demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第49部分

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lar　neighborhood　in　town。
　Bethany　Hill's　only　disadvantage　was　its　proximity　to　the　rifle　ranges；　range　number　one　being　about　five　miles　south　of　the　hill。　I　could　imagine　that　during　a　night　firing　exercise；　with　the　wind　from　the　south；　you　could　hear　the　gunfire。　But　for　some　of　the　old　infantry　types；　it　was　probably　as　soothing　as　a　lullaby。
　Cynthia　was　wearing　a　green　silk　blouse　and　a　tan　skirt；　and；　presumably；　clean　undergarments。　I　said　to　her；　〃You　look　very　nice　this　morning。〃
　〃Thank　you。　How　long　do　I　have　to　see　that　blue　suit？〃
　〃Think　of　it　as　the　duty　uniform　of　the　week。〃　I　added；　〃Your　makeup　didn't　cover　the　dark　circles　under　your　eyes；　which　are　also　bloodshot　and　puffy。〃
　〃I'll　look　fine　with　a　good　night's　sleep。　You　need　a　more　recent　birthday。〃
　〃Are　you　a　little　grumpy　this　morning？〃
　〃Yes。　Sorry。〃　She　put　her　hand　on　my　knee。　〃These　aren't　the　best　circumstances　for　us　to　renew　our　friendship。〃
　〃No。　But　we　got　real　close　there。〃
　We　found　the　house；　a　good…sized　brick　structure　with　standard　green　door；　green　trim；　and　green　shutters。　A　Ford　station　wagon　and　Jeep　Cherokee　were　parked　in　the　driveway。　American…made　vehicles　are　not　de　rigueur　for　high…ranking　officers；　but　it's　not　a　bad　idea；　either。
　We　parked　on　the　street；　got　out　of　Cynthia's　Mustang；　and　proceeded　up　the　front　walk。　It　was　still　cool　on　the　hill　at　0700　hours；　but　the　hot　sun　was　slanting　in　at　a　low　angle　under　the　trees；　and　it　felt　like　another　one　of　those　days　in　the　making。
　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Colonels　with　enough　time　in　grade　and　time　in　service　to　be　a　general；　such　as　Colonels　Fowler　and　Kent；　are　extremely　sensitive　to　career…limiting　problems。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃Every　problem　is　an　opportunity。〃
　I　said；　〃Sometimes　every　problem　is　a　problem。　Kent；　for　instance；　is　finished。〃　It　was　exactly　0700　hours　and　I　knocked　on　the　green　door。
　An　attractive　black　woman；　wearing　a　nice　aqua　summer　dress；　opened　the　door　and　forced　a　smile。　Before　I　could　announce　ourselves；　which　is　customary；　she　said；　〃Oh　。。。　Ms。　Sunhill　and　Mr。　Brenner。　Correct？〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　I　was　willing　to　forgive　her　for　recognizing　the　younger　and　obviously　lower…ranking　warrant　officer　first。　Civilians；　even　colonels'　wives；　sometimes　got　it　wrong；　and　to　be　honest；　rank　among　warrant　officers　is　like　virginity　among　prostitutes：　there　ain't　none。
　We　stood　there　awkwardly　a　moment；　then　she　showed　us　in　and　escorted　us　down　the　center　hall。
　Cynthia　said　to　her；　〃This　is　a　beautiful　home。〃
　She　replied；　〃Thank　you。〃
　Cynthia　asked　her；　〃Did　you　know　Captain　Campbell　well？〃
　〃Oh　。。。　no　。。。　not　well。〃
　Which　was　a　rather　odd　reply。　I　mean；　how　could　General　Campbell's　adjutant's　wife　not　know　General　Campbell's　daughter？　Clearly；　Mrs。　Fowler　was　distracted；　forgetting　all　sorts　of　little　social　courtesies　that　should　be　second　nature　to　a　colonel's　wife。　I　asked　her；　〃Have　you　seen　Mrs。　Campbell　since　the　tragedy？〃
　〃Mrs。　Campbell？　No　。。。　I've　been　。。。　too　upset　。。。〃
　Not　as　upset　as　the　victim's　mother；　however；　and　that　was　a　sympathy　call　that　should　have　been　made　by　now。
　I　was　about　to　ask　another　question；　but　we　reached　our　destination；　a　screened　porch　in　the　rear　of　the　house　where　Colonel　Fowler　was　speaking　on　the　telephone。　He　was　already　dressed　in　his　green　A　uniform；　his　shirt　buttoned　and　his　tie　snug；　though　his　jacket　was　draped　over　a　chair。　He　motioned　us　into　two　wicker　chairs　opposite　him　at　a　small　table；　and　we　sat。
　The　military　is　perhaps　the　last　American　bastion　of　fixed　and　clearly　defined　social　customs；　rank；　responsibilities；　and　required　courtesies；　and　in　case　you　needed　guidance；　there's　an　entire　six…hundred…page　book　for　officers；　explaining　what　your　life　is　and　should　be　about。　So　when　things　seem　a　little　askew；　you　start　wondering。
　Mrs。　Fowler　excused　herself　and　disappeared。　Colonel　Fowler　was　listening　on　the　phone；　then　said；　〃I　understand；　sir。　I'll　tell　them。〃　He　hung　up　and　looked　at　us。　〃Good　morning。〃
　〃Good　morning；　Colonel。〃
　〃Coffee？〃
　〃Please。〃
　He　poured　two　cups　of　coffee　and　indicated　the　sugar。　He　began　without　preamble；　〃I've　encountered　very　little　discrimination　in　the　Army；　and　I　can　speak　for　other　minorities　when　I　say　that　the　Army　is；　indeed；　a　place　where　race　and　religion　are　not　a　factor　in　advancement　or　in　any　other　area　of　Army　life。　There　may　be　racial　problems　among　the　enlisted　personnel；　but　there　is　no　systemic　racial　discrimination。〃
　I　wasn't　sure　where　this　was　going；　so　I　put　sugar　in　my　coffee。
　Colonel　Fowler　looked　at　Cynthia。　〃Have　you　experienced　any　discrimination　based　on　your　sex？〃
　Cynthia　hesitated；　then　replied；　〃Perhaps　。。。　yes；　on　a　few　occasions。〃
　〃Have　you　ever　been　harassed　because　of　your　gender？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Have　you　been　the　subject　of　rumors；　innuendos；　or　lies？〃
　〃Maybe　。。。　once　that　I　know　of。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　nodded。　〃So　you　see　that　I　as　a　black　man　have　had　fewer　problems　than　you　as　a　white　woman。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃I　know　that　the　Army　is　less　accepting　of　females　than　of　males。　But　so　is　the　rest　of　the　world。　What　is　the　point；　Colonel？〃
　〃The　point；　Ms。　Sunhill；　is　that　Captain　Ann　Campbell　had　a　very　difficult　time　here　at　Hadley。　If　she　had　been　the　general's　son；　for　instance；　and　had　fought　in　the　Gulf；　Panama；　or　Grenada；　she　would　have　been　idolized　by　the　troops　as　so　many　sons　of　great　warriors　have　been　throughout　history。　Instead；　the　rumor　going　around　is　that　she　fucked　for　everyone　on　post。　Excuse　my　language。〃
　I　offered；　〃And　if　Captain　Campbell　had　been　the　son　of　a　fighting　general　who　came　home　covered　with　glory　and　fucked　all　the　female　personnel　on　post；　he'd　never　have　to　buy　another　drink　in　the　O　Club。〃
　Colonel　Fowler　looked　at　me。　〃Precisely。　We　have　that　odd　double　standard　for　men　and　women　that　we　would　not　tolerate　if　it　were　racial。　So　if　you　have　some　hard　information　concerning　Captain　Campbell's　sexual　conduct；　I'd　like　to　hear　it；　though　I　don't　care　if　it's　true　or　not。〃
　I　replied；　〃I'm　not　at　liberty　to　reveal　my　sources　at　this　time。　My　only　interest　in　Captain　Campbell's　sexual　conduct　is　how　or　if　it　relates　to　her　murder。　I　have　no　prurient　interest　in　her　sex　life　as　an　entertaining　sidelight　to　her　rape　and　strangulation　out　there　on　the　rifle　range。〃　Actually；　of　course；　she　wasn't　raped；　but　I　wasn't　giving　out　free　copies　of　the　autopsy。
　Colonel　Fowler　said；　〃I'm　sure　that's　true；　Mr。　Brenner；　and　I　didn't　mean　to　question　your　professional　ethics。　But　you'd　damned　well　better　keep　that　connection　in　mind　and　not　let　your　investigation　bee　a　witch…hunt。〃
　〃Look；　Colonel；　I　appreciate　your　distress；　and　the　distress　of　the　deceased's　family。　But　we're　not　talking　about　rumor　and　innuendo；　as　you　suggested。　We're　talking　about　hard　facts　that　I　have。　Ann　Campbell　had　not　only　an　active　sex　life；　which　in　her　position　in　this　man's　Army　is　not　solely　her　business；　but　she　led　a　potentially　dangerous　sex　life。　We　can　argue　about　double　standards　all　morning；　but　when　I　hear　that　a　general's　daughter　slept　with　half　the　senior　married　officers　on　post；　I　think　of　suspects；　not　tabloid　headlines。　The　words　'slut'　and　'whore'　don't　pop　into　my　detective's　mind。　But　the　words　'blackmail'　and　'motive'　do。　Do　I　make　myself　clear；　sir？〃
　Colonel　Fowler　must　have　thought　so；　because　he　was　nodding；　or　perhaps　he　was　agreeing　with　some　thought　in　his　head。　He　said　to　me；　〃If　you　make　an　arrest；　do　I　have　your　assurances　that　only　the　minimal　amount　of　this　information　appears　in　your　report？〃
　I　had　half　a　mind　to　tell　him　about　Ann　Campbell's　hidden　store　of　sexual　delights　and　how　I　had　already　promised　myself　to　minimize　the　damage。　I　said；　〃The　evidence　in　Captain　Campbell's　house　could　have　and　should　have　been　shared　with　Chief　Yardley。　But　Ms。　Sunhill　and　I　took　a　precautionary　move　to　ensure　that　anything　in　the　house　of　an　unmarried；　attractive　female　officer　that　would　be　embarrassing　to　her　family　or　the　Army　did　not　wind　up　as　a　public　amusement。　Actions　speak　louder　than　words；　and　that's　the　only　assurance　I　can　give　you。〃
　Again；　he　nodded；　then　said　quite　unexpectedly；　〃I'm　very　pleased　with　bot