demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第24部分

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　Cal　tends　to　be　negative。　Then　later；　he　tells　you　that　after　hours　of　hard　and　brilliant　lab　work；　he's　got　something。　The　secret　to　being　a　legend　is　to　make　the　job　look　harder　than　it　is。　I　do　that　once　in　a　while　myself。　Cynthia　doesn't　get　it　yet。　I　asked　Cal；　〃Have　you　removed　the　tent　pegs？〃
　〃Just　the　one　near　the　left　ankle　to　get　at　an　anal　sample；　and　to　determine　if　there's　any　dirt　on　the　peg　that's　different　from　the　dirt　it's　stuck　in　now。　But　it　seems　like　all　red　Georgia　clay。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　determine　if　either　of　the　tent　pegs　near　the　wrists　could　have　been　pulled　out　by　the　victim　if　she　were　free　to　do　so。　Also；　see　if　either　of　the　knots　on　the　wrists　is　a　slipknot。　Also；　I　would　like　you　to　tell　me　if　you　think　she　had　or　could　have　had　either　end　of　the　ligature　in　her　hands。〃
　〃Now？〃
　〃Please。〃
　Cal　turned　and　walked　away。
　Cynthia　said　to　me；　〃If　none　of　those　things　are　true　or　possible；　then　we　can　rule　out　an　autoerotic　fatality。　Correct？〃
　〃Correct。〃
　〃Then　we　look　for　a　perpetrator。〃
　〃A　perpetrator　or　an　acplice。　It　still　looks　like　it　started　out　as　fun。〃　I　added；　〃That　is　not　for　public　dissemination。〃
　〃Obviously。〃　She　said；　〃I　don't　mind　seeing　the　body　again。　I　know　what　we're　looking　for。〃　She　followed　the　tarpaulin　trail　to　the　pavilion　and　disappeared　into　the　crowd　as　she　knelt　beside　the　body。　I　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　road　and　stood　beside　the　humvee。　I　looked　up　the　road　toward　the　guard　post　where　PFC　Robbins　had　stood；　but　I　could　not　see　the　ammo　shed　from　a　kilometer　away。　I　turned　and　looked　down　the　road　toward　the　direction　we　had　e　from　and　saw　that　the　road　made　a　right…hand　bend；　so　that　if　a　vehicle　stopped　about　a　hundred　meters　away；　at　rifle　range　five；　its　headlights　might　not　be　seen　from　where　Bobbins　had　been　standing。　There　was　something　about　the　times　of　the　headlights　that　bugged　me；　and　I　had　to　consider　the　possibility　that　the　first　headlights　that　Robbins　saw　were　not　necessarily　those　of　Ann　Campbell's　humvee…because　if　they　were；　what　was　Ann　Campbell　doing　between　the　time　she　left　Post　Headquarters　at　0100　hours　and　the　time　Robbins　saw　the　first　headlights　at　0217　hours？
　Cynthia　and　Cal　approached；　and　Cal　informed　me；　〃The　tent　pegs　are　solid　in　the　clay。　A　guy　with　surgical　gloves　almost　got　a　hernia　pulling　them　out。　The　knots　have　been　classified　as　granny　knots；　and　you　can　barely　untie　them　even　using　a　mechanical　aid。　As　for　the　ligature；　the　ends　do　reach　her　hands；　but　if　you're　asking　for　my　opinion；　I　don't　think　she　could　have　pulled　them　herself。　You　looking　for　an　autoerotic　accident？〃
　〃Just　a　thought。　Between　us。〃
　〃Yeah。　But　it　looks　like　she　had　pany　last　night；　though　we　haven't　found　any　traces　of　her　pany　yet。〃
　〃Where　was　the　bare　footprint？〃
　〃About　halfway　between　the　road　and　the　body。　About　there。〃　He　pointed　to　where　one　of　his　people　was　taking　a　casting　of　a　print。
　I　nodded。　〃How　was　the　rope　cut？〃
　Cal　replied；　〃pression　cut。　Like　an　ax　or　cleaver；　maybe　on　a　wooden　surface。　Probably　not　done　here…the　tool　mark　guys　checked　the　bleacher　seats　for　cuts。　Most　likely；　the　lengths　were　precut　and　brought　here。〃　He　added；　〃Like　a　rape　kit；〃　but　resisted　the　temptation　to　say　words　like　〃premeditated〃　or　〃organized　rapist。〃　I　like　people　who　stick　to　their　area　of　expertise。　In　fact；　what　looked　like　part　of　a　rape　kit　was　more　likely　bondage　paraphernalia　from　the　victim's　own　storehouse　of　equipment。　But　it　was　best　if　everyone　kept　thinking　rape。
　Cal　said　to　me；　〃You　wanted　to　know　about　the　black　smudge　on　her　right　foot。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Ninety…nine　percent　sure　it's　blacktop。　Know　for　sure　in　about　an　hour。　I'll　match　the　smudge　to　the　road　here；　but　it　won't　be　conclusive。〃
　〃Okay。〃　He　asked　me；　〃How'd　you　pull　this　case？〃
　〃I　begged　for　it。〃
　He　laughed；　then　said；　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　be　in　your　boots。〃
　〃Me　neither；　if　you　found　my　bootprints　in　the　humvee。〃　He　smiled；　and　it　seemed　he　was　enjoying　my　pany；　so　I　reminded　him；　〃If　you　botch　anything；　you　should　think　about　where　you　can　live　on　half　pay。　A　lot　of　guys　go　to　Mexico。〃
　〃Hey；　if　I　botch　anything；　I　can　cover　my　ass。　If　you　botch　anything；　your　ass　is　grass；　and　Colonel　Hellmann　is　the　lawn　mower。〃
　Which　was　an　unpleasant　truth。　I　informed　him；　〃The　victim's　office；　household　goods；　and　personal　effects　are　in　a　hangar　at　Jordan　Field；　so　when　you're　through　here；　go　there。〃
　〃I　know。　We'll　be　done　here　by　dark；　then　we'll　do　an　all…nighter　at　the　hangar。〃
　〃Was　Colonel　Kent　here？〃
　〃Just　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　〃What　did　he　want？〃
　〃Same　as　you；　without　the　wisecracks。〃　He　added；　〃Wants　you　to　see　the　general。　Did　you　get　that　message？〃
　〃No。　All　right；　Cal；　I'm　at　the　provost　marshal's　office。　All　reports　and　inquiries　go　to　me　or　Cynthia　directly；　sealed　and　marked　'Confidential。'　Or　you　can　call　or　drop　by。　My　clerk　is　Specialist　Baker。　Don't　discuss　this　case　with　anyone；　not　even　the　post　provost　marshal。　If　he　asks　you　anything；　refer　him　to　me　or　Cynthia。　And　instruct　your　people　to　do　the　same。　Okay？〃
　Cal　nodded；　then　asked；　〃Not　even　Colonel　Kent？〃
　〃Not　even　the　general。〃
　He　shrugged。　〃Okay。〃
　〃Let's　go　look　at　the　latrines；　then　your　people　can　process　the　premises。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　As　we　walked；　Cynthia　asked　Cal；　〃When　can　you　release　the　body　to　the　coroner　for　autopsy？〃
　Cal　scratched　his　bald　head。　〃Well　。。。　I　guess　in　about　three　hours。〃
　She　said；　〃Why　don't　you　call　the　post　hospital　and　get　the　coroner　out　here　so　he　can　examine　the　body　in　place？　Then　tell　him　we　would　appreciate　an　autopsy　ASAP；　even　if　he　has　to　work　late；　and　we'd　like　a　preliminary　coroner's　report　sometime　tonight。　Tell　him　the　general　would　appreciate　it；　too；　and　that　the　general　and　Mrs。　Campbell　would　like　to　get　on　with　the　funeral　arrangements。〃
　Cal　nodded。　〃Okay。〃
　Cynthia　seemed　to　be　getting　the　hang　of　it。　Obviously；　I　was　teaching　by　example。
　The　three　of　us　made　our　way　past　the　bleachers；　over　an　open　stretch　of　thick　grass　that　left　no　footprints；　and　into　the　tree　line　where　two　latrine　sheds　stood。　Kent　had　cordoned　off　the　area；　and　we　stepped　over　the　yellow　crime　scene　tape。　The　older　shed　was　marked　〃Male　Personnel；〃　and　the　newer　one　〃Female　Personnel。〃　The　word　〃personnel〃　may　seem　superfluous；　but　Army　regulations　prohibit　brevity　and　mon　sense。　We　entered　the　latrine　shed　for　male　personnel；　and　I　turned　on　the　lights　using　my　handkerchief。
　The　floor　was　concrete；　the　walls　wooden；　and　there　were　screens　where　the　wall　met　the　ceiling。　There　were　three　sinks；　three　stalls；　and　three　urinals；　all　fairly　clean。　I　assumed　that　if　a　unit　had　fired　the　previous　day；　they　would　have　finished　no　later　than　1700　hours；　and　they　would　have　assigned　a　latrine　clean…up　detail。　In　fact；　the　wastebaskets　were　empty　and　there　was　nothing　floating　in　the　modes；　and　all　the　seats　were　in　the　upright　position。
　Cynthia　drew　my　attention　to　one　of　the　sinks。　There　were　water　spots　and　a　small　hair　in　the　basin。　I　said　to　Cal；　〃Here's　something。〃
　He　walked　over　and　bent　over　the　bowl。　〃Human；　Caucasian；　head。〃　He　looked　closer。　〃Fell　out；　maybe　cut；　but　not　pulled　out。　No　root。　Not　much　of　a　sample；　but　I　may　be　able　to　get　you　a　blood　type；　maybe　the　sex；　but　without　the　root　I　can't　get　you　a　genetic　marker。〃
　〃How　about　the　owner's　name？〃
　Cal　was　not　amused。　He　surveyed　the　latrine　and　said；　〃I'll　give　this　next　priority　after　we　finish　out　there。〃
　〃Open　the　sink　traps；　too。〃
　〃Do　I　need　to　be　told　that？〃
　〃I　guess　not。〃
　We　went　into　the　female　latrine；　which　was　as　clean　as　its　male　counterpart。　There　were　six　stalls；　and　here；　also；　the　toilet　seats　were　all　up；　which　was　an　Army　regulation；　despite　the　fact　that　women　had　to　put　them　down。　I　said　to　Cal；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　me　if　Captain　Campbell　used　this　latrine。〃
　He　replied；　〃If　nothing　else；　we　may　be　able　to　find　a　trace　of　perspiration　or　body　oil　on　the　toilet　seat；　or　skin　cells　in　the　sink　trap。　I'll　do　my　best。〃
　〃And　don't　forget　fingerprints　on　and　around　the　light　switch。〃
　〃Do　you　forget　to　breathe？〃
　〃Once　in　a　while。〃
　〃I　don't　forget　anything。〃
　〃Good。〃　We　looked　around；　b