demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第63部分

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udge　advocate　general；　or　better　yet；　fly　to　Washington　and　ask　to　be　relieved　of　your　mand。　Draw　up　a　charge　sheet　on　yourself　or　something。　Meanwhile；　turn　this　over　to　someone　who　kept　his　dick　in　his　pants。　No；　better　yet；　who's　the　ranking　woman　on　your　staff？〃
　〃Uh　。。。　Major　Goodwin　。。。〃
　〃She's　in　charge　of　the　Campbell　case。〃
　〃You　can't　give　me　orders…〃
　〃Colonel；　if　they　could　bust　officers；　you'd　be　a　PFC　tomorrow。　In　any　case；　by　next　month　you'll　be　looking　for　a　job　in　a　small　firm；　or　you'll　be　the　attorney…in…resident　at　Leavenworth。　Don't　stonewall　this。　Cut　a　deal　while　you　can。　You　may　be　called　as　a　witness。〃
　〃To　what？〃
　〃I'll　think　about　it。　Have　a　good　day。〃　I　hung　up。
　Cynthia　put　down　the　phone　and　inquired；　〃Have　you　caused　enough　misery　for　one　day？〃
　〃I　told　them　to　have　a　good　day。〃
　〃Paul；　you're　going　a　little　overboard。　I　realize　you　hold　most　of　the　cards…〃
　〃I　have　this　post　by　its　collective　balls。〃
　〃Right。　But　you're　exceeding　your　authority。〃
　〃But　not　my　power。〃
　〃Take　it　easy。　It's　not　personal。〃
　〃Okay　。。。　I'm　just　angry。　I　mean；　what　the　hell　is　the　officer　code　about？　We've　sworn　to　do　our　duty；　to　uphold　high　standards　of　morality；　integrity；　and　ethics；　and　we've　agreed　that　our　word　is　our　bond。　So　now　we　find　out　that　about　thirty　guys　threw　it　all　away；　for　what？〃
　〃Pussy。〃
　I　couldn't　help　but　laugh。　〃Right。　Pussy。　But　it　was　pussy　from　hell。〃
　〃We're　not　so　pure；　either。〃
　〃We　never　promised　our　duty。〃
　〃This　is　a　murder　case；　not　an　ethics　inquiry。　One　thing　at　a　time。〃
　〃Right。　Send　in　the　clowns。〃
　Cynthia　called　Baker　on　the　inter　and　said；　〃Send　in　the　。。。　civilian　gentlemen。〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　Cynthia　said　to　me；　〃Now　calm　down。〃
　〃I'm　not　angry　at　those　bozos。　They're　civilians。〃
　The　door　opened；　and　Specialist　Baker　announced；　〃Chief　Yardley　and　Officer　Yardley。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　stood　as　the　Yardleys；　dressed　in　tan　uniforms；　came　into　the　office。　Burt　Yardley　said；　〃Don't　appreciate　bein'　kept　waitin'。　But　we'll　let　that　slide。〃　He　looked　around　the　small　room　and　mented；　〃Hell；　I　got　holdin'　cells　bigger　an'　nicer　than　this。〃
　〃So　do　we；〃　I　informed　him。　〃I'll　show　you　one。〃
　He　laughed　and　said；　〃This　here's　my　son　Wes。　Wes；　meet　Miss　Sunhill　and　Mr。　Brenner。〃
　Wes　Yardley　was　a　tall；　extremely　lean　man　of　about　twenty…five；　with　long　swept…back　hair　that　would　have　gotten　him　in　trouble　on　most　police　forces；　except　the　one　he　was　on。　We　didn't　shake　hands；　but　he　did　touch　his　cowboy　hat　and　nod　to　Cynthia。
　The　southern　male　doesn't　usually　remove　his　hat　indoors　when　he's　calling　on　inferiors　or　peers；　because　to　arrive　with　his　hat　literally　in　his　hand　is　to　admit　he's　in　the　presence　of　social　superiors。　It　all　goes　back　to　plantation　houses；　gentlemen；　sharecroppers；　slaves；　white　trash；　good　families　and　bad　families；　and　so　on。　I　don't　quite　get　it；　but　the　Army　is　heavy　on　hat　rules；　too；　so　I　respect　the　local　customs。
　Lacking　enough　chairs；　we　all　remained　standing。　Burt　Yardley　said　to　me；　〃Hey；　I　got　all　your　stuff　packed　nice　and　neat　in　my　office。　You　e　on　down　and　pick　it　up　any　ol'　time。〃
　〃That's　very　good　of　you；〃
　Wes　sort　of　smirked；　and　I　wanted　to　bury　my　fist　in　his　bony　face。　The　guy　looked　hyperactive；　sort　of　jiggling　around；　like　he　was　born　with　two　thyroids。
　I　said　to　Burt；　〃Did　you　bring　the　government　property　with　you？〃
　〃Sure　did。　Don't　need　no　trouble　with　the　government。　I　gave　it　all　to　your　little　girl　out　there。　That's　sort　of　a　peace　offering；　Paul。　Can　I　call　you　Paul？〃
　〃Sure　thing；　Burt。〃
　〃Good。　And　I'm　thinkin'　about　lettin'　you　into　the　deceased's　house。〃
　〃I'm　real　pleased；　Burt。〃
　〃Now；　you　want　to　talk　to　my　son　about　this　business？〃　He　looked　at　Wes　and　said；　〃Tell　these　people　everything　you　know　about　that　girl。〃
　Cynthia　said；　〃She　was　a　woman；　an　officer　in　the　United　States　Army。　Specialist　Baker　is　also　a　woman；　a　soldier　in　the　United　States　Army。〃
　Burt　did　a　little　bow　and　touched　his　hat。　〃I'm　song；　ma'am。〃
　I　really　felt　like　pulling　my　Glock　on　these　two　yahoos；　and　I　would　have　painted　them　red　in　a　heartbeat；　except　that　I　had　a　short　deadline　on　this　case。
　Anyway；　Wes　started　his　spiel。　〃Yeah；　I　was　seein'　Ann　now　and　then；　but　I　seen　other　women；　too；　and　she　was　seein'　other　men；　and　neither　of　us　took　it　real　personal。　The　night　she　was　killed；　I　was　ridin'　patrol　in　North　Midland；　midnight…to…eight　shift；　and　I　got　about　a　dozen　people　who　seen　me；　includin'　my　partner　and　gas　station　guys；　7…Eleven　guys；　and　like　that。　So　that's　all　you　got　to　know。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Officer　Yardley。〃
　No　one　spoke　for　a　few　seconds；　then　Cynthia　asked　Wes；　〃Are　you　upset　over　Ann　Campbell's　death？〃
　He　seemed　to　think　that　over；　then　replied；　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　I　asked　him；　〃Can　I　get　you　a　sedative　or　something？〃
　Burt　laughed　and　said　to　his　son；　〃Forgot　to　tell　you；　boy；　this　here　guy's　real　funny。〃
　I　said　to　Burt；　〃I'd　like　to　speak　to　you　alone。〃
　〃Anything　you　got　to　say；　you　can　say　in　front　of　my　boy。〃
　〃Not　everything；　Chief。〃
　He　looked　at　me　a　moment。　〃Well　。。。〃　He　said　to　his　son；　〃I'm　gonna　leave　you　alone　with　this　young　lady；　Wes；　and　you　behave　now。〃　He　laughed。　〃She　don't　know　what　a　mover　you　are。　Probably　thinks　you　just　fell　off　the　turnip　truck。〃
　On　that　note；　Burt　and　I　left　the　office；　and　I　found　an　empty　interview　room。　We　sat　across　a　long　table；　and　Burt　said；　〃Damned　reporters　out　there　are　gettin'　too　damn　nosy。　Startin'　to　ask　about　these　rumors　that　the　general's　daughter　got　around。　Understand？〃
　I　didn't　recall　a　single　question　of　that　nature　from　the　press；　but　I　said；　〃Law　officers　don't　engage　in　speculation　in　front　of　the　press。〃
　〃Hell；　no。　Me　and　the　general　get　along　fine；　and　I　wouldn't　want　to　see　his　girl　talked　about　after　she's　dead。〃
　〃If　you're　leading　up　to　something；　Chief；　spit　it　out。〃
　〃Well；　it　occurs　to　me　that　maybe　people　think　the　Army　CID　pulled　a　fast　one　on　me；　and　when　y'all　catch　this　guy；　my　organization　won't　get　no　credit。〃
　Double　negatives　annoy　me；　but　Burt　Yardley　annoyed　me　more。　I　said；　〃Rest　assured；　Chief；　your　department　will　get　all　the　credit　it　deserves。〃
　He　laughed。　〃Yeah；　that's　what　I'm　afraid　of；　son。　We　need　to　get　involved　in　this　here　case。〃
　〃Take　it　up　with　the　FBI。　They're　in　charge　as　of　tomorrow。〃
　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃
　〃Sure　is。〃
　〃Okay。　Meantime；　you　write　a　nice　report　sayin'　how　the　Midland　police　helped　you。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Why？　Because　you're　runnin'　around　talkin'　about　subpoena'n'　my　records；　because　the　goddamn　reporters　are　askin'　questions　about　my　boy's　involvement　with　the　deceased；　because　you're　startin'　to　make　me　look　like　a　damn　fool　'cause　I　don't　know　shit；　and　because　you　goddamn　well　need　me。〃　He　added；　〃You're　goin'　to　make　things　right。〃
　The　man　was　obviously　annoyed；　and　I　really　couldn't　blame　him。　There　is　a　strange　symbiotic　relationship　between　an　Army　post　and　the　local　munity；　especially　in　the　South。　At　its　worst；　the　relationship　seems　like　one　of　an　army　of　occupation　ensconced　in　the　defeated　old　Dixieland。　At　its　best；　the　locals　realize　that　most　of　the　officers　and　enlisted　personnel　are　southerners　themselves；　and　the　post　is　no　more　intrusive　than　a　big　auto　factory。　But　big　auto　factories　don't　have　their　own　laws　and　customs；　so　the　reality　is　somewhere　in　between。　Anyway；　in　the　spirit　of　cooperation；　I　said　to　Burt　Yardley；　〃I'll　introduce　you　to　the　FBI　man　in　charge　when　I　know　who　it　is　and　give　him　a　glowing　report　of　your　assistance　and　acplishments。〃
　〃That's　real　decent　of　you；　Paul。　You　write　somethin'　out；　too。　Bill　Kent's　doin'　that　right　now。　Why　don't　we　call　him　in　here；　and　we'll　have　that　big　sit…down　your　little　assistant　there　talked　about。〃
　〃I　don't　have　a　lot　of　time　for　big　sit…downs；　Chief。　You'll　be　involved　in　the　continuing　investigation　to　the　fullest　extent　possible。　Don't　worry　about　it。〃
　〃Why　do　I　think　you're　bullshittin'　me；　Paul？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　why。　'Cause　you　don't　think　I　got　one　goddamn　thing　you　want；　and　you　don't　give　nothin'　for　nothin'。　Fact　is；　I　think　I　got　what　you　need　to　wrap　up　this　here　case。〃