demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第26部分

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iller　wants　you　to　see。〃
　〃Still；　Paul；　I　can't　believe　he　would　strangle　his　own　daughter。〃
　〃It's　not　mon；　but　it's　not　unheard　of；　either。〃　I　added；　〃If　she　were　my　daughter；　and　I　knew　about　her　sexual　antics；　I　might　be　enraged。〃
　〃But　you　wouldn't　fly　into　a　homicidal　rage　with　your　own　daughter。〃
　〃No；　I　wouldn't。　But　you　never　know。　I'm　just　identifying　motives。〃
　We　pulled　up　to　the　Officers'　Club；　which；　as　I　said；　is　a　Spanish…style　stucco　building。　This　was　apparently　a　popular　style　in　the　1920s　when　this　club　and　other　permanent　structures　were　built　after　Camp　Hadley　became　Fort　Hadley。　The　war　to　end　all　wars　had　been　won；　but　somewhere　in　the　back　of　a　bunch　of　collective　minds　must　have　been　the　thought　that　there　was　a　need　for　a　large　standing　Army　for　the　next　war　to　end　all　wars；　and　I　had　the　pessimistic　thought　that　the　current　reduction　in　force　was　just　a　temporary　state　of　affairs。
　I　opened　the　car　door　and　said　to　Cynthia；　〃You're　not　dressed　for　the　club　or　I'd　invite　you　to　dinner。〃
　〃Well　。。。　I'll　change；　if　you'd　like。　Unless　you'd　rather　dine　alone。〃
　〃I'll　meet　you　in　the　grill。〃　I　got　out　of　the　car　and　she　drove　off。
　I　went　into　the　club　as　retreat　was　being　sounded　over　the　PA　system。　I　found　the　secretary's　office；　showed　my　CID　badge；　and　mandeered　the　telephone　and　post　directory。　Colonel　Charles　Moore　had　no　post　housing　listing；　so　I　called　the　Psy…Ops　School。　It　was　a　little　after　six；　but　the　nice　thing　about　the　Army　is　that　there's　usually　somebody　on　duty　somewhere。　We　never　sleep。　A　duty　sergeant　answered　and　connected　me　to　Colonel　Charles　Moore's　office。　〃Psy…Ops；　Colonel　Moore　speaking。〃
　〃Colonel　Moore；　this　is　Warrant　Officer　Brenner。　I'm　with　the　Army　Times。〃
　〃Oh　。。。〃
　〃Regarding　the　death　of　Captain　Campbell。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　oh；　God；　how　awful　。。。　just　tragic。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Could　I　trouble　you　for　a　few　words？〃
　〃Of　course。　Well　。。。　I　was　Captain　Campbell's　manding　officer…〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　I　know　that。　Colonel；　would　it　be　convenient　for　you　to　meet　me　at　the　O　Club　now？　I　won't　keep　you　more　than　ten　minutes。〃　Unless　you　interest　me；　Colonel。
　〃Well　。。。〃
　〃I　have　a　deadline　in　about　two　hours；　and　I'd　like　to　get　at　least　a　few　words　from　her　manding　officer。〃
　〃Of　course。　Where…？〃
　〃The　grill。　I'm　wearing　a　blue　suit。　Thank　you；　Colonel。〃　I　hung　up。　Most　Americans　know　that　they　don't　have　to　speak　to　the　police　if　they　choose　not　to；　but　somehow　they　think　that　they　have　an　obligation　to　speak　to　the　press。　Be　that　as　it　may；　I'd　spent　the　better　part　of　the　day　as　Paul　Brenner；　CID；　and　the　need　to　be　deceitful　was　more　than　I　could　bear。
　I　pulled　the　Midland　telephone　directory　toward　me　and　located　a　Charles　Moore　in　the　same　garden　apartment　plex　where　Ann　Campbell　had　lived。　In　and　of　itself；　this　was　not　unusual；　though　Victory　Gardens　was　not　where　a　colonel　would　normally　choose　to　live。　But　maybe　he　had　debts；　or　maybe；　as　a　shrink；　he　didn't　care　if　he　bumped　into　lieutenants　and　captains　in　the　parking　lot。　Or　maybe　he　wanted　to　be　near　Ann　Campbell。
　I　jotted　down　his　address　and　phone　number；　then　called　the　VOQ　and　reached　Cynthia　just　as　she　got　into　her　room。　〃Colonel　Moore　is　meeting　us。　We're　from　the　Army　Times。　Also；　see　if　you　can　get　me　a　room　there。　I　can't　go　back　to　Whispering　Pines　with　Chief　Yardley　on　the　prowl。　Stop　at　the　PX　and　pick　me　up　a　toothbrush；　razor；　and　all　that。　Also；　jockey　shorts；　medium；　and　socks。　Maybe　a　fresh　shirt；　too；　size　fifteen　collar；　and　be　sure　to　bring　walking　shoes　for　yourself　for　later　when　we　go　out　to　the　rifle　range；　and　a　flashlight。　Okay？　Cynthia？　Hello？〃
　Bad　connection；　I　guess。　I　hung　up　and　went　downstairs　to　the　grill　room；　which　is　not　as　formal　as　the　main　dining　room；　and　where　you　can　get　immediate　sustenance。　I　ordered　a　beer　from　the　bar　and　dined　on　potato　chips　and　bar　nuts　while　I　listened　to　the　conversations　around　me。　The　subject　was　Ann　Campbell；　and　the　tone　of　the　conversation　was　cautious　and　muted。　This　was；　after　all；　the　Officers'　Club。　The　subject　in　the　Midland　bars　would　be　the　same；　but　there　would　be　more　opinions　expressed。
　I　saw　a　middle…aged　man　in　dress　greens　with　colonel's　eagles　enter　the　grill；　and　he　scanned　the　big　open　basement　room。　I　watched　him　for　a　full　minute；　noting　that　no　one　waved　or　said　hello　to　him。　Obviously；　Colonel　Moore　was　not　well　known　or　perhaps　not　well　liked。　I　stood　and　approached　him。　He　saw　me　and　smiled　tentatively。　〃Mr。　Brenner？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　We　shook　hands。　Colonel　Moore's　uniform　was　wrinkled　and　badly　tailored；　the　true　sign　of　an　officer　in　one　of　the　specialized　branches。　〃Thank　you　for　ing；〃　I　said。　Colonel　Moore　was　about　fifty；　had　black　curly　hair　that　was　a　bit　too　long；　and　an　air　about　him　that　suggested　a　civilian　shrink　called　to　active　duty　the　day　before。　Army　doctors；　Army　lawyers；　Army　shrinks；　and　Army　dentists　always　intrigue　me。　I　can　never　determine　if　they're　on　the　run　from　a　malpractice　suit　or　if　they're　simply　dedicated　patriots。　I　led　him　to　a　table　in　the　far　corner；　and　we　sat。
　〃Yes。〃
　I　signaled　a　waitress；　and　Colonel　Moore　ordered　a　glass　of　cream　sherry。　We　were　off　to　a　bad　start　already。
　Moore　stared　at　me　as　though　trying　to　guess　my　mental　disorder。　Not　wanting　to　disappoint　him；　I　volunteered；　〃Sounds　like　she　got　nailed　by　a　psycho。　Maybe　a　serial　murderer。〃
　True　to　his　profession；　he　turned　the　statement　back　on　me　and　asked；　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
　〃Just　a　wild　guess。〃
　He　informed　me；　〃There　have　been　no　similar　rapes　and　murders　in　this　area。〃
　〃Similar　to　what？〃
　〃To　what　happened　to　Captain　Campbell。〃
　Exactly　what　happened　to　Captain　Campbell　should　not　have　been　general　knowledge　at　this　point；　but　the　Army　thrives　on　rumor　and　hearsay。　So；　what　Colonel　Moore　knew　and　Colonel　Fowler　knew　and　General　Campbell　knew；　and　when　they　knew　it　and　how　they　knew　it；　was　anyone's　guess　at　this　point　in　the　day。　I　asked；　〃What　did　happen　to　her？〃
　He　replied；　〃She　was　raped　and　murdered；　of　course。　Out　on　the　rifle　range。〃
　I　took　out　my　notebook　and　sipped　on　my　beer。　〃I　just　got　called　in　from　D。C。；　and　I　don't　have　much　information。　I　heard　she　was　found　naked；　tied　up。〃
　He　considered　his　response；　then　said；　〃You'd　better　check　with　the　MPs　on　that。〃
　〃Right。　How　long　were　you　her　manding　officer？〃
　〃Since　she　got　here　at　Fort　Hadley；　about　two　years　ago。〃
　〃So　you　knew　her　fairly　well？〃
　〃Yes。　It's　a　small　school。　There　are　only　about　twenty　officers　and　thirty　enlisted　men　and　women　assigned。〃
　〃I　see。　How　did　you　feel　when　you　heard　the　news？〃
　He　said　to　me；　〃I'm　in　total　shock　over　this。　I　still　can't　believe　this　happened。〃　And　so　forth。　He　actually　looked　all　right　to　me　despite　the　total　shock。　I　work　with　psychologists　and　psychiatrists　now　and　then；　and　I　know　they　tend　toward　inappropriate　behavior　while　saying　appropriate　things。　Also；　I　believe　that　certain　professions　attract　certain　types　of　personalities。　This　is　especially　true　in　the　military。　Infantry　officers；　for　instance；　tend　to　be　somewhat　aloof；　a　bit　arrogant；　and　self…assured。　CID　people　are　deceitful；　sarcastic；　and　extremely　bright。　Your　average　shrink　has　chosen　a　life　that　is　involved　with　troubled　minds；　and　it　might　be　a　cliché；　but　a　lot　of　them　have　gone　around　the　bend　themselves。　In　the　case　of　Charles　Moore；　psychological　warfare　specialist；　who　tried　to　make　healthy　enemy　minds　into　troubled　enemy　minds；　you　had　the　equivalent　of　a　physician　cultivating　typhus　germs　for　the　biological　warfare　people。
　So；　anyway；　as　we　spoke；　Charles　Moore　seemed　to　me　not　pletely　well。　He　seemed　distant　for　short　periods　of　time；　then　he'd　stare　at　me　at　inappropriate　times　as　though　trying　to　read　something　in　my　face　or　read　my　mind。　The　guy　actually　made　me　uneasy；　and　that　takes　a　lot　of　doing。　Besides　being　slightly　weird；　his　eyes　were　a　bit　sinister…very　dark；　very　deep；　and　very　penetrating。　Also；　his　voice　had　that　slow；　deep；　pseudo…soothing　tone　that　they　must　teach　at　shrink　school。
　I　asked　him；　〃Did　you　know　Captain　Campbell　prior　to　this　assignment？〃
　〃Yes。　I　first　met　her　about　six　years　ago　when　she　attended　the　functional　area　school　at　Fort　Bragg。　I　was　her　instructor。〃
　〃She　had　just　pleted　her　master's　in　psychology　at　Georgetown。〃
　He　looked　at　me　the　way　people　look　at　you　when　you　say　something　they　didn't　think　you　knew。　He　replied；　〃Yes；　I　believe　so。〃
　〃And　were　you　together　at　Bragg　while　she　was　with　the　Psy…Ops　Group？〃
　〃I　was　at　the　school…she　was　working　at　her　trade　with　the　Fourth　Psy…Ops。〃
　〃Then　what？〃
　〃Germany。　We　were　there　at　about　the　same　time。　Then　we　returned　to　the　JFK　School　at　Bragg；　and　we　both　instructed　for　a　while；　then　we　were　assigned　on　the　same　orders　to　the　Gulf；　then　to　the　Pentagon；　briefly；　and　two　years　ago　we　came　here　to　Fort　Hadley。　Is　all　this　necessary？〃
　〃What　do　you　do　at　Fort　Hadley；　Colonel？〃
　〃That's　confidential。〃
　〃Ah。〃　I　nodded　as　I　scribbled。　It　is　not　mon　for　two　people　to　share　so　many　assignments；　even　in　a　specialized　area　like　psychological　operations。　I　know　married　military　couples　who　have　not　been　so　lucky。　Take　poor　Cynthia；　for　example；　who；　though　not　married　to　that　Special　Forces　guy　at　the　time；　was　engaged　to　him；　and　there　she　was　in　Brussels　while　he　was　in　the　Canal　Zone。　I　said　to　Colonel　Moore；　〃You　had　a　good　professional　relationship。〃
　〃Yes。　Captain　Campbell　was　extremely　motivated；　bright；　articulate；　and　trustworthy。〃
　That　sounded　like　what　he　put　on　her　officer　evaluation　report　every　six　months。　Clearly；　they　were　a　team。　I　asked　him；　〃Was　she　sort　of　your　protégé？〃
　He　stared　at　me　as　though　my　use　of　one　French　word　might　lead　to　or　suggest　another　French　word　like；　perhaps；　paramour；　or　some　other　dirty　foreign　word。　He　replied；　〃She　was　my　subordinate。〃
　〃Right。〃　I　wrote　that　down　under　the　heading　Bullshit。　I　found　that　I　was　annoyed　that　this　geek　had　been　around　the　world　with　Ann　Campbell　and　had　shared　so　many　years　with　her。　How's　that　for　nuts？　I　had　half　a　mind　to　say　to　him；　〃Look　here；　Moore；　you　shouldn't　even　be　on　the　same　planet　with　this　goddess。　I'm　the　one　who　could　have　made　her　happy。　You're　a　sick