demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第38部分

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n　Ann　Campbell。　Follow？〃
　〃Up　to　a　point。　Why　would　she　pull　up　here？　Why　not　hide　her　vehicle　if　she　was　here　for　a　sexual　rendezvous？　In　fact；　why　the　hell　was　she　on　the　rifle　range；　so　close　to　the　road？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。　Except　that　whatever　she　did；　she　did　it　the　way　she　wanted　to　do　it。　None　of　this　was　random；　and　everything　was　planned；　including　apparently　volunteering　for　duty　officer　on　a　moonlit　night。　Therefore；　she　had　a　reason　for　leaving　her　vehicle　right　here；　and　a　reason　for　picking　that　spot；　fifty　meters　from　the　road。〃
　〃Okay　。。。　we'll　let　that　slide。〃
　〃So；　to　continue；　I　have　no　idea　what　transpired　between　her　and　the　person　she　met；　but　at　some　point　here　on　the　road；　she　took　off　her　pistol；　then　all　her　clothes　except　her　bra　and　panties。　She　had　a　blacktop　smudge　on　her　foot。　She　and　this　person　walked　on　the　well…trod　path　between　the　firing　lanes。　Her　clothes　and　pistol　were　probably　back　in　the　jeep。　She；　or　the　other　person；　is　carrying　tent　pegs；　precut　rope；　and　a　small　sledgehammer。　They　pick　their　spot　at　the　base　of　that　pop…up　target　over　there。〃　We　both　looked　out　onto　the　range。　The　pavilion　was　still　pitched；　and　the　tarpaulins　were　still　laid　out　to　form　a　trail　to　the　spot　where　the　body　had　lain。　I　asked　Cynthia；　〃How　does　this　sound　so　far？〃
　〃It　has　its　own　internal　logic。　But　I　don't　get　it。〃
　〃Neither　do　I。　But　it's　pretty　much　what　happened。〃　I　said；　〃Let's　walk。〃　We　followed　the　tarpaulin　trail　and　stopped　under　the　pavilion。　Cynthia　shined　her　flashlight　on　the　spot　where　Ann　Campbell　had　lain；　revealing　an　outline　of　the　spread…eagled　body　made　with　white　chalk　powder。　Yellow　marker　flags　stuck　out　of　the　holes　where　the　tent　pegs　had　been。
　Cynthia　said；　〃Shouldn't　there　be　MPs　here？〃
　〃There　should　be。　Kent　slipped　up。〃　I　looked　out　over　the　moonlit　rifle　range　where　about　fifty　lifelike　targets　stood　like　a　platoon　of　infantry　advancing　through　the　brush。　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Obviously；　this　had　some　symbolism　for　Ann　Campbell…armed　men　ing　to　gang…rape　her；　or　watching　her　as　she　was　tied　naked　on　the　ground…or　who　knows　what　she　was　trying　to　create　or　express？〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃All　right；　they're　standing　here。　Ann　Campbell　in　her　bra　and　panties；　this　man　carrying　the　rape　kit　or　sexual　paraphernalia　if　she's　a　willing　acplice。　He's　not　armed；　and　she's　going　along　with　this。〃
　〃Right。　So　together　they　bind　one　end　of　each　rope　around　her　wrists　and　ankles。　Probably　at　this　point；　she　removes　her　bra　and　panties　and　puts　the　panties　around　her　neck；　since　we　found　no　trace　of　soil　on　them。〃
　〃Why　did　she　wear　the　bra？〃
　〃I　can't　say　for　sure；　but　she　may　have　just　left　it　on　without　thinking；　then　threw　it　on　the　ground　where　we　found　it。　They've　planned　this；　but　they're　understandably　a　little　nervous。　Okay？〃
　〃Okay。　I'm　nervous　just　talking　about　it。〃
　〃So　they　pick　their　spot　at　the　base　of　this　pop…up　target；　she　lies　down　here；　spreads　her　arms　and　legs；　and　he　pounds　the　four　tent　pegs　into　the　ground。〃
　〃Doesn't　this　make　noise？〃
　〃The　pegs　were　polyvinyl。　Also；　he　may　have　used　a　handkerchief　to　muffle　the　sound。　The　wind　is　blowing　from　the　direction　of　the　guard　post　a　kilometer　away；　and　PFC　Robbins　couldn't　even　hear　a　car　door　slam。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Cynthia　said。　〃The　tent　pegs　are　in；　and　he　ties　her　ankles　and　wrists　to　the　pegs。〃
　〃Correct。　Then　he　wraps　the　long　rope　around　her　neck；　over　the　panties。〃
　〃So　she's　now　as　we　found　her。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃she　is　now　as　we　found　her；　except；　at　this　point；　she　was　still　alive。〃
　Cynthia　had　one　hand　in　the　pocket　of　her　pants　now　and　was　staring　at　the　ground　where　her　flashlight　beam　ended；　obviously　deep　in　thought。　Finally；　she　said；　〃He　knelt　near　her　and　applied　tension　to　the　rope；　inducing　sexual　asphyxia。　Maybe；　using　his　fingers；　or　an　object；　he　stimulates　her。　She　had　an　orgasm　。。。〃　Cynthia　added；　〃He　would　have　masturbated　at　some　point　though　we　found　no　semen　on　her；　and　he　may　have　taken　photos；　which　is　mon　after　going　through　all　this　trouble。　I've　had　cases　where　an　audiotape　was　made；　and　one　where　a　videotape　was　made　。。。〃　She　paused　a　moment；　then　continued；　〃All　right　。。。　she's　done；　he's　done；　she　wants　to　be　untied。　At　this　point；　he　snaps　for　some　reason　and　strangles　her　to　death；　or　he'd　planned　to　do　that　all　along；　or　he　may　have　honestly　strangled　her　by　accident　during　the　act。〃　She　looked　at　me。　〃That's　it；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。　I　think　so。〃
　〃But　there's　more　to　it；〃　Cynthia　reminded　me。　〃Her　clothes；　dog　tags；　her　West　Point　ring；　and　her　pistol　are　missing。〃
　〃I　know。　That's　a　problem。〃　I　said；　〃We're　back　to　souvenirs。〃
　〃Yes；　they　do　take　souvenirs。　But　you　know；　if　I　had　just　killed　a　general's　daughter　out　on　the　rifle　range；　on　purpose　or　by　accident；　I　don't　think　I'd　put　her　clothes　in　my　car　and　drive　around　with　the　evidence　that　would　put　me　in　front　of　a　firing　squad。〃
　〃Not　likely；　is　it？　And　remember；　she　had　her　watch　on。　Why？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Cynthia　replied。　〃That　may　be　insignificant。〃
　〃It　may　be。　Let's　walk。〃　We　retraced　our　steps　along　the　tarpaulin　path　and　came　back　to　the　road　where　Ann　Campbell's　humvee　had　been　parked。　〃All　right；〃　I　said；　〃he　es　back　here　to　the　vehicle。　He　takes　her　BDUs；　her　helmet；　dog　tags；　socks；　boots；　and　so　forth；　but　leaves　her　handbag　on　the　passenger　seat　of　the　vehicle。〃
　〃He　may　have　forgotten　the　handbag。　Men　often　do。　I've　seen　that　before。〃
　I　turned　toward　the　latrines。　〃Carrying　those　items；　he　crosses　the　grassy　area；　passes　the　bleachers；　passes　the　latrines；　and　finds　the　corduroy　trail。　He　would　not　walk　on　the　road。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Okay；　if　they'd　started　at　about　0115　hours；　it　is　now　about　0215　hours；　give　or　take　a　few　minutes。　It　can't　be　later　because　PFC　Robbins　saw　headlights　at　0217　hours。〃
　〃And　you're　sure　they　were　not　Ann　Campbell's　headlights？〃
　〃I'm　making　the　strong　assumption　she　got　here　earlier；　and　she　drove　up　without　headlights。　So　this　vehicle　es　by；　sees　her　parked　humvee；　stops；　turns　off　the　lights；　and　gets　out　of　his　or　her　vehicle。　That　is　what　Robbins　saw　at　0217　hours。〃
　〃And　he　or　she　can　see　Ann　Campbell　from　the　road。　Right？〃
　〃Sergeant　St。　John　did。　The　moon　was　nearly　full。　Anyone　who　saw　the　parked　humvee　would　look　around。　Fifty　meters　away；　this　person　sees　something　on　the　rifle　range。　It's　almost　a　human　instinct　to　recognize　another　human　form；　especially　a　naked　one。　We've　both　heard　similar　stories…someone　walking　in　the　woods　sees　something　lying　on　the　ground；　and　so　on。〃
　〃All　right。　So　what　does　that　person　do？〃
　〃That　person　goes　up　to　her　and　sees　that　she's　dead；　goes　back　to　his　or　her　vehicle；　makes　a　U…turn；　and　gets　the　hell　out　of　there。〃
　〃Without　turning　his　or　her　headlights　back　on。〃
　〃Apparently。　PFC　Robbins　was　transfixed　by　the　headlights　and　kept　watching；　but　never　saw　them　go　on　again。　The　next　lights　she　saw　were　Sergeant　St。　John's　at　0425　hours。〃
　〃Why　would　this　person　not　turn　their　headlights　back　on　when　they　were　leaving？　Why　turn　them　off　to　begin　with？　It's　damned　spooky　out　here；　Paul。　I'd　leave　my　lights　on　if　I　got　out　of　my　car。　And　who　is　this　new　person　you've　introduced；　and　why　didn't　this　person　make　a　report？〃
　〃The　only　answer　I　can　e　up　with　is　that　Ann　Campbell　had　not　gone　through　all　this　trouble　for　one　tryst。　Her　fantasy　may　have　been　multiple　rapes。　She　may　have　had　several　appointments。〃
　〃That's　very　weird。〃　She　added；　〃But　possible。〃
　I　said；　〃Let's　follow　the　path　that　Ann　Campbell's　assistant　or　assailant　took　back。〃　We　retraced　our　steps　and　intersected　the　corduroy　path　in　the　bush　behind　the　rifle　ranges；　then　turned　left　onto　it　and　headed　back　to　rifle　range　five。　I　said；　〃Here；　in　these　bushes；　will　probably　be　a　plastic　bag　containing　her　clothes。〃
　Cynthia　looked　at　me。　〃Are　you　psychic；　too？〃
　〃The　area　search　turned　up　nothing；　and　neither　did　the　dogs；　so　the　clothes　will　be　in　a　plastic；　odor…proof　bag；　probably　a　trash　bag；　and　they　will　be　farther　away　than　the　search。　When　we　get　closer　to　rifle　range　five；　you'll　turn　that　flashlight　into　the　bush。　We　may　have　to　e　back　tomorrow…〃
　Cynthia　stopped。　〃Wait。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃