demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第6部分

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mally　have　done　to　the　throat　and　neck。
　I　stood　and　walked　around　the　body；　noting　that　the　soles　of　her　feet　were　stained　with　grass　and　soil；　meaning　she　had　walked　barefoot　for　at　least　a　few　steps。　I　leaned　down　and　examined　the　bottom　of　her　feet；　discovering　on　her　right　foot　a　small　tar　or　blacktop　stain　on　the　soft　fleshy　spot　below　her　big　toe。　It　would　appear　that　she　had　actually　been　barefoot　back　on　the　road；　which　might　mean　she　had　taken　off　her　clothes；　or　at　least　her　boots　and　socks；　near　the　humvee　and　was　made　to　walk　here；　fifty　meters　away；　barefoot　or　perhaps　naked；　though　her　bra　and　panties　were　near　the　body。　I　examined　her　bra　and　saw　that　the　front　clasp　was　intact；　not　bent　or　broken；　and　there　were　no　signs　of　dirt　or　stress　on　the　fabric。
　All　this　time　no　one　said　a　word；　and　you　could　hear　the　morning　birds　in　the　trees；　and　the　sun　had　risen　above　the　line　of　white　pines　beyond　the　berm；　and　long　morning　shadows　spread　across　the　firing　ranges。
　I　addressed　Colonel　Kent。　〃Who　was　the　first　MP　on　the　scene？〃
　Kent　called　over　the　female　MP　nearby；　a　young　PFC；　and　said　to　her；　〃Give　your　report　to　this　man。〃
　The　MP；　whose　name　tag　said　Casey；　looked　at　me　and　reported；　〃I　received　a　radio　call　at　0452　hours　advising　me　that　a　female　body　had　been　found　at　rifle　range　six；　approximately　fifty　meters　west　of　a　humvee　parked　on　the　road。　I　was　in　the　vicinity　and　I　proceeded　to　this　location　and　reached　the　scene　at　0501　hours　and　saw　the　humvee。　I　parked　and　secured　my　vehicle；　took　my　M…16；　and　proceeded　onto　the　rifle　range；　where　I　located　the　body。　I　felt　for　a　pulse；　listened　for　a　heartbeat；　tried　to　detect　breathing；　and　shined　my　flashlight　into　the　victim's　eyes；　but　they　did　not　respond　to　the　light。　I　determined　that　the　victim　was　dead。〃
　I　asked　her；　〃Then　what　did　you　do？〃
　〃I　returned　to　my　vehicle　and　called　for　assistance。〃
　〃You　followed　the　same　path　to　and　from　the　body？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Did　you　touch　anything　except　the　body？　The　ropes；　the　tent　pegs；　the　undergarments？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Did　you　touch　the　victim's　vehicle？〃
　〃No；　sir。　I　did　not　touch　the　evidence　beyond　determining　that　the　victim　was　dead。〃
　〃Anything　else　you　want　to　mention？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　PFC　Casey　saluted；　turned；　and　resumed　her　position。
　Kent；　Cynthia；　and　I　glanced　at　one　another；　as　if　trying　to　see　what　the　others　were　thinking；　or　feeling。　Truly；　moments　like　this　try　the　soul　and　bee　indelibly　burned　into　the　mind。　I　have　never　forgotten　a　death　scene；　and　never　want　to。
　I　looked　down　at　Ann　Campbell's　face　for　a　full　minute；　knowing　I　would　not　see　it　again。　This　is　important；　I　think；　because　it　establishes　a　munion　between　the　living　and　the　dead；　between　the　investigator　and　the　victim。　Somehow　it　helps…not　her；　but　me。
　We　went　back　to　the　road　and　walked　around　the　humvee　that　Ann　Campbell　had　driven；　then　looked　inside　the　driver's　side　window；　which　was　open。　Many　military　vehicles　have　no　ignition　keys；　only　a　starter　button　switch；　and　the　switch　on　the　humvee　was　in　the　off　position。　On　the　front　passenger　seat　was　a　black　leather　nonmilitary…issue　handbag。　Cynthia　said　to　me；　〃I　would　have　gone　through　the　bag；　but　I　didn't　want　to　do　that　without　your　permission。〃
　〃We're　off　to　a　good　start。　Retrieve　the　handbag。〃
　She　went　around　to　the　passenger　side；　and；　using　a　handkerchief；　opened　the　door；　took　out　the　bag　with　the　handkerchief；　then　sat　on　the　lower　bench　of　the　bleachers　and　began　laying　out　the　contents。
　I　got　down　on　the　road　and　slid　under　the　humvee；　but　there　was　nothing　unusual　on　the　blacktop。　I　touched　the　exhaust　system　at　various　points　and　found　it　slightly　warm　in　spots。
　I　stood；　and　Colonel　Kent　said　to　me；　〃Any　ideas？〃
　〃Well；　a　few　possible　scenarios　e　to　mind。　But　I　have　to　wait　until　forensic　gets　finished。　I　assume　you　called　them。〃
　〃Of　course。　They're　on　their　way　from　Gillem。〃
　〃Good。〃　Fort　Gillem　is　outside　Atlanta；　about　two　hundred　miles　north　of　Hadley；　and　the　CID　lab　there　is　a　state…of…the…art　operation　that　handles　all　of　North　America。　The　people　who　work　there　are　good；　and　like　me　they　go　where　they're　needed。　Major　crimes　are　still　relatively　rare　in　the　Army；　so　the　lab　can　usually　muster　the　resources　it　needs　when　a　big　one　es　down。　In　this　case；　they'd　probably　show　up　with　a　caravan。　I　said　to　Colonel　Kent；　〃When　they　get　here；　tell　them　to　be　very　curious　about　a　black　smudge　on　the　sole　of　her　right　foot。　I　want　to　know　what　it　is。〃
　Kent　nodded；　probably　thinking　to　himself；　Typical　CID　bullshit。　And　he　might　well　have　been　right。
　〃Also；　I　want　you　to　do　a　grid　search。　Let's　say　two　hundred　meters　in　each　direction　from　the　body；　excluding　an　area　fifty　meters　immediately　around　the　body。〃　This　would　mess　up　any　footprints；　but　there　were　hundreds　of　bootprints　in　the　area　of　the　rifle　range　anyway；　and　the　only　ones　I　was　interested　in　were　those　within　fifty　meters　of　the　body。　I　said　to　Kent；　〃I　want　your　people　to　gather　up　anything　that　isn't　natural　flora…cigarette　butts；　buttons；　paper；　bottles；　and　all　that；　and　record　the　grid　where　they　found　it。　All　right？〃
　〃No　problem。　But　I　think　this　guy　got　in　and　got　out　clean。　Probably　by　vehicle；　just　like　the　victim。〃
　〃I　think　you're　right；　but　we're　creating　files。〃
　〃We're　covering　our　asses。〃
　〃Right。　We　go　by　the　book。〃　Which　was　safe　and　sometimes　even　effective。　Bottom　line　on　this　one；　though；　I　was　going　to　have　to　get　real　creative；　and　I　was　going　to　piss　off　a　lot　of　important　people。　That's　the　fun　part。
　I　said　to　Kent；　〃I　need　Captain　Campbell's　personnel　and　medical　files　sealed　and　in　your　office　before　noon。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　〃And　I　need　an　office　at　your　place；　and　a　clerk。〃
　〃One　desk　or　two？〃
　I　glanced　at　Cynthia。　〃I　guess　two　desks。　But　I'm　not　mitting　to　this　yet。〃
　〃Don't　blow　smoke　up　my　ass；　Paul。　You　in　or　not？〃
　〃I'll　see　what　they　say　at　Falls　Church。　Okay；　delay　notifying　the　public　information　officer　until　about　ten　hundred　hours。　Send　two　guys　to　Captain　Campbell's　office　and　physically　remove　her　desk；　furniture；　and　all　her　personal　possessions；　and　have　everything　locked　up　in　your　evidence　room。　And　have　Sergeant　St。　John　and　PFC　Robbins　remain　in　the　provost　marshal's　office　until　I　can　see　them。　I　don't　want　anyone　speaking　a　word　of　this　until　they've　spoken　to　me。　And　it　is　your　unpleasant　duty；　Colonel；　to　pay　an　official　call　on　General　and　Mrs。　Campbell　at　their　home。　Go　unannounced　and　with　an　appropriate　chaplain　and　a　medical　officer　in　case　anyone　needs　a　sedative　or　something。　They　may　not　view　the　body　at　the　scene。　Okay？〃
　Kent　nodded　and　let　out　a　long　breath。　〃Jesus　Christ　。。。〃
　〃Amen。　Meanwhile；　instruct　your　people　not　to　say　a　word　about　what　we　found　here；　and　give　forensic　a　set　of　disqualifying　fingerprints　from　PFC　Casey；　and　disqualifying　bootprints　from　everyone　here　at　the　scene；　including　yourself；　of　course。〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Also；　tape　off　the　latrine　sheds　and　don't　let　anyone　use　them。　Also；　the　latrines　are　off　limits　to　forensic　until　I　have　a　chance　to　check　them　out。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　I　walked　over　to　Cynthia；　who　was　now　putting　everything　back　in　the　handbag；　still　using　a　handkerchief。　〃Anything　interesting？〃
　〃No。　Basic　stuff。　Wallet；　money；　keys；　and　everything　appears　intact。　Here's　a　chit　from　the　O　Club。　She　had　dinner　last　night。　Salad；　chicken；　white　wine；　and　coffee。〃　She　added；　〃She　was　probably　there　in　the　dining　room　about　the　same　time　we　were　having　a　drink。〃
　Kent　had　joined　us　and　he　asked；　〃You　two　had　drinks　together？　You　know　each　other？〃
　I　replied；　〃We　had　drinks　separately。　We　are　nodding　acquaintances。〃　I　asked　Cynthia；　〃Campbell's　address？〃
　〃Off　post；　unfortunately。　Victory　Gardens　on　Victory　Drive　in　Midland。　Unit　forty…five。〃　She　added；　〃I　think　I　know　the　place…a　town…house　plex。〃
　Kent　said；　〃I'll　call　Chief　Yardley…that's　the　Midland　police　chief；　and　he'll　get　a　court　order　and　he　can　meet　us　there。〃
　〃No。　We'll　keep　this　in　the　family；　Bill。〃
　〃You　can't　go　search　her　off…post　house　without　a　civilian　search　warrant…〃
　Cynthia　handed　me　the　keys　from　Ann　Campbell's　bag　and　said；　〃