demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第65部分
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〃Are the contents still in the room？〃
〃My business。〃
〃Okay； how about a bonfire？ We'll use these pages of your sexual perversions to start it。 Probably won't even need a match。〃
He thought a minute。 〃Can I trust you？〃
〃My word as an officer。〃
〃Yeah？〃
〃Can I trust you？〃
〃No； but I don't want you shooting off your wiseass mouth to my wife and boy。〃
I stood and looked out the window。 The reporters were still there； but a cordon of MPs had now moved them back about fifty meters to the road in front of the building so that people could e and go without being harassed。 I thought about what I was about to enter into with Chief Yardley。 Destroying evidence could get me a few years in Kansas。 On the other hand； destroying lives is not part of my job。 I turned and walked toward Yardley。 〃Done deal。〃
He stood and we shook。 I said； 〃You throw everything in a dump truck； including the furniture； sheets； carpet； videotapes； photos； whips and chains； and all that stuff； and bring everything to the town incinerator。〃
〃When？〃
〃After I make an arrest。〃
〃When's that gonna be？〃
〃Soon。〃
〃Yeah？ You want to tell me about that？〃
〃No。〃
〃You know； dealin' with you is like jerkin' off with sandpaper。〃
〃Thank you。〃 I handed him the puter printouts and said； 〃When we burn the stuff； I'll have this deleted from the puter。 You can watch。〃
〃Yeah。 Now you're blowin' sunshine up my ass。 Well； I'm gonna trust you； son； 'cause you're an officer and a gentleman。 But if you fuck me； I'll kill you as God is my witness。〃
〃I think I understand that。 And I make you the same promise。 Have your first good night's sleep tonight。 It's almost finished。〃
We walked out into the corridor and back toward the office。 On the way； I said to him； 〃Have my personal luggage delivered to the visiting officers' quarters； okay； Burt？〃
〃Sure thing； son。〃
Cynthia and Wes Yardley were sitting at the desks and stopped talking as we entered。
Burt said； 〃Hey； we interruptin' somethin'？〃 He laughed。
Cynthia gave Burt a look that seemed to say； 〃You're a jackass。〃
Wes stood and ambled to the door。 He looked at the papers in his father's hand and asked； 〃What's that？〃
〃Uh 。。。 just some Army crap I got to read。〃 He looked at Cynthia and touched his hat。 〃A pleasure as always； ma'am。〃 He said to me； 〃Keep me informed。〃 He and his son left。
Cynthia asked； 〃Did Baker find you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Hot stuff？〃
〃Burt found it a little embarrassing。〃 I told her most of what transpired and said to her； 〃The incriminating photos and other evidence in Ann Campbell's fun room will be disposed of； but the less you know about it； the better。〃
〃Don't be protective； Paul。 I don't like that。〃
〃I'd do the same for any officer。 You're going to be questioned under oath someday； and you don't have to lie。〃
〃We'll discuss this another time。 Meanwhile； Wes Yardley turns out to be a little less macho than he appears。〃
〃They all are。〃
〃Right。 He's quite upset over Ann Campbell's death； and has been turning Midland upside down trying to find who did it。
〃Good。 Did you get the feeling that he thought Ann Campbell was his personal property？〃
〃Sort of。 I asked him if she was allowed to date other men； and he said he only allowed her to have dinner； drinks； and such； on official occasions on post。 He never wanted to escort her to any of those things； so he was good enough to permit her to do what she had to do with the asshole officers。 Quote； unquote。〃
〃There's a man after my own heart。〃
〃Right。 But people can't be watched all the time； and where there's a will； there's a way。〃
〃Correct。 So he had no idea； obviously； that she was furthering her career in nontraditional ways。〃
〃I very much doubt it。〃
〃And if he found out that his father was sharing the honey； he'd be annoyed。〃
〃To say the very least。〃
〃Good。 I've never had my hands around so many balls。〃
〃Don't let it go to your head。〃
〃Not me。 I'm just doing my job。〃
〃Do you want a sandwich？〃
〃You buying？〃
〃Sure。〃 She stood。 〃I need some air。 I'll run over to the O Club。〃
〃Cheeseburger； fries； and a Coke。〃
〃Tidy up this place while I'm gone。〃 She left。
I called Baker on the inter； and she reported。 I gave her my handwritten note regarding Dalbert Elkins and asked her to type it。
She said to me； 〃Would you remend me for CID School？〃
〃It's not as much fun as it looks； Baker。〃
〃I really want to be a criminal investigator。〃
〃Why？〃
〃It's exciting。〃
〃Why don't you talk to Ms。 Sunhill about it？〃
〃I did； when she was here yesterday。 She said it was fun and exciting； lots of travel； and you meet interesting people。〃
〃Right； and you arrest them。〃
〃She said she met you in Brussels。 That sounds romantic。〃
I didn't reply。
〃She said she's got orders for a permanent duty station in Panama when she's finished here。〃
〃Would you get me some fresh coffee？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃That will be all。〃 She left。
Panama。
CHAPTER TWENTY…FIVE
Colonel Fowler called at 1645 hours and I took the call； telling Cynthia to pick up the other line and listen。
Colonel Fowler said； 〃My wife is available at 1730 hours； at home； Mrs。 Campbell at 1800 hours； at Beaumont House； and the general will see you at his office at Post Headquarters at 1830 hours； sharp。〃
I mented； 〃That's cutting the interviews close。〃
〃Actually；〃 he replied； 〃it's cutting them short。〃
〃That's what I meant。〃
〃The three parties you wish to speak to are under a great deal of stress； Mr。 Brenner。〃
〃So am I； but I thank you。〃
〃Mr。 Brenner； has it occurred to you that you may be upsetting people？〃
〃It has occurred to me。〃
〃The funeral； as I said； is tomorrow morning。 Why don't you and Ms。 Sunhill brief the FBI people； attend the funeral if you wish； then leave。 The investigation will proceed nicely without you； and the murderer will be brought to justice in good time。 This is not a timed exercise。〃
〃Well； it wasn't； but the idiots in Washington made it one。〃
〃Mr。 Brenner； from the very beginning； you chose to charge through here like Grant took Richmond； with no regard to protocol or other people's sensibilities。〃
〃That's how Grant took Richmond； Colonel。〃
〃And they are still pissed…off at Grant in Richmond。〃
〃Right。 Colonel； I knew from the beginning that this case would be pulled away from me； from the CID。 The Pentagon and the White House did the politically correct thing； and God bless civilian control of the military。 But if I have about twenty hours left； I'll use it my way。〃
〃As you wish。〃
〃Trust me to conclude this case in a way that will not bring discredit on the Army。 Don't trust the FBI or the Attorney General's Office to do that。〃
〃I won't ment on that。〃
〃Best that you don't。〃
〃On another topic； Mr。 Brenner； your request to seize the contents of Colonel Moore's office has gone all the way to the Pentagon； and they turned it down for national security reasons。〃
〃That's the very best of reasons； sir。 But it's odd that the people in Washington want me to arrest Colonel Moore for murder； but I can't get permission to examine his files。〃
〃That's what happens when you ask。 You know that。〃
〃Indeed I do。 That's the last time I go through channels。〃
〃That's your call。 But the Pentagon did say that if you arrest Colonel Moore at this time； they will fly someone down here with the necessary clearance and authority to assist you in going through the files on a selective basis。 But it can't be a fishing expedition。 You must know what you're looking for。〃
〃Right。 I've been that route before。 If I knew what the hell I was looking for； I probably wouldn't need it。〃
〃Well； that's the best I could do。 What clearance do you have？〃
〃Oh； about five foot eleven。〃 He didn't laugh； so I said； 〃Secret clearance。〃
〃All right； I'll pass that on。 Meantime； the Psy…Ops School is sending people down to Jordan Field to collect the contents of Captain Campbell's office and return everything to the school。 You and Colonel Kent will not be charged with a crime for removing the contents； but letters of reprimand have been put in your files。〃 He added； 〃You must obey the law like the rest of us。〃
〃
