demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第33部分

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Armor　and　Infantry　Joint　Operations；'　'The　Ambush；'　'The　Night　Patrol；'　and　so　on。〃
　〃No　picnic　areas？〃
　〃Not　that　I　recall。　There's　also　an　old　ranger　camp　in　there；　a　mock　European　town　for　urban　warfare；　and　a　mock　Vietnamese　village　where　I　got　killed　about　six　times。〃
　〃You　must　have　learned　your　lesson。〃
　〃Apparently。　There's　also　a　mock　POW　camp；　which　the　Psy…Ops　School　has　taken　over。　That's　still　active；　and　it's　a　restricted　area。〃
　〃I　see。〃　She　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃So；　with　all　that　space　out　there；　a　hundred　thousand　acres；　tell　me　why　Ann　Campbell　picked　a　spot　on　an　active　rifle　range；　fifty　meters　from　the　road；　with　guard　trucks；　MPs；　and　a　guard　post　a　kilometer　away。〃
　〃Well；　I　thought　about　that；　and　three　things　e　to　mind。　First；　the　obvious　thing　is　that　she　was　just　going　about　her　duties　and　got　jumped。　She　didn't　pick　the　spot。　He　did。　That's　what　everybody　here　thinks；　but　we're　not　buying　that。〃
　〃No；　we're　not。　So　if　she　picked　the　spot；　she　picked　a　spot　that　her　partner　could　find　easily；　because　unless　you　were　a　good　ranger　or　something；　you　could　miss　a　rendezvous　out　in　the　deep　woods。〃
　〃That's　correct。　That　was　my　second　thought。　The　guy　was　not　fortable　or　familiar　with　the　woods　at　night。〃　I　said；　〃Here's　your　turn　for　Jordan　Field。〃
　〃I　see　it。〃　She　made　the　right　onto　the　airfield　road　and　asked　me；　〃Your　third　thought？〃
　〃Well；　Ann　Campbell　picked　what　amounted　to　a　nearly　public　place　because　it　presented　an　element　of　danger。　Part　of　the　kick；　and　maybe；　just　maybe；　an　element　of　'let's　see　what　I　can　get　away　with　on　Daddy's　property。'　〃　I　looked　at　Cynthia；　who　was　nodding。
　Cynthia　said；　〃You　may　have　something　there；　Paul。　Pushing　it　in　Daddy's　face。〃
　〃Yes。　But　that's　supposing　that　Ann　and　Daddy　seriously　did　not　like　each　other；〃　I　pointed　out。
　〃You　suggested　that　when　we　were　searching　her　house。〃
　〃Right。　But　I　don't　know　why　I　thought　that。　It's　just　that　I　thought　it　can't　be　easy　to　be　the　child　of　a　powerful　man；　to　live　in　his　shadow。　It's　a　mon　syndrome。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　I　don't　have　one　piece　of　information　that　says　that's　so　in　this　case；　so　why　do　I　think　it　is　so？〃
　〃Because　the　lack　of　something　said　is　as　revealing　as　what　is　said。　More　so。　Did　anyone　say　the　general　and　his　daughter　were　inseparable；　close；　loving；　or　even　good　friends？〃
　〃Well；　the　general　did　say　his　daughter　would　have　liked　me。〃
　〃I　don't　care　what　the　general　said。　No　one　else　said　anything　like　that…not　Kent；　not　Fowler；　not　Moore；　not　Yardley；　and　not　even　General　Campbell　himself；　if　you　think　about　it。　So　now　we　should　find　out　what　General　and　Captain　Campbell　thought　of　each　other。〃
　Again　she　nodded；　and　said；　〃I　have　this　feeling　that　there's　not　much　more　left　in　the　clue　bag；　and　we'd　better　start　putting　it　all　together　before　we　get　booted　or　pushed　aside　by　the　FBI。〃
　〃You　got　that　right。　I　give　this　case　two　or　three　more　days。　After　that　we　start　running　into　well…entrenched　defenses。　As　it　says　in　the　tank　mander's　manual；　our　immediate　advantage　is　shock；　mobility；　and　firepower。　We've　got　to　hit　them　hardest　where　they're　softest；　and　fastest　where　they're　slowest。〃
　〃And　get　there　firstest　with　the　mostest。〃
　〃Precisely。〃
　'We　pulled　up　to　the　MP　booth　at　Jordan　Field；　showed　our　ID；　and　were　waved　through。
　Cynthia　parked　her　car　among　the　vans　and　trucks　of　the　forensic　lab；　and　I　took　the　plastic'　bag　of　clothing　out　of　the　trunk；　using　a　handkerchief；　while　Cynthia　carried　the　hairbrush。　Cynthia　said；　〃If　she　took　her　own　clothes　off；　he　held　the　bag；　so　there　may　not　be　any　of　the　other　person's　prints　on　her　holster；　boots；　belt　buckle；　or　anywhere。　Except　perhaps　the　bag　itself。〃
　〃We'll　soon　find　out。〃
　We　walked　toward　the　hangar；　and　she　said；　〃You're　pretty　sharp；　Brenner。　I'm　starting　to　admire　you。〃
　〃But　do　you　like　me？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Do　you　love　me？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃You　said　you　did　in　Brussels。〃
　〃I　did；　in　Brussels。　We'll　talk　about　it　next　week；　or　maybe　later　tonight。〃
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN
　
　Hangar　three　was　bathed　in　bright　overhead　lighting　and　busy　with　the　activities　of　Fort　Gillem's　transplanted　forensic　units。　Colonel　Kent　had　not　yet　arrived；　which　was　fine　for　the　moment。
　I　presented　the　plastic　trash　bag　and　the　hairbrush　to　Cal　Seiver；　who　needed　no　explanation。　He　gave　the　bag　and　the　brush　to　a　fingerprint　technician　and　instructed　him　to　pass　it　on　to　the　trace　evidence　section　after　the　prints　had　been　lifted。
　With　that　bag　of　clothing；　hangar　three　now　contained　all　the　known　artifacts　of　Captain　Ann　Campbell；　excluding　the　mortal　remains　of　the　victim　herself；　but　including　her　automobile；　her　office；　and　home。　In　addition；　I　saw　that　we　also　had　in　the　hangar　the　humvee　she　had　used　that　night。　As　we　got　toward　the　rear　of　the　hangar；　I　saw　the　recently　developed　photos　of　the　crime　scene；　all　of　which　were　pinned　to　rolling　bulletin　boards；　plus　sketch　maps　and　diagrams　of　the　crime　scene；　a　rising　stack　of　laboratory　reports；　the　protocol　plete　with　color　photos　of　the　cadaver；　which　I　did　not　look　at；　plaster　casts　of　footprints；　cellophane　bags　of　evidence；　forensic　laboratory　equipment；　and　about　thirty　personnel；　male　and　female。
　In　one　corner　of　the　hangar　were　about　two　dozen　cots；　and　in　another　corner　was　a　coffee　bar。　The　Army；　of　course；　has　almost　unlimited　resources　and　personnel；　and　there's　no　overtime　pay　to　worry　about；　and　probably　no　other　major　crime　at　the　moment　that　would　divert　any　resources。　Sometimes　even　I　am　in　awe　of　the　force　that　is　assembled　and　set　in　motion　with　a　few　words；　sort　of　like　when　Roosevelt　said　to　Eisenhower；　〃Assemble　a　force　for　the　invasion　of　Europe。〃　Simple；　direct；　and　to　the　point。　This　is　the　Army　at　its　best。　It's　at　its　worst　when　politicians　try　to　play　soldier　and　soldiers　start　to　play　politics。　That　can　happen　in　criminal　investigations；　as　well　as　in　war；　which　is　why　I　knew　my　time　to　act　freely　could　be　counted　in　days　and　hours。
　Cal　Seiver　showed　me　a　copy　of　the　Midland　Dispatch；　the　local　daily；　whose　headline　announced；　GENERAL'S　DAUGHTER　FOUND　DEAD　AT　FORT。
　Cynthia　and　I　read　the　article；　the　thrust　of　which　was　that　Captain　Ann　Campbell　had　been　found　naked；　bound；　strangled；　and　possibly　raped；　out　on　a　rifle　range。　The　story　was　about　half　accurate；　and　the　only　direct　quote　from　Fort　Hadley　came　from　a　Captain　Hillary　Barnes；　a　public　information　officer；　who　stated　that　she　had　no　official　ment　except　that　the　apparent　homicide　was　being　investigated　by　the　Army　Criminal　Investigation　Division。
　There　was；　however；　a　quote　from　the　Midland　chief　of　police；　Burt　Yardley；　who　said；　〃I've　offered　my　assistance　to　Colonel　Kent；　provost　marshal　at　Fort　Hadley；　and　we　are　in　close　contact。〃
　He　failed　to　mention　the　problem　of　the　purloined　house　or　that　he　wanted　my　ass　delivered　to　him　on　a　silver　platter；　but　after　our　next　meeting；　he　might　start　whining　to　the　press　about　me。
　Cal　asked　Cynthia；　〃Are　those　the　running　shoes　you　wore　at　the　scene？〃
　〃Yes。　Do　you　want　just　the　shoes　or　my　feet　in　them？〃
　〃Just　the　shoes；　please。〃
　Cynthia　sat　on　a　folding　chair；　pulled　off　her　running　shoes；　and　handed　them　to　Cal。　He　said　to　me；　〃Where　are　the　boots　you　were　wearing　at　the　scene？〃
　〃In　my　off…post　quarters。　I　forgot　to　bring　them。〃
　〃Can　I　have　them　one　of　these　days？〃
　〃Sure。　One　of　these　days。　I'm　sort　of　confined　to　the　post　for　a　while。〃
　〃Again？　Jesus；　Brenner；　every　time　I　work　on　a　case　with　you　that　involves　the　civilian　police；　you　piss　them　off。〃
　〃Not　every　time。　Okay；　Cal；　I'd　like　you　to　send　a　team　out　to　rifle　range　five　to　get　casts　of　some　tire　marks。〃　I　told　him　where　they　would　be　found；　and　he　started　to　amble　off　to　take　care　of　it。　I　said；　〃One　more　thing。　When　they're　finished　there；　have　them　go　to　Victory　Gardens　on　Victory　Drive　and　take　casts　of　a　set　of　tires　on　a　Ford　Fairlane；　probably　gray；　1985　or　'86；　with　an　officers'　bumper　sticker。　I　don't　have　a　license　plate　number　for　you；　but　look　around　unit　thirty…nine。〃
　He　regarded　me　a　moment　and　replied；　〃If　the　car　belongs　to　a　soldier；　we　can　wait　until　the　car　shows　up　on　post。〃
　〃I　want　it　tonight。〃
　〃e　on；　Brenner；　I　can't　collect　evidence　outside　government　property　without　permission　from　the　locals；　and　you　already　blew　that。〃
　〃Right。　Don't　use　an　Army　vehicle。　Unit　forty…five；　the　victim's　residence；　is　probably　being　secured　by　the　Midland　police；　but　the　cop　on　duty　will　most　likely　be　inside。　Tell　your　guys　to　be　careful　and　be　quick。〃
　〃It　can　wait　until　the　car　gets　on　post。〃
　〃Okay。〃　I　put　my　hand　on　his　shoulder。　〃I　understand。　I　just　hope　those　tires　don't　disappear　from　that　car　by　morning。　Gosh；　I　hope　the　whole　car　doesn't　disappear　tonight。　But　that's　all　right。　Wait　until　morning。〃
　〃Okay；　Victory　Gardens。　You're　pushing　your　luck；　hotshot。〃　He　walked　off　toward　a　group　of　people　who　were　labeling　plaster　footprints　and　making　notations　on　a　sketch　map　of　the　crime　scene。　Cal　handed　them　Cynthia's　running　shoes　and　spoke　to　them；　presumably　about　their　midnight　mission；　because　he　kept　jerking　his　thumb　toward　me；　and　the　techs　were　glaring　at　me。
　I　got　a　cup　of　coffee　for　myself　and　brought　one　to　Cynthia；　who　was　leafing　through　lab　reports。　She　took　the　coffee　and　said；　〃Thanks。　Look　at　this。〃　She　showed　me　a　report　from　the　footprint　people。　〃They　found　a　print　of　a　smooth…soled　shoe；　size　seven；　possibly　a　woman's　civilian　shoe。　That's　not　usual　on　a　rifle　range；　is　it？〃
　〃No；　it's　not。〃
　〃What　does　that　suggest？〃
　I　scanned　the　report；　which　speculated　that　the　footprint　was　recent。　I　said；　〃Interesting。　But　it　could　have　been　made　a　few　days　ago；　for　all　we　know。　It　hasn't　rained　here　in　about　a　week。〃
　〃Right。　But　it's　something　to　think　about。〃
　We　flipped　through　reports　from　the　various　forensic　units　for　about　fifteen　minutes；　then　Cal　called　over　to　us　from　one　of　his　makeshift　lab　areas；　and　we　joined　him　at　a　table　where　a　female　technician　was　peering　through　a　microscope。　Cal　said；　〃You　may　have　hit　pay　dirt　with　that　hairbrush。　Where'd　it　e　from？〃
　I　patted　his　bald　head。　〃Not　from　you。〃
　The　technician　laughed　as　she　buri