demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第52部分

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　〃Well；　in　test　cases；　it's　been　ruled　admissible。〃
　〃Could　be　all　female　craziness。　You　know；　like　some　dumb　make…believe。〃
　〃Could　be。　I'll　turn　it　over　to　the　JAG　and　to　the　Georgia　attorney　general　for　evaluation　by　legal　and　mental　health　professionals。　Maybe　you'll　be　cleared。〃
　〃Cleared　of　what？　Even　if　every　goddamn　word　is　true；　I　didn't　break　no　laws。〃
　〃I'm　not　an　expert　on　Georgia　sodomy　laws。　But　I　think　you　may　have　broken　your　marriage　vows。〃
　〃Oh；　can　that　shit；　son。　You're　a　man。　Act　like　a　goddamn　man。　Think　like　a　goddamn　man。　You　some　kind　of　queer　or　what？　You　married？〃
　I　ignored　him　and　flipped　through　the　pages。　〃My　goodness；　Burt　。。。　you　used　your　flashlight　to　look　up　her　。。。　and　here　you　use　your　nightstick　to　。。。　and　your　pistol？　This　is　really　gross。　You've　got　this　fetish　about　long；　hard　objects；　I　see。　But　I　don't　seem　to　see　where　your　own　object　gets　long　or　hard　。。。〃
　Burt　stood。　〃You　keep　a　close　eye　on　your　ass；　boy；　because　it's　mine　if　you　stick　it　anyplace　off　this　post。〃　He　went　to　the　door；　but　I　knew　he　wasn't　going　anywhere；　so　I　paid　no　attention。　He　came　back　to　the　table；　took　the　chair　beside　me；　and　spun　it　around；　then　sat　on　it　and　leaned　toward　me。　I'm　not　sure　what　the　reversed　chair　symbolizes　beyond　the　obvious　fact　that　it's　the　opposite　of　sitting　down　and　relaxing。　Maybe　it's　protective；　maybe　aggressive；　but　whatever　it　is；　it's　annoying。　I　stood；　and　sat　on　the　table。　〃Okay；　Burt；　what　I　want　from　you　is　every　damned　piece　of　evidence　you　took　out　of　that　room。〃
　〃No　way。〃
　〃Then　I'll　send　copies　of　these　diary　pages　to　everyone　in　the　Midland　phone　book。〃
　〃Then　I'll　kill　you。〃
　We　were　getting　somewhere　now；　so　I　said；　〃We'll　swap　evidence。〃
　〃Hell；　no。　I　got　enough　stuff　to　fuck　up　most　of　the　top　boys　on　this　here　post。　You　want　that　to　happen？〃
　〃You've　only　got　masked　photos。　I　have　the　diary。〃
　〃I　got　goddamned　fingerprints　all　over　the　place　down　there。　We're　gonna　run　those　through　the　FBI　and　the　Army。〃
　〃Are　the　contents　still　in　the　room？〃
　〃My　business。〃
　〃Okay；　how　about　a　bonfire？　We'll　use　these　pages　of　your　sexual　perversions　to　start　it。　Probably　won't　even　need　a　match。〃
　He　thought　a　minute。　〃Can　I　trust　you？〃
　〃My　word　as　an　officer。〃
　〃Yeah？〃
　〃Can　I　trust　you？〃
　〃No；　but　I　don't　want　you　shooting　off　your　wiseass　mouth　to　my　wife　and　boy。〃
　I　stood　and　looked　out　the　window。　The　reporters　were　still　there；　but　a　cordon　of　MPs　had　now　moved　them　back　about　fifty　meters　to　the　road　in　front　of　the　building　so　that　people　could　e　and　go　without　being　harassed。　I　thought　about　what　I　was　about　to　enter　into　with　Chief　Yardley。　Destroying　evidence　could　get　me　a　few　years　in　Kansas。　On　the　other　hand；　destroying　lives　is　not　part　of　my　job。　I　turned　and　walked　toward　Yardley。　〃Done　deal。〃
　He　stood　and　we　shook。　I　said；　〃You　throw　everything　in　a　dump　truck；　including　the　furniture；　sheets；　carpet；　videotapes；　photos；　whips　and　chains；　and　all　that　stuff；　and　bring　everything　to　the　town　incinerator。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃After　I　make　an　arrest。〃
　〃When's　that　gonna　be？〃
　〃Soon。〃
　〃Yeah？　You　want　to　tell　me　about　that？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You　know；　dealin'　with　you　is　like　jerkin'　off　with　sandpaper。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　I　handed　him　the　puter　printouts　and　said；　〃When　we　burn　the　stuff；　I'll　have　this　deleted　from　the　puter。　You　can　watch。〃
　〃Yeah。　Now　you're　blowin'　sunshine　up　my　ass。　Well；　I'm　gonna　trust　you；　son；　'cause　you're　an　officer　and　a　gentleman。　But　if　you　fuck　me；　I'll　kill　you　as　God　is　my　witness。〃
　〃I　think　I　understand　that。　And　I　make　you　the　same　promise。　Have　your　first　good　night's　sleep　tonight。　It's　almost　finished。〃
　We　walked　out　into　the　corridor　and　back　toward　the　office。　On　the　way；　I　said　to　him；　〃Have　my　personal　luggage　delivered　to　the　visiting　officers'　quarters；　okay；　Burt？〃
　〃Sure　thing；　son。〃
　Cynthia　and　Wes　Yardley　were　sitting　at　the　desks　and　stopped　talking　as　we　entered。
　Burt　said；　〃Hey；　we　interruptin'　somethin'？〃　He　laughed。
　Cynthia　gave　Burt　a　look　that　seemed　to　say；　〃You're　a　jackass。〃
　Wes　stood　and　ambled　to　the　door。　He　looked　at　the　papers　in　his　father's　hand　and　asked；　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Uh　。。。　just　some　Army　crap　I　got　to　read。〃　He　looked　at　Cynthia　and　touched　his　hat。　〃A　pleasure　as　always；　ma'am。〃　He　said　to　me；　〃Keep　me　informed。〃　He　and　his　son　left。
　Cynthia　asked；　〃Did　Baker　find　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Hot　stuff？〃
　〃Burt　found　it　a　little　embarrassing。〃　I　told　her　most　of　what　transpired　and　said　to　her；　〃The　incriminating　photos　and　other　evidence　in　Ann　Campbell's　fun　room　will　be　disposed　of；　but　the　less　you　know　about　it；　the　better。〃
　〃Don't　be　protective；　Paul。　I　don't　like　that。〃
　〃I'd　do　the　same　for　any　officer。　You're　going　to　be　questioned　under　oath　someday；　and　you　don't　have　to　lie。〃
　〃We'll　discuss　this　another　time。　Meanwhile；　Wes　Yardley　turns　out　to　be　a　little　less　macho　than　he　appears。〃
　〃They　all　are。〃
　〃Right。　He's　quite　upset　over　Ann　Campbell's　death；　and　has　been　turning　Midland　upside　down　trying　to　find　who　did　it。
　〃Good。　Did　you　get　the　feeling　that　he　thought　Ann　Campbell　was　his　personal　property？〃
　〃Sort　of。　I　asked　him　if　she　was　allowed　to　date　other　men；　and　he　said　he　only　allowed　her　to　have　dinner；　drinks；　and　such；　on　official　occasions　on　post。　He　never　wanted　to　escort　her　to　any　of　those　things；　so　he　was　good　enough　to　permit　her　to　do　what　she　had　to　do　with　the　asshole　officers。　Quote；　unquote。〃
　〃There's　a　man　after　my　own　heart。〃
　〃Right。　But　people　can't　be　watched　all　the　time；　and　where　there's　a　will；　there's　a　way。〃
　〃Correct。　So　he　had　no　idea；　obviously；　that　she　was　furthering　her　career　in　nontraditional　ways。〃
　〃I　very　much　doubt　it。〃
　〃And　if　he　found　out　that　his　father　was　sharing　the　honey；　he'd　be　annoyed。〃
　〃To　say　the　very　least。〃
　〃Good。　I've　never　had　my　hands　around　so　many　balls。〃
　〃Don't　let　it　go　to　your　head。〃
　〃Not　me。　I'm　just　doing　my　job。〃
　〃Do　you　want　a　sandwich？〃
　〃You　buying？〃
　〃Sure。〃　She　stood。　〃I　need　some　air。　I'll　run　over　to　the　O　Club。〃
　〃Cheeseburger；　fries；　and　a　Coke。〃
　〃Tidy　up　this　place　while　I'm　gone。〃　She　left。
　I　called　Baker　on　the　inter；　and　she　reported。　I　gave　her　my　handwritten　note　regarding　Dalbert　Elkins　and　asked　her　to　type　it。
　She　said　to　me；　〃Would　you　remend　me　for　CID　School？〃
　〃It's　not　as　much　fun　as　it　looks；　Baker。〃
　〃I　really　want　to　be　a　criminal　investigator。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃It's　exciting。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　talk　to　Ms。　Sunhill　about　it？〃
　〃I　did；　when　she　was　here　yesterday。　She　said　it　was　fun　and　exciting；　lots　of　travel；　and　you　meet　interesting　people。〃
　〃Right；　and　you　arrest　them。〃
　〃She　said　she　met　you　in　Brussels。　That　sounds　romantic。〃
　I　didn't　reply。
　〃She　said　she's　got　orders　for　a　permanent　duty　station　in　Panama　when　she's　finished　here。〃
　〃Would　you　get　me　some　fresh　coffee？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃That　will　be　all。〃　She　left。
　Panama。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…FIVE
　
　Colonel　Fowler　called　at　1645　hours　and　I　took　the　call；　telling　Cynthia　to　pick　up　the　other　line　and　listen。
　Colonel　Fowler　said；　〃My　wife　is　available　at　1730　hours；　at　home；　Mrs。　Campbell　at　1800　hours；　at　Beaumont　House；　and　the　general　will　see　you　at　his　office　at　Post　Headquarters　at　1830　hours；　sharp。〃
　I　mented；　〃That's　cutting　the　interviews　close。〃
　〃Actually；〃　he　replied；　〃it's　cutting　them　short。〃
　〃That's　what　I　meant。〃
　〃The　three　parties　you　wish　to　speak　to　are　under　a　great　deal　of　stress；　Mr。　Brenner。〃
　〃So　am　I；　but　I　thank　you。〃
　〃Mr。　Brenner；　has　it　occurred　to　you　that　you　may　be　upsetting　people？〃
　〃It　has　occurred　to　me。〃
　〃The　funeral；　as　I　said；　is　tomorrow　morning。　Why　don't　you　and　Ms。　Sunhill　brief　the　FBI　people；　attend　the　funeral　if　you　wish；　then　leave。　The　investigation　will　proceed　nicely　without　you；　and　the　murderer　will　be　brought　to　justice　in　good　time。　This　is　not　a　timed　exercise。〃
　〃Well；　it　wasn't；　but　the　idiots　in　Washington　made　it　one。〃
　〃Mr。　Brenner；　from　the　very　beginning；　you　chose　to　charge　through　here　like　Grant　took　Richmond；　with　no　regard　to　protocol　or　other　people's　sensibilities。〃
　〃That's　how　Grant　took　Richmond；　Colonel。〃
　〃And　they　are　still　pissed…off　at　Grant　in　Richmond。〃
　〃Right。　Colonel；　I　knew　from　the　beginning　that　this　case　would　be　pulled　away　from　me；　from　the　CID。　The　Pentagon　and　the　White　House　did　the　politically　correct　thing；　and　God　bless　civilian　control　of　the　military。　But　if　I　have　about　twenty　hours　left；　I'll　use　it　my　way。〃
　〃As　you　wish。〃
　〃Trust　me　to　conclude　this　case　in　a　way　that　will　not　bring　discredit　on　the　Army。　Don't　trust　the　FBI　or　the　Attorney　General's　Office　to　do　that。〃
　〃I　won't　ment　on　that。〃
　〃Best　that　you　don't。〃
　〃On　another　topic；　Mr。　Brenner；　your　request　to　seize　the　contents　of　Colonel　Moore's　office　has　gone　all　the　way　to　the　Pentagon；　and　they　turned　it　down　for　national　security　reasons。〃
　〃That's　the　very　best　of　reasons；　sir。　But　it's　odd　that　the　people　in　Washington　want　me　to　arrest　Colonel　Moore　for　murder；　but　I　can't　get　permission　to　examine　his　files。〃
　〃That's　what　happens　when　you　ask。　You　know　that。〃
　〃Indeed　I　do。　That's　the　last　time　I　go　through　channels。〃
　〃That's　your　call。　But　the　Pentagon　did　say　that　if　you　arrest　Colonel　Moore　at　this　time；　they　will　fly　someone　down　here　with　the　necessary　clearance　and　authority　to　assist　you　in　going　through　the　files　on　a　selective　basis。　But　it　can't　be　a　fishing　expedition。　You　must　know　what　you're　looking　for。〃
　〃Right。　I've　been　that　route　before。　If　I　knew　what　the　hell　I　was　looking　for；　I　probably　wouldn't　need　it。〃
　〃Well；　that's　the　best　I　could　do。　What　clearance　do　you　have？〃
　〃Oh；　about　five　foot　eleven。〃　He　didn't　laugh；　so　I　said；　〃Secret　clearance。〃
　〃All　right；　I'll　pass　that　on。　Meantime；　the　Psy…Ops　School　is　sending　people　down　to　Jordan　Field　to　collect　the　contents　of　Captain　Campbell's　office　and　return　everything　to　the　school。　You　and　Colonel　Kent　will　not　be　charged　with　a　crime　for　removing　the　contents；　but　letters　of　reprimand　have　been　put　in　your　files。〃　He　added；　〃You　must　obey　the　law　like　the　rest　of　us。〃
　〃Well；　I　usu