demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第29部分

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　Cynthia　said；　〃Trace　fibers　were　from　her　own　underwear　and　from　BDUs　that　are　probably　her　own　but　could　be　from　another　person。　There　were　no　other　fibers　found。　Also；　the　only　hair　found　on　and　around　the　body　was　her　own。〃
　〃How　about　the　hair　in　the　latrine　sink？〃
　〃That　was　not　hers。　It　was　black；　undyed；　from　a　Caucasian；　came　from　the　head；　probably　fell　out；　not　pulled　or　cut；　and　from　the　shaft　they　determined　that　it　was　blood　type　O。　There　were　no　roots；　so　no　genetic　markers；　and　the　sex　can't　be　determined　conclusively；　but　Cal's　guess；　based　on　the　length　and　the　lack　of　any　dye；　conditioner；　styling　preparations；　and　so　forth；　is　that　it　belonged　to　a　man。　It　was　characterized　as　curly；　not　straight　or　wavy。〃
　〃I　just　met　a　guy　with　that　kind　of　hair。〃
　〃Yes。　We　should　get　a　strand　of　Colonel　Moore's　hair　for　microscopic　parison。〃
　〃Right。　What　else？〃
　〃Well；　there　was　no　semen　found　on　her　skin　or　in　any　of　her　orifices。　Also；　there　was　no　trace　of　any　type　of　lubrication　in　her　vagina　or　anus　that　would　suggest　a　penetration　by　a　foreign　object；　or　by　a　lubricated　condom；　for　instance。〃
　I　nodded。　〃No　sexual　intercourse　took　place。〃
　〃It　could　have　taken　place　if　a　man　dressed　in　the　same　BDUs　she　wore　got　on　top　of　her；　leaving　no　body　hair；　saliva；　or　perspiration　of　his　own。　Using　a　condom　without　lubrication；　or　using　no　condom；　he　penetrated　her　but　did　not　ejaculate。　That　could　have　happened。〃
　〃But　it　didn't。　No　sexual　intercourse　took　place。　Transference　and　exchange　has　got　to　occur　to　some　extent。　Even　a　microscopic　extent。〃
　〃I　tend　to　agree。　But　we　can't　rule　out　some　sort　of　genital　stimulation。　If　the　rope　around　her　neck　was　to　induce　sexual　asphyxiation；　as　you　suggested；　then　it　follows　that　genital　stimulation　was　supposed　to　take　place。〃
　〃That　would　be　logical。　But　I've　given　up　on　logic　in　this　case。　Okay；　how　about　fingerprints？〃
　〃None　on　her　body。　They　couldn't　lift　any　plete　or　distinct　prints　from　the　nylon　rope；　but　they　got　several　from　the　tent　pegs。〃
　〃Are　they　good　enough　to　run　through　the　FBI？〃
　〃No；　but　they're　good　enough　to　match　to　known　prints。　In　fact；　some　of　the　prints　were　Ann　Campbell's。　Some　were　not　and　may　belong　to　the　other　person。〃
　〃I　hope　so。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃So　she　handled　the　tent　pegs；　which　means　she　was　forced　to　assist　the　perpetrator；　or　she　voluntarily　assisted　the　perpetrator；　as　in　a　consensual　act　of　sexual　fantasy　or　whatever。〃
　〃I　lean　toward　the　latter。〃
　〃I　would；　too；　except　what　made　her　cry？〃
　〃Happiness。　Ecstasy。〃　I　pointed　out；　〃Crying　is　an　empirically　observable　event。　The　cause　of　the　crying　is　open　to　different　interpretations。〃　I　added；　〃Some　people　do　cry　after　orgasm。〃
　〃I've　heard。　So　anyway；　we　know　a　lot　more　than　we　did　at　sunrise；　but　in　some　ways　we　know　a　lot　less。　Some　of　this　stuff　is　not　fitting　together　in　the　normal　way。〃
　〃That's　an　understatement。　Any　fingerprints　from　the　humvee？〃
　〃Lots。　They　were　still　working　on　that　and　on　the　latrines。　Cal　took　the　humvee　and　the　lower　bleacher　seats　to　the　hangar。　He's　set　up　shop　there。〃
　〃Good。〃　I　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃I've　only　had　two　homicide　cases　that　I've　solved　to　my　satisfaction　where　I've　failed　to　get　a　conviction。　And　those　two　involved　bright　people　who　took　care　not　to　leave　any　forensic　evidence　behind。　I　don't　want　this　to　be　one　of　those　cases。〃
　〃Well；　Paul；　as　they　say；　long　before　there　was　scientific　evidence；　there　were　confessions。　Often　the　perpetrator　needs　to　confess　and　is　just　waiting　for　us　to　ask　him　to　do　so。〃
　〃That's　what　they　said　during　the　Inquisition；　the　Salem　witch　trials；　and　the　Moscow　show　trials。　I'd　like　to　see　some　evidence。〃
　We　drove　through　the　outskirts　of　the　main　post；　neither　of　us　saying　much。　I　rolled　down　my　window；　letting　in　the　cool　night　air。　〃Do　you　like　Georgia？〃
　She　glanced　at　me。　〃I　never　had　a　permanent　duty　station　here。　Just　here　and　gone。　But　I　like　it。　How　about　you？〃
　〃Brings　back　memories。〃
　We　left　the　main　post；　and　Cynthia　found　Rifle　Range　Road　without　too　much　difficulty。　The　moon　was　still　below　the　trees；　and　it　was　dark　except　for　our　headlights　on　the　road。　You　could　hear　crickets；　tree　frogs；　locusts；　and　all　sorts　of　other　nocturnal　things　that　make　weird　sounds；　and　the　smell　of　the　pines　was　overwhelming；　reminding　me　of　Whispering　Pines　many　years　ago：　sitting　outside　at　night　on　lawn　chairs；　drinking　beer　with　the　other　young　soldiers　and　their　wives；　listening　to　Jimi　Hendrix；　Janis　Joplin；　or　whomever；　waiting　for　the　mimeographed　papers　that　began；　〃You　are　hereby　ordered　to　report　。。。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃What　did　you　think　of　Colonel　Moore？〃
　〃Probably　the　same　as　you。　He's　an　odd　duck。〃
　〃Yes；　but　I　think　he's　a　key　to　why　Ann　Campbell　was　killed。〃
　〃Quite　possibly。〃　I　asked　her；　〃Do　you　consider　him　a　suspect？〃
　〃For　the　record；　no。　We　have　to　keep　him　talking。　But　between　us；　I　can　see　him　as　a　suspect。〃
　〃Especially　if　that　was　his　hair　in　the　sink；〃　I　pointed　out。
　〃What　would　be　his　motive？〃　Cynthia　asked。
　〃Well；　it　wasn't　classical　sexual　jealousy。〃
　〃Do　you　believe　that　he　never　slept　with　her；　or　even　propositioned　her？〃
　〃Yes。　That　shows　how　sick　he　is。〃
　〃That's　an　interesting　observation。　The　more　I　deal　with　men；　the　more　I　learn。〃
　〃Good　for　you。　What　do　you　think　his　motive　could　be？〃
　〃Well；　I　agree　with　you　that　Colonel　Moore　is　somewhat　asexual。　But　she　may　have　threatened　to　break　off　their　platonic　or　therapeutic　relationship；　and　he　couldn't　handle　it。〃
　〃Then　why　kill　her　that　way？〃　I　asked。
　〃How　do　I　know？　We're　dealing　with　two　shrinks　here。〃
　〃Right。　But　I'll　bet　Moore　knows　why。　Moore　knows　how　she　got　there　on　the　ground；　even　if　he　didn't　kill　her　himself。　For　all　we　know；　he　told　her　it　was　good　therapy　to　have　sex　with　strangers　in　open　places。　I've　heard　of　that　kind　of　thing。〃
　Cynthia　nodded。　〃You're　getting　close　to　something。〃
　〃Just　another　theory　to　store　in　the　hangar。〃
　After　a　moment　of　quiet；　I　said　to　her；　apropos　of　nothing　except　my　whole　life；　〃Did　you　marry　Major　what's…his…name　with　the　gun？〃
　She　replied；　not　enthusiastically；　I　thought；　〃Yes；　I　did。〃
　〃Well；　congratulations。　I'm　extremely　happy　for　you；　Cynthia；　and　wish　you　all　the　best　that　life　has　to　offer。〃
　〃I've　filed　for　divorce。〃
　〃Good。〃
　We　rode　in　silence　awhile；　then　she　said；　〃I　felt　guilty　after　Brussels；　so　I　accepted　his　proposal。　Actually；　I　guess　I　was　engaged　to　be　married　to　him；　so　we　got　married。　But　。。。　he　never　let　me　forget　that　he　didn't　trust　me　anymore。　Your　name　came　up　once　or　twice。〃
　〃Am　I　supposed　to　feel　guilty？　I　don't。〃
　〃You　shouldn't。　He　turned　out　to　be　a　possessive　manipulator；　anyway。〃
　〃You　didn't　see　that？〃
　〃No。　The　best　thing　about　some　long…distance　relationships　is　that　they're　long…distance。　It's　very　romantic。　Living　together　is　another　matter。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　bent　over　backward　to　please。〃
　〃If　that's　sarcasm；　you're　wrong。　I　did　bend　over　backward。　But　every　time　I　had　to　go　off　on　assignment；　he　got　very　nasty；　and　every　time　I　came　back　from　assignment；　he　interrogated　me。　I　don't　like　being　interrogated。〃
　〃No　one　does。〃
　〃I　never　fooled　around　on　him。〃
　〃Well；　once。〃
　〃You　know　what　I　mean。　So　anyway；　I　got　to　thinking　that　military　life　and　married　life　don't　go　together。　He　wanted　me　to　resign。　I　said　no。　He　got　violent；　and　I　had　to　pull　my　gun　on　him。〃
　〃My　goodness。　You're　lucky　he　didn't　have　that　automatic　he　pulled　on　me。〃
　〃Well；　he　did；　but　I'd　taken　the　firing　pin　out　months　before。　Look；　it's　all　so　tawdry；　and　I　feel　embarrassed　even　talking　about　it。　But　I　think　I　owe　you　at　least　that　explanation　of　my　life　between　Brussels　and　now。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Does　he　have　the　firing　pin　back　in　the　gun？〃
　She　laughed。　〃He's　all　right。　He　accepted　it　gracefully。　He's　tired　of　ripping　himself　apart　with　jealousy。　He's　back　on　a　good　career　track；　and　he　has　a　girlfriend。〃
　〃Where　is　this　happy　psychopath　stationed？〃
　〃He's　at　the　Ranger　School　at　Benning。〃
　〃That's　muting　distance　to　here。〃
　〃He　doesn't　even　know　where　I　am　now。　Are　you　worried？〃
　〃No。　I　just　need　to　know　what　I'm　dealing　with。　Basic　intelligence　gathering。〃
　〃What　are　you　dealing　with？〃
　〃The　past；　the　present；　and　the　future。　Same　old　stuff。〃
　〃Can　we　be　friends　without　being　lovers？〃
　〃Of　course。　I'll　ask　Colonel　Moore　where　he　got　himself　neutered。〃
　〃You're　so　basic。〃　She　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃I　don't　want　another　jealous　crazy。〃
　〃Let's　talk　about　this　tomorrow；　or　next　week。〃
　〃Fine。〃
　After　a　minute　or　two；　I　asked；　〃Are　you　seeing　anyone　else？〃
　〃Is　it　next　week　already？〃
　〃I　just　don't　want　to　get　shot。　You　know？〃
　〃No；　I'm　not　seeing　anyone。〃
　〃Good。　Because　I　don't　want　to　get　shot。〃
　She　said；　〃Paul；　shut　up　or　I'll　shoot　you。　God；　you　bug　me。〃
　〃Don't　shoot。〃
　She　laughed。　〃Stop　it。〃
　We　rode　the　last　mile　in　silence；　then　I　said；　〃Pull　over　here　and　kill　the　lights　and　the　engine。〃
　The　sky　was　a　clear　moonlit　blue；　and　the　temperature　had　dropped；　but　it　was　still　fortable　despite　the　humidity。　It　was　a　nice　evening；　the　kind　of　night　made　for　romantic　trysts　out　in　the　countryside。　I　listened　to　the　nightbirds　and　the　breeze　in　the　pines。　I　said；　〃Not　only　have　I　thought　about　you；　but　I've　missed　you。〃
　〃I　know。　Me；　too。〃
　I　nodded。　〃So　what　did　we　do　wrong？　Why　did　we　go　our　own　ways？〃
　She　shrugged。　〃Maybe　we　just　blew　it。〃　She　added；　〃I　wanted　you　to　。。。　well；　but　that's　past。〃
　〃What　did　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃I　wanted　you　not　to　accept　my　decision　to　break　it　off。　I　wanted　you　to　take　me　away　from　him。〃
　〃That's　not　my　style；　Cynthia。　You　made　a　decision。　I　respected　it。〃
　〃Oh；　God；　Paul；　you're　such　a　goddamned　sharp　detective；　aren't　you？　You　can　read　a　killer's　heart　at　a　hundred　yards；　and　spot　a　liar　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。　But　you　don't　know　how　to　read　yourself；　and　you　damned　sure　don't　know　much　about　women。〃
　So　I　sat　there；　like　the　idiot　I　am；　realizing　she　was　right；　and　at　a　loss　for　words；　knowing　what　I　felt　in　my　heart；　but　unable　to　express　it　or　unwilling　actually　to　mit　my　feelings　to　words。　I　wanted　to　say；　〃Cynthia；　I　love　you；　I've　a