demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第24部分

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　〃The　papers　say　he　does。〃
　〃That's　not　my　problem。〃　But；　in　fact；　it　could　be。　General　Joseph　Ian　Campbell　had　been　mentioned　as　a　possible　vice…presidential　choice；　and　was　also　mentioned　as　a　potential　candidate　for　senator　from　his　native　state　of　Michigan；　or　as　a　candidate　for　governor　of　that　state。　Plus；　his　name　had　e　up　to　succeed　the　present　Army　chief　of　staff；　which　meant　a　fourth　star；　or　another　possibility　was　an　appointment　as　the　president's　top　military　advisor。
　This　embarrassment　of　riches　was　a　direct　result　of　General　Campbell's　service　in　the　Persian　Gulf　War；　prior　to　which　no　one　had　ever　heard　of　him。　As　the　memory　of　the　war　faded；　however；　so　was　his　name　fading　from　public　consciousness。　This　was　either　a　clever　plan　on　the　part　of　Joseph　Campbell；　or　he　honestly　didn't　want　any　part　of　the　nonsense。
　How　and　why　Fighting　Joe　Campbell　got　assigned　to　this　backwater　that　the　Army　called　Fort　Hades　and　the　GIs　called　Fort　Hardly；　was　one　of　those　mysteries　of　the　Pentagon　that　only　the　connivers　and　plotters　there　could　explain。　But　I　had　the　sudden　thought　that　the　power　brokers　in　the　Pentagon　knew　that　General　Campbell　had　a　loose　cannon　rolling　around　the　ramparts；　and　the　loose　cannon　was　named　Ann。　Was　that　possible？
　A　tall　man　entered；　wearing　the　Army…green　dress　uniform；　type　A　with　colonel's　eagles；　the　insignia　of　the　Adjutant　General　Corps；　and　a　name　tag　that　said　Fowler。　He　introduced　himself　as　General　Campbell's　adjutant。　In　the　service；　when　in　uniform；　it　is　redundant　to　introduce　yourself　by　name　and　rank；　but　people　appreciate　a　short　job　description　so　they　can　ascertain　if　they　have　to　work　with　you　or　ever　see　you　again。
　We　shook　hands　all　around；　and　Colonel　Fowler　said；　〃Indeed；　the　general　wishes　to　see　you；　but　I　want　to　speak　to　you　first。　Won't　you　have　a　seat？〃
　We　all　sat；　and　I　regarded　Colonel　Fowler。　He　was　a　black　man；　and　I　could　imagine　the　generations　of　former　slave…owners　who　lived　here　spinning　in　their　graves。　Anyway；　Fowler　was　extremely　well　groomed；　well　spoken；　and　carried　himself　with　good　military　bearing。　He　seemed　like　the　perfect　adjutant；　a　job　which　is　sort　of　like　a　bination　of　a　personnel　officer；　senior　advisor；　a　receiver　and　municator　of　the　general's　orders；　and　so　forth。　An　adjutant　is　not　like　the　deputy　mander；　who；　like　the　vice…president　of　the　United　States；　has　no　real　job。
　Fowler　had　long　legs；　which　may　seem　irrelevant；　but　an　adjutant　has　to　do　the　adjutants'　walk；　which　means　long　strides　between　the　general　and　his　subordinates　to　relay　orders　and　bring　back　reports。　You're　not　supposed　to　run；　so　you　have　to　develop　the　adjutants'　walk；　especially　on　a　big　parade　ground　where　short　stubby　legs　hold　up　the　whole　show。　Anyway；　Fowler　was　every　inch　the　officer　and　the　gentleman。　Unlike　some　white　officers　who　can　get　a　little　sloppy；　like　myself；　the　black　officer；　like　the　female　officer；　has　something　to　prove。　Interestingly；　blacks　and　women　still　use　the　standards　of　the　white　officer　as　their　ideal；　though；　in　fact；　that　ideal　and　those　standards　were　and　are　myths。　But　it　keeps　everybody　on　their　toes；　so　it's　fine。　The　Army　is　fifty　percent　illusion；　anyway。
　Colonel　Fowler　said；　〃You　may　smoke　if　you　wish。　A　drink？〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　I　said。
　Fowler　tapped　the　arms　of　his　chair　for　a　few　beats；　then　began。　〃This　is　certainly　a　tragedy　for　the　general　and　Mrs。　Campbell。　We　don't　want　it　to　bee　a　tragedy　for　the　Army。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　The　less　said；　the　better；　of　course。　He　wanted　to　talk。
　He　continued；　〃Captain　Campbell's　death；　occurring　as　it　did　on　post…on　this　very　post　where　her　father　is　mander…and　occurring　in　the　manner　it　did；　will　certainly　cause　a　sensation。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃I　don't　think　I　have　to　tell　either　of　you　not　to　speak　to　the　press。〃
　〃Of　course　not。〃
　Fowler　looked　at　Cynthia。　〃I　understand　you　made　an　arrest　in　that　other　rape　case。　Do　you　think　there's　a　connection　here？　Could　there　be　two　of　them？　Or　could　you　have　gotten　the　wrong　man　in　the　other　case？〃
　〃No　on　all　counts；　Colonel。〃
　〃But　it　is　possible。　Will　you　look　into　that？〃
　〃No；　Colonel。　These　are　two　different　cases。〃
　Clearly；　the　general's　staff　had　met　and　some　bright　boy　brought　this　up　as　a　possibility；　or　as　wishful　thinking；　or　as　the　official　story；　i。e。；　there　was　a　gang　of　young　trainees　running　around；　laying　the　pipe　to　unsuspecting　female　officers。　I　said　to　Colonel　Fowler；　〃It　doesn't　wash。〃
　He　sort　of　shrugged　and　turned　his　attention　back　to　me。　〃Well；　do　you　have　any　suspects？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Any　leads？〃
　〃Not　at　the　moment。〃
　〃But　you　must　have　a　theory　or　two；　Mr。　Brenner。〃
　〃I　do；　Colonel。　But　they　are　only　theories；　and　all　of　them　would　upset　you。〃
　He　leaned　forward　in　his　chair；　obviously　not　pleased。　〃I'm　only　upset　that　a　female　officer　has　been　raped　and　murdered　and　that　the　culprit　is　at　large。　Not　much　else　about　this　case　is　going　to　upset　me。〃
　Wanna　bet？　I　said；　〃I've　been　told　that　the　general　wishes　to　relieve　me　and　Ms。　Sunhill　from　this　case。〃
　〃I　believe　that　was　his　early　reaction。　But　he's　spoken　to　some　people　in　Washington；　and　he's　rethinking　this。　That's　why　he　wants　to　meet　you　and　Ms。　Sunhill。〃
　〃I　see。　Sort　of　a　job　interview。〃
　〃Perhaps。〃　He　added；　〃Unless　you　don't　want　this　case。　If　you　don't；　it　will　not　reflect　negatively　in　your　records。　In　fact；　a　letter　of　mendation　will　be　inserted　into　your　files　in　recognition　of　your　initial　work　on　this　case。　And　you　would　both　be　offered　thirty　days　of　administrative　leave；　to　begin　immediately。〃　He　looked　from　me　to　Cynthia；　then　back　to　me。　〃Then　there　will　be　no　reason　to　see　the　general；　and　you　may　both　leave　now。〃
　Not　a　bad　deal　if　you　thought　about　it。　The　idea　was　not　to　think　about　it。　I　replied；　〃My　manding　officer；　Colonel　Hellmann；　has　assigned　me　and　Ms。　Sunhill　to　this　case；　and　we　have　accepted　the　assignment。　This　is　a　closed　issue；　Colonel。〃
　He　nodded。　I　couldn't　quite　get　a　handle　on　Fowler。　Behind　the　stiff　fa？ade　of　the　adjutant　was　a　very　facile　operator。　He　had　to　be　in　order　to　survive　this　job；　which　by　almost　any　military　standards　sucked。　But　you'd　never　bee　a　general　until　you'd　served　on　a　general's　staff；　and　clearly；　Colonel　Fowler　was　only　a　hop；　skip；　and　a　jump　away　from　his　first　Silver　Star。
　Fowler　seemed　deep　in　thought；　and　there　was　a　silence　in　the　room。　I；　having　said　my　piece；　now　had　to　wait　for　his　reply。　Higher…ranking　officers　had　this　unsettling　habit　of　letting　long　silences　pass；　and　the　unwise　junior　officer　would　sometimes　charge　into　the　breach　with　an　afterthought；　then　get　clobbered　with　an　icy　stare　or　a　reprimand。　It　was　sort　of　like　a　trap　play　in　football；　or　in　war；　and；　although　I　didn't　know　Colonel　Fowler　very　well；　I　knew　the　type　too　well。　The　man　was　testing　me；　testing　my　nerve　and　resolve；　perhaps　to　see　if　he　was　dealing　with　an　overly　enthusiastic　asshole　or　someone　as　shrewd　as　himself。　Cynthia；　to　her　credit；　let　the　silence　drag　on；　too。
　Finally；　he　said　to　me；　〃I　know　why　Ms。　Sunhill　is　here　at　Fort　Hadley。　But　what　brings　a　special　unit　CID　investigator　to　our　little　outpost？〃
　〃I　was　on　undercover　assignment。　One　of　your　armory　NCOs　was　about　to　go　into　business　for　himself。　You　ought　to　tighten　security　at　the　armory；　and　you　should　know　that　I've　saved　you　some　embarrassment。〃　I　added；　〃I'm　sure　the　provost　briefed　you。〃
　〃In　fact；　he　did。　Some　weeks　ago　when　you　got　here。〃
　〃So　you　knew　I　was　here。〃
　〃Yes；　but　not　why　you　were　here。〃
　〃Why　do　you　suppose　Colonel　Kent　asked　me　to　take　this　case　in　light　of　the　fact　that　no　one　else　here　wants　me　to　take　it？〃
　He　thought　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃To　be　honest　with　you；　Colonel　Kent　is　not　fond　of　the　local　CID　mander；　Major　Bowes。　In　any　case；　your　people　at　Falls　Church　would　have　put　you　on　it　immediately。　Colonel　Kent　did　what　he　thought　was　best　for　everyone。〃
　〃Including　Colonel　Kent。　What　is　the　problem　between　Colonel　Kent　and　Major　Bowes？〃
　He　shrugged。　〃Probably　just　jurisdictional。　Turf。〃
　〃Not　personal？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Ask　them。〃
　〃I　will。〃　In　the　meantime；　I　asked　Colonel　Fowler；　〃Did　you　know　Captain　Campbell　personally？〃
　He　looked　at　me　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃Yes。　In　fact；　the　general　has　asked　me　to　give　the　eulogy　at　her　funeral。〃
　〃I　see。　Were　you　with　General　Campbell　prior　to　this　assignment？〃
　〃Yes；　I've　been　with　General　Campbell　since　he　was　an　armored　division　mander　in　Germany。　We　served　together　in　the　Gulf；　then　here。〃
　〃Did　he　request　this　assignment？〃
　〃I　don't　think　that's　relevant。〃
　〃I　assume　you　knew　Ann　Campbell　before　Fort　Hadley？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Could　you　give　me　an　idea　of　the　nature　of　your　relationship？〃　How　was　that　for　smooth？
　Fowler　leaned　forward　in　his　chair　and　looked　me　in　the　eyes。　〃Excuse　me；　Mr。　Brenner。　Is　this　an　interrogation？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Well；　I'll　be　damned。〃
　〃I　hope　not；　Colonel。〃
　He　laughed；　then　stood。　〃Well；　you　both　e；　to　my　office　tomorrow　and　you　can　fire　away。　Call　for　an　appointment。　Follow　me；　please。〃
　We　followed　Colonel　Fowler　back　into　the　central　foyer；　then　toward　the　rear　of　the　mansion；　where　we　came　to　a　closed　door。　Colonel　Fowler　said　to　us；　〃No　need　to　salute；　quick　condolences；　you'll　be　asked　to　take　a　seat。　Mrs。　Campbell　will　not　be　present。　She's　under　sedation。　Please　keep　this　short。　Five　minutes。〃　He　knocked　on　the　door；　opened　it；　and　stepped　inside；　announcing　us　as　Warrant　Officers　Brenner　and　Sunhill　of　the　CID。　Sounded　like　a　TV　series。
　Cynthia　and　I　followed　and　found　ourselves　in　a　sort　of　den　of　highly　polished　wood；　leather；　and　brass。　The　room　was　dark；　the　drapes　drawn；　and　the　only　light　came　from　a　green…shaded　desk　lamp。　Behind　the　desk　stood　Lieutenant　General　Joseph　Campbell；　in　a　dress…green　uniform　with　a　chest　full　of　medals。　The　first　thing　you　noticed　about　him　was　that　he　was　huge；　not　only　tall　but　big…boned；　like　the　Scottish　clan　chiefs　from　which　he　must　have　descended；　and　on　this　occasion　I　also　noticed　the　unmistakable　smell　of　Scotch　whisky　in　the　room。
　General　Campbell　extended　his　hand　to　Cynthia；　who　took　it　and　said　to　him；　〃My　deepest　condolences；　sir。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　I　took　his　hand；　which