demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第22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！


　〃I　will　speak　to　Colonel　Kent　about　that。　Any　further　questions？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Dismissed。〃
　She　took　the　address　book　and　my　handwritten　report；　saluted；　turned；　and　left。
　It's　not　easy　being　a　traveling　pain…in…the…ass。　Anyone　can　be　a　pain…in…the…ass　on　the　home　court；　but　it　takes　a　unique　individual　to　e　into　an　environment　whose　pecking　order；　nuances；　and　personalities　have　already　been　shaped　and　fit　into　place。　Yet；　if　you　don't　get　the　upper　hand　on　the　first　day；　you'll　never　get　it；　and　they'll　mess　you　around　until　you　bee　worse　than　useless。
　Power；　I've　learned；　is　derived　in　many　legitimate　ways。　But　if　the　institution　has　not　fully　empowered　you；　but　has　given　you　a　job　that　is　very　important　and　really　sucks；　then　you　have　to　take　the　power　you　need　to　get　it　done。　I　think　the　Army　expects　that；　expects　you　to　demonstrate　initiative；　as　they　constantly　tell　you。　But　you　have　to　be　careful；　because　this　only　works　if　you're　getting　the　job　done。　If　you're　not　getting　the　job　done；　then　they　get　you。　Worse；　when　the　job　is　successfully　pleted；　they　pat　you　on　the　head　like　an　exhausted　sled　dog；　then　eat　you；　which　is　why　I　never　stay　around　for　cocktails　when　a　case　is　pleted。　Karl　says　I　hide　under　his　desk　for　a　week；　which　is　not　true；　but　I　have　been　known　to　take　a　few　weeks　in　Switzerland。
　It　was　1400　hours　and　Warrant　Officer　Sunhill　had　not　made　an　appearance　yet；　so　I　left　the　provost　building　to　get　my　vehicle　and　discovered　my　partner　parked　at　the　front　door；　sleeping　behind　the　wheel；　the　Grateful　Dead　on　the　CD　player；　which　may　have　been　appropriate。
　I　got　in　and　slammed　the　door；　waking　her　up。　〃Sleeping？〃　I　asked。
　〃No；　resting　my　eyes。〃
　She　always　used　to　say　that；　and　we　exchanged　quick　smiles　of　recognition。　I　said；　〃Rifle　range　six；　please。〃
　
　CHAPTER　TEN
　
　Cynthia　shifted　into　high　gear　as　we　cleared　the　main　post　and　broke　out　into　the　wooded　reservation。　She　said；　〃Nice　suit。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　The　Grateful　Dead　was　singing　〃A　Touch　of　Grey。〃　I　shut　off　the　CD　player。
　〃Did　you　have　lunch？〃　she　inquired。
　〃No。〃
　〃Did　you　do　anything　useful？〃　she　asked。
　〃Probably　not。〃
　〃Are　you　annoyed　about　something？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Karl　can　be　annoying。〃
　〃If　you　call　him　again　regarding　this　case；　I'll　have　you　up　on　charges。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　We　drove　in　silence　awhile；　then　she　said；　〃I　need　your　phone　number　and　address。〃
　I　gave　them　to　her　and　she　said；　〃I'm　staying　in　the　visiting　officers'　quarters。〃　She　added；　〃Why　don't　you　move　in？　I　mean；　into　the　VOQ。　It's　more　convenient。〃
　〃I　like　Whispering　Pines　Trailer　Park。〃
　〃Trailer　parks　in　the　woods　are　spooky。〃
　〃Not　for　real　men。〃
　〃Oh；　do　you　have　one　living　with　you？〃　She　thought　this　was　funny　and　laughed　at　her　own　joke；　then　covered　her　mouth　in　a　theatrical　gesture　and　said；　〃Oops；　sorry；　I　should　be　trying　to　get　on　your　good　side。〃
　〃Don't　waste　your　time。〃
　Cynthia　is　not　a　manipulator；　but　she　has　been　known　to　manipulate。　A　fine　distinction；　but　an　important　one。　She's　basically　ingenuous　and　honest；　and　if　she　likes　the　way　a　man　looks　or　acts；　she　tells　him。　I've　told　her　to　be　a　little　less　sincere；　that　some　men　take　this　as　a　e…on。　But　she　doesn't　get　it；　and　this　is　a　woman　who　handles　rape　cases。
　I　said　to　her；　〃We　have　a　clerk…typist；　a　Specialist　Baker。〃
　〃Male　or　female？〃
　〃I　don't　notice　these　things。　And　by　the　way；　what　religion　are　you？〃
　She　smiled　and　pulled　her　dog　tags　out　of　her　shirt；　and　read　them　as　she　drove。　〃Let's　see　。。。　AB　。。。　American　Baptist？　No；　that's　my　blood　type　。。。　Here　it　is。　Presbyterian。
　〃I'm　not　amused。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　about　that。　Karl　knew　it　was　a　joke。〃
　〃Karl　can't　identify　a　joke　unless　people　around　him　are　laughing。〃
　〃e　on；　Paul。　You　don't　take　any　of　this　sensitivity　stuff　seriously　anyway。　If　I　may　give　you　a　suggestion…be　careful。　You　don't　have　to　talk　newspeak　or　confess　to　your　prejudices；　but　don't　make　fun　of　the　new　stuff；　either。　There's　no　upside　to　that；　professionally　speaking。〃
　〃Are　you　a　missar？〃
　〃No；　I'm　your　partner。〃　She　poked　my　arm。　〃Don't　get　old　on　me。〃
　〃Okay。〃　Obviously；　Cynthia　was　in　a　somewhat　less　confrontational　mode。　Either　something　good　had　happened　to　her　in　her　two…hour　absence；　or　she　had　rethought　or　remembered　things　about　Paul　Brenner　that　weren't　all　bad。　To　get　back　to　business；　I　inquired；　〃Did　you　look　up　'sexual　asphyxia'？〃
　〃Of　course。　It's　totally　weird。〃
　〃Sex　is　weird　if　you　think　about　it。〃
　〃Maybe　for　you。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　sexual　asphyxia。〃
　〃All　right　。。。　it's　basically　having　a　tightened　cord　around　your　neck　during　sexual　arousal。　Usually　men　do　it　to　themselves　while　masturbating。　Autoerotic。　But　women　have　been　known　to　practice　autoerotic　asphyxia；　too。　Sometimes　heterosexual　and　homosexual　partners　do　it　to　each　other　during　sex。　It's　usually　consensual；　but　not　always；　and　sometimes　it　leads　to　a　fatality；　either　accidental　or　on　purpose。　That's　when　it　bees　a　police　matter。〃
　〃Correct。　Have　you　ever　seen　it　in　practice？〃
　〃No。　Have　you？〃
　〃Have　you　ever　done　it？〃
　〃No；　Paul。　Have　you？〃
　〃No；　but　I　have　seen　it　once。　A　guy　rigged　up　something　to　hang　himself　while　he　masturbated；　looking　at　a　porno　video。　He　didn't　mean　to　die；　but　the　stool　he　was　standing　on　slipped　away　and　he　hanged　himself　for　real。　An　autoerotic　fatality。　The　MPs　thought　it　was　suicide；　of　course。　But　when　the　victim　is　naked；　and　there　is　erotic　paraphernalia　around；　then　you　can　be　pretty　sure　it　was　an　accident。　Try　explaining　that　to　the　family。〃
　〃I　can　imagine。〃　She　shook　her　head　and　said；　〃I'm　not　sure　how　that's　fun。　Didn't　say　in　the　manual。〃
　〃Well；　it's　in　other　manuals。　Here's　how　it's　fun：　When　you　get　a　disruption　of　blood　supply　and　oxygen　to　the　brain；　certain　sensations　are　heightened；　partly　as　a　result　of　diminished　ego　controls。　A　temporary　lack　of　oxygen　causes　giddiness；　light…headedness；　and　even　exhilaration。　It's　a　high　without　drugs　or　alcohol。　In　this　state；　many　people　experience　a　more　intense　sexual　arousal　and　feeling。〃　I　added；　〃I've　heard　that　when　you　e；　you　really　e；　but　if　you　misjudge；　then　you've　e　and　gone。　You're　history。〃
　〃That's　not　fun。〃
　〃No。　Also；　only　part　of　the　kick　is　physiological。　The　other　thing　is　the　ritualistic　behavior　that　acpanies　most　acts　of　sexual　asphyxia…the　nakedness　or　the　wearing　of　unusual　clothes；　the　sexual　paraphernalia　and　erotic　materials；　the　fantasy；　the　setting；　and　ultimately　the　danger。〃
　〃Who　invented　this　one？〃
　〃Undoubtedly；　it　was　discovered　accidentally。　Maybe　there're　pictures　of　it　in　Egyptian　pyramids。　Human　beings　are　ceaselessly　ingenious　when　it　es　to　self…gratification。〃
　She　stayed　silent　while　she　drove；　then　glanced　at　me；　and　finally　asked；　〃And　you　think　something　like　this　happened　to　Ann　Campbell？〃
　〃Well　。。。　the　panties　around　her　neck　were　put　there　so　as　not　to　leave　a　telltale　rope　mark。　That's　very　specific　for　sexual　asphyxia　when　it　is　not　meant　to　lead　to　death。〃　I　added；　〃That　is　one　way　to　interpret　the　scene　that　presented　itself　to　us；　but　let's　examine　the　forensic　evidence。〃
　〃Where　were　her　clothes？〃
　〃She　may　have　dropped　them　off　somewhere。〃
　〃Why。〃
　〃It's　part　of　the　danger　and　the　fantasy。　As　you　mentioned　earlier；　we　have　no　way　of　knowing　what　was　sexually　significant　to　her；　or　what　elaborate　constructs　she　had　developed　in　her　mind。　Think；　if　you　will；　of　your　own　secret　garden　of　delights；　and　try　to　imagine　how　those　scenarios　would　be　viewed　by　another　person。〃　To　fill　the　awkward　silence；　I　added；　〃This　type　of　personality　is　ultimately　only　satisfied　with　his　or　her　own　elaborate　fantasies；　with　or　without　a　partner。　I'm　beginning　to　think　that　what　we　saw　on　rifle　range　six　was　produced；　directed；　and　scripted　by　Ann　Campbell；　not　by　her　partner　or　assailant。〃
　Cynthia　said　nothing；　so　I　continued；　〃Most　likely；　it　was　a　consensual　act　that　included　sexual　asphyxia　in　which　her　partner　strangled　her　to　death　by　accident；　or　on　purpose；　in　a　moment　of　anger。　An　assailant；　a　stranger；　who　was　bent　on　rape　and　murder　would　not　have　put　the　panties　around　her　neck　to　minimize　tissue　damage。〃
　〃No；　but　as　we　discussed