demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第22部分

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n。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　she　did　for　fun？〃
　〃What　I　would　do　in　her　situation。　Keep　my　professional　life　here　separate　from　my　social　life　in　the　civilian　munity。〃
　〃What　kind　of　files　does　Yardley　have　on　her？〃
　〃Well　。。。　I　guess　he　means　when　she　was　arrested　in　Midland　about　a　year　ago。　Before　she　was　even　booked；　Yardley　called　me　and　I　went　downtown　and　picked　her　up。〃
　〃So　she　did　e　to　your　attention　professionally。〃
　〃Sort　of。　This　was　unofficial。　Yardley　said　there　would　be　no　file；　no　record　of　the　arrest。〃
　〃Obviously　he　lied。　What　was　she　arrested　for？〃
　〃Yardley　said　it　was　for　disturbing　the　peace。〃
　〃In　what　way　did　Ann　Campbell　disturb　the　peace　of　Midland？〃
　〃She　had　an　altercation　with　some　guy　on　the　street。〃
　〃Any　details？〃
　〃No。　Yardley　wouldn't　say。　Just　said　to　get　her　home。〃
　〃So　you　took　her　home。〃
　〃No；　I　told　you　I　don't　know　where　she　lives；　Brenner。　Don't　try　that　shit　with　me。　In　fact；　I　took　her　back　to　post。　That　was　at　about　2300　hours。　She　was　cold　sober；　by　the　way。　So　I　took　her　for　a　drink　at　the　O　Club。　She　never　told　me　what　happened；　and　I　didn't　ask。　I　called　her　a　taxi　and　she　left　about　midnight。〃
　〃You　don't　know　the　name　of　the　man　involved；　or　the　arresting　officer？〃
　〃No。　But　I'm　sure　Yardley　does。　Ask　him〃…Kent　smiled…〃now　that　you　have　his　full　cooperation。　Any　other　questions？〃
　Cynthia　said　to　him；　〃How　did　you　feel　when　you　were　informed　that　she　was　dead？〃
　〃Stunned。〃
　〃Sad？〃
　〃Of　course。　And　sad　for　General　and　Mrs。　Campbell。　And　damned　angry；　and　a　little　upset　knowing　it　happened　on　my　beat。　I　liked　her；　but　we　weren't　so　close　that　I　took　it　very　badly。　I'm　more　upset　professionally。〃
　I　mented；　〃I　appreciate　your　honesty。〃
　〃You're　going　to　appreciate　it　more　when　you　start　hearing　the　bullshit。〃
　〃No　doubt。〃　I　asked　him；　〃Any　questions　for　me？〃
　He　smiled。　〃What　did　you　say　the　traveling　time　was　between　post　and　Whispering　Pines？〃
　〃Half　an　hour。　Less　in　the　early　morning　hours。〃
　He　nodded；　then　surveyed　the　furniture　and　household　goods　in　the　hangar。　〃Look　all　right　to　you？〃
　〃It's　okay。　Good　job。　But　get　some　portable　partitions　up；　hang　the　pictures；　and　hang　the　clothes　on　poles　where　the　closets　were。〃　I　asked　him；　〃Did　they　get　the　stuff　out　of　the　basement？〃　I　glanced　at　Cynthia。
　Kent　replied；　〃Yes。　Over　there；　still　in　boxes。　We'll　get　some　tables　and　shelves　to　simulate　the　basement　area。〃　He　thought　a　moment；　then　mented；　〃I　would　have　thought　there　would　be　。。。　something　more　here。　Did　you　happen　to　notice；　for　instance；　that　there　were　no　。。。　personal　items？〃
　〃You　mean　like　birth　control　items？　Letters　from　men；　photos　of　boyfriends；　sexual　aids　and　erotica？〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　know　if　single　women　keep　sexual　aids　。。。　and　I　didn't　look　closely　for　letters　and　such　。。。　I　guess　I　meant　birth　control　pills　or　devices。〃
　〃Did　you　touch　anything；　Bill？〃
　〃No。〃　He　pulled　a　pair　of　surgical　gloves　out　of　his　trouser　pockets。　〃But　I　may　have　touched　something　bare…handed　when　I　was　supervising　the　unloading。　Yardley　touched　a　few　things；　too；　by　accident。〃
　〃Or　on　purpose。〃
　Kent　nodded。　〃Or　on　purpose。　Add　another　suspect　to　the　list。〃
　〃I　already　have。〃　I　walked　over　to　where　Ann　Campbell's　office　furniture　had　been　placed。　It　was　the　sort　of　spartan　stuff　that　the　Army　likes　to　buy　on　the　one　hand；　while　they　lobby　Congress　for　three…million…dollar　tanks　on　the　other。
　The　office　consisted　of　a　steel　desk；　a　swivel　chair；　two　folding　chairs；　a　bookshelf；　two　upright　file　cabinets；　and　a　puter　station。　The　books　on　the　shelves　were　all　standard　texts　on　psychology；　plus　military　publications　on　the　same　subject；　as　well　as　on　psychological　operations；　POW　studies；　and　other　related　subjects。
　I　opened　a　file　drawer　and　read　the　folder　tabs；　which　seemed　to　refer　to　lecture　notes。　The　next　drawer　was　marked　〃Confidential；〃　so　I　opened　it　and　saw　that　the　folders　were　not　named；　but　numbered。　I　drew　out　one　of　the　folders　and　scanned　the　papers　inside。　The　pages　appeared　to　be　a　transcribed　interview　with　a　person　identified　only　by　the　initials　〃R。J。〃　The　interviewer　was　identified　as　〃Q；〃　for　question　or　questioner。　It　looked　like　a　typical　format　for　a　psychological　interview　or　session；　but　the　person　being　interviewed；　according　to　page　one；　was　a　convicted　sex　offender。　The　questions　were　things　like　〃How　did　you　pick　your　victim？〃　and　〃What　did　she　say　to　you　when　you　told　her　she　had　to　perform　oral　sex　on　you？〃　I　closed　the　file。　This　was　pretty　standard　stuff　in　a　police　or　prison　psychologist's　office；　but　I　didn't　see　how　it　related　to　psychological　warfare。　Obviously；　this　was　a　private　interest　of　Ann　Campbell's。
　I　closed　the　drawer　and　went　to　her　puter　station。　I　don't　even　know　how　to　turn　these　things　on；　but　I　said　to　Kent；　〃There　is　a　woman　in　Falls　Church；　Grace　Dixon；　who　squeezes　the　brains　of　personal　puters。　I'll　get　her　down　here；　and　I　don't　want　anyone　else　messing　with　this　thing。〃
　Cynthia　had　gone　into　the　transplanted　study　and　was　looking　at　the　answering　machine。　〃There's　a　call　here。〃
　Kent　nodded。　〃Came　in　about　noon；　a　few　minutes　after　the　phone　pany　got　the　call…forwarding　in　place。〃
　Cynthia　pushed　the　play　button　and　a　male　voice　said；　〃Ann；　this　is　Charles。　I　tried　you　earlier；　but　your　phone　was　out　of　order。　I　knew　you　wouldn't　be　at　work　this　morning；　but　I　want　you　to　know　that　a　group　of　MPs　were　here　and　they've　removed　your　entire　office。　They　wouldn't　tell　me　anything　about　it。　Please　call　me；　or　meet　me　at　the　O　Club　for　lunch　or　something。　This　is　very　strange。　I'd　call　the　police；　but　they　are　the　police。〃　He　chuckled；　but　it　was　forced。　He　continued；　〃I　hope　this　is　nothing　serious。　Call　me。
　I　asked　Kent；　〃Who　is　that？〃
　〃Colonel　Charles　Moore。　Ann's　boss　at　the　school。〃
　〃What　do　you　know　about　him？〃
　〃Well；　he's　a　shrink；　too；　of　course。　Ph。D。　type。　An　odd　duck。　Sort　of　on　the　fringes。　That　whole　school　is　on　the　fringe。　Sometimes　I　think　they　should　put　a　fence　around　it；　with　guard　towers。〃
　Cynthia　asked　Kent；　〃Were　they　friends？〃
　Kent　nodded。　〃They　seemed　to　be　close。　He　was　sort　of　her　mentor；　which　doesn't　say　a　lot　for　her　judgment。　Excuse　me。
　I　said　to　him；　〃We　don't　have　to　speak　only　well　of　the　dead　in　a　homicide　investigation。〃
　〃Yes；　but　that　was　out　of　line。〃　Kent　rubbed　his　eyes。　〃I'm　just　a　little　。。。　tired。〃
　Cynthia　observed；　〃It's　been　a　stressful　day　for　you。　I　don't　suppose　it　was　pleasant　informing　the　Campbells　of　their　daughter's　death。〃
　〃No。　I　called　their　home　and　got　Mrs。　Campbell。　I　asked　her　to　call　the　general　and　requested　that　they　meet　me　at　their　home。〃　He　added；　〃She　knew　something　had　happened。　I　showed　up　with　the　head　chaplain；　Major　Eames；　and　a　medical　officer；　Captain　Swick。　When　they　saw　us　。。。　I　mean；　how　many　times　have　we　seen　or　been　part　of　a　notification　detail？　But　when　it's　a　bat　death；　you　can　say　the　right　things。　When　it's　murder；　then　。。。　there's　not　much　to　say。
　Cynthia　asked；　〃How　did　they　take　it？〃
　〃Bravely。　That's　what　you'd　expect　of　a　professional　soldier　and　his　wife。　I　only　had　to　stay　a　few　minutes；　then　I　left　them　with　the　chaplain。〃
　I　asked；　〃Were　you　at　all　explicit？〃
　〃No。　I　just　told　them　that　Ann　had　been　found　on　the　rifle　range；　dead；　apparently　murdered。〃
　〃And　he　said？〃
　〃He　said　。。。　'She　died　while　doing　her　duty。'　〃　Kent　paused；　then　added；　〃I　suppose　that　is　forting。〃
　〃You　didn't　go　into　details　about　her　condition；　the　possible　rape？〃
　〃No　。。。　He　did　ask　how　she　died；　and　I　said　she　was　apparently　strangled。〃
　〃And　he　said？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃And　you　gave　him　my　name　and　phone　number？〃
　〃Yes。　Well；　he　asked　if　the　CID　was　doing　everything　possible。　I　told　him　I'd　taken　advantage　of　your　presence　here；　and　Ms。　Sunhill's　presence；　and　that　I'd　requested　that　you　take　the　case。〃
　〃And　he　said？〃
　〃He　said　he　wanted　Major　Bowes；　the　CID　mander　here；　to　take　the　case；　and　that　you　and　Ms。　Sunhill　were　relieved　of　your　responsibility。〃
　〃And　you　said？〃
　〃I　didn't　want　to　get　into　it　with　him；　but　he　understands　that　this　is　one　thing　that　he　has　no　control　of　on　this　post。〃
　〃Indeed　not。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃And　how　did　Mrs。　Campbell　take　it？〃
　Kent　replied；　〃She　was　stoic；　but　about　to　fall　apart。　Appearances　are　important　with　general　officers　and　their　ladies；　and　they're　both　from　the　old　school。〃
　〃All　right；　Bill。　Forensic　will　be　here　after　dark；　and　they'll　stay　through　the　night。　Tell　your　people　here　that　no　one　else　is　allowed　in；　except　us。〃
　〃Right。〃　He　added；　〃Don't　forget…the　general　would　like　to　see　you　at　his　home；　soonest。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Probably　to　get　the　details　of　his　daughter's　death；　and　to　ask　you　to　brief　Major　Bowes；　and　to　ask　you　to　step　aside。〃
　〃Sounds　good　to　me。　I　can　do　that　over　the　phone。〃
　〃Actually；　I　got　a　call　from　the　Pentagon。　The　judge　advocate　general　agrees　with　your　boss　that　you　and　Ms。　Sunhill；　as　outside　parties　and　being　more　experienced　than　the　local　CID　people　at　Hadley；　are　best　equipped　to　handle　this。　That's　the　final　word。　You　can　pass　that　on　to　General　Campbell　when　you　see　him。　And　I　suggest　you　do　so　now。〃
　〃I'd　rather　speak　to　Charles　Moore　now。〃
　〃Make　an　exception；　Paul。　Do　the　politics　first。〃
　I　looked　at　Cynthia　and　she　nodded。　I　shrugged。　〃Okay。　General　and　Mrs。　Campbell。〃
　Kent　walked　with　us　across　the　hangar。　He　said；　〃You　know；　it's　ironic　。。。　Ann　had　a　favorite　expression；　a　sort　of　personal　motto　that　she　got　from　。。。　some　philosopher　。。。　Nietzsche。　The　expression　was；　'What　does　not　destroy　us；　makes　us　stronger。'　〃　He　added；　〃Now　she's　destroyed。〃
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
　
　We　headed　toward　the　general's　quarters　on　main　post。　Cynthia　said；　〃I'm　starting　to　see　a　picture　of　a　tortured；　unhappy　young　woman。〃
　〃Adjust　your　rearview　mirror。〃
　〃Cut　it　out；　Paul。〃
　〃Sorry。〃
　I　must　have　drifted　off　because　the　next　thing　I　remember　is　Cynthia　poking　me。　〃Did　you　hear　what　I　said？〃
　〃Yes。　Cut　it　out。〃
　〃I　said；　I　think　Colonel　Kent　knows　more　than　he's　telling。〃
　I　sat　up　and　yawned。　〃One　gets　that　impression。　Can　we　stop　for　coffee　someplace？〃
　〃No。　Tell　me；　is　Kent　really　a　suspect？〃
　〃Well　。。。　in　a　theoret