demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第39部分
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ashlight into the bush。 We may have to e back tomorrow…〃
Cynthia stopped。 〃Wait。〃
〃What？〃
〃The latrine sheds。〃
〃Damn it！ You're right。〃
So back we went to the latrine sheds。 A line of steel…mesh trash pails sat between the two sheds； and I turned one of them over and jumped onto the roof of the shed for male personnel。 There was nothing on the flat； pitched roof； but as I scrambled to my feet； I saw on the next latrine roof a brown plastic trash bag shining in the moonlight。 I took a running start； jumped onto the adjoining shed； and kicked the bag off； following it to the ground。 Somewhere in midair； I remembered my paratrooper training； flexed my knees into a shoulder roll； and bounded up on my feet。
Cynthia asked； 〃Are you all right？〃
〃I'm fine。 Get a handkerchief。〃
She took a handkerchief from her pocket； knelt； and untwisted the wire tie； then carefully pulled open the mouth of the bag and shined her flashlight into it。 Inside； we could see a jumble of clothing； a pair of boots； and a white sock。 Carefully； with her hand wrapped in the handkerchief； Cynthia moved the things around； uncovering the pistol belt and holster with the automatic still in it； then finally the dog tags； which she held up and read in the beam of her flashlight。 〃Campbell； Ann Louise。〃 She let the dog tags drop back into the bag and stood。 She looked up at the top of the latrine shed。 〃One of the older tricks in the book。 But why did this guy care about hiding her clothes？〃
I thought a moment。 〃It seems that the clothes were supposed to be recovered later。〃
〃By whom？ The perpetrator？ A third party？〃
〃Don't know。 But I like the idea of a third party。〃
A pair of headlights lit up the road； then I heard the engine of a vehicle； then saw it； an olive…drab staff car that stopped。 The engine remained running； and the headlights stayed on。 I felt for my pistol and so did Cynthia。
The driver's door opened； and the interior lights revealed the figure of Bill Kent as he got out drawing his pistol and looking toward our flashlight。 He slammed his door and issued a challenge。 〃Identify yourselves。〃
I called back； 〃Brenner and Sunhill； Colonel。〃 A little formal； but you don't fool around when being challenged by an armed man。
We stayed motionless until he said； 〃I'm ing to you。〃
〃Understand。〃 We both stood until he got closer； then saw him holster his pistol； and heard him say； 〃Recognize。〃
All a little silly； too； except that every once in a while； a guy gets plugged messing around with challenges and such。 Kent asked us； 〃What are you doing here？〃
I replied； 〃This is the scene of the crime； Bill； and detectives and criminals always return to it。 What are you doing here？〃
〃I resent the implication； wise guy。 I'm here for the same reason you are…to try to get a feeling for the scene at night。〃
〃Let me be the detective； Colonel。 I expected to see MPs posted here。〃
〃I suppose I should have posted a few。 But I have patrols going by。〃
〃I haven't seen any。 Can you get a couple of people here？〃
〃All right。〃 He asked Cynthia； 〃Why is your car way back there？〃
She replied； 〃We wanted to walk in the moonlight。〃
He looked like he was going to ask why； but then noticed the bag。 〃What is that？〃
〃That is；〃 Cynthia replied； 〃the missing items。〃
〃What items？〃
〃Her clothing。〃
I watched Kent as he took this in。 He seemed almost indifferent； I thought。 He asked； 〃Where'd you find them？〃
〃On top of the female latrine shed。 Your guys missed it。〃
〃I guess they did。〃 He asked； 〃Why do you think her clothes were up there？〃
〃Who knows？〃
〃Are you through here？〃
〃For now。〃
〃What's next？〃
I replied； 〃We'll meet you at Jordan Field in about an hour。〃
〃Okay。〃 He added； 〃Colonel Moore is very upset with you。〃
〃Then he should file formal charges instead of crying on your shoulder。 Do you know the guy？〃
〃Only through Ann。〃 He looked at his watch。 〃One hour。〃
〃Right。〃
We parted； he backed toward his car on the road； we along the corduroy trail； me carrying the plastic trash bag。
Cynthia said to me； 〃You don't trust him； do you？〃
〃I did 。。。 I've known Bill Kent for over ten years。 But now 。。。 I don't know。 I don't think he's a suspect； but there's no doubt in my mind that he； like just about everybody here； is hiding something。〃
〃I know。 I get that feeling； too。 It's like we've arrived in a small town and everybody knows everybody's dirty secrets； and we know there are skeletons in the closet； but we can't find the closets。〃
〃That's about it。〃
We reached the car； and I put the bag in the trunk。
Cynthia and I got in； and she started the engine； then brushed something from my shoulder。 〃Anything broken； soldier？ Can I take you to the hospital？〃
〃No； but I need my head examined。 Psychological Operations School。〃
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
We arrived at the Psy…Ops School at about 2300 hours； and Cynthia parked near the school headquarters。 The school was made up of a cluster of about thirty concrete buildings； all of which were a uniquely depressing slate gray； the color of suicide； of Seattle。
There was not much grass； few trees； and the inadequate exterior lighting would be unacceptable in a civilian setting； but in the Army； muggings and lawsuits were not yet a problem。
Most of the buildings were dark； except for two that looked like living quarters； and in the nearby headquarters building； a single ground floor window was lit。
As we walked toward the headquarters； Cynthia asked me； 〃What exactly goes on here？〃
〃This is a submand of the JFK Special Warfare School
at Bragg。 In reality； it's not a school at all； but that's the cover。〃
〃Cover for what？〃
〃It's a research facility。 They don't teach； they learn。〃
〃What do they learn？〃
〃I think they learn what makes people tick； then they find out how to make them stop ticking without putting a bullet in them。〃 I added； 〃Most of it is experimental。〃
〃Sounds spooky。〃
〃I'm with you。 Bullets and high explosives work every time。 Screw panic and free…floating anxiety。〃
A humvee turned the corner up ahead and came toward us。 It stopped and an MP dismounted from the passenger side while the driver stayed in the vehicle； pointing his headlights at us。 The MP； a corporal named Stroud； saluted； which is customary； then asked us； 〃Do you have business here？〃
I replied； 〃Yes。 CID。〃 I held up my identification； which he examined with a flashlight； then examined Cynthia's and turned out his light。 〃Who do you have business with； sir？〃
〃The duty sergeant。 Why don't you escort us； Corporal？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 He walked with us to the headquarters and asked； 〃The Campbell murder？〃
〃I'm afraid so。〃
〃Damned shame。〃
〃Did you know her？〃 Cynthia asked。
〃Yes； ma'am。 Not well； but I'd see her here at night sometimes。 Lots of what they do here； they do at night。〃 He added； 〃Nice lady。 Got any leads？〃
I replied； 〃Not yet。〃
〃Glad to see you're working all night on this。〃
We all entered the headquarters building； where a staff sergeant was sitting in an office located to the right of the small lobby。 He saw us and stood as we entered。 After the preliminaries； I said to the duty sergeant； whose name was Corman； 〃Sergeant； I'd like to see Colonel Moore's office。〃
Sergeant Corman scratched his head and glanced at Corporal Stroud； then replied； 〃Can't do that； sir。〃
〃Sure you can。 Let's go。〃
He stood his ground。 〃I really can't without proper authorization。 This is a restricted area。〃
In the Army； you don't actually need probable cause or a search warrant； and if you did； the warrant wouldn't be issued by a military judge because they have no power outside a court…martial。 What I needed was someone in the chain of mand。 I asked Sergeant Corman； 〃Does Colonel Moore keep a personal locker in his office？〃
He hesitated； then replied； 〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Good。 Go and get me his hairbrush or b。〃
〃Sir？〃
〃He needs to b his hair。 We'll stay here and cover the phone。〃
〃Sir； this is a restricted area。 I must ask you to leave。〃 I said； 〃May I use your phone？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Privately。〃
〃I can't leave…〃
MP Corporal Stroud will stay here。 Thank you。〃
He hesitate
