demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第51部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Burt　did　a　little　bow　and　touched　his　hat。　〃I'm　song；　ma'am。〃
　I　really　felt　like　pulling　my　Glock　on　these　two　yahoos；　and　I　would　have　painted　them　red　in　a　heartbeat；　except　that　I　had　a　short　deadline　on　this　case。
　Anyway；　Wes　started　his　spiel。　〃Yeah；　I　was　seein'　Ann　now　and　then；　but　I　seen　other　women；　too；　and　she　was　seein'　other　men；　and　neither　of　us　took　it　real　personal。　The　night　she　was　killed；　I　was　ridin'　patrol　in　North　Midland；　midnight…to…eight　shift；　and　I　got　about　a　dozen　people　who　seen　me；　includin'　my　partner　and　gas　station　guys；　7…Eleven　guys；　and　like　that。　So　that's　all　you　got　to　know。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Officer　Yardley。〃
　No　one　spoke　for　a　few　seconds；　then　Cynthia　asked　Wes；　〃Are　you　upset　over　Ann　Campbell's　death？〃
　He　seemed　to　think　that　over；　then　replied；　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　I　asked　him；　〃Can　I　get　you　a　sedative　or　something？〃
　Burt　laughed　and　said　to　his　son；　〃Forgot　to　tell　you；　boy；　this　here　guy's　real　funny。〃
　I　said　to　Burt；　〃I'd　like　to　speak　to　you　alone。〃
　〃Anything　you　got　to　say；　you　can　say　in　front　of　my　boy。〃
　〃Not　everything；　Chief。〃
　He　looked　at　me　a　moment。　〃Well　。。。〃　He　said　to　his　son；　〃I'm　gonna　leave　you　alone　with　this　young　lady；　Wes；　and　you　behave　now。〃　He　laughed。　〃She　don't　know　what　a　mover　you　are。　Probably　thinks　you　just　fell　off　the　turnip　truck。〃
　On　that　note；　Burt　and　I　left　the　office；　and　I　found　an　empty　interview　room。　We　sat　across　a　long　table；　and　Burt　said；　〃Damned　reporters　out　there　are　gettin'　too　damn　nosy。　Startin'　to　ask　about　these　rumors　that　the　general's　daughter　got　around。　Understand？〃
　I　didn't　recall　a　single　question　of　that　nature　from　the　press；　but　I　said；　〃Law　officers　don't　engage　in　speculation　in　front　of　the　press。〃
　〃Hell；　no。　Me　and　the　general　get　along　fine；　and　I　wouldn't　want　to　see　his　girl　talked　about　after　she's　dead。〃
　〃If　you're　leading　up　to　something；　Chief；　spit　it　out。〃
　〃Well；　it　occurs　to　me　that　maybe　people　think　the　Army　CID　pulled　a　fast　one　on　me；　and　when　y'all　catch　this　guy；　my　organization　won't　get　no　credit。〃
　Double　negatives　annoy　me；　but　Burt　Yardley　annoyed　me　more。　I　said；　〃Rest　assured；　Chief；　your　department　will　get　all　the　credit　it　deserves。〃
　He　laughed。　〃Yeah；　that's　what　I'm　afraid　of；　son。　We　need　to　get　involved　in　this　here　case。〃
　〃Take　it　up　with　the　FBI。　They're　in　charge　as　of　tomorrow。〃
　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃
　〃Sure　is。〃
　〃Okay。　Meantime；　you　write　a　nice　report　sayin'　how　the　Midland　police　helped　you。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Why？　Because　you're　runnin'　around　talkin'　about　subpoena'n'　my　records；　because　the　goddamn　reporters　are　askin'　questions　about　my　boy's　involvement　with　the　deceased；　because　you're　startin'　to　make　me　look　like　a　damn　fool　'cause　I　don't　know　shit；　and　because　you　goddamn　well　need　me。〃　He　added；　〃You're　goin'　to　make　things　right。〃
　The　man　was　obviously　annoyed；　and　I　really　couldn't　blame　him。　There　is　a　strange　symbiotic　relationship　between　an　Army　post　and　the　local　munity；　especially　in　the　South。　At　its　worst；　the　relationship　seems　like　one　of　an　army　of　occupation　ensconced　in　the　defeated　old　Dixieland。　At　its　best；　the　locals　realize　that　most　of　the　officers　and　enlisted　personnel　are　southerners　themselves；　and　the　post　is　no　more　intrusive　than　a　big　auto　factory。　But　big　auto　factories　don't　have　their　own　laws　and　customs；　so　the　reality　is　somewhere　in　between。　Anyway；　in　the　spirit　of　cooperation；　I　said　to　Burt　Yardley；　〃I'll　introduce　you　to　the　FBI　man　in　charge　when　I　know　who　it　is　and　give　him　a　glowing　report　of　your　assistance　and　acplishments。〃
　〃That's　real　decent　of　you；　Paul。　You　write　somethin'　out；　too。　Bill　Kent's　doin'　that　right　now。　Why　don't　we　call　him　in　here；　and　we'll　have　that　big　sit…down　your　little　assistant　there　talked　about。〃
　〃I　don't　have　a　lot　of　time　for　big　sit…downs；　Chief。　You'll　be　involved　in　the　continuing　investigation　to　the　fullest　extent　possible。　Don't　worry　about　it。〃
　〃Why　do　I　think　you're　bullshittin'　me；　Paul？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　why。　'Cause　you　don't　think　I　got　one　goddamn　thing　you　want；　and　you　don't　give　nothin'　for　nothin'。　Fact　is；　I　think　I　got　what　you　need　to　wrap　up　this　here　case。〃
　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃
　〃Sure　is。　I　found　some　evidence　in　the　deceased's　house　that　you　overlooked；　son。　But　it's　goin'　to　take　a　lot　of　work　between　us　to　sort　it　out。〃
　〃Right。　You　mean　the　stuff　in　the　basement　bedroom。〃
　His　eyes　got　wide；　and　he　didn't　speak　for　a　second；　which　was　a　treat；　but　then　he　said；　〃Why'd　you　leave　all　that　shit　there？〃
　〃I　thought　you　were　too　stupid　to　find　it。〃
　He　laughed。　〃Now　who's　stupid？〃
　〃But　I　didn't　leave　it　all。　We　carried　some　bags　of　photos　and　videotapes　out　of　there。〃　I　didn't；　but　I　should　have。
　He　regarded　me　closely　for　a　moment；　and　I　could　tell　he　was　not　real　happy　with　that　possibility。　He　said；　〃Well；　ain't　you　a　smart　boy。〃
　〃Yes；　I　am。〃
　〃Where's　that　stuff？〃
　〃In　my　trailer。　You　missed　it。〃
　〃Don't　mess　with　me；　son。　There　ain't　nothin'　in　that　trailer。〃
　〃Why　do　you　care　where　the　stuff　is？〃
　〃　'Cause　it's　my　stuff。〃
　〃Wrong。〃
　He　cleared　his　throat　and　said；　〃There's　some　dumb…ass　guys　who　got　a　shitload　of　explainin'　to　do　when　I　do　fingerprints　in　that　there　room；　and　when　we　match　those　pictures　and　those　movie　tapes　to　their　buck…naked　bodies。〃
　〃Right。　Including　you。〃
　He　stared　at　me；　and　I　stared　back。　Finally；　he　said；　〃I　don't　bluff　real　easy。〃
　〃You　see；　Chief；　I　think　that　Wes　and　Ann　had　more　going　for　them　than　Wes　is　letting　on。　They　weren't　the　happiest　couple　who　ever　came　down　the　pike；　but　they　did　go　out　for　almost　two　years；　and　my　information　says　they　were　hot　and　heavy。　Now　the　question　I　have　for　you　is　this…did　your　son　know　you　were　fucking　his　girlfriend？〃
　Chief　Yardley　seemed　to　be　mulling　over　his　answer；　so；　to　fill　the　silence；　I　asked；　〃And　did　Mrs。　Yardley　know　you　were　fucking　the　general's　daughter？　Hey；　I　wouldn't　want　to　have　dinner　at　your　house　tonight；　Burt。〃
　The　chief　was　still　mulling；　so　I　said；　〃You　didn't　find　that　room　by　accident；　but　that's　what　you　told　Wes。　Maybe　Wes　knew　that　his　girlfriend　dated　on　the　side　now　and　then；　but　when　he　screwed　her；　he　did　it　in　her　bedroom；　because　if　he'd　seen　that　room　downstairs；　he'd　have　beat　the　shit　out　of　her　and　left　her　like　any　good　gentleman　of　the　South。　You；　on　the　other　hand；　knew　all　about　her　but　never　told　your　son；　because　Ann　Campbell　told　you　you'd　better　not。　She　liked　Wes。　You　were　just　someone　she　screwed　because　you　had　influence　over　Wes；　and　because　you　could　fix　things　for　her　in　town　if　she　ever　needed　anything　fixed。　You　were　kind　of　an　afterthought；　extra　insurance；　and　maybe　you　came　through　for　her　a　few　times。　So；　anyway；　you　and　Wes　have　more　in　mon　than　blood；　and　Ann　Campbell　made　your　life　exciting　and　damned　scary。　She　told　you　at　some　point　that　if　you　broke　into　her　place　and　took　that　stuff；　it　didn't　matter；　because　she　had　copies　of　the　photos　and　videotapes　someplace　else。　It　wouldn't　be　too　hard　to　identify　your　fat　ass　in　those　pictures。　So　you　get　to　thinking　about　your　wife；　your　son；　your　other　sons；　your　standing　in　the　munity；　your　pastor　and　Sunday　church　socials；　your　thirty　years　on　the　force　to　get　to　the　top；　and　one　day；　you　decide　to　get　rid　of　this　time　bomb。〃　I　looked　at　him　and　said；　〃Correct？〃
　Yardley's　ruddy　face　had　not　gone　pale；　but　it　had　gone　redder。　Finally；　he　said；　〃I　wasn't　dumb　enough　to　have　my　picture　taken。〃
　〃Are　you　sure　about　that？　Are　you　sure　your　voice　isn't　on　an　audiotape？〃
　〃That　ain't　good　enough。〃
　〃It's　good　enough　to　smear　your　name　like　shit　on　the　mayor's　new　carpet。〃
　We　both　sat　awhile；　like　two　checker　players　trying　to　see　three　moves　down　the　road。　Yardley　nodded　to　himself；　then　looked　me　in　the　eye。　〃I　thought　about　killing　her　once　or　twice。〃
　〃No　kidding？〃
　〃But　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to　kill　a　woman　for　somethin'　stupid　that　I　did。〃
　〃Chivalry　is　not　dead。〃
　〃Yeah　。。。　anyway；　I　was　in　Atlanta　overnight　on　business　when　it　happened。　Got　lots　of　witnesses。〃
　〃Good。　I'll　talk　to　them。〃
　〃You　go　right　ahead　and　make　a　fool　out　of　yourself。〃
　〃I'm　not　the　one　with　a　motive　for　murder。〃　Actually；　I　didn't　think　Burt　Yardley　was　the　murderer；　but　people　get　nervous　when　you　tell　them　you　have　to　check　out　their　alibis。　It's　embarrassing　and　causes　all　sorts　of　awkwardness。　That's　why　cops　do　it　to　people　that　are　holding　back；　and　who　piss　them　off。
　Yardley　said；　〃You　can　take　your　motives；　put　a　light　coat　of　oil　on　them；　and　shove　'em　up　your　butt。　But　I　might　be　interested　in　what　you　got　regardin'　me　and　the　deceased。〃
　〃Might　you？　Well；　I　might　have　a　photo　of　you　when　you　were　sleeping　in　her　bed。〃
　〃Then　again；　you　might　not。〃
　〃Then　again；　how　did　I　connect　your　fat　ass　to　that　room？〃
　〃Well；　that's　the　question；　ain't　it；　son？〃　He　slid　back　his　chair　as　though　to　leave　and　said；　〃You're　blowin'　smoke　up　my　ass。　I　ain't　got　no　time　for　this。〃
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door　and　it　opened。　Specialist　Baker　handed　me　a　sealed　transmittal　envelope　and　left。　I　opened　the　envelope；　which　contained　about　a　dozen　sheets　of　typed　paper。　Without　a　preamble　to　cushion　the　blow；　I　took　a　page　at　random　and　read　aloud；　〃　'22　April…Burt　Yardley　stopped　by　about　2100　hours。　I　was　busy　with　reports；　but　he　wanted　to　go　downstairs。　Thank　God　this　guy　needs　it　only　about　once　a　month。　We　went　down　into　the　basement；　and　he　ordered　me　to　strip　for　a　search。　I　think　he　strip…searches　every　female　he　has　half　a　reason　to。　So　I　stripped　in　front　of　him　while　he　stood　there　with　his　hands　on　his　hips　and　watched；　then　he　ordered　me　to　turn　around；　bend　over；　and　spread　my　cheeks；　which　I　did。　He　put　his　finger　in　my　anus　and　told　me　he　was　looking　for　drugs　or　poison　or　secret　messages。　Then　he　made　me　lie　on　the　gurney　for　a　vaginal　search；　and…'　〃
　〃Okay；　son。〃
　I　looked　up　from　the　page。　〃Does　that　ring　a　bell；　Chief？〃
　〃Uh　。。。　not　right　off。〃　He　asked；　〃Where'd　you　get　that？〃
　〃Her　puter。〃
　〃Don't　sound　like　admissible　evidence　to　me。〃
　〃Well；　in　test　cases；　it's　been　ruled　admissible。〃
　〃Could　be　all　female　craziness。　You　know；　like　s