demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第54部分

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ut；　and　maybe　he　was　thinking　of　his　daughter's　career　and　reputation　as　well。　But　he　wasn't　doing　her　any　favors。〃
　〃No；　he　was　not。〃
　〃Women　who　suppress　a　sexual　assault；　or　who　are　made　to　suppress　it；　usually　pay　for　it　later。〃
　〃Or　make　other　people　pay　for　it；〃　I　pointed　out。
　〃That's　right。　Sometimes　both。〃　She　added；　〃What　happened　on　rifle　range　six　was　a　reenactment　of　the　rape　at　West　Point；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　it　was。〃
　〃Except　this　time　someone　killed　her。〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Her　father？〃
　〃Let's　get　the　last　piece　of　information　we　need　to　reenact　the　entire　crime；　from　beginning　to　end。〃
　She　stayed　silent　a　moment；　then　asked　me；　〃Do　you　know　who　killed　her？〃
　〃I　know　who　didn't　kill　her。〃
　〃Don't　be　enigmatic；　Paul。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　suspect？〃
　〃I　have　a　few。〃
　〃Build　a　case　against　them　and　we'll　put　them　on　trial　tonight　in　the　VOQ。〃
　〃Sounds　good。　I　hope　we　can　hang　someone　in　the　morning。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…SIX
　
　We　arrived　at　the　Fowler　residence　on　Bethany　Hill　and　rang　the　bell。
　Mrs。　Fowler　greeted　us；　looking　only　slightly　less　distressed　than　she'd　looked　that　morning。　She　showed　us　into　the　living　room　and　offered　us　coffee　or　whatever；　but　we　declined。　She　sat　on　a　couch；　and　we　sat　in　club　chairs。
　Cynthia　and　I　had　discussed　a　line　of　questioning；　and　we　decided　that　Cynthia　would　lead　off。　She　chatted　with　Mrs。　Fowler　about　life；　the　Army；　Fort　Hadley；　and　so　forth；　then；　when　Mrs。　Fowler　was　relaxed；　Cynthia　said　to　her；　〃Please　be　assured　that　we　only　want　to　see　justice　done。　We　are　not　here　to　ruin　reputations。　We　are　here　to　find　a　murderer；　but　we　are　also　here　to　make　certain　that　innocent　men　and　women　are　not　falsely　accused。〃
　Mrs。　Fowler　nodded。
　Cynthia　continued；　〃You　know　that　Ann　Campbell　was　sexually　involved　with　many　men　on　this　post。　I　want　first　to　assure　you　that　in　all　the　evidence　that　we've　gathered；　your　husband's　name　has　not　been　linked　with　Ann　Campbell。〃
　Again　she　nodded；　a　little　more　vigorously；　I　thought。
　Cynthia　continued；　〃We　understand　Colonel　Fowler's　position　as　General　Campbell's　adjutant　and；　I　assume；　his　friend。　We　appreciate　your　husband's　honesty　and　his　willingness　to　let　us　speak　to　you。　I'm　sure　he's　told　you　to　be　as　honest　with　us　as　he's　been　with　us；　and　as　we've　been　with　you。
　Tentative　nod。
　Cynthia　went　on；　circling　around　any　direct　question；　saying　positive　things；　showing　passion；　empathy；　and　so　on。　You　have　to　do　this　with　civilian　witnesses　who　are　not　under　subpoena；　and　Cynthia　was　doing　a　much　better　job　than　I　could　have　done。
　But　the　time　had　e；　and　Cynthia　asked　her；　〃You　were　home　on　the　evening　of　the　murder？〃
　〃Yes；　I　was。〃
　〃Your　husband　came　home　from　the　O　Club　at　about　ten　P。M。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃You　retired　about　eleven　P。M。？〃
　〃I　believe　so。〃
　〃And　sometime　between　0245　and　0300　hours；　three　A。M。　or　so；　you　were　awakened　by　someone　ringing　your　doorbell。〃
　No　reply。
　〃Your　husband　went　downstairs　and　answered　the　door。　He　came　back　to　the　bedroom　and　told　you　it　was　the　general；　and　that　he　had　to　go　off　on　urgent　business。　Your　husband　got　dressed　and　asked　you　to　do　the　same。　Correct？〃
　No　reply。
　Cynthia　said；　〃And　you　went　with　him。〃　Cynthia　added；　〃You　wear　a　size　seven　shoe；　I　believe。〃
　Mrs。　Fowler　replied；　〃Yes；　we　both　got　dressed　and　left。〃
　No　one　spoke　for　a　few　seconds；　then　Cynthia　said；　〃You　both　got　dressed　and　left。　And　did　General　Campbell　remain　in　your　house？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　was　Mrs。　Campbell　with　him？〃
　〃No；　she　was　not。〃
　〃So　General　Campbell　stayed　behind；　and　you　acpanied　your　husband　to　rifle　range　six。　Correct？〃
　〃Yes。　My　husband　said　that　the　general　told　him　Ann　Campbell　was　naked；　and　he　told　me　to　bring　a　robe　with　me。　He　said　that　Ann　Campbell　was　tied　up；　so　he　took　a　knife　for　me　to　cut　the　rope。〃
　〃All　right。　You　drove　along　Rifle　Range　Road；　and　for　the　last　mile　or　so；　you　drove　without　headlights。〃
　〃Yes。　My　husband　did　not　want　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　guard。　He　said　there　was　a　guard　up　the　road。〃
　〃Yes。　And　you　stopped　at　the　parked　humvee；　as　General　Campbell　instructed。　It　was　now　what　time？〃
　〃It　was　。。。　about　three…thirty。〃
　〃It　was　about　three…thirty。　You　got　out　of　your　car　and　。。。〃
　〃And　I　could　see　something　out　on　the　rifle　range；　and　my　husband　told　me　to　go　out　there　and　cut　her　loose　and　make　her　put　the　robe　on。　He　said　to　call　him　if　I　needed　help。〃　Mrs。　Fowler　paused；　then　added；　〃He　said　to　slap　her　around　if　she　didn't　cooperate。　He　was　very　angry。〃
　〃Understandably　so；〃　Cynthia　agreed。　〃So　you　walked　out　on　the　range。〃
　〃Yes。　My　husband　decided　to　follow　about　halfway。　I　think　he　was　concerned　about　how　Ann　would　react。　He　thought　she　might　bee　violent。〃
　〃And　you　approached　Ann　Campbell。　Did　you　say　anything？〃
　〃Yes；　I　called　her　name；　but　she　didn't　。。。　she　didn't　reply。　I　got　right　up　to　her；　and　。。。　I　knelt　beside　her；　and　her　eyes　were　open；　but　。。。　I　screamed　。。。　and　my　husband　ran　to　me　。。。〃　Mrs。　Fowler　put　her　hands　over　her　face　and　began　crying。　Cynthia　seemed　prepared　for　this　and　sprang　out　of　her　seat　and　sat　beside　Mrs。　Fowler　on　the　couch；　putting　her　arm　around　her　and　giving　her　a　handkerchief。
　After　about　a　minute；　Cynthia　said；　〃Thank　you。　You　don't　have　to　say　any　more。　We'll　see　ourselves　out。〃　And　we　did。
　We　got　into　my　Blazer　and　drove　off。　I　said；　〃Sometimes　a　shot　in　the　dark　hits　its　mark。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃But　it　wasn't　a　shot　in　the　dark。　I　mean；　it　all　makes　sense　now；　it's　all　logical；　based　on　what　we　know　of　the　facts；　and　what　we　know　of　the　personalities。〃
　〃Right。　You　did　a　nice　job。〃
　〃Thank　you。　But　you　set　it　up。〃
　Which　was　true；　so　I　said；　〃Yes；　I　did。〃
　〃I　suppose　I　don't　like　false　modesty　or　humility　in　a　man。〃
　〃Good。　You're　in　the　right　car。〃　I　said；　〃Do　you　think　Colonel　Fowler　told　her　to　tell　the　truth；　or　did　she　decide　on　her　own？〃
　Cynthia　thought　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃I　think　Colonel　Fowler　knows　that　we　know　a；　b；　and　c。　He　told　his　wife　that　if　we　asked　about　x；　then　she　should　answer　about　x；　and　go　on　about　y　and　z　and　get　it　off　her　chest；　and　get　it　finished　with。〃
　〃Right。　And　Mrs。　Fowler　is　her　husband's　witness　that　Ann　Campbell　was　dead　when　they　got　there；　and　that　Colonel　Fowler　did　not　kill　her。〃
　〃Correct。　And　I　believe　her；　and　I　don't　believe　he　killed　Ann　Campbell。〃
　We　drove　in　silence　back　toward　the　main　post；　both　of　us　deep　in　thought。
　We　arrived　at　Beaumont　House　a　little　early；　but　decided　that　protocol　had　to　take　a　backseat　to　reality　for　a　change；　and　we　went　to　the　front　door；　where　an　MP　checked　our　IDs；　then　rang　the　bell　for　us。
　As　luck　would　have　it；　young　and　handsome　Lieutenant　Elby　opened　the　door。　He　said；　〃You're　ten　minutes　early。〃
　Young　Elby　wore　the　crossed…rifles　insignia　of　an　infantry　officer；　and　though　there　was　no　indication　on　this　uniform　that　he'd　seen　bat　anywhere；　I　deferred　to　his　infantry　status　and　his　rank　as　a　missioned　officer。　I　said　to　him；　〃We　can　leave　and　e　back；　or　we　can　speak　to　you　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　Lieutenant　Elby　seemed　an　amicable　sort　and　showed　us　in。　We　went　into　the　waiting　room　where　we'd　been　before；　and；　still　standing；　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Didn't　you　want　to　use　the　facilities？〃
　〃What？　Oh　。。。　yes。〃
　Lieutenant　Elby　pointed　and　said；　〃There's　a　powder　room　to　the　left　of　the　foyer。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　She　left。
　I　said　to　Elby；　〃Lieutenant；　it　has　e　to　my　attention　that　you　and　Captain　Campbell　dated。〃
　Elby　looked　at　me　closely；　then　replied；　〃That's　correct。〃
　〃Did　you　know　she　was　also　dating　Wes　Yardley？〃
　He　nodded；　and　I　could　tell　by　his　expression　that　this　was　still　a　painful　memory　for　him。　I　could　certainly　understand　this…a　clean…cut　young　officer　having　to　share　his　boss's　daughter　with　a　less…than…clean…cut　townie；　a　sort　of　bad…boy　cop。　I　said　to　Elby；　〃Did　you　love　her？〃
　〃I'm　not　answering　that。〃
　〃You　already　have。　And　were　your　intentions　honorable？〃
　〃Why　are　you　asking　me　these　questions？　You're　here　to　speak　to　Mrs。　Campbell。〃
　〃We're　early。　So　you　knew　about　Wes　Yardley。　Did　you　hear　other　rumors　that　Ann　Campbell　dated　married　officers　on　post？〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　I　guess　he　didn't　hear　those　rumors。　And　I　guess　he　didn't　know　about　the　room　in　the　basement；　either。　I　said　to　him；　〃Did　the　general　approve　of　your　relationship　with　his　daughter？〃
　〃Yes；　he　did。　Do　I　have　to　answer　these　questions？〃
　〃Well；　three　days　ago　you　didn't；　and　you　could　have　told　me　to　go　to　hell。　And　a　few　days　from　now；　you　could　probably　tell　me　the　same　thing。　But　right　now；　yes；　you　have　to　answer　these　questions。　Next　question…did　Mrs。　Campbell　approve？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Did　you　and　Ann　Campbell　ever　discuss　marriage？〃
　〃Yes；　we　did。〃
　〃Talk　to　me；　Lieutenant。〃
　〃Well　。。。　I　knew　she　was　involved　with　this　Yardley　guy；　and　I　was　。。。　annoyed　。。。　but　it　wasn't　just　that　。。。　I　mean；　she　told　me　that　。。。　that　she　had　to　be　sure　her　parents　approved；　and　when　the　general　gave　his　blessings；　we　would　announce　our　engagement。〃
　〃I　see。　And　you　discussed　this　with　the　general；　man…to…man？〃
　〃Yes；　I　did；　a　few　weeks　ago。　He　seemed　happy；　but　he　told　me　to　take　a　month　to　think　it　over。　He　said　that　his　daughter　was　a　very　headstrong　young　woman。〃
　〃I　see。　And　then　recently　you　received　orders　to　go　to　someplace　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。〃
　He　looked　at　me；　sort　of　surprised。　〃Yes　。。。　Guam。〃
　I　almost　laughed；　but　didn't。　Though　he　was　my　superior；　he　was　young　enough　to　be　my　son；　and　I　put　my　hand　on　his　shoulder。　I　said　to　him；　〃Lieutenant；　you　could　have　been　the　best　thing　to　happen　to　Ann　Campbell；　but　it　wasn't　going　to　happen。　You　got　caught　in　a　power　struggle　between　General　and　Captain　Campbell；　and　they　moved　you　up　and　down　the　board。　Somewhere　in　the　back　of　your　mind　you　understand　this。　Get　on　with　your　life　and　your　career；　Lieutenant；　and　the　next　time　you　think　about　marriage；　take　two　aspirin；　lie　down　in　a　dark　room；　and　wait　for　the　feeling　to　pass。〃
　Unfortunately；　Cynthia　returned　at　that　very　moment　and　gave　me　a　nasty　look。
　Lieutenant　Elby　seemed　confused　and　irritated；　but　something　was　clicking　in　his