demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第9部分

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s。〃
　I　closed　the　album。　〃We'll　soon　find　out　what's　behind　their　cheesy　smiles。〃
　At　this　point；　the　enormity　of　what　we　were　doing　seemed　to　hit　Cynthia　and　she　said；　〃Paul　。。。　we　have　to　question　General　Campbell　。。。　Mrs。　Campbell　。。。〃
　I　replied；　〃Murder　is　unpleasant　enough。　When　it's　rape　and　murder　and　it　doesn't　appear　random；　and　the　victim's　father　is　a　national　hero；　then　the　idiots　who　are　going　to　examine　the　victim's　life　had　better　know　what　they're　getting　into。　Understand？〃
　She　contemplated　this　a　moment　and　informed　me；　〃I　really　want　this　case。　I　feel　。。。　you　know　。。。　some　affinity　for　her。　I　didn't　know　her；　but　I　know　life　wasn't　easy　for　her　in　this　man's　Army。〃
　〃Spare　me；　Cynthia。〃
　〃Well；　really；　Paul；　how　would　you　know？〃
　〃Try　being　a　white　man　these　days。〃
　〃Give　me　a　break。〃
　〃Now　I　remember　what　we　used　to　fight　about。〃
　〃Neutral　corners。〃
　We　walked　to　opposite　sides　of　the　room；　though　not　the　corners；　and　continued　our　search。　I　looked　at　the　framed　things　on　the　wall…Ann　Campbell's　West　Point　diploma；　her　Army　mission；　training　certificates；　mendations；　and　a　few　other　Department　of　the　Army　and　Department　of　Defense　certificates；　including　one　that　recognized　her　contribution　to　Operation　Desert　Storm；　though　the　nature　of　the　contribution　was　not　specified。　I　cleared　my　throat　and　said　to　Ms。　Sunhill；　〃Did　you　ever　hear　about　Operation　Bonkers　during　Desert　Storm？〃
　She　replied；　〃Not　that　I　recall。〃
　〃Well；　some　smart　cookie　in　psy…ops　had　this　idea　of　dropping　hard…core　porno　photos　on　the　Iraqi　positions。　Most　of　those　poor　bastards　had　not　seen　a　woman　in　months　or　years；　so　this　psy…ops　sadist　wants　to　bury　them　in　photos　of　hot；　pink　flesh；　which　will　drive　them　bonkers。　The　idea　goes　all　the　way　up　to　the　joint　mand；　and　it's　a　definite　winner；　a　go；　until　the　Saudis　hear　about　it　and　go　ballistic。　You　know；　they're　a　little　tight　and　not　as　enlightened　as　we　are　about　bare　tits　and　ass。　So　the　thing　was　squashed；　but　the　word　was　that　the　idea　was　brilliant　and　could　have　shortened　the　ground　war　from　four　days　to　fifteen　minutes。〃　I　smiled。
　Cynthia　replied　frostily；　〃It's　disgusting。〃
　〃Actually；　I　agree　in　theory。　But　if　it　saved　one　life；　it　might　have　been　justified。〃
　〃The　means　do　not　justify　the　ends。　What's　the　point？〃
　〃Well；　what　if　the　idea　of　the　porno　bombardment　had　e　from　a　woman　instead　of　some　male　pig？〃
　〃You　mean　Captain　Campbell？〃
　〃Certainly　that　idea　came　out　of　the　Special　Operations　School　here。　Let's　check　it　out。〃
　Cynthia　went　into　one　of　her　contemplative　moods；　then　looked　at　me。　〃Did　you　know　her？〃
　〃I　knew　of　her。〃
　〃What　did　you　know　of　her？〃
　〃What　most　everyone　else　knew；　Cynthia。　She　was　perfect　in　every　way；　made　in　the　USA；　pasteurized　and　homogenized　by　the　Public　Information　Office；　and　delivered　fresh　to　your　doorstep；　creamy　white　and　good　for　you。〃
　〃And　you　don't　believe　that？〃
　〃No；　I　don't。　But　if　we　discover　that　I'm　wrong；　then　I'm　in　the　wrong　business　and　I'll　resign。〃
　〃You　may　wind　up　doing　that　anyway。〃
　〃Most　probably。〃　I　added；　〃Please　consider　how　she　died；　how　bizarre　it　was；　and　how　unlikely　it　would　be　for　a　stranger　to　have　gotten　the　drop　on　a　soldier　who　was　alert；　bright；　armed；　and　ready　to　shoot。〃
　She　nodded；　then　said　as　if　to　herself；　〃I　have　considered　what　you　are　suggesting。　It's　not　unmon　for　a　female　officer　to　lead　two　lives…public　rectitude　and　private　。。。　whatever。　But　I've　also　seen　women；　rape　victims；　married　and　single；　who　led　exemplary　private　lives　and　who　wound　up　as　victims　by　pure　chance。　I've　also　seen　women　who　lived　on　the　jagged　edge；　but　whose　rape　had　not　a　thing　to　do　with　their　promiscuity　or　the　crazies　they　hung　out　with。　Again；　it　was　pure　chance。〃
　〃That's　a　possibility；　and　I　don't　discount　it。〃
　〃And　don't　be　judgmental；　Paul。〃
　〃I'm　not。　I'm　no　saint。　How　about　you？〃
　〃You　know　better　than　to　ask。〃　She　walked　over　to　where　I　was　standing　and　put　her　hand　on　my　shoulder；　which　sort　of　took　me　by　surprise。　She　said；　〃Can　we　do　this？　I　mean　together？　Are　we　going　to　screw　this　up？〃
　〃No。　We're　going　to　solve　it。〃
　Cynthia　poked　her　finger　in　my　stomach；　sort　of　like　I　needed　a　punctuation　mark　for　that　sentence。　She　turned　and　walked　back　to　Ann　Campbell's　desk。
　I　turned　my　attention　back　to　the　wall　and　noticed　now　a　framed　mendation　from　the　American　Red　Cross　in　appreciation　for　her　work　on　a　blood　donor　drive；　another　mendation　from　a　local　hospital　thanking　her　for　her　work　with　seriously　ill　children；　and　a　teaching　certificate　from　a　literacy　volunteer　organization。　Where　did　this　woman　find　the　time　to　do　all　that；　plus　her　regular　job；　plus　volunteering　for　extra　duty；　plus　the　mandatory　social　side　of　Army　life；　plus　have　a　private　life？　Could　it　be；　I　wondered；　that　this　extraordinarily　beautiful　woman　had　no　private　life？　Could　I　be　so　far　off　base　that　I　wasn't　even　in　the　ballpark？
　Cynthia　announced；　〃Here's　her　address　book。〃
　〃That　reminds　me。　Did　you　get　my　Christmas　card？　Where　are　you　living　these　days？〃
　〃Look；　Paul；　I'm　sure　your　buddies　at　headquarters　have　snooped　through　my　file　for　you　and　told　you　everything　about　me　in　the　past　year。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　do　that；　Cynthia。　It's　not　ethical　or　professional。〃
　She　glanced　at　me。　〃Sorry。〃　She　put　the　address　book　in　her　handbag；　went　over　to　the　telephone　answering　machine；　and　pushed　the　play　button。
　A　voice　said；　〃Ann；　this　is　Colonel　Fowler。　You　were　supposed　to　stop　by　the　general's　house　this　morning　after　you　got　off　duty。〃　The　colonel　sounded　brusque。　He　continued；　〃Mrs。　Campbell　prepared　breakfast　for　you。　Well；　you're　probably　sleeping　now。　Please　call　the　general　when　you　get　up；　or　call　Mrs。　Campbell。〃　He　hung　up。
　I　said；　〃Maybe　she　killed　herself。　I　would。〃
　Cynthia　mented；　〃It　certainly　couldn't　be　easy　being　a　general's　daughter。　Who　is　Colonel　Fowler？〃
　〃I　think　he's　the　post　adjutant。〃　I　asked　Cynthia；　〃How　did　that　message　sound　to　you？〃
　〃Official。　The　tone　suggested　some　familiarity；　but　no　particular　warmth。　As　if　he　was　just　doing　his　duty　by　calling　his　boss's　forgetful　daughter；　whom　he　outranks；　but　who　is　nevertheless　the　boss's　daughter。　How　did　it　sound　to　you？〃
　I　thought　a　moment　and　replied；　〃it　sounded　made　up。〃
　〃Oh　。。。　like　a　cover　call？〃
　I　pushed　the　play　button　again；　and　we　listened。　I　said；　〃Maybe　I'm　starting　to　imagine　things。〃
　〃Maybe　not。〃
　I　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed　the　provost　marshal's　office。　Colonel　Kent　was　in　and　I　got　him　on　the　line。　〃We　are　still　at　the　deceased's　house；〃　I　informed　him。　〃Have　you　spoken　to　the　general　yet？〃
　〃No　。。。　I　haven't　。。。　I'm　waiting　for　the　chaplain　。。。〃
　〃Bill；　this　thing　will　be　all　over　post　in　a　matter　of　hours。　Inform　the　deceased's　family。　And　no　form　letters　or　telegrams。〃
　〃Look；　Paul；　I'm　up　to　my　ass　in　alligators　with　this　thing；　and　I　called　the　post　chaplain　and　he's　on　his　way　here…〃
　〃Fine。　Did　you　get　her　office　moved？〃
　〃Yes。　I　put　everything　in　an　unused　hangar　at　Jordan　Field。〃
　〃Good。　Now　get　a　bunch　of　trucks　out　here　with　a　platoon　of　MPs　who　don't　mind　hard　work　and　know　how　to　keep　their　mouths　shut；　and　empty　her　house。　I　mean　everything；　Colonel…furniture；　carpeting；　right　down　to　the　light　bulbs；　toilet　seats；　refrigerator；　and　food。　Take　photos　here；　and　put　everything　in　that　hangar　in　some　semblance　of　the　order　that　it's　found。　Okay？〃
　〃Are　you　crazy？〃
　〃Absolutely。　And　be　sure　the　men　wear　gloves　and　get　forensic　to　print　everything　that　they'd　normally　print。〃
　〃Why　do　you　want　to　move　the　whole　house？〃
　〃Bill；　we　have　no　jurisdiction　here；　and　I'm　not　trusting　the　town　police　to　play　fair。　So　when　the　Midland　police　get　here；　the　only　thing　they　can　impound　is　the　wallpaper。　Trust　me　on　this。　The　scene　of　the　crime　was　a　U。S。　military　reservation。　So　this　is　all　perfectly　legal。〃
　〃No；　it's　not。〃
　〃We　do　this　my　way；　or　I'm　out　of　here；　Colonel。〃
　There　was　a　long　pause；　followed　by　a　grunt　that　sounded　like　〃Okay。〃
　〃And　send　an　officer　down　to　Dixie　Bell　in　town　and　have　Ann　Campbell's　number　forwarded　to　a　number　on　post。　In　fact；　get　it　forwarded　to　a　line　in　that　hangar。　Plug　her　answering　machine　in　and　put　in　a　new　ining　message　tape。　Hold　on　to　the　old　tape。　It's　got　a　message　on　it。　Mark　it　as　evidence。〃
　〃Who　do　you　think　is　going　to　call　after　the　headlines　are　splashed　all　over　the　state？〃
　〃You　never　know。　Did　forensic　get　there　yet？〃
　〃Yes。　They're　at　the　scene。　So　is　the　body。〃
　〃And　Sergeant　St。　John　and　PFC　Robbins？〃
　〃They're　still　sleeping。　I　put　them　in　separate　cells。　Unlocked。　Do　you　want　me　to　read　them　their　rights？〃
　〃No；　they're　not　suspects。　But　you　can　hold　them　as　material　witnesses　until　I　get　around　to　them。〃
　〃Soldiers　have　some　rights；〃　Kent　informed　me。　〃And　St。　John　has　a　wife；　and　Robbins's　CO　probably　thinks　she　went　AWOL。〃
　〃Then　make　some　calls　on　their　behalf。　Meantime；　they're　inmunicado。　How　about　Captain　Campbell's　medical　and　personnel　files？〃
　〃Got　them　right　here。〃
　〃What　are　we　forgetting；　Bill？〃
　〃The　Constitution。〃
　〃Don't　sweat　the　small　stuff。〃
　〃You　know；　Paul；　I　have　to　work　with　Chief　Yardley。　You　guys　are　in　and　out。　Yardley　and　I　get　along　all　right；　considering　the　problems…〃
　〃I　said　I'll　take　the　rap。〃
　〃You'd　damn　well　better。〃　He　asked；　〃Did　you　find　anything　interesting　there？〃
　〃Not　yet。　Did　you？〃
　〃The　grid　search　hasn't　turned　up　much　beyond　a　few　pieces　of　litter。〃
　〃Did　the　dogs　find　anything？〃
　〃No　more　victims。〃　He　added；　〃The　handlers　let　them　sniff　inside　the　jeep；　and　the　dogs　beelined　right　to　the　body。　Then　the　dogs　went　back　to　the　humvee；　across　the　road；　past　the　bleachers；　and　right　out　to　the　latrines　in　the　trees。　Then　they　lost　the　scent　and　doubled　back　to　the　humvee。〃　He　continued；　〃We　can't　know　if　the　dogs　picked　up　this　guy's　scent　or　just　her　scent。　But　somebody；　maybe　the　victim　and　the　perpetrator　together；　or　one　or　the　other；　did　go　out　to　the　latrines。〃　He　hesitated；　then　said；　〃I　have　the　feeling　that　the　murderer　had　his　own　vehicle；　and　since　we　see　no　tire　marks　in　the　soil　anywhere；　the　guy　never　left　the　road。　So　he　was　parked　there　on　the　road　before　or　aft