demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第59部分

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ent。　Like　everything　else　about　this　case；　this　Army　post；　and　the　people　here；　what　you　saw；　and　what　you　heard；　were　not　what　was　actually　happening。
　He　looked　around　his　office　as　though　seeing　it　for　the　first　time；　or　the　last　time。　He　said；　〃So　I　chose　to　e　here　to　try　to　make　amends；　to　try　to　rectify　not　only　my　mistake　but　the　mistake　of　my　superiors；　many　of　whom　are　still　in　the　service　or　in　public　life；　and　most　of　whose　names　you　would　know。〃　He　paused　and　said；　〃I'm　not　blaming　my　superiors　for　putting　pressure　on　me。　It　was　wrong　what　they　did；　but　the　ultimate　decision　to　cooperate　in　the　cover…up　was　mine。　I　thought　I　was　doing　what　I　did　for　good　and　valid　reasons…for　Ann　and　for　the　Army…but　in　the　final　analysis；　they　were　not　good　reasons；　and　I　was　selling　out　my　daughter　for　myself。〃　He　added；　〃Within　a　year　of　the　incident；　I　had　my　second　star。〃
　At　the　risk　of　sounding　too　empathetic；　I　said；　〃General；　you　are　responsible　for　everything　your　subordinates　do　or　fail　to　do。　But　in　this　case；　your　superiors　betrayed　you。　They　had　no　right　to　ask　that　of　you。〃
　〃I　know。　They　know。　All　that　talent；　experience；　and　brainpower；　and　there　we　were　meeting　in　a　motel　room　in　upstate　New　York　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　like　criminals　talking　ourselves　into　a　pletely　dishonorable　and　stupid　decision。　But　we're　human；　and　we　make　bad　decisions。　However；　had　we　truly　been　men　of　honor　and　integrity；　as　we　said　we　were；　we'd　have　reversed　that　bad　decision　no　matter　what　the　cost。〃
　I　couldn't　have　agreed　more；　and　he　knew　it；　so　I　didn't　say　it。　I　said　instead；　〃So　for　two　years；　you　and　your　daughter　engaged　in　close…quarter　hand…to…hand　bat。〃
　He　smiled　grimly。　〃Yes。　It　turned　out　to　be　not　a　healing　process　at　all。　It　was　war；　and　she　was　better　prepared　for　it　than　I　was。　She　had　right　on　her　side；　and　that　made　for　might。　She　beat　me　at　every　turn；　while　I　offered　to　make　peace。　I　thought；　if　she　won；　she'd　accept　my　apology　and　sincere　regrets。　It　tore　me　apart；　as　a　father；　to　see　what　she　was　doing　to　herself　and　her　mother。　I　didn't　care　about　myself　any　longer。　But　I　was　also　concerned　for　the　men　she　was　using　。。。〃　He　added；　〃Though　in　some　odd　way；　I　was　happy　just　to　have　her　around　on　any　terms。　I　missed　her；　and　I　miss　her　now。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　sat　quietly　and　listened　to　him　breathe。　Clearly；　the　man　had　aged　ten　years　in　the　last　few　days；　and　probably　another　ten　in　the　last　two　years。　It　struck　me　that　this　was　not　the　same　man　who　had　returned　in　triumph　and　glory　from　the　Gulf　not　so　long　ago。　It　was　amazing；　I　thought；　how　even　kings　and　emperors　and　generals　could　be　brought　down　by　domestic　discord；　by　the　wrath　and　fury　of　a　wronged　woman。　Somehow；　amid　all　the　sophistication　and　diversions　of　this　world；　we　forgot　the　basics：　take　care　of　business　at　home　first；　and　never　betray　your　blood。
　I　said　to　him；　〃Tell　us　about　rifle　range　six；　and　then　we'll　leave　you；　General。〃
　He　nodded。　〃Yes　。。。　well；　I　saw　her　there　on　the　ground；　and　。。。　and　I　。。。　I　honestly　thought　at　first　that　she'd　been　assaulted　。。。　but　then　she　called　out　to　me　。。。　she　said；　'Here's　the　answer　to　your　damned　ultimatum。'
　〃I　didn't　understand　at　first　what　she　was　talking　about；　but　then；　of　course；　I　remembered　what　they'd　done　to　her　at　West　Point。　She　asked　me　where　her　mother　was；　and　I　told　her　that　her　mother　didn't　know　anything　about　this。　She　called　me　a　damned　coward；　then　she　said；　'Do　you　see　what　they　did　to　me？　Do　you　see　what　they　did　to　me？'　And　I　。。。　I　did　see　。。。　I　mean；　if　her　purpose　was　to　make　me　see；　then　she　achieved　her　purpose。〃
　〃And　what　did　you　say　to　her；　General？〃
　〃I　。。。　just　called　out　to　her　。。。　'Ann；　you　didn't　have　to　do　this。'　But　she　was　。。。　she　was　wild　with　anger；　as　though　she'd　pletely　lost　her　sanity。　She　yelled　out　for　me　to　e　closer；　to　see　what　they　did　to　her；　to　see　what　she'd　suffered。　She　went　on　like　that　for　some　time；　then　she　said　since　I'd　given　her　some　choices；　she　was　going　to　give　me　some　choices。〃　General　Campbell　paused　a　moment；　then　continued。　〃She　said　she　had　a　rope　around　her　neck　。。。　and　I　could　strangle　her　if　I　wanted　to　。。。　or　I　could　cover　this　up　like　I　did　once　before　。。。　I　could　e　and　untie　her　and　take　her　away　。。。　take　her　to　Beaumont　House　。。。　to　her　mother。　She　also　said　I　could　leave　her　there；　and　the　MPs　or　the　guards　or　someone　would　find　her；　and　she'd　tell　the　MPs　everything。　Those　were　my　choices。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃And　did　you　go　to　her　and　try　to　untie　her；　as　you　told　us　you　did？〃
　〃No　。。。　I　couldn't。　I　didn't　go　near　her　。。。　I　didn't　try　to　untie　her　。。。　I　just　stood　near　the　car；　then　。。。　I　pletely　snapped。　My　anger　and　rage　at　all　those　years　of　trying　to　make　things　right　got　the　best　of　me　。。。　I　shouted　back　at　her　that　I　didn't　give　a　damn　what　they'd　done　to　her　ten　years　ago　。。。　I　told　her　I　was　going　to　leave　her　there　and　let　the　guards　or　the　MPs　find　her；　or　the　first　platoon　who　came　out　to　fire　on　the　range　or　whoever；　and　that　the　whole　world　could　see　her　naked　for　all　I　cared；　and…〃　He　stopped　in　mid…sentence　and　looked　down　at　the　floor；　then　continued。　〃I　told　her　she　couldn't　hurt　me　anymore；　and　then　she　started　shouting　this　Nietzsche　junk…'whatever　hurts　you　makes　me　stronger；　what　does　not　destroy　me　makes　me　stronger；'　and　so　on。　I　said　that　the　only　hold　she　had　over　me　was　my　rank　and　my　position；　and　that　I　was　resigning　from　the　service；　and　that　she　had　destroyed　any　feelings　I　had　for　her　and　that　she　had　more　than　equaled　the　score。〃
　The　general　poured　himself　some　water　from　a　carafe　and　drank　it；　then　continued；　〃She　said　that　was　fine；　that　was　good　。。。　'Let　someone　else　find　me…you　never　helped　me　。。。'　Then　she　started　to　cry；　and　she　couldn't　stop　crying；　but　I　thought　I　heard　her　say　。。。　she　said；　'Daddy'　。。。〃　He　stood。　〃Please　。。。　I　can't　。。。〃
　We　stood　also。　I　said；　〃Thank　you；　General。〃　We　turned　and　made　toward　the　door　before　he　began　crying；　but　a　thought　came　into　my　head；　and　I　turned　back　to　him　and　said；　〃Another　death　in　the　family　won't　solve　anything。　It's　not　the　manly　thing　to　do。　It's　very　cowardly。〃　But　his　back　was　toward　us；　and　I　don't　know　if　he　even　heard　me。
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…NINE
　
　I　drove　out　of　the　Post　Headquarters　parking　lot；　went　a　few　hundred　meters；　then　pulled　off　to　the　side　of　the　road。　A　sort　of　delayed　reaction　to　the　interview　came　over　me；　and　I　actually　felt　shaky。　I　said；　〃Well；　we　know　now　why　the　lab　people　found　dried　tears　on　her　cheeks。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃I　feel　sick。〃
　〃I　need　a　drink。〃
　She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃No。　We　have　to　finish　this。　Where's　Moore？〃
　〃He'd　damned　well　better　be　someplace　on　post。〃　I　put　the　Blazer　into　gear　and　headed　toward　the　Psy…Ops　School。
　On　the　way；　Cynthia　said；　as　if　to　herself；　〃But　in　the　end；　the　general　did　not　abandon　his　daughter　this　time　the　way　he　did　at　West　Point。　He　left　her　on　the　rifle　range　in　a　fit　of　rage；　but　somewhere　on　the　road；　he　realized　that　this　was　the　last　chance　for　both　of　them。〃
　She　thought　a　moment；　then　continued；　〃He　probably　considered　turning　around；　but　then　he　thought　about　what　he　would　need…a　knife　if　the　rope　needed　to　be　cut；　clothing；　a　woman's　presence。　Those　attentions　to　detail　that　are　drummed　into　us　overcame　his　shock　and　confusion；　and　he　drove　to　Bethany　Hill；　to　the　one　man　on　this　post　that　he　could　trust。〃　Cynthia　paused；　then　asked；　〃When　the　Fowlers　got　there；　I　wonder　if　they　thought　that　the　general　strangled　her？〃
　I　replied；　〃It　may　have　crossed　their　minds。　But　when　they　got　back　to　the　house　and　told　him　she　was　dead　。。。　they　must　have　seen　the　shock　and　disbelief　on　his　face。〃
　Cynthia　nodded。　〃Would　they　。。。　should　they　have　cut　her　loose　and　taken　the　body　away？〃
　〃No。　Colonel　Fowler　knew　that　moving　the　body　would　only　make　matters　worse。　And　I'm　sure　that　Colonel　Fowler；　with　his　military　experience；　could　determine　that　she　was　definitely　dead。　And　as　to　any　suspicion　that　he　himself　killed　her；　I'm　sure　he　blessed　the　moment　when　he；　the　general；　or　Mrs。　Fowler　herself　suggested　that　she　go　along。〃
　〃Yes；　if　it　were　Colonel　Fowler　alone；　he'd　be　in　a　bad　position。〃
　I　considered　a　moment；　then　said；　〃So　we　know　that；　aside　from　the　victim；　four　other　people　were　out　there…Colonel　Moore；　the　general；　and　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Fowler。　And　we　don't　think　any　of　them　was　the　murderer。　So　we　have　to　place　a　fifth　person　out　there　during　that　critical　half…hour　window　of　opportunity。〃　I　added；　〃That　person；　of　course；　is　the　killer。〃
　Cynthia　nodded。　〃Maybe　we　should　have　asked　General　Campbell　if　he　had　any　idea　who　it　was　who　arrived　during　that　half　hour。〃
　〃I　think　he　believes　it　was　Colonel　Moore。　If　he　thought　it　was　anyone　else；　he'd　have　told　us。　I　don't　think　it　has　occurred　to　him　that　Moore　was　the　acplice；　not　the　killer。　Bottom　line；　I　just　couldn't　push　the　guy　any　further。〃
　〃I　know。　I　hate　to　interview　a　victim's　family。　I　get　all　emotional　。。。〃
　〃You　did　fine。　I　did　fine。　The　general　did　fine。〃
　I　pulled　into　the　Psy…Ops　School；　but　Moore's　car　was　not　in　its　reserved　spot。　I　drove　around；　past　the　school's　dining　facility；　but　we　didn't　see　the　gray　Ford。　I　said；　〃If　that　SOB　left　post；　I'll　put　his　ass　in　a　meat　grinder。〃
　An　MP　jeep　pulled　up　alongside　me；　and　our　old　friend；　Corporal　Stroud；　was　in　the　passenger　seat。　〃You　looking　for　Colonel　Moore；　Chief？〃
　〃None　other。〃
　Stroud　smiled。　〃He　went　to　see　the　provost　marshal　to　get　his　restriction　lifted。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　I　turned　around　and　headed　toward　main　post。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃I'm　going　to　nail　his　ass　to　the　wall。〃
　〃What　happened　to　the　meat　grinder？〃
　〃That；　too。〃
　I　drove　to　main　post；　and；　as　I　approached　the　provost　marshal's　building；　I　noticed　that　the　news　media　were　still　there。　I　parked　on　the　road　directly　in　front　of　the　main　doors；　and　Cynthia　and　I　got　out　and　climbed　the　steps。　We　entered　the　building　and　went　directly　to　Kent's　office。　His　clerk　said　he　was　in　conference。
　〃With　Colonel　Moore？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　I　opened　his　door；　and　there　in　Kent's　office　…was　Colonel　Moore；　Kent；　and　another　man　in　uniform；　a　captain。　Kent　said　to　us；　〃Well；　I　guess　I'm　glad　you're　here。〃
　The　third　man　sto