demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第27部分

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n　be　on　the　same　planet　with　this　goddess。　I'm　the　one　who　could　have　made　her　happy。　You're　a　sick　little　freak。〃　Instead；　I　said　to　him；　〃And　do　you　know　her　father？〃
　〃Yes。　But　not　well。〃
　〃Had　you　met　him　prior　to　Fort　Hadley？〃
　〃Yes。　Now　and　then。　We　saw　him　a　few　times　in　the　Gulf。〃
　〃We？〃
　〃Ann　and　I。〃
　〃Ah。〃　I　wrote　that　down。
　I　asked　him　a　few　more　questions；　but　clearly　neither　of　us　was　getting　anything　interesting　out　of　this。　What　I　wanted　from　this　meeting　was　to　get　an　impression　of　him　before　he　knew　whom　he　was　talking　to。　Once　they　know　you're　a　cop；　they　go　into　an　act。　On　the　other　hand；　Army　Times　reporters　can't　ask　questions　like　〃Did　you　have　a　sexual　relationship　with　her？〃　But　cops　can；　so　I　asked　him；　〃Did　you　have　a　sexual　relationship　with　her？〃
　He　stood。　〃What　the　hell　kind　of　question　is　that？　I'm　going　to　make　an　official　plaint…〃
　I　held　up　my　badge　case。　〃CID；　Colonel。　Have　a　seat。〃
　He　stared　at　the　badge　a　second；　then　at　me；　and　those　eyes　shot　red　death　rays　at　me；　zip；　zip；　like　in　a　bad　horror　flick。　I　said　again；　〃Sit　down；　Colonel。〃
　He　looked　furtively　around　the　half…filled　room；　sort　of　like　he　was　wondering　if　he　was　surrounded　or　something。　Finally；　he　sat。
　There　are　colonels；　and　then　there　are　colonels。　Theoretically；　the　rank　transcends　the　man　or　woman　wearing　it；　and　you　pay　respect　to　the　rank；　if　not　the　person。　In　reality；　this　is　not　so。　Colonel　Fowler；　for　instance；　had　the　power　and　the　authority；　and　you　had　to　be　careful　with　him。　Colonel　Moore　was　not　connected　to　any　power　structure　that　I　knew　about。　I　said　to　him；　〃I　am　investigating　the　murder　of　Captain　Campbell。　You　are　not　a　suspect　in　this　case；　and　I　am　not　going　to　read　you　your　rights。　Therefore；　you　will　answer　my　questions　truthfully　and　fully。　Okay？〃
　〃You　have　no　right　to　pass　yourself　off　as…〃
　〃Let　me　worry　about　my　split　personality。　Okay？　First　question…〃
　〃I　refuse　to　speak　to　you　without　an　attorney　present。〃
　〃I　think　you've　seen　too　many　civilian　movies。　You　have　no　right　to　an　attorney　and　no　right　to　remain　silent　unless　you　are　a　suspect。　If　you　refuse　to　cooperate　voluntarily；　then　I　will　consider　you　a　suspect　and　read　you　your　rights　and　take　you　down　to　the　provost　marshal's　office　and　announce　that　I　have　a　suspect　who　requires　an　attorney。　You　are　in　what　is　called　a　military　bind。　So？〃
　He　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃I　have　absolutely　nothing　to　hide；　and　I　resent　your　having　put　me　in　a　defensive　position　like　this。〃
　〃Right。　First　question。　When　was　the　last　time　you　saw　Captain　Campbell？〃
　He　cleared　his　throat　and　adjusted　his　attitude；　then　replied；　〃I　last　saw　her　yesterday　at　about　1630　hours　in　my　office。　She　said　she　was　going　to　go　to　the　club　to　get　something　to　eat；　then　report　for　duty。〃
　〃Why　did　she　volunteer　for　duty　officer　last　night？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea。〃
　〃Did　she　call　you　from　Post　Headquarters　during　the　evening；　or　did　you　call　her？〃
　〃Well　。。。　let　me　think　。。。〃
　〃All　phone　calls　on　post　can　be　traced；　and　there　is　a　duty　officer's　log。〃　In　fact；　intra…post　calls　could　not　be　traced；　and　Captain　Campbell　would　not　have　logged　any　ining　or　outgoing　calls　of　a　personal　nature。
　Moore　replied；　〃Yes；　I　did　call　her。〃
　〃What　time？〃
　〃About　2300　hours。〃
　〃Why　so　late？〃
　〃Well；　we　had　some　work　to　discuss　for　the　next　day；　and　I　knew　things　would　be　quiet　by　that　hour。〃
　〃Where　were　you　calling　from？〃
　〃From　my　home。〃
　〃Where　is　that？〃
　〃Off　post。　Victory　Drive。〃
　〃Isn't　that　where　the　deceased　lived？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Have　you　ever　been　to　her　house？〃
　〃Of　course。　Many　times。〃
　I　tried　to　imagine　what　this　guy　looked　like　naked　with　his　back　to　the　camera；　or　with　a　leather　mask　on。　I　wondered　if　the　forensic　lab　had　an　official　pecker　checker；　some　man　（or　woman）　who　could　pare　a　blow…up　photo　of　a　pecker　with　this　guy's　equipment。　Anyway；　I　asked　him；　〃Were　you　ever　sexually　involved　with　her？〃
　〃No。　But　you　can　be　sure　you'll　hear　rumors。　Rumors　have　followed　us　wherever…〃
　〃Are　you　married？〃
　〃I　was。　Divorced　about　seven　years　ago。〃
　〃Do　you　date？〃
　〃Occasionally。〃
　〃Did　you　find　Ann　Campbell　attractive？〃
　〃Well　。。。　I　admired　her　mind。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　notice　her　body？〃
　〃I　don't　like　this　line　of　questioning。〃
　〃Neither　do　I。　Did　you　find　her　sexually　attractive？〃
　〃I　was　her　superior　officer；　I　am　almost　twenty　years　older　than　she；　she　is　a　general's　daughter。　I　never　once　said　anything　to　her　that　could　be　construed　as　sexual　harassment。〃
　〃I'm　not　investigating　a　charge　of　sexual　harassment；　Colonel。　I'm　investigating　a　rape　and　murder。〃　I　said　to　him；　〃Then　why　were　there　rumors？〃
　〃Because　people　have　dirty　minds。　Even　Army　officers。〃　He　smiled。　〃Like　yourself。〃
　On　that　note；　I　ordered　two　more　drinks；　another　sherry　to　loosen　him　up；　a　beer　to　calm　my　impulse　to　deck　him。
　Cynthia　arrived；　wearing　black　pants　and　a　white　blouse。　I　introduced　her　to　Colonel　Moore；　then　said　to　her；　〃We're　not　with　the　Army　Times　anymore。　We're　CID。　I　was　asking　Colonel　Moore　if　he　was　ever　sexually　involved　with　the　deceased；　and　he　assures　me　he　wasn't。　We're　in　a　confrontational　mode　at　the　moment。〃
　Cynthia　smiled　and　said　to　Moore；　〃Mr。　Brenner　is　extremely　tense　and　tired。〃　She　sat　and　we　all　chatted　for　a　few　minutes　as　I　brought　Cynthia　up　to　date。　Cynthia　ordered　a　bourbon　and　Coke　and　a　club　sandwich　for　herself　and　a　cheeseburger　for　me。　She　knows　I　like　cheeseburgers。　Colonel　Moore　declined　to　dine　with　us；　explaining　that　he　was　still　too　upset　to　eat。　Cynthia　asked　him；　〃As　her　friend；　did　you　know　anyone　who　she　might　have　been　involved　with？〃
　〃You　mean　sexually？〃
　〃I　believe　that's　the　subject　on　the　table；〃　she　replied。　〃Well　。。。　let　me　think　。。。　She　was　seeing　a　young　man　。。。　a　civilian。　She　rarely　dated　soldiers。〃
　〃Who　was　the　civilian？〃　Cynthia　asked。　〃A　fellow　named　Wes　Yardley。〃
　〃Yardley？　Chief　of　Police　Yardley？〃
　〃No；　no。　Wes　Yardley；　one　of　Burt　Yardley's　sons。〃
　Cynthia　glanced　at　me；　then　asked　Moore；　〃How　long　were　they　seeing　each　other？〃
　〃On　and　off　since　she　arrived　here。　They　had　a　stormy　relationship。　In　fact；　without　pointing　fingers；　there's　a　man　you　should　speak　to。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Why？　Well；　it's　obvious。　They　were　involved。　They　fought　like　cats　and　dogs。〃
　〃About　what？〃
　〃About　。。。　well；　she　mentioned　to　me　that　he　treated　her　badly。〃
　This　sort　of　took　me　by　surprise。　I　said　to　Moore；　〃He　treated　her　badly？〃
　〃Yes。　He　wouldn't　call；　he　went　out　with　other　women；　he　saw　her　when　it　suited　him。〃
　This　wasn't　puting。　If　I　was　in　love　with　Ann　Campbell；　why　wasn't　every　other　man　following　her　around　like　a　puppy　dog？　I　said　to　Moore；　〃Why　would　she　put　up　with　that？　I　mean；　she　was　。。。　desirable；　attractive　。。。〃　Incredibly　beautiful；　sexy；　and　she　had　a　body　you　could　die　for。　Or　kill　for。
　Moore　smiled；　almost　knowingly；　I　thought。　This　guy　made　me　unfortable。　He　said；　〃There　is　a　type　of　personality…I'll　put　this　in　layman's　terms：　Ann　Campbell　liked　the　bad　boys。　Whoever　showed　her　the　slightest　bit　of　attention；　she　considered　weak　and　contemptible。　That　included　most　men。　She　was　drawn　to　men　who　treated　her　badly；　almost　abusive　men。　Wes　Yardley　is　such　a　man。　He's　a　Midland　policeman　like　his　father；　he　is　a　local　playboy　and　has　many　women　friends；　he's　good…looking；　I　suppose；　and　has　some　of　the　charm　of　a　southern　gentleman　and　all　of　the　macho　posturing　of　a　good　ol'　boy。　Rogue　or　scoundrel　might　be　good　words　to　describe　him。〃
　I　was　still　having　trouble　with　this；　and　I　said；　〃And　Ann　Campbell　was　involved　with　him　for　two　years？〃
　〃On　and　off。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃She　discussed　all　of　this　with　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Professionally？〃
　He　nodded　at　her　astuteness。　〃Yes；　I　was　her　therapist。〃
　I　was　not　as　astute；　perhaps　because　my　mind　was　unsettled。　I　was　extremely　disappointed　in　Ann　Campbell。　The　playroom　and　the　photos　didn't　upset　me；　perhaps　because　I　knew　that　these　men　were　just　objects　and　she　used　them　as　such。　But　the　idea　of　a　boyfriend；　a　lover；　someone　who　abused　her；　a　relative　of　Burt　Yardley　at　that；　really　pissed　me　off。
　Cynthia　said　to　Moore；　〃You　know　just　about　everything　there　is　to　know　about　her。〃
　〃I　believe　so。〃
　〃Then　we'll　ask　you　to　help　us　with　the　psychological　autopsy。〃
　〃Help　you？　You　couldn't　even　scratch　the　surface；　Ms。　Sunhill。〃
　I　posed　myself　and　said　to　him；　〃I'll　need　all　your　notes　and　transcripts　of　all　your　sessions　with　her。〃
　〃I　never　took　a　single　note。　That　was　our　arrangement。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃But　you　will　assist　us？〃
　〃Why？　She's　dead。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃Sometimes　a　psychological　autopsy　helps　us　develop　a　psychological　profile　of　the　killer。　I　assume　you　know　that。〃
　〃I've　heard　of　it。　I　know　very　little　about　criminal　psychology。　If　you　want　my　opinion；　it's　mostly　nonsense；　anyway。　We're　all　criminally　insane；　but　most　of　us　have　good　control　mechanisms；　internal　and　external。　Remove　the　controls　and　you　have　a　killer。　I've　seen　well…adjusted　men　in　Vietnam　kill　babies。〃
　No　one　spoke　for　a　while；　and　we　just　sat　there　with　our　own　thoughts。
　Finally；　Cynthia　said；　〃But　we　expect　you；　as　her　confidant；　to　tell　us　everything　you　know　about　her；　her　friends；　her　enemies；　her　mind。〃
　〃I　suppose　I　have　no　choice。〃
　〃No；　you　don't；〃　Cynthia　assured　him。　〃But　we'd　like　your　cooperation　to　be　voluntary；　if　not　enthusiastic。　You　do　want　to　see　her　killer　brought　to　justice。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　see　her　killer　found　because　I'm　curious　about　who　it　may　be。　As　for　justice；　I'm　fairly　certain　that　the　killer　thought　he　was　administering　justice。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃
　〃I　mean；　when　a　woman　like　Ann　Campbell　is　raped　and　murdered　almost　under　her　father's　nose；　you　can　be　certain　that　someone　had　it　in　for　her；　her　father；　or　both；　and　probably　for　a　good　reason。　At　least　good　in　his　own　mind。〃　He　stood。　〃This　is　very　upsetting　for　me。　I　feel　a　strong　sense　of　loss。　I'm　going　to　miss　her　pany。　So　if　you'll　excuse　me　。。。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　stood　also。　He　was　a　colonel；　after　all。　I　said；　〃I'd　like　to　speak　to　you　tomorrow。　Please　keep　your　day　loose；　Colonel。　You　interest　me。〃
　He　left　and　we　sat　down。
　The　foo