or　assailant。〃
　Cynthia　said　nothing；　so　I　continued；　〃Most　likely；　it　was　a　consensual　act　that　included　sexual　asphyxia　in　which　her　partner　strangled　her　to　death　by　accident；　or　on　purpose；　in　a　moment　of　anger。　An　assailant；　a　stranger；　who　was　bent　on　rape　and　murder　would　not　have　put　the　panties　around　her　neck　to　minimize　tissue　damage。〃
　〃No；　but　as　we　discussed；　consider　that　perhaps　the　partner　did　not　kill　her　in　a　moment　of　anger。　Consider　that　the　partner　intended　to　kill　her；　and　she　thought　it　was　a　game。〃
　〃That's　another　possibility。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃I　keep　thinking　about　that　room　in　the　basement。　There　may　have　been　men　who　wanted　her　dead　out　of　jealousy　or　revenge；　or　she　may　have　been　blackmailing　someone。〃
　〃Right。　She　was　a　homicide　victim　waiting　to　happen。　But　we　need　more　information。　You'll　write　all　of　that　in　your　case　book。　Okay？〃
　Again　she　nodded　but　said　nothing。　Clearly；　Cynthia；　who　dealt　with　garden…variety　rapes　that　did　not　lead　to　murder；　was　somewhat　overwhelmed　by　these　new　facets　of　human　depravity　and　sexual　diversity。　Yet；　I　was　sure　she　had　seen　women　brutalized　by　men；　but　she　must　have　partmentalized　those　crimes　or　categorized　them　in　some　fashion　that　she　could　deal　with。　She　didn't　seem　to　hate　all　men…in　fact；　she　liked　men…but　I　could　see　how　she　could；　or　would；　one　day　begin　to　hate。　I　asked　Cynthia；　〃The　Neely　case。　Who　was　the　guy？〃
　〃Oh　。。。　some　young　trainee　at　the　Infantry　School。　He　fell　in　love　with　this　nurse　and　followed　her　out　to　her　car　one　night　as　she　left　the　hospital。　He　made　a　full　confession　and　will　make　a　full　apology；　then　plead　guilty　and　take　five　to　ten。〃
　I　nodded。　It　was　not　Army　policy；　but　it　was　being　more　mon　to　have　the　convicted　or　confessed　criminal　apologize　to　the　victim　or　the　family；　and　also　to　his　or　her　own　manding　officer。　This　sounded　more　Japanese　than　English　mon　law　to　me；　but　I　suppose　it's　okay。　Ironically；　General　Campbell　had　instituted　this　policy　here　at　Fort　Hadley。　I　said；　〃Good　God；　I　wouldn't　want　to　be　the　guy　who　had　to　apologize　to　the　general　for　raping　and　murdering　his　daughter。〃
　〃It　would　be　hand　to　find　just　the　right　words；〃　Cynthia　agreed。　She　added；　〃Are　we　back　to　rape　and　murder？〃
　〃Perhaps。　But　it　could　have　been　murder　and　rape。　Do　you　want　to　discuss　necrophilia？〃
　〃No。　Enough。〃
　〃Amen。〃　Up　ahead；　I　could　see　the　outline　of　a　huge　green　open…sided　tent；　like　a　pavilion　that　you　see　at　lawn　parties。　The　forensic　people　pitch　these　over　an　outdoor　crime　scene　to　protect　the　evidence　from　the　elements。
　Cynthia　said；　〃I　appreciate　the　confidence　in　me　that　you've　expressed　to　Karl。〃
　I　didn't　recall　that　conversation　with　Karl；　so　I　let　that　pass　and　said；　〃Karl　wants　us　to　reconstruct　the　crime。　plete　with　tent　pegs；　ropes；　and　so　forth。　You're　Ann　Campbell。〃
　She　thought　about　this　a　moment；　then　said；　〃All　right　。。。　I've　done　that　before　。。。〃
　〃Good。　I'm　looking　forward　to　it。〃
　We　had　arrived　at　the　scene；　and　Cynthia　pulled　over　behind　a　forensic　unit　van。　She　said；　〃Are　we　going　to　see　the　body　again？〃
　〃No。〃　By　now　the　body　was　bloating；　and　there　would　be　a　faint　odor　about　it；　and；　as　irrational　and　unprofessional　as　this　sounds；　I　wanted　to　remember　Ann　Campbell　as　she　was。
　
　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　
　There　were　about　a　dozen　vans　and　cars　on　the　narrow　road；　belonging　to　the　CID　forensic　lab　and　the　local　MPs。
　Cynthia　and　I　walked　on　a　trail　of　green　tarpaulin　toward　the　open　pavilion。
　It　was　a　typically　hot　Georgia　afternoon；　with　an　occasional　soft　breeze　that　carried　the　resinous　scent　of　pines　through　the　humid　air。
　Death　does　not　cause　a　halt　in　military　activities；　and　the　rifle　ranges　to　our　left　and　right　were　being　used　despite　the　problem　at　rifle　range　six。　I　could　hear　the　far…off　fusillades　of　M…16s；　sharp；　staccato　bursts　of　fire；　and；　as　always；　that　sound　stirred　unpleasant　memories。　But　those　memories　did　put　things　into　perspective。　I　mean；　this　case　was　unpleasant；　but　jungle　bat　was　way　down　there　on　the　list　of　unpleasant　activities。　Things　could　be　worse。　I　was　alive；　and　a　young　woman；　fifty　meters　away；　wasn't。
　In　and　around　the　pavilion　were　at　least　thirty　men　and　women；　all　engaged　in　the　business　of　forensic　work。
　Forensic　science　is　based　largely　on　the　theory　of　transfer　and　exchange。　It　is　an　article　of　faith　with　forensic　people　that　the　perpetrator　will　take　away　traces　of　the　scene　and　of　the　victim；