demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第67部分

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　Cynthia　nodded　again；　the　way　they　tell　you　to　do　in　the　interrogation　manual。　Be　positive；　affirming。　Don't　appear　stone…faced；　or　judgmental；　or　skeptical　when　a　suspect　is　rolling。　Just　keep　nodding；　like　a　shrink　during　a　therapy　session。　Perhaps　Moore　recognized　the　technique；　which　was　ironic；　but　in　his　present　mental　and　physical　state；　all　he　wanted　was　a　smile；　a　nod；　and　the　stupid　donut。　Cynthia　asked　him；　〃Did　she　tell　you　why　she　had　hope　for　this　meeting？　I　mean；　why　this　time；　after　all　those　years？〃
　〃Well　。。。　she　was　finally　ready　to　forgive。　She　was　prepared　to　say　anything　that　morning；　to　promise　anything　that　would　make　things　right　again。　She　was　tired　of　the　war；　and　she　felt　the　catharsis　even　before　she'd　gone　out　to　the　rifle　range。　She　was　hopeful；　almost　giddy；　and　to　tell　you　the　truth；　she　was　happy　and　close　to　peace　for　the　first　time　since　I'd　known　her。〃　He　took　a　long　breath　and　looked　at　us；　then　said；　〃I　know　what　you　think　of　me；　and　I　don't　blame　you；　but　I　had　only　her　best　interests　at　heart。　She　had　seduced　me；　too；　in　another　way；　and　I　went　along　with　what　I　knew　was　。。。　unorthodox。　But　if　you　could　have　seen　how　optimistic　she　was；　how　almost　girlish　she　was　acting…nervous；　frightened；　but　filled　with　hope　that　this　was　the　end　of　the　long　nightmare　。。。　In　fact；　however；　I　knew　that　the　damage　she　had　done　to　herself　and　others　was　not　going　to　disappear　just　like　that；　just　because　she　was　going　to　say　to　her　parents；　'I　love　you；　and　I　forgive　you　if　you　forgive　me'　。。。　but　she　believed　this；　and　she　had　me　believing　it　too　。。。　But　she　miscalculated　。。。　I　miscalculated　her　father's　rage　。。。　and　the　irony　is；　she　thought　she　was　so　close　to　being　happy　again　。。。　and　she　kept　rehearsing　what　she　was　going　to　say　to　them　that　night　。。。　and　at　breakfast　。。。〃
　Then　the　oddest　thing　happened。　Two　tears　rolled　down　Moore's　cheeks；　and　he　put　his　face　in　his　hands。
　Cynthia　stood　and　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　motioned　me　to　e　with　her。　We　went　out　into　the　corridor；　and　she　said　to　me；　〃Let　him　go；　Paul。〃
　〃Hell；　no。〃
　〃You　got　your　jailhouse　interview。　Let　him　go　sleep　in　his　office；　attend　the　funeral　tomorrow。　We'll　deal　with　him　tomorrow　or　the　next　day。　He's　not　going　anywhere。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃All　right。　God；　I'm　getting　soft。〃　I　went　to　the　guard　office　and　spoke　to　the　sergeant。　I　filled　out　a　confinement　release　form　and　signed　it…I　hate　confinement　release　forms…then　I　walked　out　to　the　corridor　where　Cynthia　was　waiting　for　me。
　I　said；　〃He's　free；　but　restricted　to　post。〃
　〃Good。　It　was　the　right　thing。〃
　〃We　don't　know　that。〃
　〃Paul　。。。　anger　is　not　going　to　change　anything　that　happened；　and　vindictiveness　is　not　going　to　bring　justice。　That's　the　lesson　you　should　learn　from　this。　Ann　Campbell　never　did。　But　what　happened　to　her　should　at　least　be　a　useful　example　of　that。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　We　walked　to　our　office；　and　I　sat　at　the　desk；　dividing　the　diary　printouts　between　Cynthia　and　myself。　Before　we　began　to　read；　I　said　to　her；　〃What　happened　to　the　bayonet？〃
　She　replied；　〃I　don't　know。　If　General　Campbell　never　approached　his　daughter；　then　he　never　saw　it；　and　never　knew　that　he　could　have　cut　her　loose。　He　told　us　two　versions　of　that　story…one　was　that　he　tried　to　get　her　free　by　pulling　at　the　stakes；　the　other　that　he　couldn't　bring　himself　to　get　that　close。〃　She　added；　〃He　actually　never　got　that　close。〃
　〃Right。　So　the　next　person　on　the　scene…let's　say　it　was　Kent…saw　the　bayonet；　and　Kent　had　the　same　choice…if　it　was　Kent。　Then　came　the　Fowlers；　who　had　their　own　knife　。。。　but　she　was　already　dead。　Then　came　Sergeant　St。　John；　then　MP　Casey　。。。　I　don't　know；　but　it's　interesting　that　whoever　pulled　the　bayonet　out　of　the　ground　kept　it　。。。〃　I　noodled　this　awhile；　then　said；　〃If　we　accept　the　general's　second　version；　that　he　never　went　near　her；　then　it　wasn't　him。　The　killer　had　no　reason　to　take　the　bayonet。　Neither　did　St。　John　or　MP　Casey。〃
　〃Are　you　saying　the　Fowlers　took　it？〃
　〃I'm　saying　that　when　the　Fowlers　found　her　dead；　and　saw　that　the　means　of　freeing　her　was　right　there　between　her　legs；　if　you　will；　they　realized　that　the　general　had　lied　to　them；　that　the　general　had　not　tried　to　free　her；　as　I'm　sure　he　told　them　he　did。　That；　in　fact；　as　General　Campbell　told　us　truthfully　in　the　second　version；　he　had　kept　his　distance　from　her；　and　they　had　shouted　to　each　other。　So　when　the　Fowlers　saw　the　bayonet；　they　realized　that　the　general　could　have　freed　her；　but　did　not；　and　as　a　result；　she　was　dead。　Not　wanting　to　tell　him　this；　or　have　him　find　out　through　the　official　report；　they　took　the　bayonet　and　discarded　it。　This　was　another　favor　they　were　doing　for　him；　but　they　weren't　doing　us　any　favors。〃
　Cynthia　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Yes；　that's　probably　what　happened。〃　She　looked　at　me。　〃And　her　West　Point　ring？〃
　〃Beats　the　hell　out　of　me。〃
　〃The　Fowlers　again？〃
　〃Possible。　Another　favor；　though　I　don't　get　it。　Maybe　the　killer　took　it　as　a　sentimental　remembrance。　I　don't　think　MP　Casey　or　St。　John　would　do　something　so　ghoulish；　but　you　just　never　know　what　people　are　going　to　do　in　the　presence　of　a　dead　body。　Then　again；　maybe　the　general　got　a　little　closer　to　his　daughter　than　he　said。　He　took　the　bayonet；　considered　cutting　her　loose；　then　changed　his　mind；　took　her　ring　off；　and　told　her　she　was　dishonoring　her　uniform；　or　lack　of　same；　and　left…then　had　a　change　of　heart　and　drove　to　the　Fowlers。　Who　knows？　Who　cares　at　this　point？〃
　〃I　do。　I　have　to　know　how　people　act；　what　goes　on　in　their　hearts。　It's　important；　Paul；　because　it's　what　makes　this　job　more　than　what's　in　the　manual。　Do　you　want　to　bee　like　Karl　Hellmann？〃
　I　forced　a　smile。　〃Sometimes；　yes。〃
　〃Then　you'll　never　again　be　able　to　determine　a　motive　or　understand　who　is　good　and　who　is　evil。〃
　〃Sounds　okay　to　me。〃
　〃Don't　be　contrary。〃
　〃Speaking　of　motives；　of　good　and　evil；　of　passion；　jealousy；　and　hate；　let's　give　this　stuff　a　quick　read。〃
　We　read　for　a　while　and　discovered　what　William　Kent's　sexual　preferences　were；　but　more　important；　I　discovered　that　Ann　Campbell　considered　him　a　growing　problem。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Here's　an　entry　from　last　month。〃　I　read　aloud；　〃　'Bill　is　being　possessive　again。　I　thought　we　solved　that　problem。　He　showed　up　here　tonight　when　Ted　Bowes　was　here。　Ted　and　I　hadn't　gone　downstairs　yet；　and　Bill　and　he　had　a　drink　in　the　living　room；　and　Bill　was　nasty　to　him　and　pulled　rank　on　him。　Finally；　Ted　left；　and　Bill　and　I　had　words。　He　says　he's　prepared　to　leave　his　wife　and　resign　his　mission　if　I　promise　to　live　with　him　or　marry　him　or　something。　He　knows　why　I　do　what　I　do　with　him　and　the　other　men；　but　he's　starting　to　think　there's　more　to　it　with　us。　He's　pressing　me；　and　I　tell　him　to　stop。　Tonight；　he　doesn't　even　want　sex。　He　just　wants　to　talk。　I　let　him　talk；　but　I　don't　like　what　he's　saying。　Why　do　some　men　think　they　have　to　be　knights　in　shining　armor？　I　don't　need　a　knight。　I　am　my　own　knight；　I　am　my　own　dragon；　and　I　live　in　my　own　castle。　Everyone　else　are　props　and　bit　players。　Bill　is　not　very　cognitive。　He　doesn't　understand；　so　I　don't　try　to　explain。　I　did　tell　him　I'd　consider　his　offer；　but　in　the　meantime；　would　he　only　e　here　with　an　appointment？　This　put　him　into　a　rage；　and　he　actually　slapped　me；　then　ripped　off　my　clothes　and　raped　me　on　the　living　room　floor。　When　he　was　done；　he　seemed　to　feel　better；　then　left　in　a　sulk。　I　realize　he　could　be　dangerous；　but　I　don't　care；　and；　in　fact；　of　all　of　them；　he's　the　only　one　except　for　Wes　who　has　actually　threatened　me　or　hit　me；　and　it's　the　only　thing　that　makes　Bill　Kent　interesting。'　〃
　I　looked　up　from　the　paper；　and　Cynthia　and　I　exchanged　glances。　Clearly；　Colonel　Kent　was　dangerous。　There's　nothing　more　dangerous　than　a　prim　and　proper　stuffed　shirt　who　falls　in　lust　and　gets　obsessed：　I　was　about　to　read　another　printout　aloud　when　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door；　and　it　opened。　I　expected　to　see　Wan…ant　Officer　Kiefer；　but　it　was　Colonel　Kent；　and　I　wondered　how　long　he'd　been　standing　there。
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTY…THREE
　
　I　gathered　up　the　printouts　and　slipped　them　in　a　folder。　Kent　stood　there　and　watched　but　said　nothing。
　Kent　had　his　helmet　on；　what　we　call　cover　in　the　military。　You're　usually　uncovered　indoors；　unless　you're　armed；　then　you　must　be　covered。　Interesting　regulation　probably　having　to　do　with　keeping　your　hands　free　if　you're　armed；　or　letting　people　know　at　a　distance　that　you're　armed。　Kent；　in　fact；　was　wearing　his　sidearm。
　So　was　I；　and　so　was　Cynthia；　but　ours　were　hidden；　and　we　didn't　have　to　wear　hats　to　give　us　away。
　The　office　was　dark；　lit　only　by　two　desk　lamps；　and　I　could　hardly　see　Kent's　features　from　where　I　was　sitting；　but　I　thought　he　looked　sort　of　grim；　perhaps　subdued；　and　I　remembered　that　he'd　gone　to　the　chapel　to　view　the　body。
　He　spoke　in　a　quiet；　almost　toneless　voice。　He　said；　〃Why　was　Specialist　Baker　snooping　around？〃
　I　stood　and　replied；　〃She's　not　snooping　around。　She's　gathering　some　items　that　I　asked　for。〃
　〃This　is　my　mand。　Anything　you　need；　you　ask　me。〃
　Quite　right；　actually。　Except；　in　this　case；　the　items　had　to　do　with　the　mander。　I　said；　〃It　was　just　a　minor　administrative　thing；　Colonel。〃
　〃Nothing　in　this　building　is　minor。〃
　〃Well；　parking　and　traffic　tickets　are　minor。〃
　〃Why　do　you　need　those？〃
　〃It's　a　standard　procedure。　You　must　know　that　it's　to　establish　if　any　vehicles　were　anyplace　that…〃
　〃I　know　that。　And　you　wanted　MP　patrol　reports；　the　desk　sergeant's　log；　and　tapes　of　the　radio　transmissions　for　that　night。　Are　you　looking　for　any　vehicle　in　particular？〃
　Actually；　yes。　Your　vehicle。　But　I　replied；　〃No。　Where　is　Baker？〃
　〃I　relieved　her　of　her　duties　and　ordered　her　out　of　the　building。〃
　〃I　see。　Well；　I'm　going　to　ask　you；　officially；　to　rescind　that　order。〃
　〃I've　assigned　you　another　clerk。　I　will　not　tolerate　any　breach　of　internal　security　by　anyone；　for　any　reason。　You　have　broken　the　rules；　and　perhaps　the　law。　I'll　take　this　up　with　the　staff　judge　advocate　tomorrow。〃
　〃That's　certainly　your　right；　Colonel。　Though　I　think　Colonel　Weems　has　other　things