demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第42部分

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h　his　daughter　and　her　indiscretions；　he　might　have　been　more　disappointed　in　his　son。　But　pared　to　Ann；　John　is　a　solid　citizen。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Cynthia　said。　〃Do　you　think　that　General　Campbell　perhaps　pushed　his　daughter　into　a　traditional　male　role…I　mean　West　Point　and　the　Army…to　make　up　for　his　son's　lack　of　interest　in　those　pursuits？〃
　〃That's　what　everyone　says。　But；　as　with　most　of　life；　things　aren't　that　pat。　In　fact；　Ann　was　a　very　enthusiastic　cadet　at　West　Point。　She　wanted　to　be　there　and　she　did　very　well。　After　her　four…year　active…duty　obligation；　she　stayed　in。　So；　no；　I　don't　think　the　general　pushed　her　or　coerced　her；　or　withheld　affection　from　her　as　a　child；　if；　for　instance；　she　showed　no　interest　in　going　to　the　Point。　That's　what　this　psychologist　suggested；　but　it　was　very　much　the　opposite。　Ann　Campbell；　as　I　remember　her　in　high　school；　was　a　tomboy；　and　a　good　candidate　for　a　military　career。　In　fact；　she　wanted　to　continue　the　tradition。　Her　father's　father　was　a　career　Army　officer　as　well。〃
　Cynthia　thought　a　moment；　then　reminded　him；　〃You　said　she　hated　the　Army。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　I　said　that；　but；　as　you　pointed　out；　it　was　her　father　she　hated。〃
　〃So　you　were　in　error　when　you　said　that？〃
　〃Well　。。。〃
　It's　always　good　to　highlight　a　lie；　even　a　small　one；　during　an　interrogation。　It　puts　the　suspect　or　witness　on　the　defensive；　where　he　or　she　belongs。
　Colonel　Fowler　sought　to　correct　his　original　statement　and　said　to　Cynthia；　〃She　originally　liked　the　Army。　I　can't　say　with　certainty　how　she　felt　about　it　recently。　She　had　too　much　anger；　and　she　had　other　motives　for　staying　in　the　service。〃
　〃I　think　I　have　that　clear　now。〃　She　asked　him；　〃Can　you　give　us　some　idea　of　the　relationship　between　Ann　Campbell　and　her　mother？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　considered　this　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃They　had　a　decent　relationship。　Mrs。　Campbell；　contrary　to　what　some　people　think；　is　a　strong　woman；　but　she's　chosen　to　defer　to　her　husband　in　terms　of　his　career；　his　various　postings　around　the　world；　including　ones　where　she　could　not　acpany　him；　and　in　terms　of　entertaining　people　she　may　not　personally　care　for；　and　those　sorts　of　things。　I　use　the　term　'chosen'　because　that's　what　it　is…a　choice。　Mrs。　Campbell　is　from　the　old　school；　and　if　she　makes　a　mitment　to　the　marriage；　she　will　stick　with　it；　or　leave　the　marriage　if　she　changes　her　mind。　She　will　not　gripe　and　plain　and　sulk　as　so　many　modern　wives　do　today　who　want　to　have　their　cake　and　eat　it；　too。〃
　He　glanced　at　Cynthia；　then　continued；　〃She　will　not　embarrass　her　husband　with　breaches　of　conduct；　she　will　take　the　good　with　the　bad；　she　will　recognize　her　own　worth　as　a　wife　and　partner；　and　will　not　get　a　job　selling　real　estate　downtown　in　a　pathetic　attempt　to　declare　her　independence。　She　does　not　wear　the　general's　stars；　but　she　knows　that　he　would　not　be　wearing　them　either　if　it　weren't　for　her　help；　dedication；　and　loyalty　over　the　years。　You　asked　me　about　Ann's　relationship　with　her　mother；　and　I　told　you　about　Mrs。　Campbell's　relationship　with　her　husband；　but　now　you　can　figure　out　the　answer　to　your　question。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Yes；　I　can。　And　did　Ann　try　to　change　her　mother's　behavior　or　philosophy？〃
　〃I　think　she　did　at　first；　but　Mrs。　Campbell　basically　told　her　to　mind　her　own　business　and　stay　out　of　her　marriage。〃
　Cynthia　mented；　〃Good　advice。　But　did　it　strain　their　relationship？〃
　〃I'm　not　very　attuned　to　mother…daughter　relationships。　I　came　from　a　family　of　four　boys；　and　I　have　three　sons　of　my　own。　I　can't　fathom　women　in　general　and　I've　never　seen　a　mother…daughter　relationship　up　close。　But　I　know　they　never　did　things　together；　such　as　shopping　or　tennis　or　planning　parties。　But　they　would　dine　together；　alone；　at　times。　Is　that　good　enough　for　you？〃
　Cynthia　nodded；　then　asked；　〃Did　Mrs。　Fowler　know　Ann　Campbell　well？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　replied；　〃Fairly　well。　It　es　with　the　social　territory。〃
　〃And　of　course　Mrs。　Fowler　knows　Mrs。　Campbell　well；　so　perhaps　I　can　speak　to　Mrs。　Fowler…about　the　mother…daughter　relationship。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　hesitated　for　a　beat；　then　replied；　〃Mrs。　Fowler　is　very　upset；　as　you　may　have　noticed。　So　unless　you're　insisting；　I'd　have　to　say　wait　a　few　days。〃
　Cynthia　inquired；　〃Will　Mrs。　Fowler　be　available？　Or　is　she　so　upset　that　she　may　go　somewhere　for　a　rest？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　looked　at　Cynthia　and　replied；　〃As　a　civilian；　she　can　e　and　go　as　she　pleases；　if　I　read　your　subtext　correctly。〃
　〃You　do　read　me　correctly；　Colonel。　I　don't　want　to　have　to　get　a　subpoena。　I'd　like　to　speak　to　her　today。　I　don't　have　a　few　days；　as　it　turns　out。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　took　a　deep　breath。　Obviously；　we　were　more　than　he'd　bargained　for　and　he　wasn't　used　to　this　kind　of　pressure　from　subordinates。　I　think　the　fact　that　we　were　in　civilian　clothes　helped　him　put　up　with　this　crap　and　kept　him　from　throwing　us　out；　which　is　why　the　CID　often　chooses　mufti　for　the　dirty　stuff。　Fowler　replied；　finally；　〃I'll　see　if　she's　up　to　it　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Cynthia　replied。　〃It　would　probably　be　better　if　she　spoke　to　us；　rather　than　her　having　to　speak　to　the　FBI。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　got　the　message　and　nodded。
　I　asked　him；　〃For　the　record；　Colonel；　can　you　tell　me　your　whereabouts　on　the　night　that　Captain　Campbell　was　killed？〃
　He　smiled　and　said；　〃I　thought　that　was　the　first　question　you　were　supposed　to　ask。　Well；　where　was　I？　I　worked　until　about　1900　hours；　then　attended　a　going…away　party　for　an　officer　in　the　grill　at　the　O　Club。　I　excused　myself　early　and　was　home　by　2200　hours。　I　did　some　paperwork；　made　some　calls；　and　Mrs。　Fowler　and　I　retired　at　2300　hours。〃
　It　would　be　silly　of　me　to　ask　him　if　Mrs。　Fowler　would　verify　that；　so　I　asked　instead；　〃And　nothing　unusual　happened　during　the　night？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃And　you　awakened　at　what　time？〃
　〃At　0600　hours。〃
　〃And　then？〃'
　〃Then　I　showered；　got　dressed；　and　was　at　work　at　about　0730　hours。〃　He　added；　〃Which　is　where　I　should　be　now。〃
　〃And　you　called　Captain　Campbell's　house　at　about　0800　hours　and　left　a　message　on　her　answering　machine。〃
　〃Correct。　General　Campbell　called　me　from　his　home　and　asked　me　to　do　that。〃
　〃He　didn't　want　to　call　her　himself？〃
　〃He　was　annoyed　and　he　knew　Mrs。　Campbell　was　disappointed；　so　he　asked　me　to　place　the　call。〃
　〃I　see。　As　it　happens；　however；　we　were　in　her　house　before　0800；　and　when　we　got　there；　the　message　was　already　on　the　machine。〃
　There　was　what　you　call　a　moment　of　silence；　and　in　microseconds；　Colonel　Fowler　was　going　to　have　to　guess　if　I　was　bluffing；　which　I　wasn't；　or　if　he　had　a　better　story。　He　looked　me　in　the　eye　and　said；　〃Then　my　time　is　wrong。　It　must　have　been　earlier。　What　time　were　you　in　her　home？〃
　〃I'll　have　to　check　my　notes。　Can　I　assume　you　didn't　call　her　before　0700　hours　to　say　she　was　late　for　a　0700…hour　breakfast？〃
　〃That　would　be　a　logical　assumption；　Mr。　Brenner；　though　I've　often　called　her　prior　to　such　an　appointment　to　remind　her。〃
　〃But　on　this　occasion；　you　said；　'Ann；　you　were　supposed　to　stop　by　the　general's　house　this　morning。'　Then　you　said　something　about　breakfast；　followed　by；　'You're　probably　sleeping　now。'　So　if　she　got　off　duty　at；　let's　say；　0700；　and　you　called　at；　say；　0730　hours；　she'd　barely　be　home；　let　alone　asleep；〃
　〃That's　true　。。。　I　suppose　I　wasn't　thinking　very　clearly。　I　may　have　forgotten　she　was　on　duty；　and　I　meant　that　she　was　probably　not　awake　yet。〃
　〃But　you　mentioned　duty　in　your　message。　The　whole　sentence　was；　'You　were　supposed　to　stop　by　the　general's　house　this　morning　after　you　got　off　duty。'　〃
　〃Did　I　say　that？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Well；　then；　put　it　down　to　my　error　in　times。　I　may　have　called　as　early　as　0730。　I　know　I　called　right　after　the　general　called　me。　Captain　Campbell　apparently　agreed　to　meet　her　parents　at　0700　hours；　and　though　she　would　normally　have　been　relieved　at　about　that　time　by　the　officer　designated　to　arrive　at　0700　for　work；　it　wouldn't　have　been　unusual　for　her　to　leave　early　and　leave　the　duty　sergeant　in　charge　until　relieved。〃　He　added；　〃Are　you　having　a　problem　with　this；　Mr。　Brenner？〃
　〃No　problem。〃　Not　for　me；　big　problem　for　you。　I　asked；　〃Considering　that　Captain　Campbell　and　her　father　were　not　on　good　terms；　why　was　she　having　breakfast　with　him？〃
　〃Well；　they　did　dine　together　now　and　then。　I　told　you；　she　saw　her　mother　fairly　often。〃
　〃Could　this　breakfast　meeting　have　been　for　the　purpose　of　Ann　Campbell　delivering　her　answer　to　the　general's　ultimatum？〃
　Fowler　considered　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃Yes；　it　could　have　been。〃
　〃Do　you　find　it　curious　that　only　hours　before　she　had　to　reply　to　his　ultimatum；　she　was　found　dead？　Do　you　think　there's　any　connection？〃
　〃No；　I　think　it's　coincidence。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　in　coincidence。　Let　me　ask　you　this；　Colonel：　is　there　anything　further　that　General　Campbell　required　of　his　daughter　as　part　of　his　ultimatum？〃
　〃Such　as　what？〃
　〃Well；　such　as　names。　Names　of　the　men　on　post　she'd　slept　with。　Was　General　Campbell　going　to　make　a　clean　sweep？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　thought　about　that；　then　replied；　〃That's　entirely　possible。　But　Ann　Campbell　didn't　care　who　knew　and　would　have　been　delighted　to　tell　her　father。〃
　〃But　the　married　officers　who　she　slept　with　cared　very　much　and　would　not　have　been　as　delighted。〃
　〃I'm　sure　they　did　care；〃　Fowler　replied。　〃But　most；　if　not　all；　of　them　realized　they　couldn't　count　on　her　discretion。〃　He　said；　〃You　know；　Mr。　Brenner；　most　married　men　have　ambivalent　feelings　about　sexual　indiscretions。〃　He　looked　at　Cynthia；　then　continued；　〃On　the　one　hand；　they　are　terrified　of　being　found　out　by　their　wives　or　families；　or　certain　friends　or　superiors。　On　the　other　hand；　they　are　proud　of　their　exploits　and　actually　brag　about　their　conquests。　When　the　conquest　is　the　beautiful　daughter　of　their　boss；　they　can　barely　contain　themselves　and　tend　to　shoot　their　mouths　off。　Believe　me；　we've　all　been　there。〃
　I　smiled。　〃Indeed　we　have；　Colonel。〃　I　added；　〃But　talk　is　one　thing；　photos；　lists；　and　affidavits　are　another。　What　I'm　suggesting　is　that　somehow；　perhaps　through　Ann　Campbell　herself；　some　of　her　lovers　learned　t