demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第53部分

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us。〃
　〃Well；　I　usually　do　when　I　know　what　it　is。〃
　〃You　don't　confiscate　classified　material　without　proper　authorization。〃
　〃Someone's　trying　to　sandbag　me；　Colonel。〃
　〃Not　only　that；　someone's　trying　to　screw　you。　Why？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃You've　made　inquiries　about　Captain　Campbell's　time　at　West　Point。　Correct？〃
　〃That's　correct。　Did　I　ask　the　wrong　question？〃
　〃Apparently。〃
　I　glanced　at　Cynthia　and　inquired　of　Colonel　Fowler；　〃Can　you　tell　me　anything　about　that；　Colonel？〃
　〃I　know　nothing　about　it；　except　that　they're　asking　me　why　you're　asking。〃
　〃Who　are　they？〃
　〃I　can't　say。　But　you　hit　a　nerve；　Mr。　Brenner。〃
　〃It　sounds　like　you're　trying　to　help　me；　Colonel。〃
　〃Upon　consideration；　you　and　Ms。　Sunhill　may　be　the　best　people　for　this　job。　But　you　won't　conclude　this　case　in　time；　so　I'm　advising　you　to　protect　yourselves。〃　He　added；　〃Lay　low。〃
　〃Ms。　Sunhill　and　I　are　not　criminals。　We　are　criminal　investigators。〃
　〃The　letter　of　reprimand　was　a　warning　shot。　The　next　shot　is　aimed　for　the　heart。〃
　〃Right；　but　I'm　firing　it。〃
　〃You're　a　damned　fool。　We　need　more　people　like　you。〃　He　added；　〃Be　sure　your　partner　understands　what　she's　getting　into。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　understand。〃
　〃Neither　do　I；　but　you　definitely　asked　the　wrong　question　about　West　Point。　Good　day。〃　He　hung　up。
　I　looked　at　Cynthia。　〃My　goodness。〃
　She　said；　〃We　definitely　asked　the　right　question　about　West　Point。〃
　〃Apparently。〃　I　called　Jordan　Field　and　got　Grace　Dixon　on　the　line。　〃Grace；　I　just　got　a　tip　that　there　are　people　en　route　to　your　location　from　the　Psy…Ops　School　to　reclaim　Captain　Campbell's　files；　and　I'm　sure　that　includes　her　puter。〃
　〃I　know。　They're　already　here。〃
　〃Damn　it！〃
　〃No　problem。　After　I　spoke　to　you；　I　copied　everything　onto　a　floppy　disk。〃　She　added；　〃They're　taking　the　puter　now；　but　I　don't　think　anyone　could　e　up　with　the　passwords　to　access　those　files。〃
　〃Nice　going；　Grace。〃　I　asked；　〃What　are　the　passwords？〃
　〃There　are　three：　one　for　the　personal　letters；　one　for　the　list　of　boyfriends'　names；　addresses；　and　telephone　numbers；　and　one　for　the　diary。〃　She　continued；　〃The　password　for　the　letters　is　'Naughty　Notes；'　for　the　boyfriends'　names；　addresses；　and　telephone　numbers；　she　used　the　words　'Daddy's　Friends；'　and　the　password　for　the　diary　is　'Trojan　Horse。'　〃
　〃Okay　。。。　hold　on　to　that　disk。〃
　〃It's　close　to　my　heart。〃
　〃Good。　Sleep　with　it　tonight。　Talk　to　you　later。〃　I　hung　up；　called　Falls　Church；　and　got　through　to　Karl。　I　said　to　him；　〃I'm　hearing　that　my　inquiry　about　West　Point　got　some　people　angry；　upset；　or　scared。〃
　〃Who　told　you　that？〃
　〃The　question　is；　What　did　you　find？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃This　is　important。〃
　〃I'm　doing　my　best。〃
　〃Tell　me　what　you've　done。〃
　〃Mister　Brenner；　I　don't　report　to　you。〃
　〃Right。　But　I've　asked　you　to　use　your　resources　to　get　me　a　piece　of　information。〃
　〃I'll　call　you　when　I　have　something。〃
　Cynthia　pushed　a　note　toward　me　that　read：　Tapped？　I　nodded。　Karl　definitely　sounded　weird。　I　asked　him；　〃Did　they　get　to　you；　Karl？〃
　After　a　few　seconds；　he　said；　〃All　the　doors　slammed　in　my　face。　Proceed　with　the　case　without　this　information。　I've　been　assured　you　don't　need　it。〃
　〃All　right。　Thanks　very　much　for　trying。〃
　〃I'll　see　you　here　tomorrow　or　the　next　day。〃
　〃Fine。　Since　you're　not　busy　with　my　request；　perhaps　you　can　arrange　a　thirty…day　administrative　leave　for　me　and　Ms。　Sunhill；　and　a　confirmed　MAC　flight　to　a　place　of　my　choice。〃
　〃The　Pentagon　would　like　nothing　better。〃
　〃And　get　that　fucking　letter　of　reprimand　out　of　my　file。〃　I　hung　up。
　Cynthia　said；　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on　here？〃
　〃I　think　we　opened　a　Pandora's　box；　took　out　a　can　of　worms；　and　threw　it　at　a　hornet's　nest。〃
　〃You　can　say　that　again。〃
　But　I　didn't。　I　said；　〃We've　been　cut　loose。〃　I　thought　a　moment；　then　added；　〃But　I　think　we　can　go　it　alone。〃
　〃I　guess　we　have　no　choice。　But　I　still　want　to　know　about　West　Point。〃
　〃Karl　has　assured　us　it's　not　important　to　the　case。〃
　Cynthia　stayed　silent　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Karl　disappoints　me。　I　never　thought　he'd　back　off　from　a　criminal　investigation　like　that。〃
　〃Me　neither。〃
　We　spoke　for　a　few　minutes　trying　to　figure　out　where　to　go　regarding　the　West　Point　inquiry。　I　looked　at　my　watch。　〃Well；　let's　get　to　Bethany　Hill。〃　We　got　up　to　leave；　but　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door；　and　Specialist　Baker　came　in　with　a　sheet　of　paper　in　her　hand。　She　sat　at　my　desk　and　glanced　at　the　paper。
　I　said　to　her；　sarcastically；　〃Have　a　seat；　Baker。〃
　She　looked　up　at　us　and　said　in　an　assured　tone　of　voice；　〃Actually；　I'm　Warrant　Officer　Kiefer　from　the　CID。　I've　been　here　about　two　months　on　undercover　assignment　for　Colonel　Hellmann。　I've　been　investigating　charges　of　improper　conduct　in　the　traffic　enforcement　section…petty　stuff；　nothing　to　do　with　Colonel　Kent　or　any　of　that。　Colonel　Hellmann　told　me　to　get　myself　assigned　as　your　clerk…typist。〃　She　looked　at　us。　〃So　I　did。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃Are　you　serious？　You've　been　spying　on　us　for　Colonel　Hellmann？〃
　〃Not　spying；　just　helping。　It's　done　all　the　time。〃
　I　replied；　〃It　is；　but　I'm　still　pissed…off。〃
　Specialist　Baker；　a。k。a。　Warrant　Officer　Kiefer；　said；　〃I　don't　blame　you；　but　this　case　is　explosive；　and　Colonel　Hellmann　was　concerned。〃
　I　said；　〃Colonel　Hellmann　just　took　a　dive　on　us。〃
　She　didn't　respond　to　that；　but　said；　〃In　the　two　months　I've　been　here；　I've　heard　those　rumors　about　Colonel　Kent　and　Captain　Campbell　that　I　told　you　about。　That's　all　true；　but　I　never　wrote　him　up　because　I　don't　like　doing　that　to　people。　I　couldn't　see　one　incident　where　he　promised　his　duties；　and　all　I　had　was　office　gossip　anyway。　But　now　I　suppose　that's　all　relevant。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃Relevant；　but　maybe　not　evidence　of　anything　except　stupidity。〃
　Ms。　Kiefer　shrugged。　She　handed　me　a　sheet　of　paper　and　said；　〃I　got　a　call　from　Falls　Church　a　few　minutes　ago　telling　me　to　identify　myself　to　you；　and　instructing　me　to　stand　by　the　fax　machine。　That's　what　came　across。〃
　I　looked　at　the　fax　sheet；　which　was　addressed　to　me　and　Sunhill；　via　Kiefer；　eyes　only。　I　read　aloud；　〃　'Regarding　the　West　Point　inquiry；　as　indicated　on　the　phone；　all　files　sealed　or　nonexistent；　all　verbal　inquiries　met　with　silence。　However；　I　phoned　a　retired　CID　person　who　was　stationed　at　the　Point　during　the　period　in　question。　That　person　spoke　on　condition　of　anonymity；　and　briefed　me　as　follows：　During　the　summer　between　Cadet　Campbell's　first　and　second　year　at　West　Point；　she　was　hospitalized　in　a　private　clinic　for　a　few　weeks。　Officially；　she'd　had　a　training　accident　at　Camp　Buckner　Military　Reservation　during　night　exercises。　My　source　says　that　General　Campbell　flew　in　from　Germany　the　day　after　the　'accident。'　Here　is　the　story　as　my　source　pieced　it　together　from　rumors：　In　August；　during　recondo　training；　the　cadets　were　engaged　in　night　patrols　in　the　woods；　and　by　accident　or　design；　Cadet　Campbell　was　separated　from　a　larger　group　and　found　herself　with　five　or　six　males…either　cadets　or　men　from　the　Eighty…second　Airborne　Division　who　were　assisting　with　the　training。　They　wore　camouflage　paint；　and　it　was　dark　and　so　forth。　These　male　personnel　grabbed　Cadet　Campbell；　stripped　her；　and　staked　her　out　with　pegs　from　their　pup　tents；　then　took　turns　raping　her。　What　happened　next　is　unclear；　but　presumably　the　men　threatened　her　if　she　reported　the　rape；　then　untied　her　and　ran　off。　She　was　reported　missing　until　dawn；　when　she　appeared　at　the　bivouac　area；　disheveled　and　hysterical。　She　was　taken　first　to　Keller　Army　Hospital　and　treated　for　minor　cuts　and　bruises；　exhaustion；　and　so　forth。　Medical　records　do　not　indicate　sexual　assault。　General　Campbell　arrived；　and　she　was　removed　to　a　private　clinic。　No　one　was　charged；　no　action　taken；　incident　hushed　for　the　good　of　the　academy；　and　Cadet　Campbell　reported　for　classes　in　September。　Rumor　was　that　the　general　put　pressure　on　his　daughter　not　to　pursue　the　matter…the　general　was　probably　pressured　himself　from　higher…ups。　So　that's　it。　Shred　this　message　and　destroy　fax　activity　report。　Good　luck。　（Signed）　Hellmann。'　〃
　I　passed　the　fax　to　Cynthia；　and　she　said；　〃It　all　makes　sense　now；　doesn't　it？〃
　I　nodded。
　Kiefer　asked　us；　〃You　know　who　killed　her？〃
　I　replied；　〃No；　but　I　think　we　know　now　why　she　was　out　there　on　the　range。〃
　Cynthia　put　Karl's　message　through　the　shredder　and　said　to　Kiefer；　〃So　you　wanted　to　be　a　detective？〃
　Kiefer　looked　a　little　embarrassed　but　replied；　〃Specialist　Baker　wanted　to　be　a　detective。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃Specialist　Baker　can　stay　a　clerk…typist　for　a　while。　We　don't　need　another　detective。〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　replied　Kiefer；　slipping　back　into　her　assumed　rank　and　role。　〃But　I'll　keep　my　eyes　and　ears　open。〃
　〃You　do　that。〃
　I　said　to　Baker；　〃Tell　Colonel　Kent　that　Mr。　Brenner　wants　Colonel　Moore　restricted　to　post　and　available　until　further　notice。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　left　the　office；　went　out　the　back　way；　and　made　it　to　the　parking　lot　without　getting　waylaid　by　reporters。　I　said；　〃My　turn　to　drive。〃　I　found　my　keys　and　we　got　into　my　Blazer。
　As　I　drove　toward　Bethany　Hill；　I　said；　〃Karl　is　okay　for　a　bastard。〃
　She　smiled。　〃Even　if　he　did　pull　a　fast　one　on　us。　Do　you　believe　that？〃
　〃It　es　with　the　territory；　Cynthia。〃　I　added；　〃I　thought　she　looked　familiar。　There　was　something　not　right　about　her。〃
　〃Oh；　cut　the　crap；　Paul。　You　were　as　fooled　as　I　was。　God；　I　have　to　get　out　of　this　job。〃
　〃What　about　Panama？〃　I　glanced　at　her；　and　our　eyes　met。
　Cynthia　said；　〃I　put　in　for　a　permanent　duty　station　out　of　the　continental　United　States　because　I　wanted　to　get　away　from　my　about…to…be　ex。〃
　〃Good　thinking。〃　I　changed　the　subject。　〃So　this　West　Point　thing　is　high　explosives。〃
　〃Yes。　I　can't　believe　a　father　would　participate　in　a　cover…up　。。。　well；　if　you　think　about　it　。。。　I　mean；　there's　so　much　tension　at　West　Point　since　it　went　co…ed。　It's　unbelievable　what's　happening　there。　Plus；　the　general　had　his　own　career　to　think　about；　and　maybe　he　was　thinking　of　his　daughter's　career　and　reputation　as　well。　But　he　wasn't　doing　h