demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第35部分

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n。　I　didn't　remind　him　that　he　had　said　he　would　have　told　me　that　from　minute　one；　because　it　was　better　if　we　all　made　believe　this　was　minute　one　and　that　previous　statements　contained　no　lies。
　Finally；　Cynthia　said；　〃Is　that　one　of　the　ways　that　Ann　Campbell　tried　to　embarrass　her　father？〃
　Kent　nodded。　〃Yeah　。。。　I　never　took　it　for　anything　more　than　that。　The　general　knows…she　made　sure　he　did。　But　my　wife　doesn't；　obviously。　That's　why　I　held　back　on　that。〃
　My　goodness；　I　thought；　the　things　people　will　tell　you　at　midnight；　under　stress；　trying　to　put　their　lives　in　order　because　another　life　just　ended；　and　trying　to　save　whatever　they　can　of　their　career　and　marriage。　Obviously；　Colonel　William　Kent　needed　our　help。　I　said　to　him；　〃We'll　try　to　leave　that　out　of　the　report。〃
　He　nodded。　〃Thanks。　But　with　Ann　gone；　the　general　has　a　clear　field　to　settle　some　scores。　I'll　be　given　the　opportunity　to　resign　for　the　good　of　the　service。　I　might　be　able　to　save　my　marriage。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃We'll　do　what　we　can。〃
　〃Appreciate　it。〃
　I　asked　him；　〃What　other　scores　would　the　general　like　to　settle？〃
　Kent　smiled　grimly。　〃Christ；　she　fucked　for　the　general's　entire　male　staff。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Everybody。　Well；　at　least　most　of　them。　Everyone　from　that　young　lieutenant；　Elby；　his　aide…de…camp；　right　up　the　chain　through　most　of　his　immediate　staff；　plus　the　staff　judge　advocate；　and　people　like　me　in　key　positions。〃
　〃My　God　。。。〃　said　Cynthia；　〃are　you　serious？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　am。〃
　〃But　why？〃
　〃I　told　you。　She　hated　her　father。〃
　〃Well；〃　Cynthia　said；　〃she　didn't　think　much　of　herself；　either。〃
　〃No；　she　didn't。　And　if　I'm　any　indication；　then　the　men　who　slept　with　her　didn't　think　much　of　themselves　afterward。〃　He　added；　〃It　wasn't　easy　to　turn　that　down。〃　He　looked　at　me　and　tried　to　smile。　〃Can　you　relate　to　that；　Mr。　Brenner？〃
　I　felt　a　bit　unfortable　with　the　question；　but　answered　truthfully。　〃Yes；　I　understand。　But　I'm　not　married；　and　I　don't　work　for　General　Campbell。〃
　He　smiled　wider。　〃Then　you　wouldn't　have　been　one　of　her　candidates；　so　you'd　never　be　put　to　the　test。〃
　〃Well　。。。〃
　He　added；　〃If　you　had　no　power；　you　got　no　pussy。〃　Cynthia　interjected；　〃And　she　told　you…told　everyone…who　she　slept　with？〃
　〃I　assume　she　did。　I　think　that　was　part　of　the　program；　to　spread　corruption；　mistrust；　fear；　anxiety；　and　so　forth。　But　I　think　she　lied　sometimes　about　who　she'd　serviced。〃
　〃So；　for　instance；〃　I　asked；　〃you　can't　say　for　sure　if　she　had　slept　with　the　post　chaplain；　Major　Eames；　or　the　post　adjutant；　Colonel　Fowler？〃
　〃Not　for　sure。　She　claimed　she'd　seduced　both　of　those　two；　for　example；　but　I　think　at　least　Colonel　Fowler　was　not　taken　in　by　her。　Fowler　once　told　me　that　he　knew　all　about　this　and　that　I　was　part　of　the　problem。　I　think　he　meant　that　he　wasn't。　He　was　the　only　one　the　general　trusted　pletely；　and　probably　for　that　reason。〃
　I　nodded。　I　could　see　Fowler　telling　Ann　Campbell　something　like　〃Don't　try　that　with　me；　young　lady。　I　don't　need　you。〃
　Cynthia　said　to　Kent；　〃This　is　bizarre　。。。　I　mean；　it's　sick。〃
　Kent　nodded。　〃Well；　regarding　that；　Ann　once　told　me　she　was　conducting　a　field　experiment　in　psychological　warfare；　and　the　enemy　was　Daddy。〃　He　laughed；　but　it　was　not　a　happy　laugh。　He　said；　〃She　hated　him。　I　mean　from　the　bottom　of　her　guts　and　with　all　her　heart。　She　couldn't　destroy　him；　but　she　was　doing　a　hell　of　a　job　hurting　him。〃
　Again；　no　one　spoke　for　some　time；　then　Cynthia　said；　as　if　to　herself；　〃But　why？〃
　〃She　never　told　me；〃　Kent　replied。　〃I　don't　think　she　ever　told　anyone。　She　knew；　he　knew；　and　maybe　Mrs。　Campbell　knew。　This　was　not　a　real　happy　family。〃
　〃And　maybe；〃　I　said；　〃Charles　Moore　knew。〃
　〃No　doubt　about　it。　But　maybe　we　will　never　know。　I'll　tell　you　one　thing　I　believe。　Moore　was　the　force　behind　this。　Moore　told　her　how　she　could　get　back　at　her　father　for　whatever　it　was　he　did　to　her。〃
　Which；　I　thought；　was　probably　true。　But　that　didn't　establish　a　motive　for　him　to　kill　her。　Quite　the　opposite。　She　was　his　protégé；　his　shield　against　the　general's　wrath；　his　most　successful　experiment。　The　bastard　deserved　to　die；　but　he　should　die　for　the　right　reason。　I　asked　Kent；　〃And　where　did　your　trysts　with　the　general's　daughter　take　place？〃
　He　replied；　〃Here　and　there。　Mostly　motels　out　on　the　highway；　but　she　wasn't　shy　about　doing　it　right　here　on　post；　in　her　office；　my　office。〃
　〃And　at　her　place？〃
　〃Once　in　a　while。　I　guess　I　misled　you　about　that。　But　she　liked　to　keep　her　place　off　limits。〃
　Either　he　didn't　know　about　the　room　in　the　basement；　or　he　didn't　know　I　knew；　and　if　he　was　in　any　of　those　photos；　he　wasn't　going　to　volunteer　that　information。
　Kent　said　to　us；　〃So　if　Moore　is　the　killer；　you've　wrapped　it　up　without　too　much　damage　to　the　Army　and　to　the　people　here　at　Hadley。　But　if　Moore　is　not　the　killer；　and　you're　looking　for　new　suspects；　then　you're　going　to　have　to　start　questioning　a　lot　of　men　here　on　this　post；　Paul。　I've　e　clean；　and　you　should　make　them　e　clean；　too。　As　you　say；　this　is　homicide；　and　to　hell　with　careers；　reputations；　and　good　order　and　discipline。〃　He　added；　〃Jesus；　can　you　see　the　newspapers？　Think　about　that　story。　An　entire　general　staff　and　most　of　the　senior　officers　on　an　Army　post　corrupted　and　promised　by　a　single　female　officer。　That　will　set　things　back　a　few　decades。〃　He　added；　〃I　hope　Moore　is　the　guy；　and　that's　as　far　as　it　has　to　go。〃
　I　replied；　〃If　you're　hinting　that　Colonel　Moore　is　the　best　man　to　hang；　though　perhaps　not　the　right　man；　then　I　have　to　remind　you　of　our　oath。〃
　〃I'm　just　telling　you　both　that　you　should　not　dig　where　you　don't　have　to　dig。　And　if　Moore　is　the　guy；　don't　let　him　try　to　take　everyone　with　him。　If　he　mitted　murder；　then　everyone　else's　adulteries　and　actions　unbeing　an　officer　are　not　relevant；　and　are　not　mitigating　circumstances　for　his　crime。　That's　the　law。　Let's　take　one　court…martial　at　a　time。〃
　Kent　turned　out　to　be　not　as　dull　as　I'd　remembered　him。　It's　amazing　how　sharp　a　man　can　get　when　he's　looking　at　dishonor；　disgrace；　divorce；　and　perhaps　a　board　of　official　inquiry　into　his　behavior。　The　Army　still　prosecutes　for　wrongful　diddling；　and　Colonel　Kent　definitely　diddled　wrong。　Sometimes　I'm　awed　at　the　power　of　raw　sex；　at　how　much　people　are　willing　to　risk…their　honor；　their　fortunes；　even　their　lives…for　an　hour　between　two　thighs。　On　the　other　hand；　if　the　thighs　belonged　to　Ann　Campbell　。。。　but　that's　a　moot　issue。
　I　said　to　Kent；　〃Indeed；　T　appreciate　your　honesty；　Colonel。　When　one　man　es　forth　and　tells　the　truth；　others　will　do　the　same。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　Kent　replied；　〃but　I　would　appreciate　it　if　you　kept　my　name　out　of　it。〃
　〃I　will；　but　it　doesn't　matter　in　the　long　run。〃
　〃No；　it　doesn't。　I'm　finished。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I　knew　that　two　years　ago　when　I　first　got　involved　with　her。〃　He　added；　almost　light…heartedly；　〃She　must　have　kept　some　sort　of　service　schedule；　because　just　when　I　thought　I　could　make　myself　believe　I'd　never　slept　with　her；　she'd　stop　by　my　office　and　ask　me　to　have　drinks　with　her。〃
　Cynthia　inquired；　〃Didn't　you　ever　think　to　say　no？〃
　Kent　smiled　at　Cynthia。　〃Did　you　ever　ask　a　man　to　have　sex　with　you；　and　the　guy　said　no？〃
　Cynthia　seemed　a　bit　put　off　by　that　and　replied；　〃I　don't　ask　men。〃
　〃Well；〃　Kent　advised　her；　〃try　it。　Pick　any　married　man　and　ask　him　to　have　sex　with　you。〃
　〃The　subject；〃　said　Cynthia；　very　coolly；　〃is　not　me；　Colonel。〃
　〃All　right；　I　apologize。　But　to　answer　your　question；　Ann　Campbell　would　not　take　no　for　an　answer。　I'm　not　saying　she　blackmailed　anyone。　She　never　did；　but　there　was　an　element　of　coercion　sometimes。　Also；　she　expected　expensive　gifts…perfume；　clothes；　airline　tickets；　and　so　forth。　And　here's　the　crazy　thing…she　really　didn't　care　about　the　gifts。　She　just　wanted　me；　and　I　guess　everyone　else；　to　feel　the　pinch　once　in　a　while；　to　part　with　more　than　a　little　time。　It　was　sort　of　a　control　thing　with　her。〃　He　added；　〃I　remember　once　she　asked　me　to　bring　her　a　bottle　of　some　expensive　perfume。　Can't　remember　what　it　was；　but　it　set　me　back　about　four　hundred　dollars；　and　I　had　to　cover　that　at　home　with　a　loan　from　the　credit　union；　and　eat　lunch　in　the　damned　mess　hall　for　a　month。〃　He　laughed　at　the　thought；　then　said；　〃My　God。；　I'm　glad　it's　all　over。〃
　〃Well；　but　it's　not；〃　I　reminded　him。
　〃It　is　for　me。〃
　〃I　hope　so；　Bill。〃　I　asked　him；　〃Did　she　ever　ask　you　to　promise　your　duties？〃
　He　hesitated；　then　replied；　〃Just　small　things。　Traffic　tickets　for　friends；　a　speeding　citation　for　her　once。　Nothing　major。〃
　〃I　beg　to　differ；　Colonel。〃
　He　nodded。　〃I　have　no　excuses　for　my　conduct。〃
　That's　exactly　what　he　was　going　to　say　in　front　of　a　board　of　inquiry；　and　that　was　the　best　and　only　thing　he　could　say。　I　wondered　how　she　promised　the　other　men；　besides　sexually。　A　favor　here；　a　special　consideration　there；　and　who　knew　what　else　she　wanted　and　got？　In　my　twenty　years　in　the　service；　including　fifteen　in　the　Criminal　Investigation　Division；　I　had　never　seen　or　heard　of　such　rampant　corruption　on　an　Army　base。
　Cynthia　asked　Kent；　〃And　the　general　could　neither　stop　her　nor　get　rid　of　her？〃
　〃No。　Not　without　exposing　himself　as　an　ineffective　and　negligent　mander。　By　the　time　he　realized　his　recruiting　poster　daughter　had　screwed　and　promised　everyone　around　him；　it　was　too　late　for　official　action。　The　only　way　he　could　have　righted　things　was　to　inform　his　superiors　in　the　Pentagon　of　everything；　ask　for　everyone's　resignation　here；　then　offer　his　own　resignation。〃　Kent　added；　〃He　couldn't　have　gone　too　wrong　if　he　just　shot　himself。〃
　〃Or　killed　her；〃　Cynthia　suggested。
　Again；　Kent　shrugged。　〃Maybe。　But　not　the　way　she　was　killed。〃
　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃if　we　didn't　already　have　a　prime　suspect；　you'd　be　one　of　many；　Colonel。〃
　〃Right。　But　I　didn't　get　burned　as　badly　as　some　of　the　others。　Some　of　them　were　actually　in　love　with　her；　obsessed；　and　maybe　homicidally　jealous。　Like　that　young　kid；　Elby。　He　used　to　mope　for　weeks　when　she　ignored　him。　Interrogate　Moore；　and　if　you　think　he　didn't　kill　her；　then　ask　him　for　his　list　of　suspects。　That　ba