demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第4部分

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　phones。〃
　〃How　old　is　this　guy？〃　I　asked。
　〃Fifty　something。　Married。　Good　record。〃
　〃Where　is　he　now？〃
　〃Back　at　the　provost　building　catching　some　cot　time。　I　told　him　to　stay　put。〃
　We　had　passed　rifle　ranges　one；　two；　three；　and　four；　all　of　which　lie　to　the　right　of　the　road；　huge　expanses　of　flat；　open　terrain；　backed　by　a　continuous　earthen　berm。　I　hadn't　been　out　here　in　over　twenty　years；　but　I　remembered　the　place。
　Colonel　Kent　continued；　〃So　St。　John　calls　the　guardhouse；　but　Captain　Campbell　is　not　there。　He　asks　the　sergeant　of　the　guard　to　call　the　guard　posts　and　see　if　Campbell　has　e　by。　The　sergeant　of　the　guard　calls　back　a　while　later　and　reports　negative。　So　St。　John　asks　the　sergeant　of　the　guard　to　send　a　responsible　person　to　headquarters　to　watch　the　phones；　and　when　one　of　the　guards　shows　up；　St。　John　gets　in　his　POV　and　heads　out。　He　starts　checking　the　posts　in　order…NCO　Club；　Officers'　Club；　and　so　on…but　not　one　of　the　guards　has　seen　Captain　Campbell。　So；　at　about　0400　hours；　he　goes　out　toward　the　last　guard　post；　which　is　an　ammo　storage　shed；　and　on　the　way；　at　rifle　range　six；　he　sees　her　jeep　。。。　in　fact；　there　it　is。〃
　Up　ahead；　off　to　the　right　on　the　narrow　road；　was　the　humvee；　which　we　old　guys　still　refer　to　as　a　jeep；　in　which；　presumably；　Ann　Campbell　had　driven　to　her　rendezvous　with　death；　if　you　will。　Near　the　humvee　was　someone's　POV…a　red　Mustang。　I　asked　Kent；　〃Where　is　the　guard　post　and　the　guard？〃
　〃The　ammo　shed　is　another　klick　up　the　road。　The　guard；　a　PFC　Robbins；　heard　nothing；　but　saw　headlights。〃
　〃You　questioned　him？〃
　〃Her。　Mary　Robbins。〃　Kent　smiled　for　the　first　time。　〃PFC　is　a　gender…neutral　term；　Paul。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Where　is　PFC　Robbins　now？〃
　〃On　a　cot　in　the　provost　building。〃
　〃Crowded　in　there。　But　good　thinking。〃
　Kent　stopped　the　car　near　the　humvee　and　the　red　Mustang。　It　was　nearly　light　now；　and　I　could　see　the　six　MPs…four　men；　two　women…standing　at　various　spots　around　the　area。　All　of　the　rifle　ranges　had　open　bleacher　seats　off　to　the　left　side　of　the　road　facing　the　ranges；　where　the　troops　received　classroom　instruction　before　proceeding　to　the　firing　line。　In　the　nearby　bleachers　to　my　left　sat　a　woman　in　jeans　and　windbreaker；　writing　on　a　pad。　Kent　and　I　got　out　of　the　car；　and　he　said　to　me；　〃That　is　Ms。　Sunhill。　She's　a　woman。〃
　I　knew　that。　I　asked　Kent；　〃Why　is　she　here？〃
　〃I　called　her。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃She's　a　rape　counselor。〃
　〃The　victim　doesn't　need　counseling。　She's　dead。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Kent　agreed；　〃but　Ms。　Sunhill　is　also　a　rape　investigator。〃
　〃Is　that　a　fact？　What　is　she　doing　at　Hadley？〃
　〃That　female　nurse；　Lieutenant　Neely。　You　know　about　that？〃
　〃Only　what　I　read　in　the　papers。　Could　there　be　a　connection　between　these　cases？〃
　〃No。　An　arrest　was　made　yesterday。〃
　〃What　time　yesterday？〃
　〃About　four　P。M。　Ms。　Sunhill　made　the　arrest　and　by　five　P。M。　we　had　a　confession。〃
　I　nodded。　And　at　six　P。M。　Ms。　Sunhill　was　having　a　drink　in　the　O　Club；　quietly　celebrating　her　success；　and　Ann　Campbell；　I　was　about　to　discover；　was　alive　and　having　dinner　there；　and　I　was　at　the　bar　watching　Cynthia　and　trying　to　get　up　the　courage　to　say　hello　or　make　a　strategic　withdrawal。
　Kent　added；　〃Sunhill　was　supposed　to　go　off　to　another　assignment　today。　But　she　says　she'll　stay　for　this。〃
　〃How　lucky　we　are。〃
　〃Yes；　it's　good　to　have　a　woman　on　these　kinds　of　things。　And　she's　good。　I　saw　her　work。〃
　〃Indeed。〃　I　noticed　that　the　red　Mustang；　which　was　probably　Cynthia's　car；　had　Virginia　license　plates；　like　my　own　POV；　suggesting　that　she　was　working　out　of　Falls　Church；　as　I　was。　But　fate　had　not　caused　our　paths　to　cross　at　the　home　office　but　had　put　us　here　under　these　circumstances。　It　was　inevitable；　anyway。
　I　looked　out　over　the　rifle　range；　on　which　sat　a　morning　mist。　In　front　of　the　berm　stood　pop…up　targets；　at　different　ranges；　dozens　of　nasty…looking　fiberboard　men　with　rifles。　These　lifelike　targets　have　replaced　the　old　black　silhouette　targets；　the　point　being；　I　suppose；　that　if　you're　being　trained　to　kill　men；　then　the　targets　should　look　you　in　the　eye。　However；　from　past　experience；　I　can　tell　you　that　nothing　prepares　you　for　killing　men　except　killing　men。　In　any　case；　birds　were　perched　on　many　of　the　mock　men；　which　sort　of　ruined　the　effect；　at　least　until　the　first　platoon　of　the　day　fired。
　When　I　went　through　infantry　training；　the　firing　ranges　were　bare　of　vegetation；　great　expanses　of　sterile　soil　unlike　any　battlefield　condition　you　were　likely　to　encounter；　except　perhaps　the　desert。　Now；　many　firing　ranges；　like　this　one；　were　planted　with　various　types　of　vegetation　to　partially　obscure　the　fields　of　fire。　About　fifty　meters　opposite　of　where　I　was　standing　on　the　road　there　was　a　pop…up　silhouette　partially　hidden　by　tall　grass　and　evergreen　bushes。　Standing　around　this　target　and　vegetation　were　two　MPs；　a　man　and　a　woman。　At　the　base　of　the　silhouette；　I　could　make　out　something　on　the　ground　that　didn't　belong　there。
　Colonel　Kent　said；　〃This　guy　was　a　sick　puppy。〃　He　added；　as　if　I　didn't　get　it；　〃I　mean；　he　did　it　to　her　right　there　on　the　rifle　range；　with　that　pop…up　guy　sort　of　looking　down　at　her。〃
　If　only　the　pop…up　guy　could　talk。　I　turned　and　looked　around　the　area。　Some　distance　behind　the　bleachers　and　the　fire　control　towers　was　a　tree　line　in　which　I　could　see　latrine　sheds。　I　said　to　Colonel　Kent；　〃Have　you　searched　the　area　for　any　other　possible　victims？〃
　〃No　。。。　well　。。。　we　didn't　want　to　disturb　evidence。〃
　〃But　someone　else　may　also　be　dead；　or　alive　and　in　need　of　assistance。　Evidence　is　secondary　to　aiding　victims。　Says　so　in　the　manual。〃
　〃Right　。。。〃　He　looked　around　and　called　to　an　MP　sergeant。　〃Get　on　the　horn　and　have　Lieutenant　Fullham's　platoon　get　down　here　with　the　dogs。〃
　Before　the　sergeant　could　respond；　a　voice　from　the　top　of　the　bleachers　said；　〃I　already　did　that。〃
　I　looked　up　at　Ms。　Sunhill。　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃You're　wele。〃
　I　wanted　to　ignore　her；　but　I　knew　this　wasn't　going　to　be　possible。　I　turned　and　walked　onto　the　rifle　range。　Kent　followed。
　As　we　walked；　Kent's　stride　got　a　bit　shorter；　and　he　fell　behind。　The　two　MPs　there　were　at　parade　rest；　pointedly　looking　away　from　the　ground　upon　which　lay　Captain　Ann　Campbell。
　I　stopped　a　few　feet　from　the　body；　which　was　lying　on　its　back。　She　was　naked；　as　Kent　had　indicated；　except　for　a　sports　watch　on　her　left　wrist。　A　few　feet　from　the　body　lay　what　we　call　a　mercially　purchased　undergarment…her　bra。　As　Kent　had　also　said；　her　uniform　was　missing　from　the　scene。　Also　missing　were　her　boots；　socks；　helmet；　pistol　belt；　holster；　and　sidearm。　More　interestingly；　perhaps；　was　the　fact　that　Ann　Campbell　was　spread…eagled　on　her　back；　her　wrists　and　ankles　bound　to　tent　pegs　with　cord。　The　pegs　were　a　green　vinyl　plastic；　and　the　cord　was　green　nylon；　both　Army　issue。
　Ann　Campbell　was　about　thirty　and　well　built；　the　sort　of　build　you　see　on　female　aerobic　instructors　with　well…defined　leg　and　arm　muscles　and　not　an　ounce　of　flab。　Despite　her　present　condition；　I　recognized　her　face　from　Army　posters。　She　was　quite　attractive　in　a　clean…cut　way；　and　wore　her　blond　hair　in　a　simple　shoulder…length　style；　perhaps　a　few　inches　beyond　regulations；　which　was　the　least　of　her　problems　at　the　moment。
　Around　her　neck　was　a　long　length　of　the　same　nylon　cord　that　bound　her　wrists　and　ankles；　and　beneath　this　cord　were　her　panties；　which　had　been　pulled　over　her　head；　one　leg　of　the　panties　around　her　neck；　so　that　the　cord　did　not　bite　directly　into　her　neck；　but　was　cushioned　by　the　panties。　I　knew　what　this　meant；　but　I　don't　think　anyone　else　did。
　Cynthia　came　up　beside　me；　but　said　nothing。
　I　knelt　beside　the　body　and　noted　that　the　skin　appeared　waxy　and　translucent；　causing　the　powder　blush　on　her　cheeks　to　stand　out　sharply。　Her　fingernails　and　toenails；　which　had　only　a　clear　lacquer　on　them；　had　lost　their　pinkish　color。　Her　face　was　unbruised；　unscratched；　and　without　lacerations　or　bite　marks；　and　so　were　the　parts　of　her　body　that　I　could　see。　Aside　from　the　obscene　position　of　her　body；　there　were　no　outward　signs　of　rape；　no　semen　around　the　genitals；　thighs；　or　in　the　pubic　hair；　no　signs　of　struggle　in　the　surrounding　area；　no　grass　or　soil　marks　on　her　skin；　no　blood；　dirt；　or　skin　under　her　nails；　and　her　hair　was　mostly　in　place。
　I　leaned　over　and　touched　her　face　and　neck；　where　rigor　mortis　usually　sets　in　first。　There　was　no　rigor；　and　I　felt　her　underarms；　which　were　still　warm。　There　was　some　livor　mortis；　or　lividity；　that　had　settled　into　her　thighs　and　buttocks；　and　the　lividity　was　a　deep　purple　color；　which　would　be　consistent　with　asphyxia；　which　in　turn　was　consistent　with　the　rope　around　her　neck。　I　pressed　my　finger　against　the　purplish　skin　above　where　her　buttocks　met　the　ground；　and　the　depressed　spot　blanched。　When　I　took　my　finger　away；　the　livid　color　returned；　and　I　was　reasonably　certain　that　death　had　occurred　within　the　last　four　hours。
　One　thing　I　learned　a　long　time　ago　was　that　you　never　take　a　witness's　statement　as　gospel　truth。　But　so　far；　Sergeant　St。　John's　chronology　seemed　to　hold　up。
　I　bent　over　further　and　looked　into　Ann　Campbell's　large　blue　eyes；　which　stared　unblinking　into　the　sun。　The　corneas　were　not　yet　cloudy；　reinforcing　my　estimate　of　a　recent　death。　I　pulled　at　one　of　her　eyelids　and　saw　in　the　linings　around　the　eye；　small　spotty　hemorrhages；　which　is　presumptive　evidence　of　death　by　asphyxia。　So　far；　what　Kent　had　told　me；　and　the　scene　that　presented　itself；　seemed　to　port　with　what　I　was　discovering。
　I　loosened　the　rope　around　Ann　Campbell's　neck　and　examined　the　panties　beneath　the　rope。　The　panties　were　not　torn　and　were　not　soiled　by　the　body　or　by　any　foreign　substance。　There　were　no　dog　tags　under　the　panties；　so　these；　too；　were　missing。　Where　the　ligature；　the　rope；　had　circled　the　neck　there　was　only　a　faint　line　of　bruising；　barely　discernible　if　you　weren't　looking　for　it。　Yet；　death　had　e　by　strangulation；　and　the　panties　lessened　the　damage　the　rope　would　normally　have　done　to　the　throat　and　neck。
　I　stood　and　walked　around　the　body；　noting　that　the　soles