demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第57部分

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。。。　I　mean；　whoever　did　it　drove　those　stakes　very　deep；　and　tied　those　knots　。。。　so　I　said　to　her　I'd　be　right　back　。。。　and　I　went　to　the　car　and　to　the　humvee；　but　I　couldn't　find　anything　to　cut　the　ropes　。。。　so　I　went　back　to　her　and　told　her　。。。　I　told　her　。。。　I　said　that　I'd　drive　up　to　Bethany　Hill　and　get　a　knife　from　Colonel　Fowler　。。。　Bethany　Hill　is　less　than　ten　minutes　from　range　six　。。。　In　retrospect；　I　should　have　。。。　well；　I　don't　know　what　I　should　have　done。〃
　Again　I　nodded。　I　asked　him；　〃And　while　you　were　trying　to　untie　the　ropes；　you　spoke；　of　course。〃
　〃Just　a　few　words。〃
　〃But　surely　you　asked　her　who　had　done　that　to　her？〃
　〃No　。。。〃
　〃General；　surely　you　said　something　like；　'Ann；　who　did　this？'　〃
　〃Oh　。。。　yes；　of　course。　But　she　didn't　know。〃
　〃Actually；〃　I　informed　him；　〃she　wouldn't　say。〃
　The　general　looked　me　in　the　eye。　〃That's　correct。　She　wouldn't　say。　Perhaps　you　know。〃
　〃So　you　drove　back　along　Rifle　Range　Road　toward　Bethany　Hill。〃
　〃That's　right。　And　I　called　on　Colonel　Fowler　for　assistance。〃
　〃Did　you　know　that　there　was　a　guard　posted　at　the　ammo　shed　about　another　kilometer　in　the　opposite　direction？〃
　〃I　don't　know　the　location　of　every　guard　post　at　this　fort。〃　He　added；　〃I　doubt　I　would　have　gone　there　anyway。　I　certainly　didn't　need　a　young　man　to　see　my　daughter　like　that。〃
　〃Actually；　it　was　a　woman。　But　that's　irrelevant。　What　I'm　wondering　is　why　you　made　the　U…turn　with　your　headlights　off；　sir；　and　why　you　proceeded　for　at　least　a　few　hundred　meters　with　them　off。〃
　He　must　have　wondered　how　I　knew　this；　then　he　probably　realized　I'd　interviewed　the　guard。　Finally；　he　replied；　〃To　be　honest　with　you；　I　didn't　want　to　attract　attention　at　that　point。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Well；　would　you？　If　you　just　left　your　daughter　tied　naked　to　the　ground；　would　you　want　anyone　else　involved？　I　had　it　clear　in　my　mind　that　I　had　to　go　to　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Fowler　for　help。　Obviously；　I　didn't　want　this　incident　to　bee　public。〃
　〃But　the　incident；　sir；　was　a　crime；　was　it　not？　I　mean；　didn't　you　think　she'd　been　molested　by　some　madman　or　several　madmen？　Why　would　you　wish　to　keep　that　private？〃
　〃I　suppose　I　didn't　want　to　embarrass　her。〃
　Cynthia　spoke　up。　〃Rape　should　not　be　embarrassing　to　the　victim。〃
　General　Campbell　replied；　〃But　it　is。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃Did　she　indicate　to　you　in　any　way　that　she　was　willing　to　lie　there　while　you　went　and　got　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Fowler？〃
　〃No；　but　I　thought　it　was　the　best　thing。〃
　Cynthia　inquired；　〃Wasn't　she　frightened　out　of　her　mind　that　the　rapist　or　rapists　would　return　while　you　were　gone？〃
　〃No　。。。　well；　yes；　she　did　say　to　hurry　back。　Look；　Ms。　Sunhill；　Mr。　Brenner；　if　you're　suggesting　that　I　did　not　take　the　best　course　of　action；　then　you're　probably　correct。　Perhaps　I　should　have　tried　harder　to　get　her　loose；　perhaps　I　should　have　put　my　pistol　in　her　hand　so　she　could　try　to　protect　herself　while　I　was　gone；　perhaps　I　should　have　fired　the　pistol　to　attract　the　attention　of　MPs；　perhaps　I　should　have　just　sat　there　with　her　until　a　vehicle　came　along。　Don't　you　think　I've　thought　about　this　a　thousand　times？　If　you're　questioning　my　judgment；　you　have　a　valid　point。　But　do　not　question　my　degree　of　concern。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃General；　I'm　not　questioning　either。　I'm　questioning　what　actually　went　on　out　there。〃
　He　started　to　reply；　then　decided　to　say　nothing。
　I　said　to　him；　〃So　you　drove　to　the　Fowlers；　explained　the　situation；　and　they　went　back　to　assist　Captain　Campbell。〃
　〃That's　correct。　Mrs。　Fowler　had　a　robe　and　a　knife　to　cut　the　ropes。〃
　〃And　you　didn't　see　your　daughter's　clothes　anywhere　at　the　scene？〃
　〃No；　I　didn't。〃
　〃Did　you　think　to　cover　her　with　your　shirt？〃
　〃No　。。。　I　wasn't　thinking　very　clearly。〃
　This　was　the　man　who；　as　a　lieutenant　colonel；　led　a　mechanized　infantry　battalion　into　the　besieged　city　of　Quang　Tri　and　rescued　an　American　rifle　pany　who　were　trapped　in　the　old　French　citadel。　But　he　couldn't　figure　out　how　to　aid　his　daughter。　Obviously；　he　had　no　intention　of　offering　her　aid　and　fort。　He　was　royally　pissed…off。
　I　asked　him；　〃Why　didn't　you　acpany　the　Fowlers；　General？〃
　〃I　wasn't　needed；　obviously。　Only　Mrs。　Fowler　was　needed；　but　Colonel　Fowler　went　along；　of　course；　in　case　there　was　trouble。〃
　〃What　sort　of　trouble？〃
　〃Well；　in　case　the　person　who　did　that　was　still　around。〃
　〃But　why　would　you　leave　your　daughter　alone；　tied；　naked；　and　exposed　if　you　thought　there　might　be　any　chance　of　that？〃
　〃It　didn't　occur　to　me　until　after　I　was　back　on　the　road。　Until　I　was　nearly　at　the　Fowlers'　house。　I　should　point　out　that　the　drive　to　the　Fowlers　took　under　ten　minutes。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　But　the　round　trip；　including　your　waking　them　and　them　getting　dressed　and　driving　back；　would　take　close　to　thirty　minutes。　After　waking　them　and　asking　for　their　assistance；　the　natural　response　of　any　person…a　father；　a　military　mander…would　be　to　race　back　to　the　scene　and　to　secure　the　situation　until　the　alerted　cavalry　arrived；　to　use　a　military　analogy。〃
　〃Are　you　questioning　my　judgment　or　my　motives；　Mr。　Brenner？〃
　〃Not　your　judgment；　sir。　Your　judgment　would　have　been　excellent　if　your　motives　were　pure。　So　I　guess　I'm　questioning　your　motives。〃　Normally；　you　don't　question　a　general　about　anything。　But　this　was　different。
　He　nodded　and　said；　〃I　suppose　you　both　know　more　than　you're　letting　on。　You're　very　clever。　I　could　see　that　from　the　beginning。　So　why　don't　you　tell　me　what　my　motives　were？〃
　Cynthia　responded　to　that　and　said；　〃You　wanted　to　make　her　squirm　a　little。〃
　The　fortifications　had　been　breached；　to　continue　the　military　metaphor；　and　Cynthia　charged　right　through。　She　said；　〃In　fact；　General；　you　knew　that　your　daughter　was　not　the　victim　of　some　rapist；　that　she　hadn't　been　attacked　while　waiting　out　there　for　you。　But；　in　fact；　she　and　an　acplice　called　you；　played　her　message；　and　got　you　out　there　for　the　sole　purpose　of　you　and　Mrs。　Campbell　finding　her　in　that　position。　That；　sir；　is　the　only　logical　explanation　for　that　sequence　of　events；　for　you　leaving　her　there　alone；　for　you　going　to　the　Fowlers　and　telling　them　to　take　care　of　it；　for　you　staying　behind　in　their　house　and　waiting　for　them　to　return　with　your　daughter　and　with　her　humvee；　and　for　you　not　reporting　a　word　of　this　until　this　moment。　You　were　very　angry　with　her　for　what　she　did。〃
　General　Campbell　sat　there；　deep　in　thought；　contemplating；　perhaps；　his　options；　his　life；　his　mistake　a　few　nights　ago；　his　mistake　ten　years　ago。　Finally；　he　said；　〃My　career　is　ended；　and　I've　drafted　a　resignation　that　I　will　submit　tomorrow　after　my　daughter's　funeral。　I　suppose　what　I'm　thinking　about　now　is　how　much　you　have　to　know　to　find　the　murderer；　how　much　I　want　to　confess　to　you　and　to　the　world；　and　what　good　it　would　do　anyone　to　further　dishonor　my　daughter's　memory。　This　is　all　self…serving；　I　know；　but　I　do　have　to　consider　my　wife　and　my　son；　and　also　the　Army。〃　He　added；　〃I'm　not　a　private　citizen；　and　my　conduct　is　a　reflection　on　my　profession；　and　my　disgrace　can　only　serve　to　lower　the　morale　of　the　officer　corps。〃
　I　wanted　to　tell　him　that　the　morale　of　the　senior　officers　at　Fort　Hadley　was　already　low　as　they　all　waited　for　the　ax　to　fall；　and　that；　indeed；　he　wasn't　a　private　citizen　and　had　no　reasonable　expectation　to　be　treated　like　one；　and　that；　yes；　he　sounded　a　little　self…serving　and　that　his　daughter's　reputation　was　not　the　issue　at　hand；　and　to　let　me　worry　about　how　much　I　had　to　know　to　find　the　murderer；　and；　last　but　not　least；　his　career　was；　indeed；　over。　But　instead；　I　told　him；　〃I　understand　why　you　did　not　notify　the　MPs　that　your　daughter　was　staked　out　naked　on　the　rifle　range…indeed；　General；　it　was　a　private　matter　up　until　that　point；　and　I　confess　to　you　I　would　have　done　the　same　thing。　I　understand；　too；　why　and　how　the　Fowlers　got　involved。　Again；　I　confess；　I　would　probably　have　done　the　same　thing。　But　when　the　Fowlers　returned　and　told　you　that　your　daughter　was　dead；　you　had　no　right　to　involve　them　in　a　conspiracy　to　conceal　the　true　nature　of　the　crime；　and　no　right　to　involve　your　wife　in　the　conspiracy　as　well。　And　no　right；　sir；　to　make　my　job　and　Ms。　Sunhill's　job　more　difficult　by　sending　us　up　false　trails。〃
　He　nodded。　〃You're　absolutely　correct。　I　take　full　responsibility。〃
　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　informed　him；　〃I　must　tell　you；　sir；　that　your　actions　are　offenses　that　are　punishable　under　the　Uniform　Code　of　Military　Justice。〃
　He　nodded　again；　slowly。　〃Yes；　I'm　aware　of　that。〃　He　looked　at　me；　then　at　Cynthia。　〃I　would　ask　one　favor　of　you。〃
　〃Yes；　sir？〃
　〃I　would　ask　that　you　do　everything　you　can　to　keep　the　Fowlers'　name　out　of　this。〃
　I　was　prepared　for　that　request；　and　I'd　wrestled　with　the　answer　long　before　General　Campbell　asked。　I　looked　at　Cynthia；　then　at　the　general；　and　replied；　〃I　can't　pound　this　crime　with　a　crime　of　my　own。〃　In　fact；　I'd　already　done　that　by　striking　a　deal　with　Burt　Yardley。　But　that　was　off…post　stuff。　This　was　not。　I　said；　〃The　Fowlers　found　the　body；　General。　They　did　not　report　it。〃
　〃They　did。　To　me。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃General；　my　position　is　somewhat　different　from　Mr。　Brenner's；　and　though　detectives　are　never　to　disagree　in　public；　I　think　we　can　keep　the　Fowlers　out　of　this。　In　fact；　Colonel　Fowler　did　report　the　crime　to　you；　and　you　told　him　you　would　call　Colonel　Kent。　But　in　your　shock　and　grief；　and　Mrs。　Campbell's　grief；　the　body　was　discovered　before　you　could　call　the　provost　marshal。　There　are　more　details　to　work　out；　but　I　don't　think　justice　would　be　served　any　better　by　dragging　the　Fowlers　into　this。〃
　General　Campbell　looked　at　Cynthia　for　a　long　time；　then　nodded。
　I　was　not　happy；　but　I　was　relieved。　Colonel　Fowler；　after　all；　was　perhaps　the　only　officer　who'd　shown　some　degree　of　honor　and　integrity　throughout；　including　not　screwing　the　general's　daughter。　In　truth；　I　did　not　possess　that　kind　of　willpower　myself；　and　I　was　in　awe　of　a　man　who　did。　Still；　you　don't　give　something　for　nothing；　and　Cynthia　understood　that；　because　she　said　to　the　general；　〃But　I　would　like　you；　sir；　to　tell　us　what　act