demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第55部分

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　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　brain。　He　looked　at　his　watch　and　said；　〃Mrs。　Campbell　will　see　you　now。〃
　We　followed　Elby　into　the　hallway；　and　he　showed　us　into　a　large；　sort　of　Victorian　parlor　at　the　front　of　the　house。
　Mrs。　Campbell　rose　from　her　chair　and　we　went　to　her。　She　was　wearing　a　simple　black　dress；　and　as　I　got　closer　I　could　see　the　resemblance　to　her　daughter。　At　about　sixty　years　old；　Mrs。　Campbell　had　made　that　transition　from　beautiful　to　attractive；　but　it　would　be　another　ten　years　at　least　before　people　would　begin　using　the　neutral　and　sexless　expression　〃a　handsome　woman。〃
　Cynthia　took　her　hand　first　and　went　through　the　condolences。　I　also　took　her　hand　and　did　the　same。　She　said；　〃Won't　you　be　seated？〃　She　indicated　a　love　seat　near　the　front　window。　We　sat；　and　she　took　the　love　seat　opposite。　Between　us　was　a　small　round　table　on　which　sat　a　few　decanters　of　cordials　and　glasses。　Mrs。　Campbell　was　drinking　tea；　but　asked　us；　〃Would　you　like　some　sherry　or　port？〃
　Actually；　I　wanted　the　alcohol；　but　not　if　I　had　to　drink　sherry　or　port　to　get　at　it。　I　declined；　but　Cynthia　said　yes　to　sherry；　and　Mrs。　Campbell　poured　one　for　her。
　Mrs。　Campbell；　I　was　surprised　to　discover；　had　a　southern　accent；　but　then　I　remembered　seeing　her　on　television　once　during　the　Gulf　War；　and　I　recalled　thinking　what　a　politically　perfect　pair　they　were：　a　rock…hard　general　from　the　Midwest　and　a　cultured　lady　from　the　South。
　Cynthia　made　some　light　chatter；　and　Mrs。　Campbell；　for　all　her　grief；　kept　up　her　end　of　the　conversation。　Mrs。　Campbell；　it　turned　out；　was　from　South　Carolina；　herself　the　daughter　of　an　Army　officer。　June　Campbell…that　was　her　name…was；　I　thought；　the　embodiment　of　everything　that　was　good　about　the　South。　She　was　polite；　charming；　and　gracious；　and　I　recalled　what　Colonel　Fowler　had　said　about　her；　and　I　added　loyal　and　ladylike　but　tough。
　I　was　aware　that　the　clock　was　ticking；　but　Cynthia　seemed　in　no　hurry　to　get　to　the　nasty　stuff；　and　I　assumed　she　had　decided　it　wasn't　appropriate　and/or　had　lost　her　nerve。　I　didn't　blame　her　at　all。　But　then　Cynthia　said；　〃I　assume　Mrs。　Fowler；　or　perhaps　Colonel　Fowler；　called　you　before　we　arrived。〃
　Good　shot；　Cynthia。
　Mrs。　Campbell　put　her　teacup　down　and　replied　in　the　same　quiet　tone　of　voice　she'd　been　conversing　in；　〃Yes；　it　was　Mrs。　Fowler。　I'm　so　glad　she　had　the　opportunity　to　speak　to　you。　She's　been　very　upset　and　feels　so　much　better　now。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Cynthia　replied；　〃it's　often　that　way。　You　know；　Mrs。　Campbell；　I'm　assigned　mostly　to　cases　of　sexual　assault；　and　I　can　tell　you　that　when　I　begin　questioning　people　who　I　know　can　tell　me　something；　I　can　almost　feel　the　tension。　It's　sort　of　like　everybody　is　wound　up；　but　once　the　first　person　speaks　up；　it　begins　to　unwind；　as　it　has　here。〃
　This　was　Cynthia's　way　of　saying　that　once　the　code　of　silence　is　broken；　everyone　falls　all　over　one　another　to　go　on　the　record　as　a　government　witness。　Beats　the　hell　out　of　being　a　suspect。
　Cynthia　said　to　Mrs。　Campbell；　〃So　from　what　Mrs。　Fowler　tells　me；　and　from　what　Mr。　Brenner　and　I　have　discovered　from　other　sources；　it　appears　that　the　general　received　a　call　from　Ann　in　the　early　morning　hours；　asking　him　to　meet　her　on　the　rifle　range；　presumably　to　discuss　something。　Is　that　correct？〃
　Another　shot　in　the　dark　or；　to　give　Cynthia　some　credit；　a　very　good　guess。
　Mrs。　Campbell　replied；　〃The　red　telephone　beside　the　bed　rang　at　about　one　forty…five　A。M。　The　general　immediately　answered　it；　and　I　woke　up　as　well。　I　watched　him　as　he　listened。　He　never　spoke；　but　hung　up　and　got　out　of　bed　and　began　getting　dressed。　I　never　ask　him　what　these　calls　are　about；　but　he　always　tells　me　where　he's　going　and　when　he　expects　to　be　back。〃　She　smiled　and　said；　〃Since　we've　been　at　Fort　Hadley；　he　doesn't　get　many　calls　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　but　in　Europe；　when　the　phone　rang；　he'd　fly　out　of　bed；　grab　a　packed　bag；　and　be　off　to　Washington　or　to　the　East　German　border；　or　who　knows　where。　But　he'd　always　tell　me　。。。　This　time　he　just　said　he'd　be　back　in　an　hour　or　so。　He　put　on　civilian　clothes　and　left。　I　watched　him　pull　away　and　noticed　that　he　used　my　car。〃
　〃What　kind　of　car　is　that；　ma'am？〃
　〃A　Buick。〃
　Cynthia　nodded　and　said；　〃Then　at　about　four　or　four…thirty　in　the　morning；　the　general　returned　home　and　told　you　what　had　happened。〃
　She　stared　off　into　space；　and　for　the　first　time　I　could　see　the　face　of　a　tired　and　heartsick　mother；　and　I　could　only　imagine　what　toll　these　years　had　taken。　Surely；　a　wife　and　mother　could　not　have　countenanced　what　a　father　and　husband　had　done　to　their　daughter　in　the　name　of　the　greater　good；　in　the　name　of　career　advancement　and　positive　public　images。　But　on　some　level；　she　must　have　e　to　terms　with　it。
　Cynthia　prompted；　〃Your　husband　came　home　about　four…thirty　A。M。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　I　was　waiting　up　for　him　。。。　here　in　the　front　room。　When　he　walked　in　the　door；　I　knew　my　daughter　was　dead。〃　She　stood。　〃And　that's　all　I　know。　Now　that　my　husband's　career　is　ended；　all　we　have　left　is　the　hope　that　you　can　find　who　did　this。　Then　we　can　all　go　on　and　make　our　peace。〃
　We　stood　also；　and　Cynthia　said；　〃We're　doing　our　best；　and　we　thank　you　for　putting　aside　your　grief　to　speak　to　us。〃
　I　said　that　we　could　find　our　way　out；　and　we　made　our　departure。
　Outside；　on　the　way　to　my　vehicle；　I　said；　〃The　general's　career　ended　ten　years　ago　in　Keller　Army　Hospital　at　West　Point。　It　just　took　some　time　for　it　to　catch　up　with　him。〃
　〃Yes；　he　not　only　betrayed　his　daughter；　but　he　betrayed　himself　and　his　wife。〃
　We　got　into　the　Blazer　and　I　pulled　away　from　Beaumont　House。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…SEVEN
　
　What　did　you　speak　to　Lieutenant　Elby　about？〃　Cynthia　asked　as　I　drove。
　〃Love　and　marriage。〃
　〃Yes；　I　heard　that　piece　of　enduring　wisdom。〃
　〃Well　。。。　you　know；　he's　too　young　to　settle　down。　He　had　proposed　marriage　to　Ann　Campbell。〃
　〃Marrying　Ann　Campbell　is　not　what　I'd　call　settling　down。〃
　〃True。〃　I　briefed　Cynthia　on　my　short　conversation　with　Elby；　and　added；　〃Now　the　poor　bastard　is　being　shipped　to　Guam。　That's　what　happens…like　in　those　old　Greek　plays　when　a　mortal　has　carnal　knowledge　of　a　goddess。　They　wind　up　insane；　turned　into　an　animal　or　some　inanimate　object；　or　get　banished　to　Guam　or　its　Aegean　equivalent。〃
　〃Sexist　nonsense。〃
　〃Right。　Anyway；　I　get　the　feeling　that　the　family　dynamics　among　the　Campbells　was　so　pathological　that　love　and　happiness　could　never　flourish；　and　God　help　anyone　who　got　caught　in　their　misery　and　pain。〃
　She　nodded。　〃Do　you　think　they　were　all　right　before　she　was　raped　at　West　Point？〃
　〃Well　。。。　according　to　Colonel　Moore；　yes。　I　think　that's　an　accurate　picture。　And　speaking　of　pictures；　I'm　thinking　back　to　that　photo　album　we　found　in　Ann's　house　。。。　If　you　think　about　the　pictures　as　before　and　after…before　and　after　the　rape　in　the　summer　between　her　first　and　second　year　at　West　Point…you　can　see　a　difference。〃
　〃Yes。　You　can　almost　pinpoint　any　family　tragedy　that　way　if　you　know　what　you're　looking　for。〃　She　added；　〃Those　men　who　gang…raped　her　had　a　little　fun　and　went　on　with　their　lives；　and　they　never　thought　about　the　human　wreckage　they　left　behind。〃
　〃I　know。　We　both　see　that　if　we　stay　around　long　enough　after　an　act　of　violence。　But　usually　we　can　get　some　justice。　In　this　case；　nobody　called　the　cops。〃
　〃No；　not　then。　But　we're　here　now。〃　She　asked　me；　〃How　do　you　want　to　handle　General　Campbell？〃
　〃I'd　like　to　rough　him　up。　But　I　think　he's　already　paid　the　supreme　price　for　his　great　mistake。　I　don't　know　。。。　tough　call。　Play　it　by　ear。　He's　a　general。〃
　〃Right。〃
　The　Post　Headquarters　parking　lot　was　nearly　empty；　but　there　were　a　few　cars　left；　including　the　general's　olive…drab　staff　car。　There　was　also　a　humvee；　a　few　of　which　are　usually　authorized　for　Post　Headquarters；　and　I　assumed　that　the　one　sitting　in　the　hangar　at　Jordan　Field　had　been　replaced。
　Cynthia　and　I　stood　in　the　parking　lot　to　the　right　of　the　headquarters　building；　and　I　said；　〃She　walked　out　that　side　door　at　about　0100　hours；　got　into　one　of　the　humvees；　and　drove　off　to　confront　the　ghosts　of　the　past。〃
　〃And　the　ghosts　won。〃
　We　walked　around　to　the　front　of　the　headquarters　building。　The　two…story；　dark　brick　structure　vaguely　resembled　a　public　school　built　in　the　1930s；　except　that　the　walk　was　lined　with　spent　105mm　howitzer　shell　casings；　each　one　sprouting　flowers；　which　was　unintentionally　ironic。　Also　on　the　lawn　were　old　field　artillery　pieces　from　different　eras；　a　graphic　display　of　the　progression　of　the　boom　factor。
　We　entered　the　front　doors；　and　a　young　PFC　at　the　information　desk　stood。　I　told　him　we　had　an　appointment　with　General　Campbell。　He　checked　his　appointment　sheet　and　directed　us　down　a　long　corridor　toward　the　rear　of　the　building。
　Cynthia　and　I　walked　down　the　deserted；　echoing　corridor　with　the　spit…shined　linoleum　floor。　I　said　to　her；　〃I've　never　arrested　a　general　before。　I'm　probably　more　nervous　than　he　is。
　She　glanced　at　me　and　replied；　〃He　didn't　do　it；　Paul。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃I　can't　picture　it；　and　if　I　can't　picture　it；　it　didn't　happen。
　〃I　don't　remember　that　in　the　manual。〃
　〃Well；　in　any　case；　I　don't　think　you're　allowed　to　arrest　a　general　officer。　Check　the　manual。〃
　We　came　to　a　sort　of　second　lobby；　which　was　deserted；　and　straight　ahead　was　a　closed　door　with　a　brass　plate　that　said；　〃Lt。　General　Joseph　I。　Campbell。〃
　I　knocked　on　the　door；　and　it　was　opened　by　a　female　captain　whose　nametag　read　Bollinger。　She　said；　〃Good　evening。　I'm　General　Campbell's　senior　aide。〃
　We　shook　hands　all　around；　and　she　showed　us　into　a　small　secretarial　area。　Captain　Bollinger　was　about　thirty…five；　chunky；　but　friendly…looking　and　animated。　I　said　to　her；　〃I　don't　think　I've　ever　heard　of　a　female　aide　to　a　male　general　since　Ike's　lady　friend。〃
　She　smiled　and　replied；　〃There　are　a　few。　The　general's　other　aide　is　a　male；　Lieutenant　Elby。〃
　〃Yes；　we've　met　him。〃　It　occurred　to　me　that