demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第21部分

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　Remembering　Karl's　nearly　intelligent　advice　and　wanting　this　guy　gone；　I　replied；　〃The　deceased's　family　asked　that　I　take　charge　of　these　items　and　transport　them　here。〃
　He　mulled　that　over　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Good　thinkin'；　son。　You　skunked　me。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Actually；　I　liked　this　guy。　I'm　partial　to　assholes。
　Yardley　said；　〃Tell　you　what…you　give　me　and　the　county　lab　access　to　this　stuff；　and　we'll　call　it　even。〃
　〃I'll　consider　that　after　the　CID　lab　is　finished　with　it。〃
　〃Don't　mess　with　me；　son。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　dream　of　it。〃
　〃Good。　Hey；　how's　this　sound…you　let　us　in　on　this　matter；　and　I'll　give　you　access　to　the　deceased's　house；　which　we　got　all　locked　up　and　guarded　now。〃
　〃I　don't　care　about　the　house。〃　Except　the　basement。　The　guy　had　an　ace　he　didn't　know　about。
　〃Okay；　I　got　some　official　files　on　the　deceased。〃
　The　deal　was　getting　better；　but　I　said；　〃I'll　subpoena　your　files　if　I　have　to。〃
　Yardley　turned　to　Kent。　〃This　is　a　horse　trader。〃　He　turned　back　to　me。　〃I　got　things　up　here〃…he　tapped　his　head；　which　sounded　hollow…〃things　that　you　can't　subpoena。〃
　〃You　knew　the　deceased？〃
　〃Hell；　yeah；　boy。　How　'bout　you？〃
　〃I　didn't　have　the　pleasure。〃　Double　entendre；　perhaps。
　〃I　know　the　old　man；　too。　Hey；　tell　you　what；〃　said　Chief　Yardley；　using　that　annoying　expression；　〃you　e　on　down　to　my　office　and　we'll　jawbone　this　one。〃
　Recalling　how　I　had　suckered　poor　Dalbert　Elkins　inside　a　cell；　I　replied；　〃If　we　do　speak；　we'll　do　it　in　the　provost　marshal's　office。〃
　The　mention　of　Kent's　title　seemed　to　arouse　him　and　he　said；　〃We　will　all　cooperate　in　the　sharing　of　files；　leads；　and　forensic　reports。〃
　Cynthia　spoke　for　the　first　time。　〃Chief；　I　understand　your　feeling　that　we've　acted　improperly；　but　don't　take　that　personally；　or　view　it　as　a　professional　insult。　If　the　victim　had　been　almost　anyone　else；　we　would　have　asked　you　to　join　us　at　the　house　and　conferred　with　you　regarding　the　best　way　to　proceed。〃
　Yardley　was　pursing　his　lips；。　as　though　he　were　contemplating　this　statement　or　was　forming　the　word　〃bullshit。〃
　Cynthia　continued；　〃We　get　just　as　upset　when　a　soldier　is　arrested　in　town　for　some　minor　infraction　that　a　local　boy　would　get　away　with。〃
　Unless　the　local　boy　was　black；　of　course。　Don't　say　it；　Brenner。
　〃So；〃　Cynthia　continued　with　sweet　reason；　〃we　will　sit　down　at　a　mutually　convenient　time　tomorrow　and　formulate　a　good　working　relationship。〃　And　so　on　and　so　forth。
　Yardley　nodded；　but　his　mind　was　elsewhere。　Finally；　he　replied；　〃Makes　sense　to　me。〃　He　said　to　Kent；　〃Thanks；　Colonel。　Call　me　at　home　tonight。〃　He　turned　to　me　and　slapped　me　on　the　shoulder。　〃You　skunked　me；　boy。　I　owe　you　one。〃　He　strode　away；　across　the　long　floor　of　the　hangar；　looking　like　a　man　who　would　be　back。
　After　he　exited　the　small　personnel　door；　Kent　said；　〃I　told　you　he　would　be　ripped。〃
　I　replied；　〃Who　cares？〃
　Kent　replied；　〃I　don't　want　to　get　into　a　pissing　match　with　this　guy。　The　fact　is；　he　can　be　very　helpful。　Half　the　military　personnel　live　off　post　on　his　turf；　and　ninety　percent　of　the　civilian　workers　on　post　live　in　Midland。　When　we　get　a　list　of　suspects；　we'll　need　Yardley。〃
　〃Maybe。　But　I　think　every　suspect　will　wind　up　on　government　land　at　some　point。　If　not；　we'll　kidnap　them。〃
　Kent　shook　his　head；　which　seemed　to　stir　his　brain；　and　he　asked；　〃Hey；　did　you　see　the　general　yet？〃
　〃No。　Am　I　supposed　to？〃
　〃He　wants　to　see　you；　ASAP。　He's　home。〃
　〃All　right。〃　The　bereaved　have　many　things　on　their　minds；　but　talking　to　the　investigating　officer　is　not　usually　one　of　them。　But　a　general；　I　suppose；　is　another　species　of　human　being；　and　General　Campbell；　perhaps；　had　a　need　to　make　things　happen；　to　show　he　was　still　in　mand。　I　said　to　Kent；　〃I　just　saw　Cal　Seiver；　the　forensic　OIC。　You　met　him？〃
　〃Yes；〃　replied　Kent。　〃He　seems　to　have　things　under　control。　Has　he　e　up　with　anything？〃
　〃Not　yet。〃
　〃Have　you？〃
　〃I　have　a　preliminary　list　of　possible　suspects。〃
　Kent　looked　almost　startled。　〃Already？　Who？〃
　〃Well；　you；　for　one。〃
　〃What？　What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about；　Brenner？〃
　〃My　suspects　are　everyone　who　had　contact　with　the　crime　scene　and/or　the　victim's　town　house。　Forensic　will　pick　up　traces；　footprints；　and　fingerprints　of　those　people；　and　I　have　no　way　of　knowing　if　those　traces　were　left　before；　during；　or　after　the　crime。〃　I　added；　〃The　preliminary　suspects；　then；　are　Sergeant　St。　John；　PFC　Casey；　who　responded　to　the　call；　you；　any　other　MPs　who　were　at　the　scene；　Cynthia；　and　me。　These　are　not　likely　suspects；　but　I　have　to　deal　with　the　forensic　evidence。〃
　Kent　said；　〃Then　you'd　better　start　getting　alibis。〃
　〃Okay。　What's　yours？〃
　〃All　right　。。。　I　was　home　in　bed　when　I　got　a　call　from　my　duty　sergeant。〃
　〃You　live　on　post；　correct？〃
　〃Correct。〃
　〃What　time　did　you　get　home？〃
　〃At　about　midnight。　I　had　dinner　in　town；　then　went　to　the　office；　worked　late；　then　went　home。〃
　〃Your　wife　can　verify　that？〃
　〃Well　。。。　no；　she's　visiting　her　parents　in　Ohio。〃
　〃Ah。〃
　〃Oh；　fuck　off；　Paul。　Just　fuck　off。〃
　〃Hey；　take　it　easy；　Colonel。〃
　〃You　know；　you　think　you're　funny；　but　you're　not。　There's　nothing　funny　about　making　a　joke　about　murder　and　murder　suspects。〃
　I　looked　at　him　and　saw　he　was　truly　agitated。
　He　continued；　〃There's　going　to　be　enough　。　of　that　crap　as　it　is。　Enough　rumors；　whispering；　finger…pointing；　and　suspicion。　We　don't　need　you　here　making　it　worse。〃
　〃All　right；〃　I　said；　〃I　apologize。　But　I　assumed　that　three　law　officers　could　speak　their　minds。　Nothing　we　say　is　leaving　this　hangar；　Bill；　and　if　we　speculate；　or　even　make　a　few　idiotic　remarks；　we　understand　that　it's　between　us。　Okay？〃
　But　he　didn't　look　mollified；　and　he　snapped　at　me；　〃Where　were　you　last　night？〃
　I　said；　〃Home　alone　in　my　trailer　until　about　0430　hours。　Got　to　the　post　armory　around　0500　hours。　No　witnesses。〃
　〃A　likely　story；〃　snorted　Kent；　who　seemed　inordinately　happy　that　I　had　no　alibi。　He　turned　to　Cynthia；　〃And　you？〃
　〃I　got　to　the　VOQ　about　1900　hours　and　wrote　my　report　on　the　Neely　case　until　about　midnight；　then　went　to　bed；　alone；　and　was　awakened　by　an　MP　knocking　on　my　door　at　about　0530　hours。〃
　I　mented；　〃I've　never　heard　three　weaker　alibis　in　my　life。　But；　okay；　we'll　let　them　stand　for　now。　The　point　is；　this　post　is　like　a　small　town；　and　the　deceased's　circle　of　friends；　family；　and　acquaintances　includes　the　top　echelons　of　this　munity。〃　I　said　to　Kent；　〃You　wanted　somebody　on　this　case　who　was　an　outsider。　Correct？〃
　〃That's　right。　But　don't　push　it；　Paul。〃
　〃Why　did　you　have　an　MP　summon　Ms。　Sunhill？〃
　〃Same　reason　I　called　you。　Out…of…town　talent。〃
　It　occurred　to　me　that　out…of…town　talent　was　another　way　of　saying；　〃We　want　two　investigators　who　don't　have　a　clue　about　the　dirt　that　everyone　here　knows　about。〃　I　asked　Kent；　〃How　well　did　you　know　Ann　Campbell？〃
　He　hesitated　a　moment；　then　chose　the　words　〃Fairly　well。〃
　〃Would　you　expound？〃
　Clearly；　Colonel　Kent；　who　outranked　me　and　was　himself　a　cop；　was　not　pleased。　But　he　was　a　professional　and　therefore　knew　what　was　required　of　him。　He　forced　a　smile　and　said；　〃Should　we　read　each　other　our　rights？〃
　I　smiled　in　return。　This　was　awkward；　but　necessary。
　He　cleared　his　throat　and　said；　〃Captain　Campbell　was　stationed　here　about　two　years　ago。　I　was　here　at　the　time　and　so　were　General　and　Mrs。　Campbell。　The　Campbells　invited　me　to　their　home　with　a　few　other　officers　to　meet　their　daughter。　Our　work　areas　were　not　related　in　the　usual　sense；　but　as　a　psychologist　she　was　interested　in　criminal　behavior；　and　I　was　interested　in　the　criminal　mind。　It's　not　unusual　for　a　law　enforcement　officer　and　a　psychologist　to　have　mon　interests。〃
　〃So　you　became　friends？〃
　〃Sort　of。〃
　〃Lunch？〃
　〃Sometimes。〃
　〃Dinner？　Drinks？〃
　〃Once　in　a　while。〃
　〃Alone？〃
　〃Once　or　twice。〃
　〃But　you　didn't　seem　to　know　where　she　lived。〃
　〃I　knew　she　lived　off　post。　But　I've　never　been　to　her　house。〃
　〃Has　she　been　to　yours？〃
　〃Yes。　A　number　of　times。　For　social　functions。〃
　〃Does　your　wife　like　her？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃You　figure　it　out；　Brenner。〃
　〃Okay。　I　figured　it　out。〃　Cynthia　had　the　good　sense　to　not　join　in　my　interrogation　of　a　high…ranking　officer；　so　I　turned　to　her。　〃Any　questions　for　Colonel　Kent？〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃Just　the　obvious　one。〃　She　looked　at　Kent。
　He　said；　〃I　was　never　intimate　with　her。　If　I　had　been；　I　would　have　told　you　from　minute　one。〃
　〃One　hopes　so；〃　I　said。　I　asked　him；　〃Did　she　have　a　steady　boyfriend？〃
　〃Not　that　I　know　of。〃
　〃Did　she　have　any　known　enemies？〃
　He　thought　about　that；　then　replied；　〃Some　women　didn't　like　her。　I　think　they　felt　threatened。　Some　men　didn't　like　her。　They　felt　。。。〃
　〃Inadequate？〃　Cynthia　prompted。
　〃Yes。　Something　like　that。　Or　maybe　she　was　a　little　cool　with　some　of　the　younger；　unmarried　officers　who　had　the　hots　for　her。　But　as　for　real　enemies；　I　don't　know　of　any。〃　He　hesitated；　then　added；　〃Considering　how　she　died；　I　think　it　was　a　lust　murder。　I　mean；　there　are　women　who　you　might　have　healthy　sexual　or　romantic　fantasies　about；　but　Ann　Campbell；　I　think；　provoked　rape　fantasies　in　some　men。　I　think　somebody　just　went　for　it。　After　the　rape；　the　guy　knew　he　was　in　a　world　of　serious　trouble。　Maybe　Ann　taunted　him；　for　all　we　know。　I　wouldn't　put　it　past　her。　The　guy　thought　about　life　in　Leavenworth　and　strangled　her。〃　Kent　looked　at　me　and　Cynthia。　〃A　lot　of　guys　are　pulled　around　by　the　one…eyed；　heat…seeking　monster；　and　it　leads　them　right　to　hell。　I've　seen　too　much　of　that　on　this　job。　So　have　you。〃
　True　enough。　But　in　this　case；　I　was　focusing　more　on　the　thing　that　the　monster　was　seeking。　I　asked　Kent；　〃Well；　do　you　know　if　she　dated？　Was　she　sexually　active？〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　she　was　sexually　active。　I　only　know　one　unmarried　officer　who　dated　her…Lieutenant　Elby；　one　of　the　general's　aides…but　she　never　discussed　her　private　life　with　me；　and　her　behavior　never　came　to　my　attention　professionally。　On　the　other　hand；　you　have　to　wonder　what　she　did　for　fun。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　she　did　for　fun？〃
　〃What　I　would　do　in　her　situation。　Keep　my