demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第78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！


ou　know　any　of　that？〃
　He　looked　at　Cynthia；　but　gave　no　indication　that　he　understood　a　word　of　what　she　was　saying。
　Cynthia　said；　〃She　was　re…creating　what　had　happened　to　her　at　West　Point　to　shock　and　humiliate　her　father。〃
　I　didn't　think　I　wanted　Kent　to　know　all　of　that；　but　in　Kent's　present　state　of　mind；　perhaps　it　was　just　as　well　that　he　did。
　I　said　to　Kent；　〃Did　you　think　she　was　out　there　to　act　out　a　sexual　fantasy？〃
　He　didn't　reply。
　I　added；　〃Such　as　having　a　series　of　men　e　along　to　rape　her？〃
　Finally；　he　replied；　〃Knowing　her；　a　lot　of　people　thought　that。〃
　〃Yes。　We　thought　that；　too；　after　we　found　that　room　in　her　basement。　I　guess　you　thought　that；　too；　when　you　first　saw　her　out　there　on　the　ground。　It　looked　to　you　like　an　Ann　Campbell　script；　and　it　was。　But　you　weren't　reading　it　right。〃
　No　response。
　I　said　to　Cal；　〃Go　on。〃
　〃Right。　So　the　general　leaves；　then　here　we　see　this　set　of　prints　。。。　these　are　your　prints；　Colonel　。。。　the　blue…〃
　〃No；〃　Kent　said；　〃mine　came　later。　After　St。　John　and　my　MP；　Casey；　got　there。〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　Cal　replied；　〃yours　came　before　St。　John's。　See　here；　we　have　your　print　and　St。　John's　print　superimposed　。。。　The　plaster　cast　verifies　that　St。　John　stepped　on　your　footprint。　So　you　got　there　before　he　did。　No　doubt　about　that。〃
　I　added；　〃In　fact；　Bill；　when　you　got　there；　after　the　general　left；　Ann　was　alive。　The　general　went　off　and　got　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Fowler；　and　when　they　returned　to　the　scene；　Ann　Campbell　was　dead。〃
　Kent　stood　absolutely　motionless。
　I　said；　〃Your　wife's　Jeep　Cherokee；　with　you　in　it；　was　spotted　by　one　of　your　MPs　at　about　0030　hours；　parked　in　the　library　lot　across　from　Post　Headquarters。　You　were　again　spotted；〃　I　lied；　〃driving　in　the　direction　of　Rifle　Range　Road。　We　found　where　you　turned　off　onto　Jordan　Field　Road　and　hid　the　Cherokee　in　the　bush。　You　left　tire　marks　and　hit　a　tree。　We　have　matched　the　paint　on　the　tree　to　your　wife's　Jeep；　and　have　seen　the　scrape　on　the　Jeep。　Also；　we　found　your　footprints；〃　I　lied　again；　〃in　the　drainage　ditch　along　Rifle　Range　Road；　heading　south；　toward　the　scene　of　the　crime。〃　I　added；　〃Do　you　want　me　to　reconstruct　the　entire　thing　for　you？〃
　He　shook　his　head。
　I　said；　〃Given　the　amount　of　evidence…including　the　evidence　for　motive；　which　is　the　diary　entries；　the　letter　to　your　wife；　and　other　evidence　of　your　sexual　involvement　and　obsession　with　the　deceased…given　all　that；　plus　this　forensic　evidence　and　other　evidence；　I　have　to　ask　you　to　take　a　polygraph　test；　which　we　are　prepared　to　administer　now。〃
　Actually；　we　weren't；　but　now　or　later　it　didn't　really　matter。　I　said　to　him；　〃If　you　refuse　to　take　the　test　now；　I　have　no　choice　but　to　place　you　under　arrest；　and　I　will　get　someone　in　the　Pentagon　to　order　you　to　take　the　polygraph。〃
　Kent　turned　away　and　began　walking　back　toward　the　layout　of　Ann　Campbell's　house。　I　exchanged　glances　with　Cynthia　and　Cal；　then　Cynthia　and　I　followed。
　Kent　sat　on　an　arm　of　an　upholstered　chair　in　the　living　room　and　looked　down　at　the　carpet　for　a　while；　staring；　I　suppose；　at　the　spot　where　he'd　raped　her　on　the　floor。
　I　stood　in　front　of　him　and　said；　〃You　know　your　rights　as　an　accused；　of　course；　and　I　won't　insult　you　by　reading　them。　But　I'm　afraid　I　have　to　take　your　weapon　and　put　the　cuffs　on　you。〃
　He　glanced　up　at　me；　but　didn't　respond。
　I　said；　〃I　won't　take　you　to　the　provost　building　lockup；　because　that　would　be　gratuitously　humiliating　to　you。　But　I　am　going　to　take　you　to　the　post　stockade　for　processing。〃　I　added；　〃May　I　have　your　weapon？〃
　He　knew　it　was　over；　of　course；　but　like　any　trapped　animal；　he　had　to　have　a　last　growl。　He　said　to　me　and　to　Cynthia；　〃You'll　never　prove　any　of　this。　And　when　I'm　vindicated　by　a　court…martial　board　of　my　peers；　I'll　see　to　it　that　you're　both　brought　up　on　charges　of　misconduct。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　replied。　〃That　is　your　right。　A　trial　by　your　peers。　And　if　you　are　found　not　guilty；　you　may　well　decide　to　bring　charges　against　us。　But　the　evidence　of　your　sexual　misconduct　is　fairly　conclusive。　You　may　beat　the　murder　charge；　but　you　should　plan　on　at　least　fifteen　years　in　Leavenworth　for　gross　dereliction　of　duty；　misconduct；　concealing　the　facts　of　a　crime；　sodomy；　rape；　and　other　violations　of　the　punitive　articles　contained　in　the　Uniform　Code　of　Military　Justice。〃
　Kent　seemed　to　process　this；　then　said；　〃You're　not　playing　very　fair；　are　you？〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃I　mean；　I　voluntarily　told　you　about　my　involvement　with　her　in　order　to　help　find　her　killer；　and　here　you　are　charging　me　with　misconduct　and　sexual　crimes　and　then　twisting　the　other　evidence　around　to　try　to　show　that　I　killed　her。　You're　desperate。〃
　〃Bill；　cut　the　crap。〃
　〃No；　you　cut　the　crap。　For　your　information；　I　was　out　there　before　St。　John；　and　when　I　got　there；　she　was　already　dead。　If　you　want　to　know　what　I　think；　I　think　Fowler　and　the　general　did　it。〃
　〃Bill；　this　is　not　good。　Not　at　all。〃　I　put　my　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　said　to　him；　〃Be　a　man；　be　an　officer　and　a　gentleman…be　a　cop；　for　Christ's　sake。　I　shouldn't　even　be　asking　you　to　take　a　lie…detector　test。　I　should　just　be　asking　you　to　tell　me　the　truth；　without　me　having　to　use　a　lie　detector；　without　me　having　to　show　you　evidence；　without　me　having　to　spend　days　in　an　interrogation　room　with　you。　Don't　make　this　embarrassing　for　any　of　us。〃
　He　glanced　at　me；　and　I　could　see　he　was　on　the　verge　of　crying。　He　looked　at　Cynthia　to　see　if　she　noticed；　which　was　important　to　him；　I　think。
　I　continued；　〃Bill；　we　know　you　did　it；　you　know　you　did　it；　and　we　all　know　why。　There's　a　lot　of　extenuating　and　mitigating　circumstances；　and　we　know　that。　Hell；　I　can't　even　stand　here　and　look　you　in　the　eye　and　say　to　you；　'She　didn't　deserve　that。'　〃　Actually；　I　could；。　because　she　didn't　deserve　it；　but　just　as　you　give　a　condemned　man　any　last　meal　he　wants；　so；　too；　you　give　him　anything　he　wants　to　hear。
　Kent　fought　back　the　tears　and　tried　to　sound　angry。　He　shouted；　〃She　did　deserve　it！　She　was　a　bitch；　a　fucking　whore；　she　ruined　my　life　and　my　marriage　。。。〃
　〃I　know。　But　now　you　have　to　make　it　right。　Make　it　right　for　the　Army；　for　your　family；　for　the　Campbells；　and　for　yourself。〃
　The　tears　were　running　down　his　cheeks　now；　and　I　knew　he　would　rather　be　dead　than　be　crying　in　front　of　me；　Cynthia；　and　Cal　Seiver；　who　was　watching　from　the　other　side　of　the　hangar。　Kent　managed　to　get　a　few　words　out　and　said；　〃I　can't　make　it　right。　I　can't　make　it　right　anymore。〃
　〃Yes；　you　can。　You　know　you　can。　You　know　how　you　can。　Don't　fight　this。　Don't　disgrace　yourself　and　everyone　else。　That's　all　that's　left　in　your　power　to　do。　Just　do　your　duty。　Do　what　an　officer　and　a　gentleman　would　do。〃
　Kent　stood　slowly　and　wiped　his　eyes　and　nose　with　his　hands。
　I　said；　〃Please　hand　me　your　weapon。〃
　He　looked　me　in　the　eye。　〃No　cuffs；　Paul。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　I　have　to。　Regulations。〃
　〃I'm　an　officer；　for　Christ's　sake！　You　want　me　to　act　like　an　officer；　treat　me　like　one！〃
　〃Start　acting　like　one　first。〃　I　called　out　to　Cal；　〃Get　me　a　pair　of　handcuffs。〃
　Kent　pulled　the　。38　Police　Special　out　of　his　shoulder　holster　and　shouted；　〃Okay！　Okay！　Watch　this！〃　He　put　the　revolver　to　his　right　temple　and　pulled　the　trigger。
　
　CHAPTER　THIRTY…SEVEN
　
　The　human　eye　can　distinguish　fifteen　or　sixteen　shades　of　gray。　A　puter　image　processor；　analyzing　a　fingerprint；　can　distinguish　two　hundred　fifty…six　shades　of　gray；　which　is　impressive。　More　impressive；　however；　is　the　human　heart；　mind；　and　soul；　which　can　distinguish　an　infinite　number　of　emotional；　psychological；　and　moral　shadings；　from　the　blackest　of　black　to　the　whitest　of　white。　I've　never　seen　either　end　of　that　spectrum；　but　I've　seen　a　lot　in　between。
　In　truth；　people　are　no　more　constant　or　absolute　in　their　personalities　than　a　chameleon　is　in　terms　of　color。
　The　people　here　at　Fort　Hadley　were　no　different　from；　no　better　or　worse　than；　people　I'd　seen　at　a　hundred　other　posts　and　installations　around　the　world。　But　Ann　Campbell　was　most　certainly　different；　and　I　try　to　imagine　myself　in　conversations　with　her　if　I'd　met　her　when　she　was　alive；　if；　for　instance；　I'd　been　assigned　to　investigate　what　was　going　on　here　at　Fort　Hadley。　I　think　I　would　have　recognized　that　I　was　not　in　the　presence　of　a　simple　seductress；　but　in　the　presence　of　a　unique；　forceful；　and　driven　personality。　I　think；　too；　that　I　could　have　shown　her　that　whatever　hurts　other　people　does　not　make　her　stronger；　it　only　increases　the　misery　quotient　for　everyone。
　I　don't　think　I　would　have　wound　up　like　Bill　Kent；　but　I　don't　discount　the　possibility；　and；　therefore；　I'm　not　judging　Kent。　Kent　judged　himself；　looked　at　what　he　had　bee；　was　frightened　to　discover　that　another　personality　lurked　inside　his　neat；　orderly　mind；　and　he　blew　it　out。
　The　hangar　was　filled　with　MPs　now；　and　FBI　men；　medical　personnel；　plus　the　forensic　people　who　had　remained　behind　at　Fort　Hadley　and　who　had　thought　they　were　almost　finished　with　this　place。
　I　said　to　Cal　Seiver；　〃After　you're　done　with　the　body；　get　the　carpet　and　furniture　cleaned　up　and　have　all　the　household　goods　packed　and　shipped　to　the　Campbells　in　Michigan。　They'll　want　their　daughter's　things。〃
　〃Right。〃　He　added；　〃I　hate　to　say　this；　but　he　saved　everybody　but　me　a　lot　of　trouble。〃
　〃He　was　a　good　soldier。〃
　I　turned　and　walked　the　length　of　the　hangar；　past　an　FBI　guy　who　was　trying　to　get　my　attention；　and　out　the　door　into　the　hot　sun。
　Karl　and　Cynthia　were　standing　beside　an　ambulance；　talking。　I　walked　past　them　toward　my　Blazer。　Karl　came　up　to　me　and　said；　〃I　can't　say　I'm　satisfied　with　this　oute。〃
　I　didn't　reply。
　He　said；　〃Cynthia　seems　to　believe　that　you　knew　he　was　going　to　do　that。〃
　〃Karl；　all　that　goes　wrong　is　not　my　fault。〃
　〃No　one's　blaming　you。〃
　〃Sounds　like　it。〃
　〃Well；　you　might　have　anticipated　it　and　gotten　his　gun…〃
　〃Colonel；　to　be　perfectly　honest　with　you；　not　only　did　I　anticipate　it；　but　I　encouraged　it。　I　did　a　fucking　head　number　on　him。　She　knows　that　and　you　know　that。〃
　He　didn't　acknowledge　this　because　it　was　not　what　he