demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第34部分
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〃No。 But you can be sure you'll hear rumors。 Rumors have followed us wherever…〃
〃Are you married？〃
〃I was。 Divorced about seven years ago。〃
〃Do you date？〃
〃Occasionally。〃
〃Did you find Ann Campbell attractive？〃
〃Well 。。。 I admired her mind。〃
〃Did you ever notice her body？〃
〃I don't like this line of questioning。〃
〃Neither do I。 Did you find her sexually attractive？〃
〃I was her superior officer； I am almost twenty years older than she； she is a general's daughter。 I never once said anything to her that could be construed as sexual harassment。〃
〃I'm not investigating a charge of sexual harassment； Colonel。 I'm investigating a rape and murder。〃 I said to him； 〃Then why were there rumors？〃
〃Because people have dirty minds。 Even Army officers。〃 He smiled。 〃Like yourself。〃
On that note； I ordered two more drinks； another sherry to loosen him up； a beer to calm my impulse to deck him。
Cynthia arrived； wearing black pants and a white blouse。 I introduced her to Colonel Moore； then said to her； 〃We're not with the Army Times anymore。 We're CID。 I was asking Colonel Moore if he was ever sexually involved with the deceased； and he assures me he wasn't。 We're in a confrontational mode at the moment。〃
Cynthia smiled and said to Moore； 〃Mr。 Brenner is extremely tense and tired。〃 She sat and we all chatted for a few minutes as I brought Cynthia up to date。 Cynthia ordered a bourbon and Coke and a club sandwich for herself and a cheeseburger for me。 She knows I like cheeseburgers。 Colonel Moore declined to dine with us； explaining that he was still too upset to eat。 Cynthia asked him； 〃As her friend； did you know anyone who she might have been involved with？〃
〃You mean sexually？〃
〃I believe that's the subject on the table；〃 she replied。 〃Well 。。。 let me think 。。。 She was seeing a young man 。。。 a civilian。 She rarely dated soldiers。〃
〃Who was the civilian？〃 Cynthia asked。 〃A fellow named Wes Yardley。〃
〃Yardley？ Chief of Police Yardley？〃
〃No； no。 Wes Yardley； one of Burt Yardley's sons。〃
Cynthia glanced at me； then asked Moore； 〃How long were they seeing each other？〃
〃On and off since she arrived here。 They had a stormy relationship。 In fact； without pointing fingers； there's a man you should speak to。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Why？ Well； it's obvious。 They were involved。 They fought like cats and dogs。〃
〃About what？〃
〃About 。。。 well； she mentioned to me that he treated her badly。〃
This sort of took me by surprise。 I said to Moore； 〃He treated her badly？〃
〃Yes。 He wouldn't call； he went out with other women； he saw her when it suited him。〃
This wasn't puting。 If I was in love with Ann Campbell； why wasn't every other man following her around like a puppy dog？ I said to Moore； 〃Why would she put up with that？ I mean； she was 。。。 desirable； attractive 。。。〃 Incredibly beautiful； sexy； and she had a body you could die for。 Or kill for。
Moore smiled； almost knowingly； I thought。 This guy made me unfortable。 He said； 〃There is a type of personality…I'll put this in layman's terms： Ann Campbell liked the bad boys。 Whoever showed her the slightest bit of attention； she considered weak and contemptible。 That included most men。 She was drawn to men who treated her badly； almost abusive men。 Wes Yardley is such a man。 He's a Midland policeman like his father； he is a local playboy and has many women friends； he's good…looking； I suppose； and has some of the charm of a southern gentleman and all of the macho posturing of a good ol' boy。 Rogue or scoundrel might be good words to describe him。〃
I was still having trouble with this； and I said； 〃And Ann Campbell was involved with him for two years？〃
〃On and off。〃
Cynthia said； 〃She discussed all of this with you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Professionally？〃
He nodded at her astuteness。 〃Yes； I was her therapist。〃
I was not as astute； perhaps because my mind was unsettled。 I was extremely disappointed in Ann Campbell。 The playroom and the photos didn't upset me； perhaps because I knew that these men were just objects and she used them as such。 But the idea of a boyfriend； a lover； someone who abused her； a relative of Burt Yardley at that； really pissed me off。
Cynthia said to Moore； 〃You know just about everything there is to know about her。〃
〃I believe so。〃
〃Then we'll ask you to help us with the psychological autopsy。〃
〃Help you？ You couldn't even scratch the surface； Ms。 Sunhill。〃
I posed myself and said to him； 〃I'll need all your notes and transcripts of all your sessions with her。〃
〃I never took a single note。 That was our arrangement。〃
Cynthia said； 〃But you will assist us？〃
〃Why？ She's dead。〃
Cynthia replied； 〃Sometimes a psychological autopsy helps us develop a psychological profile of the killer。 I assume you know that。〃
〃I've heard of it。 I know very little about criminal psychology。 If you want my opinion； it's mostly nonsense； anyway。 We're all criminally insane； but most of us have good control mechanisms； internal and external。 Remove the controls and you have a killer。 I've seen well…adjusted men in Vietnam kill babies。〃
No one spoke for a while； and we just sat there with our own thoughts。
Finally； Cynthia said； 〃But we expect you； as her confidant； to tell us everything you know about her； her friends； her enemies； her mind。〃
〃I suppose I have no choice。〃
〃No； you don't；〃 Cynthia assured him。 〃But we'd like your cooperation to be voluntary； if not enthusiastic。 You do want to see her killer brought to justice。〃
〃I'd like to see her killer found because I'm curious about who it may be。 As for justice； I'm fairly certain that the killer thought he was administering justice。〃
Cynthia asked； 〃What do you mean by that？〃
〃I mean； when a woman like Ann Campbell is raped and murdered almost under her father's nose； you can be certain that someone had it in for her； her father； or both； and probably for a good reason。 At least good in his own mind。〃 He stood。 〃This is very upsetting for me。 I feel a strong sense of loss。 I'm going to miss her pany。 So if you'll excuse me 。。。〃
Cynthia and I stood also。 He was a colonel； after all。 I said； 〃I'd like to speak to you tomorrow。 Please keep your day loose； Colonel。 You interest me。〃
He left and we sat down。
The food came and I picked at my cheeseburger。 Cynthia said； 〃Are you all right？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I think Ann Campbell's choice of lovers has upset you。 You kind of went into a funk when he said that。〃
I looked at her。 〃They say never get emotionally involved with witnesses； suspects； or victims。 But sometimes you can't help it。〃
〃I always get emotionally involved with rape victims。 But they're alive and hurting。 Ann Campbell is dead。〃
I didn't respond to that。
Cynthia continued； 〃I hate to say this； but I know the type。 She probably took sadistic delight in mentally torturing men who couldn't keep their eyes or minds off her good looks； then she masochistically gave herself to a man who she knew was going to treat her like dirt。 Most likely； on some dim level； Wes Yardley knew his part and played it well。 Most probably； she was sexually jealous of his other women； and； most probably； he was indifferent to her threats to find another boyfriend。 They had a good relationship within the unhealthy world they created。 Wes Yardley is probably the least likely suspect。〃
〃How do you know all that？〃
〃Well 。。。 I haven't been there myself； but I know lots of women who have。 I see too many of them。〃
〃Really？〃
〃Really。 You know men like that； too。〃
〃Probably。〃
〃You're showing classical symptoms of fatigue。 You're getting dull and stupid。 Go get some sleep and I'll wake you later。〃
〃I'm fine。 Did you get me a room？〃
〃Yes。〃 She opened her purse。 〃Here's the key。 The stuff you asked for is in my car； which is open。〃
〃Thanks。 How much do I owe you？〃
〃I'll put it on my expense account。 Karl will get a laugh out of the men's underwear。〃 She added； 〃You can walk to the VOQ from here； unless you want to borrow my car。〃
〃Neither。 Let's go to the provost marshal's office。〃 I stood。
〃You could use a little freshening up； Paul。〃
〃You mean I stink？〃
〃Even a cool guy like you sweats in Georgia in Augus
