demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第43部分

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t　I'm　suggesting　is　that　somehow；　perhaps　through　Ann　Campbell　herself；　some　of　her　lovers　learned　that　General　Campbell　had　had　enough　and　was　demanding　from　his　daughter　a　full　accounting　of　her　seductions。　Someone　may　have　decided　that　it　was　time　to　get　rid　of　the　evidence。　To　get　rid　of　Ann　Campbell。〃
　Fowler　nodded。　〃That　thought　crossed　my　mind。　In　fact；　I　never　thought　it　was　a　total　stranger　who　killed　her。　But　can　you　explain　to　me　why　someone　who　wanted　to　shut　her　up　would　kill　her　that　way　and　draw　attention　to　the　sexual　nature　of　the　act　and　of　the　victim？〃
　Good　question。　I　replied；　〃It　may　have　been　a　cover　to　conceal　the　nature　of　the　act。　The　perpetrator　needed　to　kill　her　but　added　the　rape　to　confuse　the　investigation。　I've　had　two　husbands　who　murdered　their　wives　that　way　to　make　it　look　like　a　stranger　did　it。〃
　Fowler　mented；　〃This　is　your　area　of　expertise；　not　mine。　I　see　your　point；　but　how　many　men　would　actually　murder　a　woman　just　to　shut　her　up？　It's　a　lot　less　risky　to　face　a　court…martial　for　actions　unbeing　an　officer　than　to　face　a　court…martial　for　murder。〃
　〃I　agree；　Colonel；　but　then；　we're　rational　men。　In　the　irrational　world；　one　of　the　prime　motivators　for　homicide　is　to　avoid　disgrace　and　humiliation。　Says　so　in　the　manual。〃
　〃Well；　again；　that's　your　area　of　experience；　not　mine。〃
　〃But　think　about　who　among　Ann　Campbell's　lovers　might　consider　mitting　murder　to　avoid　disgrace；　divorce；　court…martial；　and　dismissal　from　the　service。〃
　〃Mr。　Brenner；　your　prime　suspect；　Colonel　Moore；　was　not　involved　with　her　sexually　from　what　I　hear。　So　he　had　no　obvious　reason　for　shutting　her　up。　But　he　may　have　had　many　other　reasons　for　raping　her　and　killing　her。　So　you　ought　to　concentrate　on　his　motivations　if　that's　all　that　is　keeping　you　from　arresting　him。〃
　〃I'm　certainly　following　that　avenue　as　well；　Colonel。　I　like　to　conduct　homicide　investigations　like　infantry　and　armor　manders　conduct　a　campaign…multiple　avenues　of　advance…a　feint；　a　probing　attack；　a　main　thrust；　then　a　breakthrough　and　encirclement。〃　I　added；　〃Surround　'em　and　pound　'em。〃
　He　smiled　wryly；　as　I　knew　he　would；　and　said；　〃That's　a　good　way　to　squander　your　resources　and　to　lose　the　initiative。　Go　right　for　the　kill；　Mr。　Brenner；　and　leave　the　fancy　stuff　for　the　chalkboard　in　the　tactics　classroom。〃
　〃Well；　maybe　you're　right；　Colonel。〃　I　asked　him；　〃Did　you　happen　to　see　the　duty　sergeant…Sergeant　St。　John…when　you　got　to　work　that　morning？〃
　〃No。　In　fact；　I　heard　later　that　a　corporal　of　the　guard　was　actually　holding　down　the　fort；　so　to　speak；　when　the　first　officer　arrived；　and　that　caused　a　big　stink。　The　corporal　said　that　the　duty　sergeant　left　hours　before　and　never　returned；　and　he　had　no　idea　where　the　sergeant　was　or　where　the　duty　officer　was。　But　I　didn't　know　that　because　no　one　brought　it　to　my　attention。　Major　Sanders；　a　staff　officer；　made　the　decision　to　call　the　MPs；　and　they　informed　him　that　the　duty　sergeant；　St。　John；　was　in　their　custody；　though　they　wouldn't　say　why。　I　learned　of　all　this　at　about　0900　hours　and　I　reported　it　to　General　Campbell；　who　told　me　to　follow　up　on　it。〃
　〃And　no　one　thought　to　ask　where　Captain　Campbell　had　disappeared　to？〃
　〃No　。。。　In　retrospect；　it　all　ties　together。　But　that　morning　it　just　seemed　to　me　that　Captain　Campbell　had　left　early；　put　the　duty　sergeant　in　charge；　and　he　put　a　corporal　of　the　guard　in　charge　and　took　the　opportunity　to　go　somewhere…perhaps　home　to　spy　on　his　wife。　That's　all　too　mon…a　man　on　duty　gets　it　in　his　head　that　his　wife　is　being　unfaithful；　then　sneaks　off　duty　and　checks　out　his　house。　It's　a　problem　of　military　life。〃
　〃Yes；　I've　had　two　homicides　and　one　maiming　that　began　that　way。〃
　〃So　you　understand。　Well；　that's　one　of　the　things　that　occurred　to　me。　But　what　I　knew　is　that　St。　John　ran　afoul　of　the　MPs　and　never　made　it　back　to　headquarters。　I　didn't　push　the　inquiry　because　it　was　obviously　Captain　Campbell's　early　departure　that　led　to　St。　John's　dereliction　of　duty；　and　I　knew　that　it　would　sort　itself　out。　The　last　thing　anyone　thought　is　that　St。　John's　apparent　arrest　had　anything　to　do　with　what　we　discovered　later　was　the　actual　sequence　of　events。〃
　Sounded　solid　to　me。　But　of　course　if　I　squeezed　it；　it　had　some　soft　spots。　I　reminded　him；　〃You　said　you　worked　late　at　headquarters　the　evening　before。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Did　you　see　Captain　Campbell　when　she　reported　in　for　duty　that　evening？〃
　〃No。　My　office　is　on　the　first　floor；　next　to　the　general's。　The　duty　officer　and　sergeant　use　the　large　clerk…typist　area　on　the　second　floor。　They　just　pick　up　the　logbook　and　any　special　orders　from　a　designated　officer；　then　choose　any　desk　and　make　themselves　fortable　for　the　night。　I　don't　normally　see　any　duty　officer　reporting　in。〃　He　asked；　〃Is　that　satisfactory；　Mr。　Brenner？〃
　〃It's　reasonable；　sir。　I　don't　know　if　it's　satisfactory　until　I　can　cross…check　it。　This　is　my　job；　Colonel；　and　I　can't　do　it　any　other　way。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　have　some　latitude；　Mr。　Brenner。〃
　〃Just　a　tiny　bit。　An　inch　to　the　left；　an　inch　to　the　right。　More　than　that　and　I'm　free…falling　into　the　jaws　of　my　boss；　Colonel　Hellmann；　who　eats　warrant　officers　who　are　afraid　to　ask　questions　of　superior　officers。〃
　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Well；　I'll　tell　him　you　did　a　splendid　job　and　showed　no　fear　whatsoever。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Colonel。〃
　〃Do　you　enjoy　this？〃
　〃I　used　to。　I'm　not　enjoying　it　today。　Or　yesterday。〃
　〃Then　we　have　something　in　mon。〃
　〃I　hope　so。〃
　We　all　sat　a　minute。　My　coffee　was　cold；　but　I　didn't　care。　Finally；　I　asked　him；　〃Colonel；　could　you　arrange　an　appointment　for　us　to　speak　with　Mrs。　Campbell　today？〃
　〃I'll　do　my　best。〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃If　she's　as　good　a　military　wife　as　you　describe；　she'll　understand　the　necessity。〃　I　added；　〃And　we　would　like　to　see　General　Campbell　today　as　well。〃
　〃I'll　arrange　it。　Where　can　I　contact　you？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　we'll　be　all　over　the　post　today。　Just　leave　a　message　at　the　provost　office。　Where　can　I　contact　you？〃
　〃At　Post　Headquarters。〃
　〃Are　the　funeral　arrangements　plete？〃
　〃Yes。　The　body　will　be　in　the　post　chapel　after　retreat　tonight；　and　also　tomorrow　morning；　for　those　who　wish　to　pay　their　last　respects。　At　1100　hours　tomorrow；　there　will　be　a　service　in　the　chapel；　then　the　body　will　be　taken　in　a　procession　to　Jordan　Field　for　the　ceremony；　then　placed　aboard　an　aircraft　and　transported　to　Michigan　for　interment　in　the　Campbell　family　plot。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Career　Army　officers　usually　have　a　will　on　file　with　the　Army；　and　often　there　will　be　burial　instructions　included；　so　I　asked　Colonel　Fowler；　〃Is　that　the　wish　of　the　deceased？〃
　〃Does　that　question　relate　to　the　homicide　investigation？〃
　〃I　suppose　the　date　of　the　will　and　the　date　of　the　burial　instructions　would　relate　to　this　investigation。〃
　〃The　will　and　the　burial　instructions　were　updated　a　week　before　Captain　Campbell　left　for　the　Gulf；　which　would　not　be　unusual。　For　your　information；　she　asked　to　be　buried　in　the　family　plot；　and　the　only　beneficiary　of　her　will　is　her　brother；　John。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　On　that　note　of　finality；　I　said；　〃You've　been　most　cooperative；　Colonel；　and　we　appreciate　it。〃　Despite　your　trying　to　blow　a　little　smoke　up　our　asses。
　Superior　officers　sit　first　and　stand　first；　so　I　waited　for　him　to　realize　I　was　finished；　and　stand；　but　instead　he　asked　me；　〃Did　you　find　anything　in　her　house　that　would　be　damaging　to　her　or　anyone　here　on　post？〃
　My　turn　to　be　coy；　so　I　asked；　〃Such　as？〃
　〃Well　。。。　diaries；　photos；　letters；　a　list　of　her　conquests。　You　know　what　I　mean。〃
　I　replied；　〃My　maiden　aunt　could　have　spent　a　week　alone　in　Captain　Campbell's　house　and　not　found　anything　she　would　have　disapproved　of；　including　the　music。〃　Which　was　true　because　Aunt　Jean；　snoop　that　she　was；　had　no　spatial　perception。
　Colonel　Fowler　stood；　and　we　stood　as　well。　He　informed　me；　〃Then　you've　missed　something。　Ann　Campbell　documented　everything。　It　was　her　training　as　a　psychologist；　and　undoubtedly　her　desire　as　a　corrupter；　not　to　rely　on　fleeting　memories　of　her　rolls　in　the　hay　out　in　some　motel　or　in　someone's　office　on　post　after　hours。　Look　harder。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　I　must　admit；　I　didn't　like　hearing　these　kinds　of　remarks　about　Ann　Campbell　from　Kent　or　Fowler。　Ann　Campbell　had　bee　more　than　a　murder　victim　to　me；　obviously。　I　would　probably　find　her　murderer；　but　someone　had　to　find　why　she　did　what　she　did；　and　someone　had　to　explain　that　to　people　like　Fowler；　Kent；　and　everyone　else。　Ann　Campbell's　life　needed　no　apology；　no　pity；　it　needed　a　rational　explanation；　and　maybe　a　vindication。
　Colonel　Fowler　escorted　us　to　the　front　door；　probably　wishing　he　hadn't　been　on　the　telephone　before　so　he　could　have　escorted　us　in　without　Mrs。　Fowler's　assistance。　At　the　door　we　shook　hands；　and　I　said　to　him；　〃By　the　way；　we　never　found　Captain　Campbell's　West　Point　ring。　Was　she　in　the　habit　of　wearing　it？〃
　He　thought　a　moment　and　replied；　〃I　never　noticed。〃
　〃There　was　a　tan　line　where　the　ring　had　been。〃
　〃Then　I　suppose　she　wore　it。〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃You　know；　Colonel；　if　I　were　a　general；　I'd　want　you　for　my　adjutant。〃
　〃If　you　were　a　general；　Mr。　Brenner；　you'd　need　me　for　your　adjutant。　Good　morning。〃　The　green　door　closed　and　we　walked　down　the　path　to　the　street。
　Cynthia　said；　〃We　keep　getting　to　the　threshold　of　the　great　secret　of　Ann　and　Daddy；　then　we　hit　a　wall。〃
　〃True。〃　Despite　the　mixed　metaphor。　〃But　we　know　there　is　a　secret；　and　we　know　that　the　stuff　about　imagined　injustices　and　irrational　anger　toward　her　father　is　not　cutting　it。　At　least　not　for　me。〃
　Cynthia　opened　her　door。　〃Me　neither。〃
　I　slid　into　the　passenger　seat　and　said；　〃Colonel　Fowler's　wife　had　that　look。　You　know　that　look？〃
　〃Indeed　I　do。〃
　〃And　Colonel　Fowler　needs　a　better　watch。〃
　〃Indeed　he　does。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO
　
　Breakfast　or　Psy…Ops　School？〃　Cynthia　asked。
　〃Psy…Ops　School。　We'll　eat　Colonel　Moore　for　breakfast。〃
　Each　house　on　Bethany　Hill　had　a　regulation　white　sign　with　black　lettering　displayed　on　a　post　near　the　driveway；　and；　about　five　houses　from　Colonel　Fowler's　house；