demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第43部分
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ial and professional restraints； but you're not。 Your duty is to answer my questions。〃
Kent did not seem happy； but at the same time； he seemed relieved to be told in no uncertain terms that he had to unburden himself。 He walked off toward the center of the hangar； and we followed him。 He said； 〃Okay。 General Campbell disapproved of his daughter's choice of military occupation specialty； her choice of men； her decision to live off post； her associations with people like Charles Moore； and probably a half dozen other things that I'm not privy to。〃
Cynthia asked； 〃Wasn't he proud of her？〃
〃I don't think so。〃
〃The Army was proud of her；〃 Cynthia pointed out。
Kent replied； 〃The Army had about as much choice in the matter as General Campbell did。 Ann Campbell had one hand on her father's balls and the other on the Army's balls； to be quite blunt。〃
Cynthia asked him； 〃What does that mean？〃
〃That means that； as a woman； a general's daughter； a West Pointer； and a nearly public figure； she got away with a lot。 She wangled her way into that recruiting stuff before her father knew what was happening； and all of a sudden she's got the power of public notoriety； doing radio and TV； and addressing colleges and women's groups； pushing an Army career for women and all that。 Everyone loved her。 But she didn't give a damn about the Army。 She just wanted to bee untouchable。〃
Cynthia asked him； 〃Why？〃
〃Well； as much as the general disapproved of her； she hated his guts ten times more。 She did everything she could to personally embarrass him； and there wasn't much he could do to her without screwing up his own career。〃
〃My goodness；〃 I said； 〃that's interesting information。 You must have forgotten to tell us that as you were agonizing over how to break the news to the general。〃
Kent glanced around him； then said in a soft voice； 〃That's between us。 Officially； they loved each other。〃 He hesitated； then said； 〃To tell you the truth； General Campbell may have disapproved of this or that； but he didn't hate her。〃 He added； 〃Look； this is all hearsay； but I'm passing it on to you in confidence； so you know what the hell is going on here。 You didn't hear it from me； but you can follow up on it。〃
I nodded； 〃Thanks； Bill。 Anything else？〃
〃No。〃
But of course there was。 〃Who；〃 I asked； 〃were these men that the general disapproved of； aside from Colonel Moore？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Was Wes Yardley one of them？〃
He looked at me a long time； then nodded。 〃I think so。〃
〃Was Wes Yardley the man she had an altercation with in Midland？〃
〃Possibly。〃
〃Why did she want to embarrass her father？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Why did she hate his guts？〃
〃If you find out； let me know。 But whatever the reason was； it was one hell of a big one。〃
〃What was her relationship with her mother？〃
Kent replied； 〃Strained。 Mrs。 Campbell was torn between being the general's lady and being the mother of a very independent woman。〃
〃In other words；〃 I said； 〃Mrs。 Campbell is a doormat； and Ann Campbell tried to raise her consciousness。〃
〃Something like that。 But it was a little more plex。〃
〃How so？〃
〃You should speak with Mrs。 Campbell。〃
〃I intend to。〃 I said to him； 〃Tell me again that you never went。 to Ann Campbell's house； so I can explain in my report why your fingerprints were found on a bottle of her liquor。〃
〃I told you； Brenner； I touched a few of the things。〃
〃The liquor was sealed in a box by your MPs and not opened until about an hour ago。〃
〃You can't pull that crap with me； Paul。 I'm a cop； too。 If you have evidence； let's talk to Seiver and he can show it to me。〃
〃Look； Bill； let's clear the air here so we can get onto more important things； like Colonel Moore。 Here's the question； and remember that you have a duty to answer truthfully； and if that doesn't impress you； remember that I may discover the truth myself。 Okay？ Here's the big question…were you fucking her？〃
〃Yes。〃
No one spoke for a few long seconds； and I noticed that Kent seemed rather at ease with his confession。 I didn't remind him that he had said he would have told me that from minute one； because it was better if we all made believe this was minute one and that previous statements contained no lies。
Finally； Cynthia said； 〃Is that one of the ways that Ann Campbell tried to embarrass her father？〃
Kent nodded。 〃Yeah 。。。 I never took it for anything more than that。 The general knows…she made sure he did。 But my wife doesn't； obviously。 That's why I held back on that。〃
My goodness； I thought； the things people will tell you at midnight； under stress； trying to put their lives in order because another life just ended； and trying to save whatever they can of their career and marriage。 Obviously； Colonel William Kent needed our help。 I said to him； 〃We'll try to leave that out of the report。〃
He nodded。 〃Thanks。 But with Ann gone； the general has a clear field to settle some scores。 I'll be given the opportunity to resign for the good of the service。 I might be able to save my marriage。〃
Cynthia said； 〃We'll do what we can。〃
〃Appreciate it。〃
I asked him； 〃What other scores would the general like to settle？〃
Kent smiled grimly。 〃Christ； she fucked for the general's entire male staff。〃
〃What？〃
〃Everybody。 Well； at least most of them。 Everyone from that young lieutenant； Elby； his aide…de…camp； right up the chain through most of his immediate staff； plus the staff judge advocate； and people like me in key positions。〃
〃My God 。。。〃 said Cynthia； 〃are you serious？〃
〃I'm afraid I am。〃
〃But why？〃
〃I told you。 She hated her father。〃
〃Well；〃 Cynthia said； 〃she didn't think much of herself； either。〃
〃No； she didn't。 And if I'm any indication； then the men who slept with her didn't think much of themselves afterward。〃 He added； 〃It wasn't easy to turn that down。〃 He looked at me and tried to smile。 〃Can you relate to that； Mr。 Brenner？〃
I felt a bit unfortable with the question； but answered truthfully。 〃Yes； I understand。 But I'm not married； and I don't work for General Campbell。〃
He smiled wider。 〃Then you wouldn't have been one of her candidates； so you'd never be put to the test。〃
〃Well 。。。〃
He added； 〃If you had no power； you got no pussy。〃 Cynthia interjected； 〃And she told you…told everyone…who she slept with？〃
〃I assume she did。 I think that was part of the program； to spread corruption； mistrust； fear； anxiety； and so forth。 But I think she lied sometimes about who she'd serviced。〃
〃So； for instance；〃 I asked； 〃you can't say for sure if she had slept with the post chaplain； Major Eames； or the post adjutant； Colonel Fowler？〃
〃Not for sure。 She claimed she'd seduced both of those two； for example； but I think at least Colonel Fowler was not taken in by her。 Fowler once told me that he knew all about this and that I was part of the problem。 I think he meant that he wasn't。 He was the only one the general trusted pletely； and probably for that reason。〃
I nodded。 I could see Fowler telling Ann Campbell something like 〃Don't try that with me； young lady。 I don't need you。〃
Cynthia said to Kent； 〃This is bizarre 。。。 I mean； it's sick。〃
Kent nodded。 〃Well； regarding that； Ann once told me she was conducting a field experiment in psychological warfare； and the enemy was Daddy。〃 He laughed； but it was not a happy laugh。 He said； 〃She hated him。 I mean from the bottom of her guts and with all her heart。 She couldn't destroy him； but she was doing a hell of a job hurting him。〃
Again； no one spoke for some time； then Cynthia said； as if to herself； 〃But why？〃
〃She never told me；〃 Kent replied。 〃I don't think she ever told anyone。 She knew； he knew； and maybe Mrs。 Campbell knew。 This was not a real happy family。〃
〃And maybe；〃 I said； 〃Charles Moore knew。〃
〃No doubt about it。 But maybe we will never know。 I'll tell you one thing I believe。 Moore was the force behind this。 Moore told her how she could get back at her father for whatever it was he did to her。〃
Which； I thought； was probably true。 But that didn't establish a motive for him to kill her。 Quite the opposite。 She was his protégé； his shield against the general's wrath； his most successful e
