demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第73部分

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as　done　an　outstanding　job；　and　it's　been　an　education　working　with　him。〃
　Barf。
　Karl　sat　motionless　for　a　full　minute；　and　it　occurred　to　me　that　the　great　sage　didn't　have　a　fucking　clue。　Cynthia　was　trying　to　catch　my　eye；　but　I　refused　to　look　at　her。
　Finally；　Colonel　Hellmann　spoke。　〃Nietzsche。　Yes。　In　revenge　and　in　love；　woman　is　more　barbarous　than　man。〃
　I　asked；　〃Is　that　Nietzsche；　sir；　or　your　personal　opinion？〃
　He　looked　at　me　in　a　way　that　suggested　the　ice　under　me　was　getting　thinner。　He　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Very　good。　You've　exposed　motives；　massive　corruption；　and　great　secrets　here。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　He　looked　at　me；　then　at　his　watch。　〃Should　we　be　going　to　the　chapel？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　He　stood　and　we　stood。　We　took　our　hats　and　headed　out。
　We　all　got　into　my　Blazer；　with　Karl　in　the　honorary　position　in　the　rear。　As　I　drove　toward　the　post　chapel；　Karl　finally　asked；　〃Do　you　know　who　did　it？〃
　I　replied；　〃I　think　so。〃
　〃Would　you　care　to　share　that　with　me？〃
　What's　it　worth　to　you？　I　replied；　〃We　have　some　circumstantial　evidence；　some　testimony；　and　some　forensic　evidence　that　points　to　Colonel　Kent。〃　I　looked　into　my　rearview　mirror　and　got　my　first　thrill　of　the　day　when　I　saw　Karl's　eyes　widen。　The　rock　jaw　did　not　drop；　however。　〃The　provost　marshal；〃　I　prompted。
　Karl　recovered　and　asked；　〃Are　you　both　prepared　to　make　a　formal　charge？〃
　Thank　you　for　the　ace；　Karl。　I　replied；　〃No。　I'm　turning　over　our　evidence　to　the　FBI。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃It　needs　some　research　and　development。〃
　〃Tell　me　what　you　know。〃
　I　pulled　into　the　parking　field　of　the　post　chapel；　a　big　Georgian　brick　structure；　suitable　for　military　weddings；　funerals；　Sunday　worship；　and　solitary　prayer　before　shipping　out　to　a　bat　zone。　We　got　out　of　the　Blazer　and　stood　in　the　hot　sun。　The　lot　was　nearly　full；　and　people　were　parking　on　the　road　and　on　the　grass。
　Cynthia　took　a　piece　of　paper　out　of　her　handbag　and　handed　it　to　Karl。　She　said；　〃That　was　in　Ann　Campbell's　puter。　It's　a　letter　to　Mrs。　Kent。〃
　Karl　read　the　letter；　nodded；　and　handed　it　back　to　Cynthia。　〃Yes；　I　can　understand　Colonel　Kent's　anger　and　humiliation　at　having　his　wife　receive　such　a　letter。　But　would　that　make　him　kill？〃　Just　then；　Colonel　William　Kent　himself　walked　by　with　a　wave　of　the　hand。　Cynthia　informed　Karl；　〃That　is　Colonel　Kent。〃
　Karl　watched　him　walk　to　the　chapel。　Karl　observed；　〃He　doesn't　look　haunted。〃
　〃He　vacillates；〃　Cynthia　replied。　〃I　think　he's　on　the　verge　of　convincing　himself　that　what　he　did　was　right；　then　telling　us　the　same　thing。〃
　Karl　nodded。　〃Yes；　that's　the　great　secret　of　this　job…not　confronting　a　criminal　with　the　moral　question　of　right　or　wrong；　but　giving　him　the　opportunity　to　explain　his　reasons。〃　He　asked　Cynthia；　〃What　other　evidence　do　you　have？〃
　Cynthia　gave　him　a　quick　rundown　of　the　diary　entries；　the　critical　bootprint；　the　Jeep　in　the　pine　brush；　and　our　conversations　with　the　suspect。　She　concluded；　〃He　had　motive；　opportunity；　and　probably　the　will　to　act；　at　least　at　that　moment。　He's　not　a　killer；　but　he's　a　cop；　and　therefore　no　stranger　to　homicide。　He　also　had　good　cover；　being　on　the　inside　of　the　investigation；　and　was　able　to　manipulate　it　and　control　the　evidence…he　let　the　crime　scene　bee　polluted；　for　instance…but　his　alibi　for　the　time　of　the　murder　is　weak　or　nonexistent；　as　is　often　the　case　with　crimes　of　opportunity。〃
　Hellmann　nodded　as　Cynthia　spoke。　Then　the　great　one　delivered　his　opinion。　〃If　you're　right；　and　you　can　prove　it；　then　you've　ended　this　case　before　it　engulfs　everyone。　If　you're　wrong；　this　case　will　eat　you　both；　and　destroy　many　more　lives　while　the　investigation　continues。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃Yes；　sir；　that's　why　we　worked　day　and　night。　But　it's　really　out　of　our　hands　now。〃　She　looked　at　me；　then　continued；　〃Paul　is　correct　in　that　we　don't　want　to　remend　formal　charges。　There's　nothing　in　that　for　us；　for　you；　for　the　CID；　or　the　Army。〃
　Karl　contemplated　the　chess　board　in　his　head；　then　turned　to　me。　〃You're　uncharacteristically　quiet。〃
　〃I　have　nothing　to　say；　Colonel；〃　I　replied；　using　his　rank　to　remind　him　that　the　buck　stopped　at　his　silver　eagle。
　〃Are　you　upset　over　your　prisoner　fleeing？〃
　〃He　was　a　witness；　and；　no；　I'm　not。〃
　Cynthia　chimed　in；　〃He's　been　sulky　all　morning。　Even　before　you　got　here。〃　She　smiled　at　me；　but　I　stone…faced　it；　and　her　smile　faded。　I　really　wanted　to　be　out　of　here；　out　of　Hadley；　out　of　the　hot　sun；　out　of　Georgia；　and　out　of　touch。　I　said；　〃We　won't　get　a　seat。〃　I　turned　toward　the　chapel　and　walked。
　Karl　and　Cynthia　followed。　Karl　spoke　to　Cynthia。　〃You　should　give　him　a　last　opportunity　to　confess。〃
　〃You　mean　Paul？〃　she　said　playfully。
　〃No；　Ms。　Sunhill。　Colonel　Kent。〃
　〃Right。　We've　considered　that。〃
　〃People　confess　to　the　most　heinous　crimes；　you　know；　if　you　put　them　in　the　right　mood。　Murderers　who　have　killed　a　loved　one　carry　an　enormous　burden；　and　they　want　to　share　the　weight　with　someone。　Unlike　professional　criminals；　they　have　no　partners　in　crime；　no　confidants；　and　they　are　isolated；　without　a　living　soul　to　tell　of　the　greatest　secret　of　their　life。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Cynthia　replied。
　Karl　said；　〃Do　you　think　it　was　simple　expediency　that　made　Colonel　Kent　call　you　and　Paul　regarding　this　crime？　No。　It　was　an　unconscious　desire　to　be　found　out。〃
　And　on　he　went；　saying　things　I　already　knew；　and　making　the　pitch　for　us　to　confront　the　suspect；　who；　though　professionally　damaged；　was　a　high…ranking　and　powerful　man　with　a　lot　of　resources　left　to　him。　I　sort　of　pictured　myself　in　front　of　a　board　of　inquiry；　trying　to　make　a　case　for　Colonel　William　Kent　as　murderer；　while　seven　steely…eyed　officers　sat　there　waiting　to　eat　my　ass　for　lunch。　But　sucker　that　I　was；　I　was　willing　to　give　it　a　shot。　However；　I　was　going　to　keep　Karl　hanging　until　he　ordered　me　to　confront　Kent。
　I　looked　toward　the　chapel　and　noticed　that　the　ceremonies　relating　to　the　receiving　of　the　casket　were　pleted；　the　honorary　pallbearers　were　not　on　the　steps；　and；　in　fact；　the　old　caisson；　taken　from　the　museum；　did　not　have　the　casket　on　it。
　The　news　media；　according　to　a　memo　I'd　seen　on　my　desk；　were　limited　to　a　pool　of　selected　print　journalists；　and　the　only　photographers　present　were　two　from　the　Army　Public　Information　Office。　The　memo；　signed　by　Colonel　Fowler；　had　suggested　not　giving　direct　quotes　to　the　journalists。
　We　climbed　the　steps　and　went　into　the　narthex；　where　a　dozen　men　and　women　stood　conversing　in　hushed　funereal　tones。　We　all　signed　the　guest　book；　and　I　walked　into　the　dark　chapel；　which　was　no　cooler　than　outside；　and　noted　that　the　pews　were　nearly　all　full。　The　funeral　of　the　manding　officer's　daughter　was　not　a　mand…attendance　situation；　but　only　a　moron　would　fail　to　show　up　here；　or　at　least　at　the　ceremonies　later。
　In　fact；　not　all　of　Fort　Hadley's　officers　and　spouses；　or　Midland's　civilian　dignitaries；　could　fit　into　the　chapel；　which　held　about　five　or　six　hundred　people；　but　I　was　certain　that　there　were　people　already　assembling　at　Jordan　Field　for　the　final　send…off。
　The　organ　was　playing　softly　in　the　choir　loft　above　us；　and　we　stood　in　the　center　aisle　a　moment；　each　of　us；　I　think；　trying　to　decide　if　we　should　walk　to　the　casket；　which　sat　on　a　catafalque　at　the　foot　of　the　altar　steps。　Finally；　I　began　the　long　walk；　and　Cynthia　and　Karl　followed。
　I　approached　the　flag…draped　and　half…opened　casket　on　the　left；　stopped；　and　looked　down　at　the　deceased。
　Ann　Campbell　looked　peaceful；　as　Kent　had　indicated；　her　head　resting　on　a　pink　satin　pillow；　and　her　long　hair　sort　of　fanned　out　around　her　head　and　face。　I　noted　that　she　had　more　makeup　on　in　death　than　she'd　probably　ever　worn　in　life。
　They　had　dressed　her　in　the　evening　white　uniform　that　a　female　officer　would　wear　to　formal　functions；　and　it　was　an　appropriate　choice；　I　thought；　the　white　waistcoat　with　gold　braid　and　the　white　ruffled　blouse；　making　her　appear　gossamery；　if　not　virginal。　She　wore　her　medals　on　her　left　breast；　and　her　sheathed　West　Point　saber　was　laid　on　her　body　so　that　her　clasped　hands；　which　might　hold　a　cross　or　rosary　beads　depending　on　one's　religion；　held；　instead；　the　hilt　of　her　sword　at　her　midriff。　The　sheathed　blade　disappeared　beneath　the　half…lid　of　the　casket。
　It　was　quite　a　striking　sight；　to　be　honest：　the　beautiful　face；　the　golden　hair；　the　gold　braid；　the　glittering　brass　and　steel　of　the　saber；　and　the　snow…white　uniform　against　the　pink　satin　lining　of　the　casket。
　I　took　all　this　in　very　quickly；　of　course；　no　more　than　five　seconds；　then；　good　Catholic　that　I　am；　I　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　and　moved　around　the　casket　and　started　down　the　center　aisle。
　I　saw　the　Campbells　in　the　first　two　rows　on　the　right：　the　general；　Mrs。　Campbell；　a　young　man　whom　I　recognized　from　the　family　album　in　Ann　Campbell's　house　as　their　son；　and　various　other　family　members；　old　and　young；　all　wearing　black　outfits　and　black　mourning　bands；　which　are　still　customary　in　the　military。
　I　avoided　eye　contact　with　any　of　them　and　proceeded　up　the　aisle　slowly　until　my　coterie　caught　up　with　me。
　We　found　three　seats　together　in　the　same　pew　that　held　Major　Bowes；　whom　I　knew　only　from　his　name　tag；　and　a　woman　I　presumed　to　be　Mrs。　Bowes。　Bowes　nodded　to　Colonel　Hellmann；　who　failed　to　acknowledge　the　presence　of　an　adulterer　and　jackass。　Mrs。　Bowes；　incidentally；　was　rather　attractive；　proving　once　again　that　men　are　basically　pigs。
　Despite　having　just　viewed　the　mortal　remains　of　a　young　woman；　I　was　feeling　slightly　better；　as　people　do　who　consider　their　position　relative　to　less　fortunate　souls；　such　as　people　with　big　career　problems；　like　Bowes；　murder　suspects；　like　Kent；　or　married　people　in　general；　and　the　sick；　dying；　and　dead。
　The　chaplain；　Major　Eames；　wearing　only　the　green　dress　uniform　with　no　ecclesiastic　vestments；　came　to　the　pulpit；　and　a　hush　fell　over　the　crowd。　Major　Eames　began；　〃Dearly　beloved；　we　are　gathered　here　in　the　presence　of　God　to　bid　farewell　to　our　sister；　Ann　Campbell。〃
　A　lot　of　people　sobbed。
　I　whispered　to　Karl；　〃The　chaplain　fucked　her；　too。〃
　Karl's　jaw　dropped　this　ti