demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第58部分

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nts；　and　such；　and　even　personal　advice　regarding　living　quarters；　vacations；　and　so　forth。　But　the　problems　with　her　family　were　only　discussed　in　therapy　sessions…these　were　partmentalized　discussions　that　never　spilled　over　into　work　or　leisure　time。　This　was　our　firm　understanding　and　we　never　deviated　from　it。　Medical　doctors；　for　instance；　don't　appreciate　friends　asking　them　for　a　diagnosis　on　the　golf　course；　and　attorneys　have　similar　rules　about　legal　advice　in　bars。　Mental　health　workers　are　no　different。〃
　Cynthia　replied；　〃Thank　you　for　that　information；　Colonel。　I　see　you've　thought　about　it。　Am　I　to　assume；　then；　that　the　deceased　never　had　the　opportunity　to　arrange　a　formal　session　with　you　to　discuss　this　ultimatum　and　deadline？〃
　〃That's　correct。〃
　〃So；　after　all　these　years；　when　this　heartache；　misery；　and　anger　are　about　to　e　to　a　head；　one　or　both　of　you　was　too　busy　to　talk　about　it。〃
　〃It　was　Ann　herself　who　decided　not　to　discuss　it　with　me。　We　did；　however；　decide　to　meet　after　she'd　spoken　to　her　father。　In　fact；　we　were　to　meet　yesterday　afternoon。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃I　don't　believe　you；　Colonel。　I　think　there　is　a　connection　between　the　general's　ultimatum　and　what　happened　to　her；　and　you　know　what　that　connection　is。〃
　Colonel　Moore　stood。　〃I　will　not　be　called　a　liar。〃　Cynthia　stood　also　and　they　glared　at　each　other。　Cynthia　said；　〃We　already　know　you're　a　liar。〃
　Which　was　true。　We　knew　that　Moore　had　been　on　rifle　range　six　with　Ann　Campbell；　and　I　think　Moore　now　realized　we　knew　this。　How　else　could　we　get　away　with　abusing　a　full　colonel？　But　we　were　about　half　a　step　over　the　threshold　now；　and　that　was　far　enough。　I　stood　also。　〃Thank　you　for　your　time；　Colonel。　Don't　bother　to　plain　to　Colonel　Kent　about　us。　One　all…inclusive　plaint　is　good　enough　for　a　week　or　so。〃　I　added；　〃I'm　posting　an　MP　at　your　door；　sir；　and　if　you　attempt　to　shred　any　papers　or　carry　anything　out　of　here　with　you；　you'll　be　placed　under　restraint　and　confined　to　post。〃
　The　man　was　shaking　now；　but　I　couldn't　tell　if　it　was　from　fright　or　rage；　and　I　didn't　care。　He　said；　〃I'm　going　to　bring　formal　charges　against　both　of　you。〃
　〃I　really　wouldn't　do　that　if　I　were　you。　We　are　your　last　best　hope　to　avoid　a　noose…or　is　it　a　firing　squad？　I　have　to　check。　They　just　don't　execute　enough　people　for　me　to　remember　how　they　do　it。　But　anyway；　don't　piss　me　off。　You　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　Good　day；　Colonel。〃
　And　we　left　him　standing　there；　contemplating　his　options；　which　definitely　didn't　include　pissing　me　off。
　
　CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE
　
　Cynthia　parked　in　the　provost　marshal's　parking　field　a　few　spaces　away　from　my　Blazer。　As　we　started　toward　the　provost　building；　we　saw　three　news　vans　and　a　group　of　people　outside　who　were　obviously　journalists。　They　saw　us　ing；　and　we　must　have　fit　someone's　description　of　the　detectives　in　charge；　because　they　moved　toward　us　like　a　cloud　of　locusts。　As　I　said；　Hadley　is　an　open　post；　so　you　can't　keep　the　taxpaying　citizens　out；　and　you　normally　don't　want　to；　but　I　didn't　need　this。
　The　first　reporter　to　reach　us；　a　well…dressed　young　man　with　coiffed　hair；　had　a　microphone；　and　the　grubbier　ones　around　him　had　pencils　and　pads。　I　was　aware　of　cameras　turned　on　us。　The　coiffed　one　asked　me；　〃Are　you　Warrant　Officer　Brenner？〃　then　put　the　microphone　under　my　nose。
　〃No；　sir；〃　I　replied；　〃I'm　here　to　service　the　Coke　machine。〃　We　kept　walking；　but　this　great　cloud　engulfed　us　as　we　continued　toward　the　front　doors。
　A　female　reporter　asked　Cynthia；　〃Are　you　Warrant　Officer　Sunhill？〃
　〃No；　ma'am；　I'm　with　the　Coke　guy。〃
　But　they　weren't　buying　it；　and　the　questions　rained　out　of　this　cloud　until　we　finally　got　to　the　steps　of　the　provost　building；　where　two　huge　MPs　stood　guard　with　M…16　rifles。　I　climbed　the　steps　and　turned　to　the　crowd；　who　could　go　no　further；　and　said；　〃Good　morning。〃
　The　crowd　of　journalists　became　quiet；　and　I　saw　now　three　TV　cameras　and　about　a　dozen　photographers　snapping　away。　I　said；　〃The　investigation　into　the　death　of　Captain　Ann　Campbell　is　continuing。　We　have　several　leads；　but　no　suspects。　However；　all　the　available　resources　of　Fort　Hadley；　the　Army　Criminal　Investigation　Division；　and　the　local　civilian　police　have　been　mobilized；　and　we　are　working　on　the　case　in　close　cooperation。　We　will　schedule　a　news　conference　in　the　near　future。〃　Bullshit。
　Boom！　The　storm　of　questions　broke；　and　I　could　hear　a　few　of　them：　〃Wasn't　she　raped；　too？〃　〃Was　she　found　tied　up　and　naked？〃　〃Was　she　strangled？〃　〃Who　do　you　think　did　it？〃　〃Isn't　this　the　second　rape　here　within　a　week？〃　And　interestingly；　〃Have　you　questioned　her　boyfriend；　the　chief　of　police's　son？〃　and　so　on。
　I　replied；　〃All　your　questions　will　be　answered　at　the　news　conference。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　went　inside　the　building；　where　we　bumped　into　Colonel　Kent；　who　looked　unhappy　and　agitated。　He　said；　〃I　can't　get　them　to　leave。〃
　〃No；　you　can't。　That's　what　I　love　about　this　country。〃
　〃But　they're　confined　to　main　post；　but　that　includes　Beaumont　House；　and　I　had　to　put　a　dozen　MPs　there。　They　can't　go　out　to　the　rifle　ranges　or　Jordan　Field…I　have　MPs　on　the　road。　But　they're　snooping　around　all　over　the　damn　place。〃
　〃Maybe　they'll　have　better　luck　than　we　did。〃
　〃I　don't　like　this。〃　He　asked　me；　〃Anything　new？〃
　〃We　spoke　to　Colonel　Fowler　and　Colonel　Moore。　I'd　like　you　to　send　two　MPs　to　Colonel　Moore's　office；　ASAP；　and　baby…sit　him。　He　may　not　use　his　shredder；　and　he　may　not　take　anything　from　his　office。〃
　〃Okay。　I'll　get　on　that。〃　He　asked；　〃Are　you　going　to　arrest　Moore？〃
　I　replied；　〃We're　still　trying　to　get　a　psychological　autopsy　of　the　deceased　from　him。〃
　〃Who　cares？〃
　〃Well；〃　I　replied；　〃Ms。　Sunhill　and　I　do。〃
　〃Why？　What　does　that　have　to　do　with　Colonel　Moore？〃
　〃Well；　the　more　I　learn；　the　less　motivation　I　can　find　for　Colonel　Moore　to　kill　his　subordinate。　On　the　other　hand；　I　see　that　other　people　could　have　strong　motives。〃
　Kent　looked　exasperated；　and　he　said；　〃Paul；　I　understand　what　you're　doing　up　to　a　point；　and　so　will　everyone　else。　But　you've　passed　that　point；　and　if　you　don't　arrest　Moore　now　and　he　turns　out　to　be　the　killer；　and　the　FBI　arrests　him；　then　you　look　really　stupid。〃
　〃I　know　that；　Bill。　But　if　I　do　arrest　him　and　he's　not　the　killer；　I　look　worse　than　stupid。〃
　〃Show　some　balls。〃
　〃Fuck　you。〃
　〃Hey！　You're　speaking　to　a　superior　officer。〃
　〃Fuck　you；　sir。〃　I　turned　and　walked　down　the　hall　toward　our　office。　Cynthia　followed；　but　Kent　did　not。
　In　our　office；　we　were　greeted　by　a　stack　of　white　telephone　messages；　a　pile　of　reports　from　forensic　and　the　coroner；　and　other　pieces　of　paper　that　appeared　to　be　〃read　and　initial〃　internal　memos；　half　of　which　didn't　concern　me。　The　Army　could　screw　up　your　pay　records；　send　your　furniture　to　Alaska　and　your　family　to　Japan；　and　lose　all　track　of　your　leave　time…but　if　you　reported　into　someplace　on　temporary　duty；　you　immediately　got　on　the　distribution　list　for　bullshit　memos　even　if　you　were　working　undercover　with　an　assumed　identity　in　a　borrowed　office。
　Cynthia　mented；　〃That　wasn't　a　smart　thing　to　do。〃
　〃You　mean　him　telling　me　to　show　some　balls？　No；　it　wasn't。〃
　〃Well；　that　wasn't　smart　of　him；　either。　But　I　mean　you　telling　him；　quote；　fuck　you；　unquote。〃
　〃No　problem。〃　I　leafed　through　the　stack　of　telephone　messages。
　Cynthia　stayed　silent　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Well；　but　he　did　do　something　wrong；　didn't　he？〃
　〃You　got　that　right。　And　he　knows　it。〃
　〃Still　。。。　you　don't　have　to　rub　his　face　in　it。　If　nothing　else；　we　need　him　even　if　he　is　damaged　goods。〃
　I　looked　up　from　the　phone　messages　and　said；　〃I　don't　have　a　lot　of　passion　for　an　officer　who　breaks　a　trust。〃
　〃Except　if　her　name　is　Ann　Campbell。〃
　I　refused　to　respond　to　that。
　〃Anyway；　how　about　some　coffee　and　donuts？〃
　〃Sounds　good。〃
　Cynthia　pushed　the　inter　button　and　asked　for　Specialist　Baker　to　report。
　I　sat　down　and　opened　Ann　Campbell's　medical　file；　which　was　exceedingly　thin　for　her　years　in　service；　leading　me　to　believe　that　she　used　civilian　doctors。　There　was；　however；　a　gynecological　report　dating