demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第44部分

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　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　experiment。　The　bastard　deserved　to　die；　but　he　should　die　for　the　right　reason。　I　asked　Kent；　〃And　where　did　your　trysts　with　the　general's　daughter　take　place？〃
　He　replied；　〃Here　and　there。　Mostly　motels　out　on　the　highway；　but　she　wasn't　shy　about　doing　it　right　here　on　post；　in　her　office；　my　office。〃
　〃And　at　her　place？〃
　〃Once　in　a　while。　I　guess　I　misled　you　about　that。　But　she　liked　to　keep　her　place　off　limits。〃
　Either　he　didn't　know　about　the　room　in　the　basement；　or　he　didn't　know　I　knew；　and　if　he　was　in　any　of　those　photos；　he　wasn't　going　to　volunteer　that　information。
　Kent　said　to　us；　〃So　if　Moore　is　the　killer；　you've　wrapped　it　up　without　too　much　damage　to　the　Army　and　to　the　people　here　at　Hadley。　But　if　Moore　is　not　the　killer；　and　you're　looking　for　new　suspects；　then　you're　going　to　have　to　start　questioning　a　lot　of　men　here　on　this　post；　Paul。　I've　e　clean；　and　you　should　make　them　e　clean；　too。　As　you　say；　this　is　homicide；　and　to　hell　with　careers；　reputations；　and　good　order　and　discipline。〃　He　added；　〃Jesus；　can　you　see　the　newspapers？　Think　about　that　story。　An　entire　general　staff　and　most　of　the　senior　officers　on　an　Army　post　corrupted　and　promised　by　a　single　female　officer。　That　will　set　things　back　a　few　decades。〃　He　added；　〃I　hope　Moore　is　the　guy；　and　that's　as　far　as　it　has　to　go。〃
　I　replied；　〃If　you're　hinting　that　Colonel　Moore　is　the　best　man　to　hang；　though　perhaps　not　the　right　man；　then　I　have　to　remind　you　of　our　oath。〃
　〃I'm　just　telling　you　both　that　you　should　not　dig　where　you　don't　have　to　dig。　And　if　Moore　is　the　guy；　don't　let　him　try　to　take　everyone　with　him。　If　he　mitted　murder；　then　everyone　else's　adulteries　and　actions　unbeing　an　officer　are　not　relevant；　and　are　not　mitigating　circumstances　for　his　crime。　That's　the　law。　Let's　take　one　court…martial　at　a　time。〃
　Kent　turned　out　to　be　not　as　dull　as　I'd　remembered　him。　It's　amazing　how　sharp　a　man　can　get　when　he's　looking　at　dishonor；　disgrace；　divorce；　and　perhaps　a　board　of　official　inquiry　into　his　behavior。　The　Army　still　prosecutes　for　wrongful　diddling；　and　Colonel　Kent　definitely　diddled　wrong。　Sometimes　I'm　awed　at　the　power　of　raw　sex；　at　how　much　people　are　willing　to　risk…their　honor；　their　fortunes；　even　their　lives…for　an　hour　between　two　thighs。　On　the　other　hand；　if　the　thighs　belonged　to　Ann　Campbell　。。。　but　that's　a　moot　issue。
　I　said　to　Kent；　〃Indeed；　T　appreciate　your　honesty；　Colonel。　When　one　man　es　forth　and　tells　the　truth；　others　will　do　the　same。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　Kent　replied；　〃but　I　would　appreciate　it　if　you　kept　my　name　out　of　it。〃
　〃I　will；　but　it　doesn't　matter　in　the　long　run。〃
　〃No；　it　doesn't。　I'm　finished。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I　knew　that　two　years　ago　when　I　first　got　involved　with　her。〃　He　added；　almost　light…heartedly；　〃She　must　have　kept　some　sort　of　service　schedule；　because　just　when　I　thought　I　could　make　myself　believe　I'd　never　slept　with　her；　she'd　stop　by　my　office　and　ask　me　to　have　drinks　with　her。〃
　Cynthia　inquired；　〃Didn't　you　ever　think　to　say　no？〃
　Kent　smiled　at　Cynthia。　〃Did　you　ever　ask　a　man　to　have　sex　with　you；　and　the　guy　said　no？〃
　Cynthia　seemed　a　bit　put　off　by　that　and　replied；　〃I　don't　ask　men。〃
　〃Well；〃　Kent　advised　her；　〃try　it。　Pick　any　married　man　and　ask　him　to　have　sex　with　you。〃
　〃The　subject；〃　said　Cynthia；　very　coolly；　〃is　not　me；　Colonel。〃
　〃All　right；　I　apologize。　But　to　answer　your　question；　Ann　Campbell　would　not　take　no　for　an　answer。　I'm　not　saying　she　blackmailed　anyone。　She　never　did；　but　there　was　an　element　of　coercion　sometimes。　Also；　she　expected　expensive　gifts…perfume；　clothes；　airline　tickets；　and　so　forth。　And　here's　the　crazy　thing…she　really　didn't　care　about　the　gifts。　She　just　wanted　me；　and　I　guess　everyone　else；　to　feel　the　pinch　once　in　a　while；　to　part　with　more　than　a　little　time。　It　was　sort　of　a　control　thing　with　her。〃　He　added；　〃I　remember　once　she　asked　me　to　bring　her　a　bottle　of　some　expensive　perfume。　Can't　remember　what　it　was；　but　it　set　me　back　about　four　hundred　dollars；　and　I　had　to　cover　that　at　home　with　a　loan　from　the　credit　union；　and　eat　lunch　in　the　damned　mess　hall　for　a　month。〃　He　laughed　at　the　thought；　then　said；　〃My　God。；　I'm　glad　it's　all　over。〃
　〃Well；　but　it's　not；〃　I　reminded　him。
　〃It　is　for　me。〃
　〃I　hope　so；　Bill。〃　I　asked　him；　〃Did　she　ever　ask　you　to　promise　your　duties？〃
　He　hesitated；　then　replied；　〃Just　small　things。　Traffic　tickets　for　friends；　a　speeding　citation　for　her　once。　Nothing　major。〃
　〃I　beg　to　differ；　Colonel。〃
　He　nodded。　〃I　have　no　excuses　for　my　conduct。〃
　That's　exactly　what　he　was　going　to　say　in　front　of　a　board　of　inquiry；　and　that　was　the　best　and　only　thing　he　could　say。　I　wondered　how　she　promised　the　other　men；　besides　sexually。　A　favor　here；　a　special　consideration　there；　and　who　knew　what　else　she　wanted　and　got？　In　my　twenty　years　in　the　service；　including　fifteen　in　the　Criminal　Investigation　Division；　I　had　never　seen　or　heard　of　such　rampant　corruption　on　an　Army　base。
　Cynthia　asked　Kent；　〃And　the　general　could　neither　stop　her　nor　get　rid　of　her？〃
　〃No。　Not　without　exposing　himself　as　an　ineffective　and　negligent　mander。　By　the　time　he　realized　his　recruiting　poster　daughter　had　screwed　and　promised　everyone　around　him；　it　was　too　late　for　official　action。　The　only　way　he　could　have　righted　things　was　to　inform　his　superiors　in　the　Pentagon　of　everything；　ask　for　everyone's　resignation　here；　then　offer　his　own　resignation。〃　Kent　added；　〃He　couldn't　have　gone　too　wrong　if　he　just　shot　himself。〃
　〃Or　killed　her；〃　Cynthia　suggested。
　Again；　Kent　shrugged。　〃Maybe。　But　not　the　way　she　was　killed。〃
　〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃if　we　didn't　already　have　a　prime　suspect；　you'd　be　one　of　many；　Colonel。〃
　〃Right。　But　I　didn't　get　burned　as　badly　as　some　of　the　others。　Some　of　them　were　actually　in　love　with　her；　obsessed；　and　maybe　homicidally　jealous。　Like　that　young　kid；　Elby。　He　used　to　mope　for　weeks　when　she　ignored　him。　Interrogate　Moore；　and　if　you　think　he　didn't　kill　her；　then　ask　him　for　his　list　of　suspects。　That　bastard　knew　everything　about　her；　and　if　he　tells　you　it　is　privileged　information；　let　me　know　and　I'll　put　a　pistol　in　his　mouth　and　tell　him　he　can　take　the　information　to　the　grave　with　him。〃
　〃I　might　be　a　little　more　subtle。〃　I　informed　him；　〃I'm　trying　to　get　Moore's　office　padlocked　until　I　can　get　clearance　to　bring　it　here。〃
　〃You　should　just　put　the　damn　cuffs　on　him。〃　Kent　looked　at　me　and　said；　〃Anyway；　you　see　why　I　didn't　want　the　local　CID　guys　in　on　this。〃
　〃I　guess　I　do　now。　Were　any　of　them　involved　with　her？〃　He　pondered　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃The　CID　mander；　Major　Bowes。〃
　〃Are　you　certain　of　that？〃
　〃Ask　him。　He's　one　of　your　people。〃
　〃Do　you　and　Bowes　get　along？〃
　〃We　try。〃
　〃What's　the　problem？〃
　〃We　have　jurisdictional　problems。　Why　do　you　ask？〃
　〃Jurisdictional　meaning　criminal　activity；　or　meaning　something　else？〃
　He　looked　at　me；　then　replied；　〃Well　。。。　Major　Bowes　had　bee　possessive。〃
　〃He　didn't　like　to　share。〃
　Kent　nodded。　〃A　few　of　her　boyfriends　got　that　way。　That　was　when　she　dumped　them。〃　He　added；　〃Married　men　are　real　pigs。〃　He　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Don't　trust　anyone　on　this　post；　Paul。〃
　〃Including　you？〃
　〃Including　me。〃　Kent　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Is　that　it？　Did　you　want　to　see　me　for　something　in　particular？〃
　〃Well；　whatever　it　was；　it's　not　real　important　now。〃
　〃Right。　I'm　going　home。　You　can　reach　me　there　until　0700；　then　I'll　be　in　my　office。　Where　can　I　find　you　tonight　if　something　es　up？〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃We're　both　in　the　VOQ。〃
　〃All　right。　Well；　my　wife's　probably　been　trying　to　call　me　from　Ohio。　She'll　start　thinking　I'm　having　an　affair。　Good　evening。〃　He　turned　and　left；　making　the　long　walk　with　a　lot　less　spring　in　his　step　than　when　he'd　entered。
　Cynthia　mented；　〃I　can't　believe　this。　Did　he　just　tell　us　that　Ann　Campbell　slept　with　most　of　the　senior　officers　on　post？〃
　〃Yes；　he　did。　Now　we　know　who　t