demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第44部分

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　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；　I　saw　a　sign　that　said；　〃Colonel　&　Mrs。　Kent。〃　I　pointed　it　out　to　Cynthia　and　mented；　〃I　wonder　where　Bill　Kent　will　be　living　next　month？〃
　〃I　hope　it's　not　Leavenworth；　Kansas。　I　feel　sorry　for　him。〃
　〃People　make　their　own　bad　luck。〃
　〃Be　a　little　passionate；　Paul。〃
　〃Okay。　Considering　the　extent　of　the　corruption　here；　there　will　be　a　rash　of　sudden　resignations；　retirements；　and　transfers；　maybe　a　few　divorces；　but；　with　luck；　no　courts…martial　for　actions　unbeing　an　officer。〃　I　added；　〃They'd　need　a　whole　cell　block　at　Leavenworth　for　Ann　Campbell's　lovers。　Can　you　picture　that？　About　two　dozen　ex…officers　sitting　around　in　their　cells…〃
　〃I　think　you　got　off　the　passionate　track。〃
　〃Right。　Sorry。〃
　We　left　Bethany　Hill　and　mingled　with　the　early　morning　traffic　of　the　main　post…POVs　and　troop　carriers；　school　buses　and　delivery　trucks；　humvees　and　staff　cars；　as　well　as　soldiers　marching　or　running　in　formation；　thousands　of　men　and　women　on　the　move；　similar　to；　but　profoundly　different　from；　any　small　town　at　eight　A。M。　Stateside　garrison　duty　in　times　of　peace　is；　at　best；　boring；　but　in　times　of　war　a　place　like　Fort　Hadley　is　preferable　to　the　front　lines；　but　barely。
　Cynthia　mented；　〃Some　people　have　trouble　with　time　perception。　I　came　close　to　buying　Colonel　Fowler's　sequence　of　events；　though　it　was　cutting　it　close；　timewise。〃
　〃Actually；　I　think　he　made　the　call　much　earlier。〃
　〃But　think　of　what　you're　saying；　Paul。〃
　〃I'm　saying　he　knew　she　was　dead　earlier；　but　he　had　to　make　that　call　to　establish　that　he　believed　she　was　alive　and　late　for　her　appointment。　What　he　didn't　know　is　that　we　would　be　at　the　deceased's　house　that　early。〃
　〃That's　one　explanation；　but　how　did　he　know　she　was　dead？〃
　〃There　are　only　three　ways：　someone　told　him；　or　he　discovered　the　body　somehow；　or　he　killed　her。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃He　did　not　kill　her。〃
　I　glanced　at　her。　〃You　like　the　guy。〃
　〃I　do。　But　beyond　that；　he　is　not　a　killer。〃
　〃Everyone　is　a　killer；　Cynthia。〃
　〃Not　true。〃
　〃Well；　but　you　can　see　his　motive。〃
　〃Yes。　His　motive　would　be　to　protect　the　general　and　get　rid　of　a　source　of　corruption　on　post。〃
　I　nodded。　〃That's　the　sort　of　altruistic　motive　that；　in　a　man　like　Colonel　Fowler；　might　trigger　murder。　But　he　may　also　have　had　a　more　personal　motive。〃
　〃Maybe。〃　Cynthia　turned　onto　the　road　that　led　to　the　Psy…Ops　School。
　I　mented；　〃If　we　didn't　have　Colonel　Moore　by　his　curly　hairs；　I'd　put　Colonel　Fowler　near　the　top　of　the　list；　based　on　that　telephone　call　alone；　not　to　mention　the　look　on　Mrs。　Fowler's　face。〃
　〃Maybe。〃　She　asked；　〃How　far　are　we　going　with　Moore？〃
　〃To　the　threshold。〃
　〃You　don't　think　it's　time　to　talk　to　him　about　his　hair；　fingerprints；　and　tire　marks？〃
　〃Not　necessary。　We　worked　hard　for　that　and　we're　not　sharing　it　with　him。　I　want　him　to　dig　a　deeper　hole　for　himself　with　his　mouth。〃
　Cynthia　passed　a　sign　that　said；　〃Authorized　Personnel　Only。〃　There　was　no　MP　booth；　but　I　could　see　the　roving　MP　humvee　up　ahead。
　We　parked　outside　the　Psy…Ops　headquarters　building。　The　sign　in　front　of　the　building　said；　〃Cadre　Parking　Only；〃　and　I　saw　the　gray　Ford　Fairlane　that　presumably　belonged　to　Colonel　Moore。
　We　went　inside　the　building；　where　a　sergeant　sat　at　a　desk　in　the　otherwise　bare　lobby。　He　stood　and　said；　〃Can　I　help　you？〃
　I　showed　him　my　ID　and　said；　〃Please　take　us　to　Colonel　Moore's　office。〃
　〃I'll　ring　him；　Chief；〃　he　replied；　using　the　informal　form　of　address　for　a　warrant　officer。　I　don't　like　〃Chief；〃　and　I　said　to　him；　〃I　guess　you　didn't　hear　me；　Sarge。　Take　us　to　his　office。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Follow　me。〃
　We　walked　down　a　long　corridor　of　concrete…block　walls；　painted　a　sort　of　slime…mold　green。　The　floor　wasn't　even　tiled；　but　was　poured　concrete；　painted　deck　gray。　Solid　steel　doors；　all　open；　were　spaced　every　twelve　feet　or　so；　and　I　could　see　into　the　small　offices：　lieutenants　and　captains；　probably　all　psychologists；　laboring　away　at　gray　steel　desks。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Forget　Nietzsche。　This　is　Kafka　territory。〃
　The　sergeant　glanced　at　me；　but　said　nothing。
　I　asked　him；　〃How　long　has　the　colonel　been　in？〃
　〃Only　about　ten　minutes。〃
　〃Is　that　his　gray　Ford　Fairlane　out　front？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Is　this　about　the　Campbell　murder？〃
　〃It's　not　about　a　parking　ticket。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Where's　Captain　Campbell's　office？〃
　〃Just　to　the　right　of　Colonel　Moore's　office。〃　He　added；　〃It's　empty。〃
　We　reached　the　end　of　the　hallway；　which　dead…ended　at　a　closed　door　marked　〃Colonel　Moore。〃
　The　sergeant　asked　us；　〃Should　I　announce　you？〃
　〃No。　That　will　be　all；　Sergeant。〃
　He　hesitated；　then　said；　〃I　。。。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃I　hope　to　God　you　find　the　guy　who　did　it。〃　He　turned　and　walked　back　down　the　long　corridor。
　The　last　door　on　the　right　was　also　closed　and　the　sign　on　it　said；　〃Captain　Campbell。〃　Cynthia　opened　the　door　and　we　went　inside。
　Indeed；　the　office　was　bare；　except　that　on　the　floor　lay　a　bouquet　of　flowers。　There　was　no　note。
　We　left　the　office　and　walked　the　few　steps　to　Colonel　Moore's　door。　I　knocked；　and　Moore　called　out；　〃e　in；　e　in。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　entered。　Colonel　Moore　was　hunched　over　his　desk　and　did　not　look　up。　The　office　was　big；　but　as　drab　as　the　others　we'd　passed。　There　were　file　cabinets　against　the　right…hand　wall；　a　small　conference　table　near　the　left…hand　wall；　and　an　open　steel　locker　in　the　corner；　where　Colonel　Moore　had　hung　his　jacket。　A　floor　fan　swept　the　room；　rustling　papers　taped　to　the　block　wall。　Beside　Moore's　desk　was　the　ultimate　government　status　symbol：　a　paper　shredder。
　Colonel　Moore　glanced　up。　〃What　is　it…？　Oh　。。。〃　He　sort　of　looked　around；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　figure　out　how　we　got　there。
　I　said；　〃We're　sorry　to　drop　in　like　this；　Colonel；　but　we　were　in　the　neighborhood。　May　we　sit？〃
　〃Yes；　all　right。〃　He　motioned　to　the　two　chairs　opposite　his　desk。　〃I'd　really　appreciate　it　if　you　make　an　appointment　next　time。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　The　next　time　we'll　make　an　appointment　for　you　to　e　to　the　provost　marshal's　building。〃
　〃Just　let　me　know。〃
　Like　many　scientific　and　academic　types；　Colonel　Moore　seemed　to　miss　the　subtleties　of　the　organizational　world　around　him。　I　don't　think　he　would　have　gotten　it　even　if　I'd　said；　〃The　next　time　we　talk；　it　will　be　at　police　headquarters。〃
　〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃I'd　like　you　to　assure　me　again　that　you　were　home　on　the　evening　of　the　tragedy。〃
　〃All　right。　I　was　home　from　about　1900　hours　until　I　left　for　work　at　about　0730　hours。〃
　Which　was　about　the　time　Cynthia　and　I　had　gotten　to　Victory　Gardens。　I　asked　him；　〃You　live　alone？〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。〃
　〃Can　anyone　verify　that　you　were　home？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You　placed　a　call　to　Post　Headquarters　at　2300　hours　and　spoke　to　Captain　Campbell。　Correct？〃
　〃Correct。〃
　〃The　conversation　had　to　do　with　work？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃You　called　her　again　at　about　noon　at　home　and　left　a　message　on　her　answering　machine。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃But　you'd　been　trying　to　call　her　earlier；　and　her　phone　was　out　of　order。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃What　were　you　calling　her　about？〃
　〃Just　what　I　said　on　the　message…the　MPs　came　and　pletely　emptied　her　office。　I　argued　with　them　because　there　was　classified　material　in　her　files；　but　they　wouldn't　listen。〃　He　added；　〃The　Army　is　run　like　a　police　state。　Do　you　realize　they　don't　even　need　a　search　warrant　to　do　that？〃
　〃Colonel；　if　this　was　IBM　corporate　headquarters；　the　security　guards　could　do　the　same　thing　on　orders　from　a　ranking　officer　of　the　pany。　Everything　and　everyone　here　belongs　to　Uncle　Sam。　You　have　certain　constitutional　rights　regarding　a　criminal　investigation；　but　I　don't　suggest　you　try　to　exercise　any　of　them　unless　I　put　the　cuffs　on　you　right　now　and　take　you　to　jail。　Then　everyone；　myself　included；　will　see　that　your　rights　are　protected。　So　are　you　in　a　cooperative　frame　of　mind　this　morning；　Colonel？〃
　〃No。　But　I'll　cooperate　with　you　under　duress　and　protest。〃
　〃Good。〃　I　looked　around　the　office　again。　On　the　top　shelf　of　the　open　steel　locker　was　a　toilet　kit　from　which；　I　assumed；　the　hairbrush　had　been　taken；　and　I　wondered　if　Moore　had　noticed。
　I　looked　in　the　receptacle　of　his　paper　shredder；　but　it　was　empty；　which　was　good。　Moore　was　not　stupid　and　neither　was　he　the　benign　absentminded　professor　type；　he　was；　in　fact；　as　I　said；　somewhat　sinister…looking　and　cunning。　But　he　had　an　arrogant　carelessness　about　him　so　that；　if　I　had　seen　a　sledgehammer　and　tent　pegs　on　his　desk；　I　wouldn't　have　been　too　surprised。
　〃Mr。　Brenner？　I'm　very　busy　this　morning。〃
　〃Right。　You　said　you　would　assist　us　in　certain　psychological　insights　into　Captain　Campbell's　personality。〃
　〃What　would　you　like　to　know？〃
　〃Well；　first；　why　did　she　hate　her　father？〃
　He　looked　at　me　for　a　long　moment　and　observed；　〃I　see　you've　learned　a　few　things　since　our　last　conversation。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Ms。　Sunhill　and　I　go　round　and　round　and　talk　to　people；　and　each　person　tells　us　a　little　something；　then　we　go　back　and　re…interview　people；　and；　in　a　few　days；　we　know　what　to　ask　and　who　to　ask；　and　by　and　by　we　know　the　good　guys　from　the　bad　guys；　and　we　arrest　the　bad　guys。　It's　kind　of　simple　pared　to　psychological　warfare。〃
　〃You're　too　modest。〃
　〃Why　did　she　hate　her　father？〃
　He　took　a　deep　breath；　sat　back；　and　said；　〃Let　me　begin　by　saying　that　I　believe　General　Campbell　has　what　is　called　an　obsessive…pulsive　personality　disorder。　That　is　to　say；　he　is　full　of　himself；　domineering；　can't　tolerate　criticism；　is　a　perfectionist；　has　trouble　showing　affection；　but　is　totally　petent　and　functional。〃
　〃You've　described　ninety　percent　of　the　generals　in　the　Army。　So　what？〃
　〃Well；　but　Ann　Campbell　was　not　much　different；　which　is　not　unusual　considering　they　are　related。　So；　two　like　personalities　grow　up　in　the　same　house；　one　an　older　male；　the　father；　the　other　a　younger　female；　the　daughter。　The　potential　for　problems　was　there。〃
　〃So　this　problem　goes　back　to　her　unhappy　childhood