demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第41部分

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　〃Oh；　please；　Mr。　Brenner；　you　know　all　of　this　by　now。　I'm　not　trying　to　protect　her　reputation　from　you　two。　The　woman　was　a　。。。　God；　I　wish　I　could　e　up　with　the　right　word　。。。　more　than　a　seductress；　not　a　tease…she　delivered…not　a　mon　slut　。。。〃　He　looked　at　Cynthia。　〃Give　me　a　word。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃I　don't　think　we　have　a　word　for　what　she　was；　except　perhaps　avenger。〃
　〃Avenger？〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃She　wasn't　the　victim　of　rumor；　as　you　first　tried　to　suggest；　and　she　wasn't　promiscuous　in　the　conventional　sense；　and　neither　was　she　clinically　a　nymphomaniac。　She　was；　in　fact；　using　her　charms　and　her　body　to　exact　a　revenge；　Colonel；　and　you　know　it。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　did　not　seem　pleased　with　this　evaluation。　I　suspected　that　Colonel　Kent　had　given　him　only　an　edited　briefing　of　what　he'd　told　us　and　failed　to　include　the　fact　that　Ann　Campbell's　sexual　behavior　had　a　specific　purpose；　and　that　the　purpose　was　to　make　Daddy　look　like　a　horse's　ass。　Colonel　Fowler　said　to　Cynthia；　〃She　did　hate　the　Army。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃She　hated　her　father。〃
　Fowler　seemed；　for　the　first　time；　unfortable。　The　man　was　a　cool　customer；　and　his　armor　was　tried　and　tested；　and　so　was　his　sword；　but　Cynthia　just　informed　him　that　his　rear　was　exposed。　Fowler　said；　〃The　general　truly　loved　his　daughter。　Please　believe　that。　But　she　had　developed　an　obsessive　and　unreasonable　hate　for　him。　In　fact；　I　spoke　to　an　outside　psychologist　about　it；　and　though　he　couldn't　analyze　the　dynamics　from　afar；　he　did　suggest　that　the　daughter　might　be　suffering　from　a　borderline　personality　disorder。〃
　Cynthia　mented；　〃From　what　I've　heard　so　far；　it　doesn't　sound　so　borderline。〃
　〃Well；　who　the　hell　knows　what　these　people　mean？　I　couldn't　follow　all　he　was　saying；　but　it　es　down　to　the　fact　that　the　children　of　powerful　men　who　try　to　follow　in　the　father's　footsteps　bee　frustrated；　then　go　through　a　period　of　questioning　their　own　worth；　then　eventually　to　preserve　their　ego　they　find　something　they　can　do　well；　something　very　different　from　their　father's　world；　where　they　will　not　be　in　direct　petition　with　him；　but　something　that　society　considers　important。　Thus；　according　to　this　psychologist；　many　of　them　wind　up　in　social　work；　or　as　teachers；　even　nurses　or　some　other　nurturing　profession。〃　Colonel　Fowler　added；　〃Including　psychology。〃
　I　remarked；　〃Psychological　warfare　is　not　exactly　a　nurturing　profession。〃
　〃No；　which　is　where　this　analysis　diverts　from　the　norm。　This　psychologist　told　me　that　when　the　son　or　daughter　remains　in　the　father's　world；　it's　often　because　they　want　to　harm　the　father。　They　can't　pete；　they　won't　or　can't　go　off　on　their　own；　so　they　stay　close　to　the　source　of　their　anger　and　engage　in　what　amounts　to　guerrilla　warfare；　ranging　from　petty　annoyances　to　major　sabotage。〃
　He　thought　a　moment；　then　added；　〃They　do　this　because　it　is　the　only　way　they　can　avenge…yes；　as　you　said；　Ms。　Sunhill…avenge　themselves　over　these　imagined　injustices　or　whatever。　In　Captain　Campbell's　case；　she　was　in　a　unique　position　to　do　this。　Her　father　couldn't　fire　her；　and　she　had　developed　a　power　base　of　her　own。　Many　sons　and　daughters　who　have　these　feelings　against　their　father；　according　to　this　psychologist；　engage　in　promiscuous　behavior；　drunkenness；　gambling；　and　other　antisocial　acts　that　they　know　will　embarrass　the　authority　figure　in　his　world。　Captain　Campbell；　perhaps　as　a　result　of　her　knowledge　in　the　field　of　psychology；　took　it　a　step　further；　and　apparently　sought　to　seduce　the　men　around　her　father。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　leaned　across　the　table　and　said　to　us；　〃I　hope　you　understand　that　Ann's　behavior　was　irrational；　and　that　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　her　father's　behavior　toward　her。　We　all　have　imagined　enemies；　and　when　it's　a　parent；　no　amount　of　parental　love　or　caring　can　overe　that　anger　in　the　child's　mind。　This　was　a　very　disturbed　woman　who　needed　help；　and　she　wasn't　getting　it。　In　fact；　that　son…of…a…bitch　Moore　was　fueling　the　flames　of　her　anger　for　his　own　sick　purposes。　I　believe　he　wanted　to　see　how　far　he　could　push　and　control　the　dynamics　of　this　situation。〃
　No　one　spoke　for　a　full　minute；　then　Cynthia　inquired；　〃Why　wasn't　some　drastic　action　taken　by　the　general？　Isn't　this　the　man　who　led　an　armored　task　force　to　the　Euphrates　River？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　replied；　〃That　was　easy。　Handling　Ann　Campbell　was　not　so　easy。　Actually；　the　general　considered　such　action　about　a　year　ago。　But　according　to　the　professional　advice　I　was　getting；　had　the　general　intervened　by　having　Colonel　Moore　transferred；　for　instance；　or　having　Ann　ordered　into　therapy；　which　he　could　do　as　a　mander；　the　situation　may　have　gotten　worse。　So　the　general　listened　to　this　advice　and　let　the　situation　take　its　own　course。〃
　I　mented；　〃And　it　wouldn't　have　done　the　general's　career　much　good　to　pull　rank　on　Moore　and　his　daughter；　and　thereby　admit　there　was　a　problem。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　replied；　〃It　was　a　very　delicate　situation。　Mrs。　Campbell　。。。　Ann's　mother　thought　that　the　situation　would　improve　if　Ann　was　left　to　vent　her　irrational　anger。　So　it　was　a　standoff。　But　the　general　had　decided　to　act；　just　a　week　ago。　But　then　。。。　well；　it　was　too　late。〃
　〃How；〃　I　inquired；　〃did　the　general　decide　to　act？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　thought　a　moment　and　replied；　〃I　don't　know　if　telling　you　anything　further　is　relevant　to　this　case。〃
　〃Tell　me　and　I'll　decide。〃
　〃Well　。。。　all　right；　then。　The　general；　a　few　days　ago；　gave　his　daughter　an　ultimatum。　He　gave　her　options。　Option　one　was　to　resign　her　mission。　Option　two　was　to　discontinue　her　duties　at　the　school　and　agree　to　some　sort　of　therapy　of　the　general's　choice…inpatient　or　out。　Option　three；　the　general　informed　her　that　if　she　turned　down　those　options；　he　would　have　the　staff　judge　advocate　investigate　her　misconduct　and　draw　up　charges　for　a　general　court…martial。〃
　I　nodded。　Somehow；　I　felt；　this　ultimatum；　if　it　was　true；　precipitated　what　happened　on　rifle　range　six。　I　asked　Colonel　Fowler；　〃How　did　she　respond　to　this　ultimatum？〃
　〃She　told　her　father　she'd　have　an　answer　for　him　within　two　days。　But　she　didn't。　She　was　murdered。〃
　I　said；　〃Maybe　that　was　her　answer。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　looked　somewhat　startled。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃
　〃Think　about　it；　Colonel。〃
　〃You　mean　she　had　Colonel　Moore　assist　her　in　some　sort　of　bizarre　suicide？〃
　〃Perhaps。〃　I　asked　him；　〃And　there　is　no　single　or　specific　incident　from　the　past　that　would　explain　Captain　Campbell's　anger　toward　her　father？〃
　〃Such　as　what？〃
　〃Such　as　。。。　rival　affections…mother；　daughter；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　regarded　me　closely　for　a　moment　as　if　I　were　a　step　away　from　crossing　the　line　between　a　murder　investigation　and　an　unspeakable　breach　of　conduct　and　ethics。　He　replied　coolly；　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　getting　at；　Mr。　Brenner；　and　I　suggest　you　don't　even　try　to　explain。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not。　It　gets　even　muckier；　Colonel。　You　say　you　had　no　sexual　relationship　with　the　deceased。　Why　not？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean；　why　not？〃
　〃I　mean；　why　did　she　not　proposition　you；　or　if　she　did；　did　you　turn　her　down？〃
　Colonel　Fowler's　eyes　flitted　to　the　door　for　a　second　as　if　to　assure　himself　that　Mrs。　Fowler　was　not　around　to　hear　this。　He　replied；　〃She　never　propositioned　me。〃
　〃I　see。　Was　that　because　you're　black　or　because　she　knew　it　was　a　useless　attempt？〃
　〃I　。。。　I　would　rather　think　it　was　。。。　She　did　date　a　few　black　officers　。。。　not　here　at　Hadley；　but　in　the　past；　so　it　wasn't　that。　So　I'd　have　to　say　that　she　knew　。。。〃　He　smiled　for　the　first　time。　〃。。。　she　knew　I　was　not　corruptible。〃　He　added；　again　with　a　smile；　〃Or　she　thought　I　was　ugly。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃But　you're　not；　Colonel；　and　even　if　you　were；　it　wouldn't　have　mattered　to　Ann　Campbell。　I　suspect　she　did　proposition　you；　and　you　turned　her　down　out　of　loyalty　to　your　wife；　your　manding　officer；　or　because　of　your　own　sense　of　morality。　At　that　point；　you　became　Ann　Campbell's　second　worst　enemy。〃
　Fowler　had　clearly　had　enough　and　said；　〃I　don't　think　I've　ever　had　a　conversation　like　this　in　my　life。〃
　I　replied；　〃You've　probably　never　been　involved　in　a　homicide　investigation。〃
　〃No；　I　haven't；　and　if　you　would　make　that　arrest；　this　investigation　would　be　over。〃
　〃Actually；　it　would　continue　right　up　to　and　through　a　court…martial。　I　don't　make　many　mistakes；　Colonel；　but　when　I　think　I　may　have；　I　don't　mind　working　hard　to　expose　my　own　errors。〃
　〃I　mend　you；　Mr。　Brenner。　Perhaps；　though；　Colonel　Moore　can　satisfy　your　doubts。〃
　〃He　can　try；　but　he　may　have　his　own　version　of　events。　I　like　to　have　everyone's　version　so　I　can　make　a　better　evaluation　as　to　the　quality　of　the　bullshit。〃
　〃As　you　wish。〃
　Cynthia　asked　him；　〃Did　Captain　Campbell　have　any　brothers　or　sisters？〃
　〃There　is　a　brother。〃
　〃What　can　you　tell　us　about　him？〃
　〃He　lives　out　on　the　West　Coast。　Some　place　with　a　Spanish　name。　Can't　think　of　it。〃
　〃He's　not　military？〃
　〃No。　He's　。。。　he　has　explored　many　careers。〃
　〃I　see。　You've　met　him？〃
　〃Yes。　He　es　home　most　holidays。〃
　〃Does　he　strike　you　as　suffering　from　the　same　problems　you　suggested　his　sister　was　suffering　from？〃
　〃To　some　extent　。。。　but　he　chose　to　distance　himself　from　the　family。　That's　how　he　deals　with　it。　During　the　Gulf　War；　for　instance；　when　some　California　TV　station　wanted　to　interview　him；　they　couldn't　find　him。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃Would　you　describe　him　as　alienated　from　his　parents？〃
　〃Alienated？　No　。。。　just　distant。　When　he's　home；　they　all　seem　quite　happy　to　see　him；　and　then　sad　that　he's　left。〃
　〃And　how　was　the　relationship　between　brother　and　sister？〃
　〃Very　good；　from　what　I　could　see。　Ann　Campbell　was　very　accepting　of　him。〃
　〃In　regard　to　his　。。。　what？　His　life…style？〃
　〃Yes。　John　Campbell…that's　his　name…is　gay。〃
　〃I　see。　And　did　General　Campbell　accept　this？〃
　Fowler　thought　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃I　think　he　did。　John　Campbell　was　always　discreet…never　brought　male　lovers　home；　dressed　pretty　much　mainstream　and　all　that。　I　think　if　the　general　hadn't　had　his　hands　full　with　his　daughter　and　her　indiscretions；　he　might　have　been　mor