demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第76部分

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d　off　the　apron　onto　the　taxiway。
　Most　everyone　was　surprised；　I　think；　by　this　sudden　departure　of　the　Campbells　on　the　same　aircraft　that　was　bearing　their　daughter's　body　to　Michigan。　But　on　second　thought…and　it　seemed　as　if　everyone　had　that　second　thought　simultaneously…it　was　the　best　thing　for　the　Campbells；　for　the　fort；　and　for　the　Army。
　Everyone　watched　as　the　C…130　lumbered　down　the　runway；　picked　up　speed；　then；　about　four　thousand　feet　from　where　everyone　stood；　it　rose　off　the　ground；　silhouetted　first　by　the　tall　line　of　green　pines；　then　by　the　blue　sky。　As　if　that　were　the　signal　everyone　needed；　the　crowd　broke　up；　and　the　color　guard；　firing　party；　band；　pallbearers；　and　others　marched　in　formation　to　the　waiting　buses。
　Vehicles　began　starting　up　behind　me；　and　I　turned　and　walked　toward　them；　Cynthia　and　Karl　on　either　side　of　me。　Cynthia　was　dabbing　at　her　eyes　with　a　handkerchief。　She　said　to　me；　〃I'm　not　feeling　very　well。〃
　I　gave　her　my　car　keys。　〃Sit　in　the　air…conditioning　awhile。　I'll　meet　you　in　hangar　three　when　you're　up　to　it。〃
　〃No；　I'll　be　all　right。〃　She　took　my　arm。
　As　the　three　of　us　walked　to　the　vehicle；　Karl　said　to　me；　〃Paul；　I　ask　that　you　go　in　for　the　kill　now。　We　don't　have　any　time　left；　and　we　have　no　choice。〃
　〃It's　true　that　we　have　no　time；　but　I　do　have　a　choice。〃
　〃Do　I　have　to　make　this　a　direct　order？〃
　〃You　can't　order　me　to　do　something　that　I　think　is　tactically　incorrect　and　may　jeopardize　the　case　for　the　FBI。〃
　〃No；　I　cannot。　Do　you　believe　it's　incorrect　for　you　to　confront　Kent　at　this　time？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Then？〃
　Cynthia　said　to　Karl；　〃I'll　confront　him。〃　She　looked　at　me。　〃In　the　hangar；　right？〃
　I　didn't　reply。
　Karl　said　to　her；　〃Fine。　Mr。　Brenner　and　I　will　wait　in　the　vehicle　for　you。〃
　Having　shown　enough　petulance；　I　grunted；　〃All　right；　I'll　do　it。　I'm　up　to　my　ass　in　trouble　anyway。〃
　Cynthia　motioned　up　ahead；　and　I　saw　Kent；　with　two　junior　officers；　walking　toward　his　staff　car。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Wait　ten　minutes；　then　join　me。〃
　I　came　up　behind　Kent　and　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。
　Kent　turned　around；　and　we　stood　there　a　second　looking　at　each　other。　Finally；　I　said；　〃Colonel；　may　I　see　you　alone？〃
　He　hesitated；　then　replied；　〃Sure。〃　He　dismissed　his　two　subordinates；　and　we　stood　there　on　the　hot　concrete　in　front　of　the　hangar　as　cars　began　pulling　out　around　us。
　I　said；　〃It's　hot　in　the　sun。　Let's　go　into　this　hangar。〃
　We　walked　side　by　side；　as　though　we　were　colleagues；　cops　on　the　same　mission；　and　I　suppose；　when　all　was　said　and　done；　that's　what　we　were。
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTY…SIX
　
　Hangar　three　was　slightly　cooler　than　outside　and　much　quieter。
　Kent　and　I　walked　past　Ann　Campbell's　BMW　and　continued　on　toward　the　area　where　her　home　was　laid　out。　I　indicated　an　upholstered　chair　in　her　study；　and　Kent　sat。
　Cal　Seiver；　dressed　in　his　class　A　uniform；　had　apparently　just　e　from　the　ceremonies　himself。　I　separated　from　Kent　and　took　Seiver　off　to　the　side；　and　said　to　him；　〃Cal；　please　clear　everyone　out　of　here　except　Grace。　I　want　her　to　print　out　the　relevant　entries　in　Captain　Campbell's　diary。〃　I　cocked　my　head　toward　Kent。　〃Then　she　can　leave。　Have　her　leave　the　disk　here。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　〃Did　you　hear　from　the　footprint　guy　in　Oakland？〃
　〃Yes。　What　it　es　down　to　is　that　he　can't　say　for　sure　now。　But　if　he　had　to　say；　he'd　say　that　Colonel　Kent's　print　was　made　before　St。　John's　print。〃
　〃Okay。　And　the　paint　flecks　from　the　damaged　tree？〃
　〃I　had　the　tree　section　helicoptered　to　Gillem　a　few　hours　ago。　They　tell　me　the　paint　is　black　in　color　and　tentatively　matches　the　type　used　by　Chrysler　for　the　Jeep　model。　Where's　the　Jeep；　by　the　way？〃
　〃It's　probably　in　Colonel　Kent's　garage。　He　lives　on　Bethany　Hill。　So　why　don't　you　send　someone　there；　photograph　the　scrape　on　the　Jeep；　and　scrape　off　some　paint　for　parison。〃
　〃Can　I　do　that？〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I　need　something　in　writing　from　his　immediate　mander　to　do　that。〃
　〃His　immediate　mander　has　resigned　and　just　flew　off　to　Michigan。　But　he　told　me　it's　okay　to　do　whatever　we　have　to　do。　Don't　get　civilian　on　me；　Cal。　This　is　the　Army。〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Can　you　demonstrate　to　Colonel　Kent　and　me　your　footprint　graphics　on　the　monitor　screen？〃
　〃Sure　can。〃
　〃Good。　Kent's　print　definitely　came　first。〃
　〃Understood。〃　He　glanced　at　Kent　sitting　in　Ann　Campbell's　study；　then　said　to　me；　〃Is　this　it？　The　bust？〃
　〃Could　be。〃
　〃If　you　think　it's　him；　go　for　it。〃
　〃Right。　And　if　he　slaps　the　cuffs　on　me　and　takes　me　to　the　lockup；　will　you　visit　me？〃
　〃No；　I've　got　to　get　back　to　Gillem。　But　I'll　write。〃
　〃Thanks。　Also；　tell　the　MPs　outside　to　keep　the　FBI　out　while　I'm　in　here。〃
　〃Done。　Good　luck。〃　He　slapped　me　on　the　shoulder　and　walked　off。
　I　rejoined　Kent　and　sat　on　the　couch。　I　said　to　Kent；　〃We're　tying　up　some　loose　ends　before　the　FBI　gets　here。〃
　He　nodded；　then　mented；　〃I　understand　that　your　witness　in　the　arms　sales　case　beat　feet。〃
　〃You　win　some；　you　lose　some。〃
　〃How　about　this　one？〃
　〃This　one's　a　squeaker。　Clock　ticking；　FBI　massing；　only　one　suspect。〃
　〃Who's　that？〃
　I　stood　and　took　off　my　jacket；　exposing　my　shoulder　holster　with　the　Glock　9mm。　Kent　did　the　same；　exposing　his　shoulder　holster　with　a　。38　Police　Special；　sort　of　like　show　me　yours；　and　I'll　show　you　mine。　That　out　of　the　way；　we　sat；　loosened　our　ties；　and　he　asked　again；　〃Who's　the　suspect？〃
　〃Well；　that's　what　I　want　to　speak　to　you　about。　We're　waiting　for　Cynthia。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　I　looked　around　the　hangar。　The　remainder　of　the　forensic　team　were　leaving；　and　I　saw　Grace　at　the　PC；　printing　out。
　I　glanced　across　the　hangar　toward　the　personnel　door　but　did　not　see　Cynthia　yet。　Despite　my　current　mood　regarding　her；　she　deserved　to　be　in　on　the　end；　whatever　the　end　was　to　be。　I　knew　that　Karl　would　distance　himself　from　this…not　out　of　a　normal　instinct　to　cover　his　ass　if　it　went　badly；　but　out　of　a　respect　for　me　and　my　work。　Karl　never　micromanaged；　and　he　never　took　credit　from　the　investigators　in　the　field。　On　the　other　hand；　he　didn't　deal　very　well　with　failure；　especially　if　it　was　someone　else's　failure。
　Kent　said；　〃I'm　glad　that's　over。〃
　〃We　all　are。〃
　He　asked　me；　〃Why　did　you　want　me　to　meet　John　Campbell？〃
　〃I　thought　you　might　like　to　say　something　forting　to　him。〃
　Kent　did　not　respond　to　that。
　I　noticed　that　the　refrigerator　in　Ann　Campbell's　kitchen　had　been　plugged　into　an　extension　cord；　and　I　walked　through　the　invisible　walls；　opened　the　refrigerator；　and　saw　that　it　was　filled　with　beer　and　soft　drinks。　I　took　three　cans　of　Coors　and　carried　them　back　into　the　study；　giving　one　to　Kent。
　We　popped　them　and　drank。　Kent　said；　〃You're　off　the　case　now。　Right？〃
　〃I've　been　handed　a　few　more　hours。〃
　〃Lucky　you。　Do　they　pay　overtime　in　the　CID？〃
　〃Yes；　they　do。　Double　time　after　the　first　twenty…four　hours　of　each　day；　triple　that　on　Sundays。〃
　He　smiled；　then　informed　me；　〃I　have　a　pile　of　work　back　in　my　office。〃
　〃This　won't　take　long。〃
　He　shrugged　and　finished　his　beer。　I　gave　him　the　extra　one；　and　he　opened　it。　He　said；　〃I　didn't　know　that　the　Campbells　were　leaving　on　the　aircraft。〃
　〃Took　me　by　surprise；　too。　But　it　was　a　smart　move。〃
　〃He's　finished。　He　could　have　been　the　next　vice…president；　maybe　president　one　day。　We　were　ready　for　a　general　again。〃
　〃I　don't　know　much　about　civilian　politics。〃　I　saw　Grace　put　the　printouts　and　floppy　disk　on　the　table　beside　her。　She　got　up；　waved　to　me；　then　headed　out。　Cal　went　over　to　the　PC　and　put　his　footprint　graphic　program　in　and　began　fooling　around　with　it。
　Kent　asked　me；　〃What　are　they　doing？〃
　〃Trying　to　figure　out　who　did　it。〃
　〃Where's　the　FBI？〃
　〃Probably　crowded　around　the　door　outside　waiting　for　my　clock　to　run　out。〃
　〃I　don't　enjoy　working　with　the　FBI；〃　Kent　mented。　〃They　don't　understand　us。〃
　〃No；　they　don't。　But　none　of　them　slept　with　the　deceased。〃
　The　door　opened；　and　Cynthia　appeared。　She　came　into　the　study　and　exchanged　greetings　with　Kent。　I　got　her　an　RC　Cola　from　the　refrigerator　and　another　beer　for　Kent。　We　all　sat。　Kent；　at　this　point；　began　to　look　uneasy。
　Cynthia　said；　〃It　was　very　sad。　She　was　young　。。。　I　felt　awful　for　her　parents　and　her　brother。〃
　Kent　did　not　respond。
　I　said　to　him；　〃Bill；　Cynthia　and　I　have　turned　up　some　things　that　are　disturbing　us　and　that　we　think　need　some　explaining。〃
　He　drank　more　of　his　beer。
　Cynthia　said；　〃First　of　all；　there's　this　letter。〃　She　took　the　letter　from　her　bag　and　handed　it　to　Kent。
　He　read　it；　or　actually　didn't　read　it；　since　he　probably　knew　it　by　heart；　and　handed　it　back　to　Cynthia。
　She　said；　〃I　could　see　how　you'd　be　disturbed　by　that。　I　mean；　here　was　a　woman　who　was　giving　it　out　all　over　post；　and　the　one　person　who　cared　for　her　is　the　person　who　she　causes　trouble　for。〃
　He　seemed　a　bit　more　unfortable　and　took　a　long　hit　on　his　beer。　Finally　he　asked；　〃What　makes　you　think　I　cared　for　her？〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃Just　intuition。　I　think　you　cared　for　her；　but　she　was　too　self…absorbed　and　disturbed　to　respond　to　your　concern　and　honest　feelings　for　her。〃
　A　homicide　cop　has　to　speak　badly　of　the　dead　in　front　of　the　suspect；　of　course。　The　murderer　doesn't　want　to　hear　that　he　killed　a　paragon　of　virtue；　a　child　of　God；　as　Colonel　Fowler　had　described　Ann　Campbell。　You　don't　pletely　remove　the　moral　question　of　right　and　wrong；　as　Karl　suggested；　you　just　cast　the　question　in　a　different　light　and　suggest　to　the　suspect　that　what　he　did　was　understandable。
　But　Bill　Kent　was　no　idiot；　and　he　saw　where　this　was　going；　so　he　said　nothing。
　Cynthia　continued；　〃We　also　have　her　diary　entries　regarding　each　and　every　sexual　encounter　she　had　with　you。〃
　I　added；　〃They're　over　there　near　the　puter。〃　Cynthia　went　to　the　puter　desk　and　came　back　with　the　printouts。　She　sat　in　front　of　Kent　on　the　coffee　table　and　began　reading。　The　descriptions　were；　of　course；　explicit；　but　not　really　erotic。　They　were　the　sort　of　thing　you'd　read　in　a　clinical　study；　there　was　no　mention　of　love　or　emotion；　as　you'd　expect　in　a　diary；　just　a　cataloging　of　the　sex　that　transpired。　Certainly；　this　was　e