demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第29部分

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　〃Sorry。〃　She　patted　my　knee。　〃I　love　it　when　you　get　angry。〃
　I　didn't　reply；　and　we　rode　in　silence。
　We　entered　the　outskirts　of　the　main　post；　and　I　saw　the　cluster　of　old　concrete　buildings　with　the　sign　that　said；　〃U。S。　Army；　Training　School…Psy…Ops…Authorized　Personnel　Only。〃
　Cynthia　mented；　〃Can　we　hit　that　place　after　we　see　the　general？〃
　I　looked　at　my　watch。　〃We'll　try。〃　Speed；　speed。　Beyond　the　problems　of　cold　trails；　I　had　the　feeling　that　the　more　time　everyone　in　Washington　and　Fort　Hadley　had　to　think；　the　more　likely　they'd　start　screwing　me　up。　Within　seventy…two　hours；　this　base　would　be　knee…deep　in　FBI　guys　and　CID　brass　trying　to　score　points；　not　to　mention　the　media；　who；　even　now；　were　probably　in　Atlanta　trying　to　figure　out　how　to　get　here　from　there。
　Cynthia　asked　me；　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　about　the　stuff　in　her　basement？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　we　won't　need　it。　That's　what　I'm　counting　on。　Let　it　sit　for　a　few　days。〃
　〃What　if　Yardley　finds　that　room？〃
　〃Then　it's　his　problem　what　to　do　with　the　information。　We　saw　enough　to　get　the　idea。〃
　〃The　clue　to　her　killer　may　be　in　that　room。〃
　I　stared　out　the　side　window　and　watched　the　post　go　by。　After　a　minute；　I　said；　〃Here's　what's　in　that　room…enough　promising　evidence　to　ruin　careers　and　lives；　including　her　parents'　lives；　not　to　mention　the　deceased's　posthumous　reputation。　I　don't　know　that　we　need　anything　more　from　that　room。〃
　〃Is　this　Paul　Brenner　speaking？〃
　〃It's　Paul　Brenner　the　career　Army　officer　speaking。　Not　Paul　Brenner　the　cop。〃
　〃Okay。　I　understand　that。　That's　good。〃
　〃Sure。〃　I　added；　〃I'd　do　the　same　for　you。〃
　〃Thanks。　But　I　have　nothing　to　hide。〃
　〃Are　you　married？〃
　〃None　of　your　business。〃
　〃Right。〃
　We　arrived　at　the　general's　official　residence；　called　Beaumont；　a　huge　brick　plantation　house　plete　with　white　columns。　The　house　was　set　in　a　few　acres　of　treed　grounds　on　the　eastern　edge　of　the　main　post；　an　oasis　of　magnolias；　stately　oaks；　flower　beds　and　such；　surrounded　by　a　desert　of　military　simplicity。
　Beaumont　is　an　antebellum　relic；　the　former　home　of　the　Beaumont　clan；　who　still　exist　in　the　county。　Beaumont　House　escaped　Sherman's　March　to　the　Sea；　being　not　in　the　direct　path　of　the　march；　but　it　had　been　looted　and　vandalized　by　Yankee　stragglers。　The　locals　will　tell　you　that　all　the　women　in　the　house　had　been　raped；　but；　in　fact；　the　local　guidebook　says　the　Beaumonts　fled　a　few　steps　ahead　of　the　Yankees。
　The　house　was　expropriated　by　the　Union　occupation　forces　for　use　as　a　headquarters；　then　at　some　point　returned　to　the　rightful　owners；　then；　in　1916；　sold　along　with　the　plantation　acreage　to　the　federal　government；　who　designated　it　Camp　Hadley。　So；　ironically；　it　is　again　Army　property；　and　the　cotton　fields　around　the　house　have　bee　the　main　post；　while　the　remainder　of　the　100；000　wooded　acres　is　the　training　area。
　It's　hard　to　gauge　how　much　of　history　impacts　on　the　local　population；　but　in　these　parts；　I　suspect　the　impact　is　greater　than　a　kid　from　South　Boston　or　an　Iowa　farm　girl　can　fully　understand。　I　deal　with　this　as　best　I　can　and　calculate。　it　into　my　thinking。　But　in　the　end；　when　someone　like　me　meets　someone　like　Yardley；　there　is　very　little　meeting　of　minds　and　souls。
　We　got　out　of　the　car　and　Cynthia　said；　〃My　knees　are　shaking。〃
　〃Walk　around　the　gardens。　I'll　take　care　of　this。〃
　〃I'll　be　all　right。〃
　We　climbed　the　steps　to　the　columned　porch　and　I　rang　the　bell。　A　handsome　young　man　in　uniform　answered。　He　was　a　lieutenant；　and　his　name　tag　said　Elby。　I　announced；　〃Warrant　Officers　Brenner　and　Sunhill　to　see　General　and　Mrs。　Campbell　at　the　general's　request。〃
　〃Oh；　yes。〃　He　looked　over　Cynthia's　informal　attire；　then　stepped　aside；　and　we　entered。　Elby　said；　〃I'm　the　general's　personal　aide。　Colonel　Fowler；　the　general's　adjutant；　wishes　to　speak　to　you。〃
　〃I'm　here　at　the　general's　request　to　see　the　general。〃
　〃I　know；　Mr。　Brenner。　Please　see　Colonel　Fowler　first。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　followed　him　into　the　large　foyer　decorated　in　the　style　and　period　of　the　house；　but　I　suspected　that　this　wasn't　original　Beaumont　stuff；　but　bits　and　pieces　collected　from　the　down…and…out　minor　gentry　since　the　Army　bought　the　place。　Lieutenant　Elby　showed　us　into　a　small　front　room；　a　sort　of　official　waiting　room　for　callers　with　lots　of　seating　and　little　else。　The　life　of　a　plantation　owner　was；　I'm　certain；　different　from　the　life　of　a　modern…day　general；　but　what　they　had　in　mon　was　callers；　and　lots　of　them。　Tradesmen　went　around　back；　gentry　were　shown　directly　to　the　big　sitting　room；　and　callers　on　official　business　got　as　far　as　this　room；　until　a　decision　could　be　made　regarding　their　status。
　Elby　took　his　leave；　and　Cynthia　and　I　remained　standing。　She　said；　〃That　was　the　young　man　who　Colonel　Kent　said　dated　Ann　Campbell。　He's　quite　good…looking。〃
　〃He　looks　like　a　wimp　and　a　bed　wetter。〃
　Changing　the　subject；　she　asked　me；　〃Did　you　ever　want　to　be　a　general？〃
　〃I'm　just　trying　to　hang　on　to　my　little　warrant　officer　bar。〃
　She　tried　to　smile；　but　was　clearly　nervous。　I　wasn't　exactly　at　ease；　either。　To　break　the　tension；　I　fell　back　on　an　old　Army　expression。　〃Remember；　a　general　puts　his　pants　on　one　leg　at　a　time；　just　like　you　do。〃
　〃I　usually　sit　on　the　bed　and　pull　my　pants　on　both　legs　at　once。〃
　〃Well；　you　know　what　I　mean。〃
　〃Maybe　we　can　just　speak　to　the　adjutant　and　leave。〃
　〃The　general　will　be　very　courteous。　They　all　are。〃
　〃I'm　more　nervous　about　meeting　his　wife。　Maybe　I　should　have　changed。〃
　Why　do　I　try　to　figure　these　people　out？
　Cynthia　said；　〃This　will　hurt　his　career；　won't　it？〃
　〃Depends　on　the　oute。　If　we　never　find　the　killer；　and　no　one　ever　finds　that　room；　and　if　there's　not　too　much　dirt　dragged　up；　he'll　be　all　right。　He　gets　the　sympathy　vote。　But　if　it　gets　very　messy；　he'll　resign。〃
　〃And　that's　the　end　of　his　political　ambitions。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　he　has　any　political　ambitions。〃
　〃The　papers　say　he　does。〃
　〃That's　not　my　problem。〃　But；　in　fact；　it　could　be。　General　Joseph　Ian　Campbell　had　been　mentioned　as　a　possible　vice…presidential　choice；　and　was　also　mentioned　as　a　potential　candidate　for　senator　from　his　native　state　of　Michigan；　or　as　a　candidate　for　governor　of　that　state。　Plus；　his　name　had　e　up　to　succeed　the　present　Army　chief　of　staff；　which　meant　a　fourth　star；　or　another　possibility　was　an　appointment　as　the　president's　top　military　advisor。
　This　embarrassment　of　riches　was　a　direct　result　of　General　Campbell's　service　in　the　Persian　Gulf　War；　prior　to　which　no　one　had　ever　heard　of　him。　As　the　memory　of　the　war　faded；　however；　so　was　his　name　fading　from　public　consciousness。　This　was　either　a　clever　plan　on　the　part　of　Joseph　Campbell；　or　he　honestly　didn't　want　any　part　of　the　nonsense。
　How　and　why　Fighting　Joe　Campbell　got　assigned　to　this　backwater　that　the　Army　called　Fort　Hades　and　the　GIs　called　Fort　Hardly；　was　one　of　those　mysteries　of　the　Pentagon　that　only　the　connivers　and　plotters　there　could　explain。　But　I　had　the　sudden　thought　that　the　power　brokers　in　the　Pentagon　knew　that　General　Campbell　had　a　loose　cannon　rolling　around　the　ramparts；　and　the　loose　cannon　was　named　Ann。　Was　that　possible？
　A　tall　man　entered；　wearing　the　Army…green　dress　uniform；　type　A　with　colonel's　eagles；　the　insignia　of　the　Adjutant　General　Corps；　and　a　name　tag　that　said　Fowler。　He　introduced　himself　as　General　Campbell's　adjutant。　In　the　service；　when　in　uniform；　it　is　redundant　to　introduce　yourself　by　name　and　rank；　but　people　appreciate　a　short　job　description　so　they　can　ascertain　if　they　have　to　work　with　you　or　ever　see　you　again。
　We　shook　hands　all　around；　and　Colonel　Fowler　said；　〃Indeed；　the　general　wishes　to　see　you；　but　I　want　to　speak　to　you　first。　Won't　you　have　a　seat？〃
　We　all　sat；　and　I　regarded　Colonel　Fowler。　He　was　a　black　man；　and　I　could　imagine　the　generations　of　former　slave…owners　who　lived　here　spinning　in　their　graves。　Anyway；　Fowler　was　extremely　well　groomed；　well　spoken；　and　carried　himself　with　good　military　bearing。　He　seemed　like　the　perfect　adjutant；　a　job　which　is　sort　of　like　a　bination　of　a　pe