demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第72部分

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that　she　wanted　him　to　see　her　car　in　the　headquarters　lot　all　night。　This　presented　a　problem　because　her　car　had　a　wired…in　phone；　and　I　had　a　portable　phone；　and　we　intended　to　stay　in　touch　as　she　drove　out　to　the　range。　But　it　wasn't　a　major　problem；　and　she　drove　out　with　the　humvee　and　we　rendezvoused　on　schedule。〃
　Cynthia　asked　him；　〃Did　she　mention　Kent　when　you　met？〃
　〃No　。。。〃
　〃Did　she　mention　that　she'd　been　followed？〃
　〃No　。。。　Well；　she　said　she　saw　one　vehicle　behind　her；　but　it　turned　off　toward　Jordan　Field。〃　He　added；　〃She　felt　that　everything　was　all　right；　and　I　placed　the　call　to　her　father　on　my　portable　phone。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃Then　you　went　out　on　the　rifle　range？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃After　you　were　done；　you　waited　by　the　latrine　shed　to　be　sure　it　went　as　planned。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Did　it　occur　to　you；〃　Cynthia　asked；　〃that　Colonel　Kent　might　be　a　likely　person　to　e　on　the　scene？〃
　He　pondered　that　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃I　suppose　it　crossed　my　mind。　He　seemed　to　be　hounding　her。〃
　〃And　it　never　occurred　to　you　that　he　did　follow　her　and　possibly　murdered　her？〃
　〃Well　。。。　now　that　I　think　about　it…〃
　I　said；　〃You're　some　sharp　detective；　Colonel。〃
　He　seemed　put　off　by　that　and　replied；　〃I　thought　it　was　the　general　who　。。。　Well；　I　didn't　know　what　to　think。　My　first　thought　when　I　heard　she'd　been　murdered　was　that　her　father　had　done　it　。。。　but　it　also　occurred　to　me　that　her　father　had　simply　left　her　there；　and　some　other　person　。。。　some　maniac　。。。　happened　along　。。。　I　just　never　thought　in　terms　of　Kent　。。。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　I　asked。
　〃He　。。。　he's　the　provost　。。。　a　married　man　。。。　he　loved　her　。。。　but；　yes；　now　that　you　mention　it；　it　does　fit。　I　mean；　from　a　psychological　point　of　view；　he　had　bee　obsessed　and　irrational。　Ann　could　no　longer　control　him。〃
　〃Ann；〃　I　pointed　out；　〃had　created　a　monster。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Did　she　understand　that？〃
　〃On　one　level。　But　she　wasn't　used　to　dealing　with　men　she　couldn't　control。　Except　her　father；　and　perhaps　Wes　Yardley。　In　retrospect；　she　didn't　pay　enough　attention　to　Bill　Kent。　She　misjudged。〃
　〃She　failed　Abnormal　Psych　101。〃
　He　didn't　respond。
　〃Okay；　what　I　want　you　to　do　is　go　back　to　your　office　and　write　it　out。〃
　〃Write　what？〃
　〃Everything。　A　full　account　of　your　involvement　in　this　matter。　Deliver　it　to　me　at　the　chapel　after　the　service。　You　have　almost　two　hours。　Type　fast。　Don't　mention　a　word　of　this　to　anyone。〃
　Colonel　Moore　got　up　and　left；　looking；　I　thought；　like　a　faint　shadow　of　the　man　I'd　met　just　the　other　day。
　Cynthia　mented；　〃This　case　looked　hard；　and　we　all　worked　hard；　but　the　answer　was　literally　under　our　nose　the　whole　time。〃
　〃That's　why　it　was　hard　to　see　it。〃
　Cynthia　made　small　talk　for　a　few　minutes；　and　I　made　big　silences。　She　kept　looking　at　me。
　To　avoid　any　unpleasantness；　I　picked　up　the　phone　and　called　Colonel　Fowler　at　Post　Headquarters。　He　took　my　call　immediately；　and　I　said　to　him；　〃Colonel；　I'd　like　you　to　take　the　shoes　that　you　and　Mrs。　Fowler　wore　out　to　rifle　range　six　and　destroy　them。　Secondly；　get　your　story　straight　with　General　Campbell。　You　never　went　out　to　the　range。　Third；　get　Mrs。　Fowler　in　a　car　or　on　a　plane　immediately　after　the　funeral。〃
　He　replied；　〃I　appreciate　what　you're　saying；　but　I　feel　I　have　to　reveal　my　involvement　in　this。〃
　〃Your　manding　officer's　wish　is　that　you　don't　do　that。　A　general's　wish　is　his　mand。〃
　〃It's　an　illegal　mand。〃
　〃Do　everyone　a　favor…yourself；　your　wife；　your　family；　the　Army；　me；　the　Campbells…forget　it。　Think　about　it。〃
　〃I'll　think　about　it。〃
　〃Question…did　you　take　her　West　Point　ring？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Was　there　a　bayonet　stuck　in　the　ground　when　you　got　there？〃
　〃Not　in　the　ground。　The　handle　was　stuck　in　her　vagina。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃I　removed　it　and　disposed　of　it。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃I　threw　it　off　the　Chickasaw　River　Bridge。〃　He　added；　〃I　suppose　you'd　have　liked　to　check　it　for　fingerprints。〃
　〃I　would　have；　yes。〃　But　in　fact；　Kent　would　not　leave　a　print　behind。
　〃I　apologize。　It　was　a　gut　reaction。〃
　〃Lot　of　that　going　around。〃
　〃This　is　a　mess；　Brenner。　We've　all　made　a　mess　of　things。〃
　〃Shit　happens。〃
　〃Not　to　me　it　doesn't。　Not　until　she　got　here　two　years　ago。　But　you　know　what？　It　was　our　fault；　not　hers。〃
　〃I　tend　to　agree。〃　I　added；　〃I　may　make　an　arrest　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Can't　say。　I'll　see　you　at　the　service。〃
　　〃Fine。〃
　I　hung　up。　Just　when　you　think　you've　got　your　ration　of　shit…happens　for　the　day；　someone　heaps　on　another　helping。　In　this　case；　an　MP　major　named　Doyle　was　the　bearer　of　the　shit。　He　came　into　the　office　and　glanced　at　Cynthia；　then　addressed　me。　〃Mister　Brenner；　you　signed　a　release　order　for　a　Staff　Sergeant　Dalbert　Elkins。　Correct？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃We　found　him　quarters　at　the　MP　pany　barracks。〃
　〃Fine。〃　Who　gives　a　shit？
　〃Under　the　terms　of　his　restriction；　he　was　to　sign　into　the　pany　dayroom　every　three　hours。〃
　〃Sounds　reasonable。〃
　〃He　missed　his　first　sign…in　at　0800　hours。〃
　Jesus　H。　Christ。　〃What？〃
　〃And　no　one　has　seen　him　since。〃
　Cynthia　looked　at　me；　then　looked　away。
　Major　Doyle　informed　me；　〃We've　put　out　an　all…points　bulletin　for　his　arrest；　and　notified　the　Midland　police；　the　county　police；　and　the　Georgia　state　police。〃　He　added；　〃The　CID　mander；　Major　Bowes；　demands　a　full　report　from　you　on　this　matter。〃　Major　Doyle　smiled　unpleasantly　and　said；　〃You　blew　it。〃　He　turned　and　left。
　I　stared　at　nothing　in　particular　for　a　while。　Cynthia　finally　spoke。　〃That　happened　to　me　once。〃
　I　didn't　reply。
　〃But　it　happened　to　me　only　once。　So　you　can't　get　cynical　about　human　nature。〃
　Wanna　bet？　Timing　being　everything；　this　was　the　time　to　mention　her　husband's　phone　call；　but　Karl　Hellmann's　timing　was　not　good；　and　he　picked　that　moment　to　show　up。
　Cynthia　and　I　stood　as　the　big　man　walked　into　the　little　office。　He　nodded　perfunctorily；　glanced　around；　then　we　all　shook　hands。　Cynthia；　being　the　lowest…ranking　person　in　the　room；　offered　him　her　desk　chair；　which　he　took；　while　Cynthia　took　the　spare　chair；　and　I　sat　at　my　desk。
　Karl　was　wearing　his　green　dress　uniform；　as　we　were；　and　he　threw　his　hat　on　the　desk。
　Like　me；　Karl　was　once　an　infantryman；　and　we　both　served　in　Vietnam　at　about　the　same　time。　Our　uniforms　sported　basically　the　same　awards　and　decorations；　including　the　Bronze　Star　for　valor　and　the　coveted　bat　Infantryman's　Badge。　Being　products　of　the　same　crucible；　and　both　being　middle…aged；　we　usually　dispense　with　some　of　the　formalities。　But　I　wasn't　in　a　Karl　mood　that　morning；　so　I　intended　to　stick　to　courtesies　and　protocols。　I　said；　〃Coffee；　sir？〃
　〃No；　thank　you。〃
　Karl　is　a　good…looking　man　with　a　full　head　of　grayish…black　hair；　firm　jaw；　and　blue　eyes。　Women；　however；　don't　find　him　sexy。　It　may　be　his　manner；　which　is　stiff　and　formal。　In　fact；　he's　rather　tight…assed；　and　if　you　put　a　lump　of　coal　up　his　butt；　he'd　produce　a　diamond　within　a　week。　That　aside；　he's　a　pro。
　We　exchanged　pleasantries　for　three　seconds；　then　Karl　said　to　me　in　his　slight　accent；　〃I　understand　our　star　witness　in　the　arms　sale　case　has　bee　a　fugitive。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Can　you　recall　your　line　of　reasoning　in　releasing　him？〃
　〃Not　at　the　moment；　no；　sir。〃
　〃One　wonders　why　a　man　who　has　been　offered　immunity　would　decide　to　mit　yet　another　felony　and　flee。〃
　〃One　does　wonder。〃
　〃Did　you　explain　to　him　that　he　had　immunity？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　but　apparently　not　very　well。〃
　〃It's　a　problem；　you　know；　Paul；　dealing　with　stupid　people。　You　project　your　own　intelligence　and　rationality　onto　a　person　who　is　a　plete　idiot；　and　he　lets　you　down。　He's　ignorant　and　frightened；　and　he　is　a　slave　to　his　instincts。　The　jail　door　opens；　and　he　runs。　Quite　understandable。〃
　I　cleared　my　throat。　〃I　thought　I　had　reassured　him　and　won　his　trust　and　confidence。〃
　〃Of　course　you　did。　That's　what　he　wanted　you　to　think　when　he　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　bars。　They're　cunning。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Perhaps　you'll　consult　me　the　next　time；　before　you　release　a　prisoner　in　a　major　felony　case。〃
　〃He　was　actually　a　witness；　sir。〃
　Karl　leaned　toward　me　and　said；　〃He　had　not　one　fucking　iota　of　understanding　regarding　the　difference。　You　put　him　in　jail；　you　let　him　out；　he　ran。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Article　96　of　the　Uniform　Code　of　Military　Justice　deals　with　the　improper　releasing　of　a　prisoner　through　neglect　or　design。　You're　in　trouble。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　〃Now；　tell　me；　what　are　the　most　recent　developments　here？〃
　Well；　to　begin　with；　I　never　got　the　chance　to　sleep　with　Cynthia；　she　lied　to　me　about　her　husband；　I'm　crushed　and　pissed；　I　still　can't　get　Ann　Campbell　out　of　my　mind；　the　provost　marshal　down　the　hall　is　probably　a　murderer；　dopey　Dalbert　beat　feet；　and　I'm　not　having　a　good　day。
　Hellmann　turned　to　Cynthia。　〃Perhaps　you'll　speak　to　me。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Cynthia　began　by　discussing　forensic　evidence；　Grace　Dixon's　puter　discoveries；　the　Yardley　boys；　and　the　unfortunate　involvements　of　Major　Bowes；　Colonel　Weems；　and　other　staff　officers。
　Karl　listened。
　Cynthia　then　reported　an　edited　version　of　our　conversations　with　General　Campbell；　Mrs。　Campbell；　Colonel　Fowler；　Mrs。　Fowler；　and　Colonel　Moore。　I　was　barely　listening；　but　I　did　note　that　she　did　not　mention　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Fowler's　precise　role　in　the　case；　or　Ann　Campbell's　basement　room；　and　neither　did　she　mention　Bill　Kent　at　all。　This　is　exactly　the　way　I　would　have　handled　it；　and　I　was　impressed　with　how　much　she'd　learned　in　the　last　two　days。　Cynthia　said　to　Karl；　〃So　you　see；　it　all　had　to　do　with　revenge；　retribution；　a　perverted　experiment　in　psychological　operations；　and　what　happened　at　West　Point　a　decade　ago。〃
　Karl　nodded。
　As　an　afterthought；　Cynthia　did　mention　Friedrich　Nietzsche；　in　the　context　of　Ann　Campbell's　personal　philosophy。　Karl　seemed　interested　in　that；　and　I　realized　that　Cynthia　was　playing　to　her　audience。
　Karl　sat　back　and　pondered；　his　fingers　pressed　together　like　some　great　sage　about　to　provide　the　answer　to　Life。　Cynthia　concluded；　〃Paul　has　done　an　outstanding　job；　and　it's　been　an　education　working　with　him。〃
　Barf。
　Karl　sat　motio