demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第32部分

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　A　humvee　turned　the　corner　up　ahead　and　came　toward　us。　It　stopped　and　an　MP　dismounted　from　the　passenger　side　while　the　driver　stayed　in　the　vehicle；　pointing　his　headlights　at　us。　The　MP；　a　corporal　named　Stroud；　saluted；　which　is　customary；　then　asked　us；　〃Do　you　have　business　here？〃
　I　replied；　〃Yes。　CID。〃　I　held　up　my　identification；　which　he　examined　with　a　flashlight；　then　examined　Cynthia's　and　turned　out　his　light。　〃Who　do　you　have　business　with；　sir？〃
　〃The　duty　sergeant。　Why　don't　you　escort　us；　Corporal？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　He　walked　with　us　to　the　headquarters　and　asked；　〃The　Campbell　murder？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　so。〃
　〃Damned　shame。〃
　〃Did　you　know　her？〃　Cynthia　asked。
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　Not　well；　but　I'd　see　her　here　at　night　sometimes。　Lots　of　what　they　do　here；　they　do　at　night。〃　He　added；　〃Nice　lady。　Got　any　leads？〃
　I　replied；　〃Not　yet。〃
　〃Glad　to　see　you're　working　all　night　on　this。〃
　We　all　entered　the　headquarters　building；　where　a　staff　sergeant　was　sitting　in　an　office　located　to　the　right　of　the　small　lobby。　He　saw　us　and　stood　as　we　entered。　After　the　preliminaries；　I　said　to　the　duty　sergeant；　whose　name　was　Corman；　〃Sergeant；　I'd　like　to　see　Colonel　Moore's　office。〃
　Sergeant　Corman　scratched　his　head　and　glanced　at　Corporal　Stroud；　then　replied；　〃Can't　do　that；　sir。〃
　〃Sure　you　can。　Let's　go。〃
　He　stood　his　ground。　〃I　really　can't　without　proper　authorization。　This　is　a　restricted　area。〃
　In　the　Army；　you　don't　actually　need　probable　cause　or　a　search　warrant；　and　if　you　did；　the　warrant　wouldn't　be　issued　by　a　military　judge　because　they　have　no　power　outside　a　court…martial。　What　I　needed　was　someone　in　the　chain　of　mand。　I　asked　Sergeant　Corman；　〃Does　Colonel　Moore　keep　a　personal　locker　in　his　office？〃
　He　hesitated；　then　replied；　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Good。　Go　and　get　me　his　hairbrush　or　b。〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃He　needs　to　b　his　hair。　We'll　stay　here　and　cover　the　phone。〃
　〃Sir；　this　is　a　restricted　area。　I　must　ask　you　to　leave。〃　I　said；　〃May　I　use　your　phone？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Privately。〃
　〃I　can't　leave…〃
　MP　Corporal　Stroud　will　stay　here。　Thank　you。〃
　He　hesitated；　then　walked　out　of　the　office。　I　said　to　Stroud；　〃Whatever　you　hear　is　confidential。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　I　looked　up　Colonel　Fowler's　Bethany　Hill　phone　number　in　the　post　directory；　and　Fowler　answered　on　the　third　ring。　I　said；　〃Colonel；　this　is　Mr。　Brenner。　I'm　sorry　to　bother　you　at　this　hour。〃　Actually　I　wasn't。　〃But　I　need　you　to　authorize　me　to　remove　something　from　Colonel　Moore's　office。〃
　〃Where　the　hell　are　you；　Brenner？〃　He　sounded　as　if　he　might　have　been　sleeping。
　I　replied；　〃At　the　Psy…Ops　School；　Colonel。〃
　〃At　this　hour？〃
　〃I　must　have　lost　track　of　the　time。〃
　〃What　do　you　have　to　remove　from　Colonel　Moore's　office？〃
　〃Actually；　I'd　like　to　remove　the　entire　office　to　Jordan　Field。〃
　He　replied；　〃I　can't　authorize　that。　That　school　is　run　from　Fort　Bragg；　and　it's　a　restricted　area。　Colonel　Moore's　office　is　full　of　classified　documents。　But　I'll　call　Bragg　in　the　morning　and　see　what　I　can　do。〃
　I　didn't　mention　that　I　already　had　Ann　Campbell's　office　at　Jordan　Field。　This　is　what　happens　when　you　ask　permission　to　do　anything　in　the　Army。　The　answer　is　always　no；　then　you　negotiate。　I　said；　〃Well；　then；　Colonel；　give　me　permission　to　seal　the　office。〃
　〃Seal　the　office？　What　the　hell's　going　on？〃
　〃A　murder　investigation。〃
　〃Don't　be　flippant　with　me；　Mr。　Brenner。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃I'll　call　Bragg　in　the　morning。　That's　all　I　can　do。〃
　〃That's　not　enough；　Colonel。〃
　〃You　know；　Mr。　Brenner；　I　appreciate　your　hard　work　and　initiative；　but　you　can't　be　charging　around　like　a　bull；　wreaking　havoc　wherever　you　go。　There's　only　one　murderer　out　there；　and　you　should　give　some　thought　to　the　feelings　of　the　remainder　of　the　people　on　this　post。　And　while　you're　doing　that；　you　may　want　to　keep　in　mind　Army　regulations；　customs；　protocols；　and　courtesy。　Do　you　follow　me；　Mr。　Brenner？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　What　I　actually　need　at　the　moment　is　a　sample　of　Colonel　Moore's　hair　to　match　up　with　a　strand　found　at　the　scene　of　the　murder。　You　could　call　Colonel　Moore　at　home；　sir；　and　have　him　report　to　the　forensic　lab　at　Jordan　Field　for　a　plucking；　or　we　can　get　a　sample　of　his　hair　from　his　b　or　brush　here；　which　I　would　prefer；　as　time　is　short。　Also；　I'd　rather　that　Colonel　Moore　did　not　know　he　was　a　suspect　at　the　moment。〃　I　noticed　Corporal　Stroud's　eyes　widen。
　There　was　a　long　silence；　then　Colonel　Fowler　said；　〃All　right；　I'll　let　you　take　his　brush　or　b；　but　if　anything　else　in　his　office　is　touched；　I'll　have　you　charged。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Will　you　instruct　the　duty　sergeant？〃
　〃Put　him　on。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　I　motioned　to　Stroud；　who　went　out　and　got　Sergeant　Corman。　I　said　to　Corman；　〃Colonel　Fowler；　the　post　adjutant；　wishes　to　speak　to　you。〃
　He　took　the　phone　without　enthusiasm；　and　his　end　of　the　conversation　went　something　like　〃Yes；　sir。　Yes；　sir。　Yes；　sir。　Yes；　sir。〃　He　hung　up　and　said　to　me；　〃if　you'll　cover　the　phones；　I'll　go　look　for　his　brush　or　b。〃
　〃Fine。　Wrap　it　in　a　handkerchief。〃
　He　took　a　set　of　keys　and　left　the　office。　I　heard　his　footsteps　retreating　down　the　hallway。
　I　said　to　Corporal　Stroud；　〃We'll　be　outside。　Wait　here　and　collect　the　evidence。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Corporal　Stroud　seemed　happy　to　be　of　help　in　the　case。　Cynthia　and　I　went　outside　and　stood　in　the　headlights　of　the　MP　vehicle。
　Cynthia　said　to　me；　〃This　place　is　tight。〃
　〃If　you　were　conducting　experiments　in　brainwashing；　interrogation　techniques；　morale　destruction；　and　producing　fear　and　panic；　you　might　not　want　outsiders　snooping　around。〃
　〃That's　what　she　was　involved　in；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃I　believe　so。〃　I　added；　〃They　have　cell　blocks　here　where　they　keep　volunteers　for　their　experiments；　and　they　have　an　entire　mock　POW　camp　out　on　the　reservation。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　all　this？〃
　〃I　worked　on　a　case　with　a　psychologist　about　a　year　ago　who　had　once　been　stationed　here。　He　applied　for　a　transfer。〃
　〃I　guess　this　place　could　get　to　you。〃
　〃Yes。　You　know；　I　found　apiece　of　paper　in　Ann　Campbell's　personnel　file…another　Nietzsche　quote。　It　said；　'Whoever　fights　monsters　should　see　to　it　that　in　the　process　he　does　not　bee　a　monster。　And　when　you　look　long　into　the　abyss；　the　abyss　also　looks　into　you。'　〃
　〃How　in　the　world　did　that　get　in　there？〃
　〃Don't　know；　but　I　think　I　understand　what　it　means。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　I　think　we　both　do。〃　She　said；　〃Sometimes　I　want　to　do　something　else　for　a　living。　I'm　getting　tired　of　vaginal　swabs　and　DNA　testing　of　sperm；　and　taking　statements　from　rapists　and　rape　victims。〃
　〃Right。　I　think　ten　years　is　the　limit。　I've　had　almost　twenty。　This　is　my　last　case。〃
　〃Do　you　say　that　every　time？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Corporal　Stroud　came　out　of　the　headquarters　building　holding　something　in　his　hand；　and　as　he　got　closer；　we　could　see　him　smiling。　He　called　out；　〃He　found　it。〃
　We　met　him　on　the　sidewalk；　and　he　handed　me　a　hairbrush　wrapped　in　an　olive…drab　handkerchief。
　I　said　to　him；　〃You　know　about　chain　of　custody。　I　need　a　statement　from　you　describing　how　and　where　we　found　this；　when；　who；　and　so　forth。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Signed；　sealed；　marked　'Brenner；'　and　in　the　provost　marshal's　office　before　0600　hours。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Cynthia　asked　him；　〃Would　you　know　what　kind　of　vehicle　Colonel　Moore　drives？〃
　He　thought　a　moment。　〃Let's　see　。。。　old　car　。。。　kind　of　beat…up　。。。　gray　sedan　。。。　what　the　hell　is　that？　Right；　a　big　Ford　Fairlane；　about　'85　or　'86。〃
　〃You've　been　very　helpful。〃　She　added；　〃This　is　all　strictly　confidential。〃
　Corporal　Stroud　nodded　and　offered；　〃Anything　else　you　want　to　know　about　Colonel　Moore；　ask　me；　and　if　I　don't　know；　I'll　find　out。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　I　said。　Clearly；　there　were　those　who　would　like　to　see　Colonel　Moore　on　death　row　in　Leavenworth。
　We　exchanged　salutes　and　went　back　to　our　respective　vehicles。
　Cynthia　put　the　Mustang　in　gear。　〃Jordan　Field？〃
　〃Right。〃
　We　left　the　main　post　again　and　drove　out　onto　the　military　reservation。　The　100；000　acres　of　government　property　puted　to　something　like　150　square　miles　of　mostly　uninhabited　land。　There　are；　however；　backcountry　people；　poachers；　hunters；　and　trappers　who　trespassed　frequently。　Also；　from　the　days　that　preceded　Camp　Hadley；　there　are　ghost　towns；　old　cemeteries；　country　churches；　abandoned　quarries　and　logging　camps；　as　well　as　ramshackle　structures　from　what　used　to　be　the　Beaumont　Plantation。　It　was　a　unique　environment；　sort　of　frozen　in　time　when　the　government　exercised　its　right　of　eminent　domain　to　meet　the　national　emergency　of　the　great　war　to　end　all　wars。
　As　I　said；　I　took　my　infantry　basic　training　and　advanced　infantry　training　here；　and　I　still　remember　the　terrain：　an　inhospitable　and　eerily　quiet　landscape　of　wooded　hills；　lakes　and　ponds；　swamps　and　marshes；　and　a　species　of　hanging　moss　that　gave　off　a　phosphorescent　glow　at　night　that　caused　visual　disorientation。
　The　training　itself　was　a　grueling　program　whose　objective　was　to　turn　normally　fucked…up　American　kids　into　efficient；　motivated；　and　loyal　bat…ready　soldiers　with　a　healthy　desire　to　kill。　The　whole　process　took　only　four　months；　though　they　were　long；　intensive　months。　With　a　little　leave　time　thrown　in；　you　could　enter　the　Army　in　June；　after　high　school；　as　I　did；　and　find　yourself　in　the　jungle　with　an　M16　rifle　before　Christmas；　as　I　also　did；　with　new　clothes　and　a　different　head。　Amazing。
　Cynthia　said；　apropos　of　my　silence；　〃Are　you　solving　the　case？〃
　〃No；　I　was　reminiscing。　I　took　my　infantry　training　here。〃
　〃Was　that　World　War　II　or　Korea？〃
　〃You're　engaging　in　unacceptable　ageism。　Watch　yourself。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　I　said；　〃Have　you　ever　penetrated　into　the　wilds　of　this　reservation？〃
　〃No。　Rifle　range　six　is　as　far　as　I've　gone。〃
　〃That's　only　scratching　the　surface。　If　you　take　this　road　ing　up　to　the　left　here…General　Pershing　Road…it　leads　to　the　major　training　sites。　There　are　artillery　and　mortar　practice　ranges　and　areas　for　special　training　exercises；　like　things　called　'The　Rifle　pany　in　the　Attack；'　and　'Armor　and　Infantry　Joint　Operations；'　'The　Ambush；'　'The　Night　Patrol；'　and　so　on。〃
　〃No　picni