demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第62部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


class；　sensitivity　session；　race　and　gender　relations　course；　and　so　on；　which　was　obviously　why　I　was　having　problems　in　the　new　Army。　But　I　did　take　lots　of　leadership　classes；　and　within　those　classes　was　everything　you　needed　to　know　about　human　relations；　such　as：　respect　subordinates　and　superiors；　don't　ask　your　people　to　do　anything　you　wouldn't　do；　earn　respect；　don't　demand　it；　give　praise　when　it's　due。　So；　in　that　spirit；　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃You're　doing　a　fine　job；　you've　shown　good　initiative；　good　judgment；　and　poise　under　pressure。　You're　very　professional；　very　knowledgeable；　and　very　hardworking。　It's　a　pleasure　to　be　working　with　you。〃
　〃Is　this　a　recorded　message？〃
　〃No；　I…〃
　〃No　feeling；　Paul。　pletely　atonal。　Speak　from　your　heart；　if　you　have　one。〃
　〃I　resent　that。〃　I　pulled　into　the　Officers'　Club　parking　lot　and　nosed　into　a　space。　〃That's　judgmental；　very…〃
　〃I　love　you。　Say　it。〃
　〃I　said　it　last　year。　How　many　times…？〃
　〃Say　it！〃
　〃I　love　you。〃
　〃Good。〃　She　jumped　out　of　the　Blazer；　slammed　the　door；　and　began　walking　across　the　parking　lot。　I　followed　and　caught　up。　We　didn't　exchange　another　word　until　we　got　into　the　main　lounge。　I　found　an　empty　table　in　the　corner　and　checked　my　watch；　which　gave　me　the　civilian　time　of　eight…fifteen　P。M。　The　dining　room　was　full；　but　the　lounge　was　half…empty　now　that　half…price　Happy　Hour　was　over。　The　new　Army　officially　frowns　on　half…price　Happy　Hour；　but　the　clubs　are　quasi…independent；　and　some　of　them　still　honor　the　ancient　and　honorable　tradition　of　cheap　whisky　for　an　hour　or　two；　a　minor　reward　for　putting　up　with　bullshit　that　no　civilian…except　a　recent　immigrant　from　a　military　dictatorship…would　put　up　with。　But　the　Army　has　its　moments。　Unfortunately；　there　are　fewer　of　them　these　days。　A　waitress　came　around；　and　Cynthia　ordered　her　bourbon　and　Coke；　and　I　ordered　a　Scotch　with　a　beer　chaser。　I　said；　〃I'm　dehydrated。　God；　it's　hot　out　there。〃
　〃You've　been　sweating　like　a　pig　all　day；〃　she　agreed。　She　smiled。　〃You　need　a　shower。〃
　〃Do　we　have　time？〃
　〃We　might　have　to　share　it　again。〃
　〃This　is　a　demanding　job。〃
　The　drinks　came　and　we　toasted。　She　said；　〃To　Ann　Campbell。　We'll　do　our　best　for　you；　Captain。〃
　We　drank。
　I　said；　〃This　case　is　getting　to　me。　Is　that　because　of　the　case；　or　because　I'm　tired　and　old？〃
　〃It's　because　of　the　case；　Paul。　Because　you　care。　Because　it's　not　just　a　case。　It's　a　human　tragedy。〃
　〃What　other　kind　of　tragedies　are　there？　We're　all　a　heartbeat　away　from　tragedy。〃
　〃Right。　When　we　find　the　killer；　it　won't　be　a　time　to　celebrate。　It　will　be　another　tragedy。　It　will　be　someone　who　knew　her。　Maybe　loved　her。〃
　〃Like　Kent。〃
　〃Yes。　I　keep　thinking　of　something　I　read　once　。。。　something　I　think　about　when　I'm　interviewing　a　woman　who's　been　raped。　It　goes　like　this…'pared　to　shame；　death　is　nothing。'　I　think　that's　what　happened　here；　starting　with　Ann　Campbell's　shame　and　humiliation　at　West　Point。　I　mean；　think　of　it；　Paul。　They　teach　officers　to　be　proud；　to　be　assertive；　to　stand　tall。　People　like　Ann　Campbell　are　already　predisposed　to　this　type　of　personality；　so　they　gravitate　toward　someplace　like　West　Point。　Then；　when　something　like　that　happens；　a　rape；　a　humiliation；　they　can't　handle　it。　They　don't　bend　like　most　people。　They　stand　tall；　then　snap。〃
　I　nodded。　〃I　see　that。〃
　〃Right。　They　pick　up　the　pieces　and　go　on；　but　they're　never　the　same　again。　I　mean；　no　woman　is　after　a　brutal　rape；　but　someone　like　Ann　Campbell　can't　even　begin　to　heal　inside。〃
　〃I　understand　that　some　people　think　that　the　only　cure　for　shame　and　humiliation　is　revenge。〃
　〃Correct。　So　take　that　a　step　further　and　think　of　the　average　male　officer。　He's　been　seduced　by　Ann　Campbell　in　about　twenty　minutes；　including　drinks；　he's　been　led　into　a　sex　room　and　encouraged　or　coerced　into　engaging　in　kinky　acts；　then　at　some　point　he's　either　discarded　or　asked　by　Ann　to　bend　a　few　rules　for　her。　He　has　a　mix　of　emotions…starting　with　a　little　male　vanity　at　his　conquest；　but　eventually；　if　he's　married　and　if　he　takes　any　of　this　officer　stuff　seriously；　he　feels　shame。　Most　men　would　not　feel　a　great　deal　of　shame　for　a　consensual　sex　act；　but　some　men…officers；　clergy；　pillars　of　the　munity…will　feel　shame。　So　we　get　back　to　'pared　to　shame；　death　is　nothing。'　Or　call　it　dishonor；　to　put　it　in　a　military　context。　This　could　apply　to　Ann　Campbell；　General　Campbell；　and　to　any　number　of　men　who　either　wished　themselves　or　Ann　Campbell　dead。　That's　why　I　think　it　was　someone　she　knew；　someone　who　felt　that　the　act　of　murder　was　a　way　to　end　the　shame　and　dishonor　of　the　victim　as　well　as　of　the　murderer。　Kent；　as　a　ramrod　kind　of　cop；　an　officer；　might　well　fit　that　theory。〃
　I　nodded　again。　I'd　thought　something　similar；　though　with　a　different　slant。　But　it　was　interesting　that　we　both　had　a　psychological　profile　of　the　killer　that　could　fit　Kent。　Then　again；　there's　nothing　like　hindsight。　〃Kent；〃　I　said；　〃Kent。〃
　〃Speaking　of　whom　。。。〃
　In　walked　Colonel　Kent；　and　a　few　heads　turned。　Any　post's　top　cop　usually　gets　a　few　heads　to　turn；　a　few　side　glances。　But　now；　at　Hadley；　with　a　sensational　murder　still　hot　news；　Kent　was　the　man　of　the　hour。　He　saw　us　and　walked　over。
　Cynthia　and　I　stood；　as　was　customary。　I　might　shove　it　up　his　butt　in　private；　but　in　public　I　gave　him　the　respect　he　was　supposed　to　deserve。
　He　sat　and　we　sat。　A　waitress　came　over　and　Kent　ordered　drinks　for　us　and　a　gin　and　tonic　for　himself。　〃On　me；〃　he　said。
　We　chatted　awhile；　everyone　agreeing　what　a　strain　this　had　been　and　how　tempers　were　getting　short；　sleepless　nights；　hot　days；　and　all　that　crap。　As　casual　and　chatty　as　Cynthia　and　I　were；　Kent　was　a　pro　and　he　smelled　the　rat；　or　perhaps　felt　like　the　rat　being　maneuvered　into　the　corner。
　He　said　to　us；　〃Will　you　stay　on　awhile　after　the　funeral；　and　brief　the　FBI？〃
　〃I　think　that's　what　we're　supposed　to　do；〃　I　replied。　〃But　I'd　like　to　be　gone　by　nightfall　tomorrow。〃
　He　nodded；　then　smiled　at　us。　〃You　two　getting　along？　Or　is　that　a　leading　question？〃
　Cynthia　returned　the　smile。　〃We're　renewing　our　friendship。〃
　〃Right。　Where'd　you　meet？〃
　〃Brussels。〃
　〃Great　city…〃
　And　so　on。　But　every　once　in　a　while；　he　would　nonchalantly　ask　something　like；　〃So　Moore's　definitely　not　the　murderer？〃
　〃Nothing　is　definite；〃　Cynthia　replied；　〃but　we　don't　think　so。〃　She　added；　〃It's　scary　how　close　we　came　to　accusing　the　wrong　man。〃
　〃If　he　is　the　wrong　man。　You're　saying　he　tied　her　up　and　left？〃
　〃Right；〃　I　replied。　〃I　can't　reveal　why；　but　we　know　why。〃
　〃Then　he's　an　accessory　to　murder。〃
　〃Not　legally；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　something　pletely　different。〃
　〃Weird。　Did　your　puter　lady　get　what　she　needed？〃
　〃I　think　so。　Unfortunately　for　some　guys；　Ann　Campbell　left　a　sort　of　sexual　diary　in　the　puter。〃
　〃Oh；　Jesus　。。。　am　I　in　there？〃
　〃I　think　so；　Bill。〃　I　added；　〃With　about　thirty　other　officers。
　〃My　God　。。。　I　knew　she　had　lots　of　。。。　but　not　that　many　。。。　God；　I　feel　like　a　fool。　Hey；　can　we　get　the　diary　classified？〃
　I　smiled。　〃You　mean　like　top　secret？　e　up　with　a　national　security　angle　and　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。　Meanwhile；　the　decision　rests　with　the　judge　advocate　general；　or　the　attorney　general；　or　both。　I　think　you　have　enough　pany　not　to　be　too　concerned　with　being　singled　out。〃
　〃Well；　but　I'm　a　cop。〃
　〃There　were　guys　in　that　diary　with　more　power　and　prestige　than　you。〃
　〃That's　good。　How　about　Fowler？〃
　〃Can't　say。　Hey；　did　you　know　that　Burt　Yardley　was　also　in　the　honey？〃
　〃No　kidding　。。。？　Jesus　。。。〃
　〃You　see；　you　had　more　in　mon　with　Burt　than　you　realized。〃　But　seriously；　Bill。　〃Do　you　know　him　well？〃
　〃Only　professionally。　We　attend　the　monthly　G…5　meetings。〃
　That's　civilian　affairs；　and　if　I'd　thought　about　it；　I'd　have　realized　that　they　were　thrown　together　often　enough；　chief　and　provost；　top　cop　and　top　cop；　to　work　out　a　mutual　ass…covering　arrangement。
　Kent　asked；　〃Have　either　of　you　gone　over　to　the　chapel　yet？〃
　〃No；〃　Cynthia　replied。　〃I　think　we'll　wait　until　the　service　tomorrow。　Are　you　going　to　the　chapel　tonight？〃
　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Yes；　of　course。　I　was　a　lover。〃
　I　asked；　〃How　big　is　that　chapel？〃
　We　both　shared　a　little　laugh；　but　it　was　definitely　a　crude　remark；　and　Cynthia　gave　me　a　really　mean　look。
　I　asked　him；　〃Is　Mrs。　Kent　still　in　Ohio？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Until　when？〃
　〃Oh　。。。　another　few　days。〃
　〃That's　a　long　drive。　Or　did　she　fly？〃
　He　glanced　at　me；　then　replied；　〃Flew。〃　He　forced　a　smile。　〃On　her　broom。〃
　I　returned　the　phony　smile　and　said；　〃Can　I　ask　if　her　departure　is　related　to　ugly　rumors　about　you　and　Captain　Campbell？〃
　〃Well　。。。　there　was　a　little　of　that；　I　guess。　We're　trying　to　work　it　out。　But　she　really　doesn't　know。　She　just　thinks。　You're　not　married；　but　maybe　you　understand。〃
　〃I　was　married。　Cynthia　is　married。〃　He　looked　at　her。　〃Are　you？　Military？〃
　〃Yes。　He's　at　Benning。〃
　〃Tough　life。〃
　And　so　forth。　Perfectly　pleasant。　Two　warrant　officers；　CID　types；　and　a　senior　missioned　officer；　the　MP　mander；　drinking　and　talking　about　life；　love；　the　job；　and；　every　once　in　a　while；　sandwiching　in　the　subject　of　murder。　This　is　an　interesting　interrogation　technique；　and　it's　quite　effective　in　appropriate　situations；　like　this　one。　In　fact；　I　call　it　the　murder　sandwich…a　little　bread；　meat；　lettuce；　blood；　cheese；　tomato；　blood；　and　so　forth。
　But　Bill　Kent　wasn't　your　average　suspect；　and　I　had　the　distinct　impression　that　he　knew　what　this　was　about；　and　that　he　knew　that　we　knew　that　he　knew；　and　so　on。　So　it　became　a　little　dance；　a　charade；　and　at　one　point　our　eyes　met；　and　then　he　knew　for　sure；　and　I　knew　for　sure。
　At　this　point；　when　a　guy　realizes　you're　on　to　him；　it's　kind　of　awkward　for　everyone；　and　the　suspect　goes　into　an　exaggerated　nonchalance；　trying　to　show　how　pletely　at　ease　he　is。　Sometimes；　too；　a　perverse　or　reverse　sort　of　logic　takes　over；　and　the　suspect　gets　ballsy。　In　fact；　Kent　said　to　us；　〃I'm　glad　I　asked　you　two　to　take　this　case。　I　was　pretty　sure　Bowes　was　involved　with　her；　but　I　didn't　want　to　say　that　in　case　it　wasn't　true。　He　has　no　special　homicide　inv