demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第14部分

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for　massages　or　whatever。　I　noticed　now　a　mirror　mounted　on　the　ceiling　over　the　bed；　and　the　open　closet　revealed　some　lacy　and　transparent　numbers　that　would　make　a　clerk　in　Victoria's　Secret　blush。　In　addition；　there　was　a　nice；　neat　nurse's　uniform；　which　I　didn't　think　she　wore　down　at　the　hospital；　a　black　leather　skirt　and　vest；　a　sort　of　whorish　red…sequined　dress；　and；　interestingly；　a　standard　battle　dress　uniform　of　the　type　she　would　have　been　wearing　on　duty　when　she　was　killed。
　Cynthia；　Ms。　Goody　Two…Shoes；　was　looking　around　the　room；　and　she　seemed　somewhat　unhappy；　as　though　Ann　Campbell　had　posthumously　disappointed　her。　〃Good　Lord　。。。〃
　I　said；　〃How　she　died　does　indeed　appear　linked　to　how　she　lived。　But　we　will　not　jump　to　conclusions。〃
　The　bathroom；　too；　was　not　so　clean　as　the　other　two；　and　the　medicine　cabinet　held　a　diaphragm；　condoms；　contraceptive　sponges；　spermicidal　jelly；　and　so　on：　enough　birth　control　devices　to　cause　a　drop　in　the　population　of　the　Indian　subcontinent。　I　asked；　〃Aren't　you　supposed　to　just　use　one　method？〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃Depends　on　your　mood。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Along　with　the　contraceptive　devices　were　mouthwash；　different…colored　toothbrushes；　toothpaste；　and　six　Fleet　enemas。　I　didn't　think　anyone　who　ate　bean　sprouts　would　have　a　problem　with　constipation。　〃My　goodness；〃　I　said；　picking　up　a　premeasured　douche　bottle　whose　flavor　was　strawberry；　not　my　very　favorite。
　Cynthia　left　the　bathroom；　and　I　peeked　into　the　shower。　That；　too；　was　sort　of　grungy；　and　the　washcloth　was　still　damp。　Interesting。
　I　rejoined　Cynthia　in　the　bedroom；　where　she　was　examining　the　contents　of　the　night　table　drawer：　K…Y　Jelly；　mineral　oil；　sex　manuals；　one　regular…sized　vibrator；　batteries　included；　and　one　rubber　charlie　of　heroic　proportions。
　Fixed　high　up　on　the　false　wall　that　partitioned　this　bedroom　from　the　basement　workshop　was　a　set　of　leather　manacles；　and　lying　on　the　floor　below　was　a　leather　strap；　a　birch　switch；　and　incongruously；　or　perhaps　not；　a　long　ostrich　feather。　My　mind　involuntarily　took　off　into　a　flight　of　fancy　that　I　think　brought　a　red　blush　to　my　cheeks。　〃I　wonder；〃　I　mused；　〃what　those　things　are　for？〃
　Cynthia　made　no　ment；　but　seemed　transfixed　by　the　manacles。
　I　pulled　back　the　bed　sheets；　and　the　bottom　sheet　looked　a　bit　lived　in。　Here　was　enough　pubic　hair；　body　hair；　peter　tracks；　and　undoubtedly　other　dermatological　refuse　to　keep　the　lab　busy　for　a　week。
　I　noticed　Cynthia　staring　down　at　the　sheet　and　wondered　what　was　going　through　her　mind。　I　resisted　the　urge　to　say；　〃I　told　you　so；〃　because；　in　fact；　on　one　level；　I　almost　hoped　we　would　find　nothing；　for；　as　I've　indicated；　I　had　already　developed　a　soft　spot　in　my　heart　for　Ann　Campbell。　And；　while　I'm　not　judgmental　in　regard　to　sexual　behavior；　I　could　imagine　that　many　people　would　be。　I　said；　〃You　know；　I'm　actually　relieved　to　see　she　wasn't　the　sexless；　androgynous　poster　girl　the　Army　made　her　out　to　be。〃
　Cynthia　glanced　at　me　and　sort　of　nodded。
　I　said；　〃A　shrink　would　have　a　field　day　with　this　apparent　split　personality。　But　you　know；　we　all　lead　two　or　more　lives。〃　On　the　other　hand；　we　don't　usually　outfit　a　whole　room　for　our　alter　ego。　I　added；　〃Actually；　she　was　a　shrink；　wasn't　she？〃
　And　so　we　moved　to　the　TV；　and　I　popped　a　random　tape　into　the　VCR　and　turned　it　on。
　The　screen　brightened；　and　there　was　Ann　Campbell；　dressed　in　her　red…sequined　dress；　with　high　heels　and　jewelry；　standing　in　this　very　room。　An　off…camera　tape　or　disc　was　playing　〃The　Stripper；〃　and　she　began　taking　it　all　off。　A　male　voice；　presumably　the　cameraman；　joked；　〃Do　you　do　this　at　the　general's　dinner　parties？〃
　Ann　Campbell　smiled　and　wiggled　her　hips　at　the　camera。　She　was　down　to　her　panties　and　a　rather　nice　French　bra　now；　and　was　unclasping　it　when　I　reached　out　and　shut　off　the　tape；　feeling　very　self…righteous　about　that。
　I　examined　the　other　tapes　and　saw　they　were　all　hand…labeled；　with　rather　pithy　titles　like　〃Fucking　with　J。；〃　〃Strip　search　for　B。；〃　〃Gyno　Exam…R。；〃　and　〃Anal　with　J。　S。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃I　think　we've　seen　enough　for　now。〃
　〃Almost　enough。〃　I　opened　the　top　dresser　drawer　and　discovered　a　pile　of　Polaroid　photos；　and　thinking　I'd　hit　pay　dirt；　I　flipped　through　them；　looking　for　her　friends；　but　every　photo　was　of　only　her　in　various　poses　ranging　from　nearly　artistic　and　erotic　to　obscene　gynecological　shots。　〃Where're　the　guys？〃
　〃Behind　the　camera。〃
　〃There's　got　to　be　。。。〃　Then；　in　another　stack　of　photos；　I　found　a　shot　of　a　well…built　naked　man　holding　a　belt；　but　wearing　a　black　leather　hood。　Then　another　shot　of　a　guy　on　top　of　her；　possibly　taken　with　a　time　delay　or　by　a　third　person；　then　a　photo　of　a　naked　gent；　manacled　to　the　wall；　his　back　to　the　camera。　In　fact；　all　the　men…and　there　were　at　least　twelve　different　bodies…were　either　turned　away　from　the　camera　or　wearing　the　leather　discipline　hood。　Obviously；　these　guys　didn't　want　any　face　photos　left　here；　and　similarly；　they　probably　had　no　face　shots　of　Ann　Campbell　in　their　possession。　Most　people　are　a　little　careful　of　photos　like　these；　and　when　the　people　have　a　lot　to　lose；　they　are　very　careful。　Love　and　trust　are　okay；　but　I　had　the　feeling　this　was　more　lust　and　〃What's　your　name　again？〃　I　mean；　if　she　had　a　real　boyfriend；　a　man　she　liked　and　admired；　she　wouldn't　bring　him　here；　obviously。
　Cynthia　was　going　through　the　photos　also；　but　handling　them　as　though　they　carried　a　sexually　transmittable　disease。　There　were　a　few　more　shots　of　men；　close…ups　of　genitals；　ranging　from　much　ado　about　nothing　to　as　you　like　it　to　the　taming　of　the　shrew。　I　observed；　〃All　white　guys；　all　circumcised；　mostly　brown　hair；　a　few　blonds。　Can　we　use　these　in　a　lineup？〃
　〃It　would　be　an　interesting　lineup；〃　Cynthia　conceded。　She　threw　the　photos　back　in　the　drawer。　〃Maybe　we　shouldn't　let　the　MPs　see　this　room。〃
　〃Indeed　not。　I　hope　they　don't　find　it。〃
　〃Let's　go。〃
　〃Just　a　minute。〃　I　opened　the　bottom　three　drawers；　finding　more　sexual　paraphernalia；　toys　for　twats　as　they're　known　in　the　trade；　along　with　panties；　garter　belts；　a　cat…o'…nine　tails；　a　leather　jockstrap；　and　a　few　things　that　I　confess　I　couldn't　figure　out。　I　was　actually　a　bit　embarrassed　rummaging　through　this　stuff　in　full　view　of　Ms。　Sunhill；　and　she　was　probably　wondering　about　me　by　now；　because　she　said；　〃What　else　do　you　have　to　see？〃
　〃Rope。〃
　〃Rope？　Oh　。。。〃
　And　there　it　was：　a　length　of　nylon　cord；　curled　up　in　the　bottom　drawer。　I　took　it　out　and　examined　it。
　Cynthia　said；　〃Is　it　the　same？〃
　〃Possibly。　This　looks　like　the　rope　at　the　scene…standard　Army…green　tent　cord；　but　there's　about　six　million　miles　of　it　out　there。　Still；　it　is　suggestive。〃　I　looked　at　the　bed；　which　was　an　old　four…poster；　suitable　for　bondage。　I　don't　know　a　great　deal　about　sexual　deviations　except　for　what　I've　read　in　the　CID　manual；　but　I　do　know　that　bondage　is　a　risky　thing。　I　mean；　a　big　healthy　woman　like　Ann　Campbell　could　probably　defend　herself　if　something　got　out　of　hand。　But　if　you're　spread…eagled　on　the　bed　or　the　ground　with　your　wrists　and　ankles　tied　to　something；　you'd　better　know　the　guy　real　well；　or　something　bad　could　happen。　Actually；　it　did。
　I　turned　out　the　lights　and　we　left　the　bedroom。　Cynthia　swung　the　framed　recruiting　poster　closed。　I　found　a　tube　of　wood　glue　on　the　workbench；　opened　the　hinged　poster　a　crack；　and　ran　a　bead　of　glue　along　the　wood　frame。　That　would　help　a　little；　but　once　you　figured　out　that　some　floor　space　was　missing；　you'd　figure　out　the　rest　of　it；　and　if　you　didn't　realize　some　space　was　missing；　the　poster　looked　like　it　belonged　there。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Fooled　me　for　a　minute。　How　smart　are　MPs？〃
　〃It's　more　a　matter　of　spatial　perception　than　brains。　And　if　they　don't　find　it；　the　police　might　when　they　get　here。〃　She　added；　〃Someone　might　want　that　poster。　I　think　we　either　have　to　let　the　MPs　empty　the　room　for　the　CID　lab；　or　we　cooperate　with　the　civilian　police　before　they　padlock　this　place。〃
　〃I　think　we　do　neither。　We　take　a　chance。　That　room　is　our　secret。　Okay？〃
　She　nodded。　〃Okay；　Paul。　Maybe　your　instincts　are　goo