demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第68部分

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　should　answer　about　x；　and　go　on　about　y　and　z　and　get　it　off　her　chest；　and　get　it　finished　with。〃
　〃Right。　And　Mrs。　Fowler　is　her　husband's　witness　that　Ann　Campbell　was　dead　when　they　got　there；　and　that　Colonel　Fowler　did　not　kill　her。〃
　〃Correct。　And　I　believe　her；　and　I　don't　believe　he　killed　Ann　Campbell。〃
　We　drove　in　silence　back　toward　the　main　post；　both　of　us　deep　in　thought。
　We　arrived　at　Beaumont　House　a　little　early；　but　decided　that　protocol　had　to　take　a　backseat　to　reality　for　a　change；　and　we　went　to　the　front　door；　where　an　MP　checked　our　IDs；　then　rang　the　bell　for　us。
　As　luck　would　have　it；　young　and　handsome　Lieutenant　Elby　opened　the　door。　He　said；　〃You're　ten　minutes　early。〃
　Young　Elby　wore　the　crossed…rifles　insignia　of　an　infantry　officer；　and　though　there　was　no　indication　on　this　uniform　that　he'd　seen　bat　anywhere；　I　deferred　to　his　infantry　status　and　his　rank　as　a　missioned　officer。　I　said　to　him；　〃We　can　leave　and　e　back；　or　we　can　speak　to　you　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　Lieutenant　Elby　seemed　an　amicable　sort　and　showed　us　in。　We　went　into　the　waiting　room　where　we'd　been　before；　and；　still　standing；　I　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Didn't　you　want　to　use　the　facilities？〃
　〃What？　Oh　。。。　yes。〃
　Lieutenant　Elby　pointed　and　said；　〃There's　a　powder　room　to　the　left　of　the　foyer。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　She　left。
　I　said　to　Elby；　〃Lieutenant；　it　has　e　to　my　attention　that　you　and　Captain　Campbell　dated。〃
　Elby　looked　at　me　closely；　then　replied；　〃That's　correct。〃
　〃Did　you　know　she　was　also　dating　Wes　Yardley？〃
　He　nodded；　and　I　could　tell　by　his　expression　that　this　was　still　a　painful　memory　for　him。　I　could　certainly　understand　this…a　clean…cut　young　officer　having　to　share　his　boss's　daughter　with　a　less…than…clean…cut　townie；　a　sort　of　bad…boy　cop。　I　said　to　Elby；　〃Did　you　love　her？〃
　〃I'm　not　answering　that。〃
　〃You　already　have。　And　were　your　intentions　honorable？〃
　〃Why　are　you　asking　me　these　questions？　You're　here　to　speak　to　Mrs。　Campbell。〃
　〃We're　early。　So　you　knew　about　Wes　Yardley。　Did　you　hear　other　rumors　that　Ann　Campbell　dated　married　officers　on　post？〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？〃
　I　guess　he　didn't　hear　those　rumors。　And　I　guess　he　didn't　know　about　the　room　in　the　basement；　either。　I　said　to　him；　〃Did　the　general　approve　of　your　relationship　with　his　daughter？〃
　〃Yes；　he　did。　Do　I　have　to　answer　these　questions？〃
　〃Well；　three　days　ago　you　didn't；　and　you　could　have　told　me　to　go　to　hell。　And　a　few　days　from　now；　you　could　probably　tell　me　the　same　thing。　But　right　now；　yes；　you　have　to　answer　these　questions。　Next　question…did　Mrs。　Campbell　approve？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Did　you　and　Ann　Campbell　ever　discuss　marriage？〃
　〃Yes；　we　did。〃
　〃Talk　to　me；　Lieutenant。〃
　〃Well　。。。　I　knew　she　was　involved　with　this　Yardley　guy；　and　I　was　。。。　annoyed　。。。　but　it　wasn't　just　that　。。。　I　mean；　she　told　me　that　。。。　that　she　had　to　be　sure　her　parents　approved；　and　when　the　general　gave　his　blessings；　we　would　announce　our　engagement。〃
　〃I　see。　And　you　discussed　this　with　the　general；　man…to…man？〃
　〃Yes；　I　did；　a　few　weeks　ago。　He　seemed　happy；　but　he　told　me　to　take　a　month　to　think　it　over。　He　said　that　his　daughter　was　a　very　headstrong　young　woman。〃
　〃I　see。　And　then　recently　you　received　orders　to　go　to　someplace　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。〃
　He　looked　at　me；　sort　of　surprised。　〃Yes　。。。　Guam。〃
　I　almost　laughed；　but　didn't。　Though　he　was　my　superior；　he　was　young　enough　to　be　my　son；　and　I　put　my　hand　on　his　shoulder。　I　said　to　him；　〃Lieutenant；　you　could　have　been　the　best　thing　to　happen　to　Ann　Campbell；　but　it　wasn't　going　to　happen。　You　got　caught　in　a　power　struggle　between　General　and　Captain　Campbell；　and　they　moved　you　up　and　down　the　board。　Somewhere　in　the　back　of　your　mind　you　understand　this。　Get　on　with　your　life　and　your　career；　Lieutenant；　and　the　next　time　you　think　about　marriage；　take　two　aspirin；　lie　down　in　a　dark　room；　and　wait　for　the　feeling　to　pass。〃
　Unfortunately；　Cynthia　returned　at　that　very　moment　and　gave　me　a　nasty　look。
　Lieutenant　Elby　seemed　confused　and　irritated；　but　something　was　clicking　in　his　brain。　He　looked　at　his　watch　and　said；　〃Mrs。　Campbell　will　see　you　now。〃
　We　followed　Elby　into　the　hallway；　and　he　showed　us　into　a　large；　sort　of　Victorian　parlor　at　the　front　of　the　house。
　Mrs。　Campbell　rose　from　her　chair　and　we　went　to　her。　She　was　wearing　a　simple　black　dress；　and　as　I　got　closer　I　could　see　the　resemblance　to　her　daughter。　At　about　sixty　years　old；　Mrs。　Campbell　had　made　that　transition　from　beautiful　to　attractive；　but　it　would　be　another　ten　years　at　least　before　people　would　begin　using　the　neutral　and　sexless　expression　〃a　handsome　woman。〃
　Cynthia　took　her　hand　first　and　went　through　the　condolences。　I　also　took　her　hand　and　did　the　same。　She　said；　〃Won't　you　be　seated？〃　She　indicated　a　love　seat　near　the　front　window。　We　sat；　and　she　took　the　love　seat　opposite。　Between　us　was　a　small　round　table　on　which　sat　a　few　decanters　of　cordials　and　glasses。　Mrs。　Campbell　was　drinking　tea；　but　asked　us；　〃Would　you　like　some　sherry　or　port？〃
　Actually；　I　wanted　the　alcohol；　but　not　if　I　had　to　drink　sherry　or　port　to　get　at　it。　I　declined；　but　Cynthia　said　yes　to　sherry；　and　Mrs。　Campbell　poured　one　for　her。
　Mrs。　Campbell；　I　was　surprised　to　discover；　had　a　southern　accent；　but　then　I　remembered　seeing　her　on　television　once　during　the　Gulf　War；　and　I　recalled　thinking　what　a　politically　perfect　pair　they　were：　a　rock…hard　general　from　the　Midwest　and　a　cultured　lady　from　the　South。
　Cynthia　made　some　light　chatter；　and　Mrs。　Campbell；　for　all　her　grief；　kept　up　her　end　of　the　conversation。　Mrs。　Campbell；　it　turned　out；　was　from　South　Carolina；　herself　the　daughter　of　an　Army　officer。　June　Campbell…that　was　her　name…was；　I　thought；　the　embodiment　of　everything　that　was　good　about　the　South。　She　was　polite；　charming；　and　gracious；　and　I　recalled　what　Colonel　Fowler　had　said　about　her；　and　I　added　loyal　and　ladylike　but　tough。
　I　was　aware　that　the　clock　was　ticking；　but　Cynthia　seemed　in　no　hurry　to　get　to　the　nasty　stuff；　and　I　assumed　she　had　decided　it　wasn't　appropriate　and/or　had　lost　her　nerve。　I　didn't　blame　her　at　all。　But　then　Cynthia　said；　〃I　assume　Mrs。　Fowler；　or　perhaps　Colonel　Fowler；　called　you　before　we　arrived。〃
　Good　shot；　Cynthia。
　Mrs。　Campbell　put　her　teacup　down　and　replied　in　the　same　quiet　tone　of　voice　she'd　been　conversing　in；　〃Yes；　it　was　Mrs。　Fowler。　I'm　so　glad　she　had　the　opportunity　to　speak　to　you。　She's　been　very　upset　and　feels　so　much　better　now。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Cynthia　replied；　〃it's　often　that　way。　You　know；　Mrs。　Campbell；　I'm　assigned　mostly　to　cases　of　sexual　assault；　and　I　can　tell　you　that　when　I　begin　questioning　people　who　I　know　can　tell　me　something；　I　can　almost　feel　the　tension。　It's　sort　of　like　everybody　is　wound　up；　but　once　the　first　person　speaks　up；　it　begins　to　unwind；　as　it　has　here。〃
　This　was　Cynthia's　way　of　saying　that　once　the　code　of　silence　is　broken；　everyone　falls　all　over　one　another　to　go　on　the　record　as　a　government　witness。　Beats　the　hell　out　of　being　a　suspect。
　Cynthia　said　to　Mrs。　Campbell；　〃So　from　what　Mrs。　Fowler　tells　me；　and　from　what　Mr。　Brenner　and　I　have　discovered　from　other　sources；　it　appears　that　the　general　received　a　call　from　Ann　in　the　early　morning　hours；　asking　him　to　meet　her　on　the　rifle　range；　presumably　to　discuss　something。　Is　that　correct？〃
　Another　shot　in　the　dark　or；　to　give　Cynthia　some　credit；　a　very　good　guess。
　Mrs。　Campbell　replied；　〃The　red　telephone　beside　the　bed　rang　at　about　one　forty…five　A。M。　The　general　immediately　answered　it；　and　I　woke　up　as　well。　I　watched　him　as　he　listened。　He　never　spoke；　but　hung　up　and　got　out　of　bed　and　began　getting　dressed。　I　never　ask　him　what　these　calls　are　about；　but　he　always　tells　me　where　he's　going　and　when　he　expects　to　be　back。〃　She　smiled　and　said；　〃Since　we've　been　at　Fort　Hadley；　he　doesn't　get　many　calls　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　but　in　Europe；　when　the　phone　rang；　he'd　fly　out　of　bed；　grab　a　packed　bag；　and　be　off　to　Washington　or　to　the　East　German　border；　or　who　knows　where。　But　he'd　always　tell　me　。。。　This　time　he　just　sa