demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第68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！


　〃That's　certainly　your　right；　Colonel。　Though　I　think　Colonel　Weems　has　other　things　on　his　mind　at　the　moment。〃
　Kent　seemed　to　know　what　I　was　talking　about　and　replied；　〃The　Uniform　Code　of　Military　Justice　is　not　dependent　on　any　single　individual；　and　everyone　here　is　subject　to　that　law；　including　both　of　you。〃
　〃That's　very　true。　I　take　full　responsibility　for　what　Baker　did。〃
　Cynthia　stood　now　and　said；　〃It's　actually　my　responsibility；　Colonel。　I　ordered　Baker　to　do　that。〃
　Kent　looked　at　her　and　replied；　〃All　you　had　to　do　was　ask　me　first。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Having　taken　the　offensive；　Kent　continued　his　attack；　though　he　seemed　to　have　no　enthusiasm　for　it。　He　said　to　me；　〃I　didn't　say　anything　when　you　had　Colonel　Moore　confined　to　jail；　but　I　will　make　an　official　report　regarding　your　treatment　of　him。　You　don't　treat　officers　that　way。〃　Obviously；　Kent　was　thinking　into　the　future；　and　his　plaint　had　nothing　to　do　with　Colonel　Moore。
　I　replied；　〃Officers　don't　usually　act　that　way。　He　abused　his　rank；　his　profession；　and　his　office。〃
　〃Nevertheless；　he　could　have　been　restricted　to　post　and　given　suitable　quarters　until　an　official　inquiry　was　pleted；　and　charges　remended　or　not　remended。〃
　〃You　know；　Colonel；　I　personally　think　that　the　higher　you　are；　the　harder　you　should　fall。　Young　enlisted　personnel　who　screw　up　because　of　ignorance；　immaturity；　or　high　spirits　get　the　book　thrown　at　them。　I　think　that　mature　officers　who　screw　up　should　be　made　an　example　of。〃
　〃But　rank　still　has　its　privilege；　and　one　of　those　privileges　is　that　an　officer　should　not　be　subject　to　pretrial　confinement；　Mister　Brenner。〃
　〃But　when　you　break　the　law；　your　punishment　should　be　in　direct　proportion　to　your　rank；　your　job；　and　your　knowledge　of　the　law。　An　officer's　rights　and　privileges　carry　a　heavy　responsibility；　and　any　breach　of　duty　and　discipline　should　carry　a　proportionately　heavy　punitive　burden。〃　I'm　talking　about　you；　Bill；　and　you　know　it。
　He　replied；　〃A　soldier's　past　performance　has　to　be　factored　into　that。　If　a　person　has　performed　honorably　for　twenty　years…as　Colonel　Moore　has…then　he　should　be　treated　with　honor　and　respect。　A　court…martial　will　decide　his　punishment；　if　any。〃
　I　looked　at　Kent　for　a　long　moment；　then　responded；　〃An　officer；　I　believe；　having　been　given　special　privileges　and　having　taken　an　oath　of　office；　has　an　obligation　to　fully　confess　his　crimes　and　to　relieve　a　court…martial　board　of　the　unpleasant　duty　of　convening　for　a　public　trial。　In　fact；　I　sort　of　like　the　ancient　tradition　of　an　officer　falling　on　his　sword。　But　since　no　one　has　the　balls　for　that　anymore；　I　think　that　an　officer　who　has　mitted　a　capital　crime　or　has　dishonored　himself　and　his　uniform　should　at　least　consider　blowing　his　brains　out。〃
　Kent　replied；　〃I　think　you're　crazy。〃
　〃Probably。　Maybe　I　should　talk　to　a　shrink。　Charlie　Moore　could　square　me　away。　You'll　be　happy　to　know　that　I've　signed　a　release　order　for　him；　and　he　should　be　gone　by　now；　probably　riding　around　looking　for　a　place　to　sleep　tonight。　You　should　try　the　Psy…Ops　School　officers'　quarters　if　you　want　to　find　him。　He　thinks；　by　the　way；　that　the　general　murdered　his　own　daughter。　I　know　the　general　didn't。　So　whoever　did　murder　her　will　have　to　decide　if　he　is　going　to　let　Moore　tell　the　FBI　what　he　suspects；　and　allow　that　suspicion　to　hang　over　the　head　of　a　basically　honorable　man。　Or　will　this　person　who　mitted　the　crime　redeem　his　honor　and　confess？〃
　Kent　and　I　looked　at　each　other；　then　Kent　said；　〃I　think　whoever　killed　her　didn't　think　it　was　a　crime。　You　like　to　talk　about　honor；　ancient　customs；　and　the　rights　and　duties　of　an　officer。　Well；　I'll　bet　that　the　murderer　feels　no　reason　to　bother　the　military　justice　system　with　this　act　of　。。。　of　personal　justice　and　honor。　There's　your　philosophy　looked　at　from　the　other　point　of　view。〃
　〃True　enough。　Unfortunately；　these　are　the　legalistic　times　we　live　in；　and　my　personal　feelings　are　as　unacceptable　as　yours。　I've　investigated　homicides　for　over　ten　years；　Colonel；　and　you've　seen　enough　of　them；　too。　In　almost　all　cases；　the　murderer　thinks　he　or　she　was　justified。　Civilian　juries　are　starting　to　buy　it；　too。　Bottom　line　on　that；　though；　is　if　you　felt　it　was　justified；　then　let's　hear　it。〃　Somehow；　we　had　gotten　from　the　general　to　the　almost　specific；　depending　on　how　one　interpreted　the　personal　pronoun　〃you。〃
　Kent　looked　at　me；　then　at　Cynthia；　then　said；　〃I　went　to　the　chapel　earlier。　I'm　not　a　religious　man；　but　I　said　a　prayer　for　her。　She　looked　very　peaceful；　by　the　way。　I　guess　that's　the　undertaker's　art；　but　I'd　like　to　think　that　her　soul　is　free　and　her　spirit　is　happy　again　。。。〃　He　turned　and　left。
　Cynthia　and　I　sat　in　the　silence　of　the　dark　office　for　a　few　seconds；　then　Cynthia　spoke。　〃Well；　we　know　where　Ann　Campbell's　anguish　and　torment　are　residing　at　the　moment。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Do　you　think　he'll　confess？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Depends　on　who　wins　the　battle　he's　going　to　fight　between　now　and　dawn。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　in　suicide；　Paul；　and　you　had　no　right　to　even　mention　it　to　him。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃The　thought　of　suicide　is　a　great　consolation；　and　it's　gotten　people　through　many　a　bad　night。〃
　〃Nonsense。〃
　〃No；　Nietzsche。〃
　〃Sick。〃　She　stood。　〃Let's　find　Baker。〃
　〃Kiefer。〃　I　stood　also；　took　the　folder　with　the　printouts；　and　we　left　the　office　and　the　building　and　went　out　into　the　night。
　Outside；　on　the　steps　of　the　provost　marshal's　building；　I　could　see　heat　lightning　in　the　distance；　and　a　wind　was　picking　up。　〃Storm　ing。〃
　〃Typical　Georgia；〃　Cynthia　replied。　She　said；　〃If　it　had　stormed　two　nights　ago　。。。〃
　〃Right。　But　more　to　the　point；　if　men　didn't　rape；　and　if　institutions　didn't　try　to　cover　their　institutional　asses；　and　if　parents　and　children　could　municate；　and　if　revenge　wasn't　so　sweet；　and　if　monogamy　was　a　biological　imperative；　and　if　everyone　treated　everyone　else　the　way　they　would　like　to　be　treated；　then　we'd　be　out　of　a　job；　and　they　could　use　the　cell　blocks　to　breed　bird　dogs。〃
　Cynthia　put　her　arm　through　mine；　and　we　walked　down　the　steps　to　the　Blazer。
　We　got　into　the　vehicle　as　the　first　few　drops　of　rain　fell；　and　she　asked；　〃How　will　we　find　Kiefer？〃
　〃Kiefer　will　find　us。〃
　〃Where　will　she　find　us？〃
　〃Where　she　knows　we　will　be。　The　VOQ。〃　I　started　the　car；　put　it　into　gear；　and　turned　on　the　headlights。
　The　rain　got　heavier；　and　I　put　on　the　wipers。　We　drove　in　silence　through　the　nearly　deserted　streets　of　the　main　post。　My　civilian　clock　said　ten　to　midnight；　but；　despite　the　hour　and　the　short　sleep　the　night　before；　I　felt　fine。　Within　a　few　minutes；　I　pulled　into　the　VOQ　lot；　which　was　when　the　sky　burst　open；　and　the　rain　was　so　heavy　I　could　hardly　hear　myself　say　to　Cynthia；　〃Do　you　want　me　to　drive　you　to　the　door？〃
　She　called　back　over　the　beating　rain；　〃No。　Do　you　want　me　to　drive　you　to　the　door？〃
　There's　an　upside　to　modern　women；　they　don't　melt　in　the　rain。　Actually；　my　suit　looked　far　more　expensive　than　her　outfit；　and　I　nearly　took　her　up　on　it；　but　after　a　minute　of　waiting　for　the　rain　to　slacken；　we　dashed　for　it。
　The　lot　was　flooded；　pliments　of　the　Army　Corps　of　Engineers；　and　by　the　time　we　got　to　the　door；　less　than　fifty　meters　away；　we　were　soaked。　Actually；　it　felt　good。
　In　the　small　lobby；　the　CQ；　a　young　corporal；　informed　me；　〃Some　Midland　cop　came　by　and　left　some　luggage　here　for　you；　sir。〃
　I　shook　myself　off。　〃Right。〃　My　buddy　Burt　was　showing　me　he　was　true　to　his　word。　〃Where　is　it？〃　I　asked。　〃In　my　room；　all　unpacked　for　me；　pressed　and　hung？〃
　〃No；　sir；　it's　over　there　on　the　floor。〃
　〃How　many　stars　does　this　place　have；　Corporal？〃
　〃Well；　if　we　got　one　more；　we'd　be　up　to　zero。〃
　〃Right。　Any　messages？〃
　〃Two。〃　He　handed　me　two　message　slips。　Kiefer　and　Seiver。　I　went　over　to　my　luggage；　which　consisted　of　two　civilian　suitcases；　an　Army　duffel　bag；　and　an　overnight　bag。　Cynthia　offered　to　help　and　took　a　suitcase　and　the　overnight　bag。　Together　we　climbed　the　interior　staircase；　and；　within　a　few　minutes；　we　were　in　my　room　and　dumping　the　luggage　on　the　floor。
　Cynthia　caught　her　breath　and　said；　〃I'm　going　to　change。　Are　you　going　to　return　those　calls？〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　threw　my　wet　jacket　over　a　chair；　sat　on　the　bed；　and　slipped　my　shoes　off　as　I　dialed　the　number　Kiefer　had　left。　A　woman　answered；　〃Five…four…five　MP　pany；　CQ　speaking。〃
　〃This　is　Colonel　Hellmann；〃　I　said；　as　much　for　kicks　as　for　identification；　〃may　I　speak　to　Specialist　Baker；　please。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　hold　on。〃
　Cynthia　had　left；　and　as　I　waited　with　the　phone　cradled　between　my　ear　and　shoulder；　I　peeled　off　my　wet　shirt　and　tie　and　got　out　of　my　socks　and　trousers。　Baker…Kiefer　had　chosen　to　live　in　the　barracks；　which　was　good　for　cover；　but　inconvenient　for　life。　I　knew　that　the　CQ　runner　had　gone　off　to　get　her；　which　was　the　Army's　answer　to　private　telephones　in　each　room。
　The　line　clicked；　and　I　heard　her　voice；　〃Specialist　Baker　here；　sir。〃
　〃Can　you　talk？〃
　〃No；　sir；　but　I'll　call　you　back　from　a　pay　phone　here　as　soon　as　one　opens　up。　VOQ？〃
　〃Right。〃　I　hung　up　and　sat　on　the　floor；　opening　my　suitcases　and　looking　for　my　robe。　That　bastard　Yardley　had　stuffed　everything　together；　including　dirty　laundry；　shoes；　and　shaving　gear。　〃Bastard。〃
　〃Who？〃
　I　looked　over　my　shoulder　and　saw　that　Cynthia　was　back　in　the　room；　wearing　a　silk　kimono　and　drying　her　hair　with　a　towel。　I　said；　〃I'm　looking　for　my　robe。〃
　〃Here；　let's　get　you　organized。〃　And　she　began　sorting　and　hanging　things　in　the　closet；　and　folding　things；　and　so　on。
　Women　have　this　incredible　knack　with　fabrics；　and　they　make　it　look　easy；　but　I　can't　even　get　a　pair　of　pants　to　hang　straight　on　a　hanger。
　I　felt　a　little　silly　in　my　undershorts；　rooting　around　on　the　floor；　but　I　finally　found　my　robe　jammed　into　the　duffel　bag；　and　I　slipped　it　on　as　the　phone　rang。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Kiefer　calling　back。〃
　I　picked　up　the　phone　and　said；　〃Brenner　here。〃
　But　it　was　not　Kiefer；　it　was　Cal　Seiver。　He　said　to　me；　〃Paul；　I　studied　that　footprint　chart　until　I　went　blind；　and　I　studied　plaster　casts　until　I　got　a　hernia。　I　can't　find　a